From their own military experience, Bertha Villanueva and her husband, Mark Shertzer, knew firsthand the stress of trying to care for family, including pets, while on deployment.

In April 2014, the couple decided to turn their love for dogs into Kamp K9 Hawaii, a boarding and pet services business they run out of their home in Halawa Heights in Aiea.

“It could be anywhere from 60 days to maybe a year or more, depending on the circumstances,” said Villanueva, a Navy and Army veteran who served a yearlong tour in Afghanistan. “There is a huge need for, where do you leave your pet when you have to leave the island?”

While all dogs are welcome, Villanueva says about 80 percent of their clients are in the military. Kamp K9’s normal rates are $40 a day, with a 15 percent discount for military members and veterans, and special rates for “deployment dogs,” depending on length of stay.

Last year, a Jack Russell mix named Odysseus stayed for nine months while his owner was deployed to the Middle East.

Villanueva says Kamp K9 keeps canines in a homelike, kennel-free environment, primarily indoors. She prefers to take only three to four dogs at a time, but will make an exception for deployment dogs.

“We will try to mimic whatever the routine is at home,” she said. “When I’m in the house, they’re free roaming. They can jump on the furniture, sleep on the couch.”

Dogs also get playtime in a fenced yard. Shertzer, recently retired from the Air Force, watches the dogs when they are outdoors. The couple has canines of their own, including a St. Bernard, a poi dog and a cavalier King Charles spaniel. Learn more at kampk9hawaii.com.

Other options for members of the military on deployment:

>> MWR Kennels in Halawa Valley, operated by the Army Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, accepts both dogs and cats and is open to all service members on the island, including retirees. Fees start at $18 per night, depending on kennel size, with a 10 percent discount for any stay greater than 30 nights; 808ne.ws/MWRKennels or 368-3456.

>> Tradewinds Pet Suites in Waianae offers a 10 percent discount for active and retired military and up to 45 percent on annual contracts for those who are deploying; tradewindspets.com/military or 696-4900.

>> Pampered Pets Hawaii offers special boarding rates for military at homes in Kaaawa, Kaneohe and Kapolei, with deeper discounts for those on deployment six months or longer; oahupetboarding.com or 286-8757.

>> Dogs on Deployment is a national nonprofit that attempts to match military pets with volunteer caregivers. A handful of dogs from Oahu were recently listed on its website, dogsondeployment.org.