For some of us, stranger care, whether a kennel or pet hotel, is just not for us. Maybe Rover or Fluffy is a tad sensitive about being left with strangers (who isn’t?).
If you’re lucky enough to have a trusted friend, neighbour or family who “gets” pets, then you’ve got it made since you can spell each other off come vacation time. And you’re totally at ease knowing what great care your furry family member is getting while you’re away.
Leave written guidelines for care. If you have access to a computer, it’s not a bad idea to create your pet care guidelines as a word document so you don’t have to rewrite instructions every time you leave town. It’s also a handy way of spelling out your expectations for little Pookey-bear in terms of exercise and attention.
Describe your pet’s daily routine. In your list, it helps to include typical feeding times and amounts along with daily exercise routines for dogs, and whether or not the cat can be let outside. Note treat consumption times, like a tartar cleaning treat at bedtime. If your pet is on medication, be very clear about times and amounts.
List pertinent commands. Obviously we’re talking about dogs here—unless your cat is headed for Hollywood or you’ve developed a special language à deux. You would think certain commands would all be the same (Come, Sit, Stay—that is, if they have any training). Better not leave it to chance that your pet-sitters will know your way of saying goodbye when you leave the house is to ‘Guard the house for mommy.’(Always give a dog a job to do and they’re happy.)
Include important phone numbers. List the name of your vet, along with after-hours emergency numbers. If there is an emergency, the last thing you want is to delay getting help because the person has to hunt down telephone numbers.
Do not take your pet’s foster family for granted. Be sure to compensate your trusted friend, neighbour, or family member in some way. Whether cash, gift certificate, a fancy dinner out—you need to show your gratitude for not having to stick Rover or Fluffy with strangers.
Leaving your pet home alone. As long as you don’t mind the wild parties…seriously, if you have a choice between leaving your pet in your home and having someone check in on them regularly, or staying at your pet-sitters, it depends on the species and the length of time you’ll be away.
If you have a cat, you could leave the cat at home and have them checked on if you’re going to be away more than two days. If you have a dog, take him to the pet-sitter’s home. Dogs are social creatures, and left alone too long, tend to get anxious and possibly destructive. (Hey, we know the feeling.)
As a word of caution, you may not want to hire a neighbourhood child to be responsible for your pet. Unless the ‘kid’ is in third year vet school (and even then, their schedule might be fully booked), kids just don’t have the level of maturity necessary to undertake that level of responsibility (any more than they know how to parent). So, unless you have adult back-up hovering close by, choose a kennel over relying on a neighbourhood youngster to take care of your family pets for an extended period of time.