The ARK at JFK - Jamaica, NY
The ARK at JFK: Unique Dog Park and Pet Care Services in Jamaica, New York
The ARK at JFK is not your typical dog park—this facility in Jamaica, New York, specializes in pet travel, boarding, and transportation services for global journeys, with on-site play yards and amenities designed for the comfort and well-being of your pets. Conveniently located just outside JFK Airport, The ARK offers a unique combination of expert animal care and practical travel solutions for dog owners relocating or traveling internationally with their pets.
Visitors appreciate the peace of mind provided by The ARK’s attentive staff, organized play yards where dogs can relax and burn off energy before flights, and the availability of assistance with paperwork and veterinary requirements. While reviews are mixed regarding communication and booking ease, many note the helpfulness of staff and the genuine care given to pets during their stay. For anyone searching for a dog-friendly, travel-oriented option near JFK, The ARK offers a singular solution in the Jamaica, New York, area.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there a fenced area for dogs? Yes, there are play yards where dogs can burn off energy and relax before flights, which are securely fenced.
- Are there staff present at the park? Yes, staff are available to care for dogs and assist with travel needs.
- Is there a swimming area or pond for dogs? There is no mention of a swimming area or pond for dogs at The ARK.
- Are there water bowls or fountains for dogs? Water bowls are provided for dogs as part of the pet care services, especially for those boarding or traveling.
- Who do I contact for lost and found or concerns? You should contact The ARK at JFK directly for any lost and found, or to report an issue or make a suggestion.
Reviews
I would highly recommend working with the Ark team after we had a great experience traveling with our goldendoodle from NY to Italy. The team helped plan absolutely everything from getting all paperwork, partnerships, travel equipment, flights for the exact day, airline, route we wanted. Our dog had a great flight experience. As we were waiting in security lines at the airport, we received update photos of her running around a dog park relaxing before her flight that she was boarded last for and taken off first to make it the shortest time possible in the crate. The team made us feel very comfortable with sending our dog via Emirates cargo and we will certainly always use this service in the future.
Someone on fb recommended The Ark in helping us find a vet that would do the USDA paperwork. I explained repeatedly in emails that the vet we had was snail mailing paperwork to the USDA which was NOT going to make the time frame we needed. I also put the wait list number for the QM2 in my emails. They clearly didn’t read my emails as the response was, “I don’t know what number they were on the wait list.” Over 3 weeks I called and was sent to Voicemail which was full. My husband even called and managed to leave a message. No one called back. I even signed the waiver and gave them a credit card for a deposit. I eventually sent an email that we found another transportation company.
I just wanted to show our appreciation for Maria who works at The Ark. From the moment she picked up our dog from customs in JFK, she was very empathetic to our travel situation with an infant. She was attentive, kind, and very helpful. Maria is a great communicator and very patient as well. We got lucky to have her helping us and we felt like our dog was in the safest hands. Thank you Maria.
It was extremely difficult to even get in touch with someone to make a reservation. I called and emailed for several days before finally getting a response. That should have been a red flag, but we moved forward because The ARK came recommended.
Unfortunately, the experience was not worth the NULL we paid for two nights of boarding and airport transport. When we arrived at the scheduled time of 12:00 PM, no one was there. We waited for over 30 minutes, calling the number on the door repeatedly — around 25 times — with no response. When someone finally showed up, the staff seemed flustered, rushed, and unprepared.
We were told we would receive daily photo updates via email and that we would get our dogs’ leashes back. We received neither. When our dogs were returned to us at the airport, they were not ready for check-in. Their crates hadn’t been zip-tied, the required stickers I provided weren’t placed, and our pre-purchased water bowls were not used. We had to wait for someone to bring back our bag with supplies and scramble in the check-in line to do it all ourselves — something we’re told was part of the service we were paying for. We could have just taken an Uber to the airport and done it all ourselves from the start and saved hundreds and not been stressed at the airport.
I reached out directly to The ARK to express my concerns and never received a response.
I’m giving two stars (instead of one) because they did allow me to send our vet certificate directly to them, and the driver kindly returned with the bag and leashes we had provided. But overall, I would not recommend The ARK and will not use their services again.
We were very nervous about shipping our Irish Setter to our new home in Italy. After searching several services, we chose The Ark at JFK because the team seemed responsive and knowledgeable. We’re so glad we chose this service. Everything went off perfectly, including on-time pickup of our dog, a nice text showing him in the play yard at The Ark, and other follow-up. Once in Italy, the gate agent was really great, keeping us informed about Finnegan’s progress through customs clearance. In the end, the dog arrived in perfect shape. It was harder on us humans than the dog!