Pampered Pet: BARK AND BOARD

in a city with cramped quarters and a thriving dog-run subculture, we're bound to be picky about where we board our furry, devoted cellmates before we go on vacation. some choose symphony vet (698 amsterdam ave. at 94th, 212-866-8000, www.symphonyvet.com) for a short-term stay. your medicated pet will be in very capable hands. but for any stay lasting a week or more, consider brooklyn dog house (327 douglas st. at fourth ave., 718-222-4900, www.brooklyndoghouse.com) in park slope (pick-up available from symphony vet). bouncy dogs are grouped with bouncy dogs and small and large dogs have separate runs on two huge playgrounds ranging over 1,500 square feet. costs range from $38 to $40 for one dog per night. on the upper east side, reserve a space for your dog, cat (no co-mingling here) or exotic pet at university animal hospital (354 e. 66th st., 212-288-8884, www.universityanimalhospital.com). it's a small place, so best to call one or two months in advance. at dogday dog walkers (19 e. 109th st., 917-273-6754, www.dogdaydogwalkers.com), overnight care in your own familiar home is $60 per night. "day boarding" (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) is $30 per day. running paws (1105 first ave., 212-317-1222, www.runningpaws.com) has cage-free boarding, spacious romper rooms and little green cots lined neatly along one wall when not in use by your napping dog. each 24-hour cycle is $69. dog boarding options almost always add $20 give or take during holidays, and running paws is no exception. in-home care is $65 per cycle. jordan kaplan started petaholics (320 e. 54th st., 212-560-6593, www.petaholics.com) after 9/11 and has never looked back. he will take on cats, birds, turtles, rabbits and almost any creature you send his way. overnight dog sitting is $65 per night. kaplan employs a host of attractive strivers from all over the city- julliard grads, schoolteachers, actors, freelance writers, comics and models. but it's the hands-on pet experience that counts. take cynthia: a schoolteacher by day, she rescued a dog and adopted an iguana, grew up with cats, two guinea pigs, two mice, one bird and one frog.