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# Buying an animal with boarding included

Some sellers offer boarding, so the animal can stay at their farm after you buy it. You add boarding at checkout, it is billed every month, and the seller is paid for the animal as soon as checkout completes.

## Check the boarding panel on the listing

Scroll down the listing to the boarding panel. Its title tells you the type:

- **Optional Boarding Available**: you can add boarding or skip it.
- **Boarding Required**: you can only buy this animal with boarding.

The panel shows the **Monthly Rate** (it includes the 5% service fee), the **Minimum Term** you commit to, and the **Housing**. Some listings also show an **Included Period**, which is a number of months of boarding that come **FREE with purchase**. Select **Service Terms & Facility Rules** to read the seller's rules before you buy. If no approval is needed, the panel ends with "You can add boarding during checkout".

![Optional boarding panel with a monthly rate, a 3-month minimum, and Boarding Approved](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/887/884/58a/2cbeb.png?width=1042)

## If the seller must approve you first

Some sellers want to review boarders before the sale. Their panel shows **Interested in Boarding?** with **Apply Now**. Send your application before you buy. You need to be signed in to buy with boarding that needs approval.

![Interested in Boarding box asking the buyer to apply before purchase](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/54f/af3/981/3167d.png?width=748)

The panel then shows **Application Pending**, **Boarding Approved** or **Application Declined**. With optional boarding, **Buy Now** goes ahead without boarding until you are approved. When boarding is required, you can't buy the animal until the seller approves you.

## Add boarding at checkout

1. Select **Buy Now**.
2. **Add boarding?** shows the monthly price. Under **Boarding term**, choose how long. The first choice is the seller's minimum. If there is no minimum, you can also pick **No minimum (cancel anytime)**.
3. Select **Include boarding**. To buy without it, select **Skip boarding**.

![Add boarding dialog with a monthly price and a 3-month boarding term](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/e11/1c7/281/67b52.png?width=780)

When boarding is required, this step is skipped and boarding is added for you at the minimum term. There is no delivery step either, because the animal stays with the seller.

## What you pay

The **Checkout summary** lists the one-time costs first: **Animal price**, **Service fee** and **Subtotal**. Under **Monthly Recurring** it shows **Boarding** and **Boarding service fee**, with a note that boarding is billed monthly and that Credit and Wallet balance can't pay it.

![Checkout summary listing the animal price and the monthly boarding charges separately](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/90d/206/e85/46bc1.png?width=780)

- Creatures Credit and Wallet balance can pay the one-time part only.
- Promo codes can't be used on a purchase with boarding.
- **Total** includes your first month of boarding, unless the seller includes free months.
- Free months are not billed. The summary says how many are included, and **Total** leaves boarding out because monthly billing starts after they end.

Select **Continue to Checkout** to pay on the secure payment page.

## How the seller is paid

On most purchases, Creatures holds your payment until you confirm pickup or delivery. Boarding works differently. The seller is paid for the animal as soon as checkout completes, because the animal stays in their care.

Boarding is billed and managed on its own, under its own terms. So read the boarding terms and ask the seller your questions before you pay. If something goes wrong, [contact support](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/how-to-contact-creatures-support-wmy26j/) right away.

## After you buy

The animal is yours, and the seller now cares for it as your boarding provider. The listing's panel changes to **Boarding Included**. To follow the stay, change it or end it later, see [Boarding your animals with a provider](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/boarding-your-animals-with-a-provider-1tyfcgu/).

### Related information

- [Boarding your animals with a provider](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/boarding-your-animals-with-a-provider-1tyfcgu/)
- [Buying at a fixed price](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/buying-at-a-fixed-price-1xechcl/)
- [How buying works: payments, held funds, and protection](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/how-buying-works-payments-held-funds-and-protection-dnwy7i/)
- [Paying with Wallet, Credit, and ACH](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/paying-with-wallet-credit-and-ach-33lptk/)