Plan for Pet Care Before You Leave Town

Dear Drs. Jaffe, We travel a lot, especially during summer vacations. How can we find someone reliable to take care of our dog and cats while we are away?

It’s never easy to leave your pets behind when you leave town. They’re members of your family. Some people are so worried about leaving their pets that they arrange their travel accommodations so their furry “babies” can accompany them. You’d be amazed at how many hotels, Airbnbs, and bed and breakfast inns permit you to keep a well-behaved pet in your room. Check out the Internet for sources of pet friendly lodgings, such as Bringfido.com, Petswelcome.com, Dogfriendly.com, or Tripswithpets. com. Or you can type in your favorite hotel and include the words “pet friendly” in the search site. Be aware that the most upto-date COVID restrictions may not be reflected on all websites.

If you can’t take your pet along, arrange for pet care well in advance of your anticipated departure. This is especially important if you will be traveling over a major holiday or during school vacations. Boarding kennels tend to fill quickly during these times.

Basically, you have three options for pet care when you are away. You can leave your pet in your home, in someone else’s home, or in a boarding kennel/animal hospital.

Our favorite recommendation is to hire a friend, neighbor, or pet sitter to care for your pet in your own home. Remember, “There’s no place like home.” A pet is most comfortable and least stressed in familiar surroundings. Your pet will be able to keep its old routine and sleep in its own bed (or on your bed or couch when you’re not watching!)

Another advantage of in-home pet care is that your sitter can collect the mail, feed the fish, water plants, pick up the newspaper, bring out the trash bin, and turn the lights on and off so it appears someone is home. This “lived in” look also deters wouldbe burglars.

How do you find a reliable pet sitter? It’s not easy. Oh boy, do we miss Shala, our previous incredible, trustworthy neighbor and pet sitter! Word of mouth works best. Ask your friends, relatives, neighbors, pet groomer, or veterinarian for a recommendation. No luck with that approach? Check the website Rover.com or Petsitters.org to find trained, experienced sitters in your area. If you don’t personally know your sitter, we recommend you ask for references and contact them.

Found a prospective sitter? After the initial phone contact, interview the sitter in your home and watch how that person interacts with your pets. If you plan to leave your pet in the sitter’s home, arrange a meet and greet in their home. Does the person seem to genuinely care for your pets? Is he or she gentle and affectionate with them? Will the sitter have another pet around when he or she takes care of yours? If so, will this pet get along with yours? If you feel comfortable with this person your pets probably will, too.

When you have finally selected a sitter, make certain you write down and discuss any important instructions regarding the care of your pet and home. Keep a copy with you, give one to your sitter, and leave a copy mounted on the refrigerator.

Write down the terms of the service in advance. This should include specific duties requested and the pet sitter’s fee. A professional sitter may provide a contract and forms for you to fill in with pertinent information.

Specify the number and length of visits you want the sitter to make each day. Designate times of day at which you expect them to visit. Should the dogs be walked or just turned out into the yard? Do you want the sitter to pick up after the dog in the yard? How often should the litter box be completely emptied and washed? Where is the cat litter stored? Where should it be disposed?

Write down specific feeding instructions, such as amount and frequency, and where the food is kept. Better yet, put everything the sitter might need in one convenient location. List the name, dosage, and route of administration of any medications that need to be given, as well as the exact date and time of day. Be specific! If Lola swallows her pill only if it is hidden in cheese, make certain your pet sitter knows that.

Don’t forget to tell your sitter about your pet’s habits, favorite hiding places, and its like and dislikes. If you are traveling over the July 4th weekend, let your sitter know if your dog is frightened of fireworks. Does your cat hide under the bed or in the master bedroom closet when strangers enter the house?

Leave your contact information as well as that of a back-up friend or family member in case you are unreachable in an emergency. Write down any pertinent information about your pet’s medical history and whom to contact if your pet becomes ill or injured. Leave your veterinary clinic name, address, and phone number as well as any after-hour emergency hospital information. Determine in advance how any veterinary bills will be paid.

It’s also wise to leave a house key with trusted neighbors. Moreover, ask them to watch for the sitter and to contact you if they don’t see the sitter arrive at the designated times.

Pet proof your home and yard before you leave, especially if your pet will be unsupervised most of the day or night. Pick up any sharp objects, bones, ribbons, or strings that may pose a hazard. Consider keeping some doors to rooms closed to keep your pet in a smaller, safer area. Top off the water bowls, both indoors and outside.

If your beloved buddy has a long list of medical problems, is very young or old, has separation anxiety, or is quite mischievous, your pet might benefit from more supervision. Ask you sitter to stay in your home, or else increase the number of visits--or arrange for your pet to stay in the sitter’s home, where it will be watched day and night. If this is not an option, perhaps you should consider leaving your pet in a boarding kennel, especially one affiliated with your pet’s veterinary hospital. Once again, word of mouth and making a personal visit is the best way to select a boarding facility.

The bottom line is this: trust your instincts when selecting a sitter or boarding facility. Don’t leave your precious little ones with someone you wouldn’t want to spend time with either! Above all, especially in these trying times, travel responsibly and safely.

We would love to hear from our readers. Do you have any questions for us about animal health or care? Please email us any questions or topics you might like us to consider addressing in our monthly “Ask the Vets” column.

We are not able to privately respond to your questions, and we encourage you to contact your regular veterinarian should you have specific questions about your pet’s medical care.

We hope to hear from you soon!