Leaving your pets alone when you go to work every day is hard enough. But imagine how harder it would be when you have to go away for a much longer period? In some cases, pets, particularly dogs, get depressed when their owners are gone a lot.
Of course, no loving pet owner would want their baby to undergo such emotional stress.
It is only natural for any pet owner to feel worried and anxious if their pets are not getting the best treatment while they are away. Especially when your pets are used to seeing you around every day, your absence can profoundly affect them.
But that does not mean that you have to completely miss out on all the fun any other people can do, like go on a weekend trip with your friends, or a long family holiday. These days, there are more and more options you can choose how your pets will be taken care of while you are away.
Essentially, you have three options for your pets if you are going on vacation. One, you can keep them at home with someone. Two, you can have them taken care of outside your home. Three and lastly, you can take them with you on the trip.
Keep Pets at Home
1. Hire a Pet Sitter
For many of us, keeping our pets at home and hiring a pet sitter is the best option. However, hiring one can be a bit costly. The standard rate is $20 every visit, and the longer you are going to be away, the more costly it would be.
Nonetheless, professional sitters are mostly highly reliable. They have enough training when it comes to pet care. Apart from the option wherein pet sitters visit your house regularly while you are away, most pet sitters can take care of pets in their own homes.
2. Ask a Friend, Family, or Neighbor
Another best option for how your pets can be looked after while you are away is to ask for help from a friend, family member, or neighbor. Not to mention, this is the cheapest option among the possible ways to ensure the health and safety of your beloved furry family members while you are away.
One of the upsides of enlisting help from any of these people is that they are someone your cats or dogs are already familiar with. Since your pets get to stay at the comforts of your own home and stick with their usual routines, they are less likely to experience any emotional distress while you are away.
3. Hire a House Sitter
Since house sitters get to stay at your house full time while you are away, they can technically take care of your pets as well. It gives you peace of mind knowing that your pets are given constant attention and supervision while maintaining their usual routine.
However, house sitters are also a bit costly, unlike when you enlist the help of a friend, family member, or neighbor.
Have Pets Taken Care of Outside Your Home
1. Board Them at a Kennel or Pet Hotel
More and more businesses are opening up, offering facilities and amenities for pet owners who need someone to take care of their beloved animals while they are away. But for the majority of pet owners though, pet hotels and boarding kennels are seen as last resorts if no one can watch over their pets.
2. Let Them Stay at a Local Vet
Most veterinary clinics also offer an around-the-clock boarding service for pets. For those pet owners who have furry family members who have medical issues or pet owners who want to ensure the health care of their babies, then local vet clinics might be the best place to leave your pets.
One major advantage of a vet clinic is that it can handle all kinds of pets, be it cats, dogs, birds, or frogs, among others.
3. Look for a Volunteer
In some cities or towns, there are volunteer groups that offer help in watching over pets. This is a very affordable option since you mostly need to cover expenses for food and supplies for your furry babies. But it would be nice to give a bit of stipend for the volunteer who watches over your pets.
Take Your Pets with You in the Trip
If you are really going for a long time, say six months vacation, sometimes the best thing to do is bring your pets with you. Shared pet ground transport, cabin air transport, or ship’s kennel are some options you have to transport your pets to your destination if using a car to travel is not an available option.
Pets are not just some animals you are obliged to take care of. The bond you have with them is special. They are essentially family. Since they are family, you only want the best for them, especially when you are away.
