By Traveling is fun, but it can also be a source of anxiety for those who have pets.
Questions arise around whether or not you should bring your animal companion or make arrangements to leave them behind.
Now granted, everybody with pets won’t have this problem as some older animals might be quite accustomed to traveling and/or staying at the house.
But we’re the proud owners of a one-and-a-half-year-old cat named Max (Kim) and a new nine-week-old puppy named Parker (Val).
And currently while we travel, our companions don’t come with us.
If you’re in the same boat, there are some options:
- Find a responsible house sitter. This should be someone you trust to come to your home and take care of your pet while you’re away. This can be as simple as a close friend or relative to make sure your pet eats, gets exercise and is cleaned up after. Or you can hire a pet nanny. Just make sure they’re bonded and insured and certified.
- Ask a good neighbor. If you live in a neighborhood where many are familiar with your pets, it might be easier to just ask them to stop in and check on your pet periodically to cover the basics. Again, make sure they’re responsible. Offer to return the favor when they go on vacation.
- Take them to a luxury pet hotel or resort. Essentially, this would mean paying for boarding of your pet for the duration of your vacation. There are a ton of dog kennels/catteries around, but notice we said “luxury” and “resort.” Look we’re not saying we’re bougie, but we’ve heard the horror stories of pets coming back from some of these boarding places with communicable diseases and behavioral issues. Let’s just say for our pets, we’d prefer a nicer – albeit pricier – luxury resort for our little ones. But hey, do you.
- Simply make your home accommodating. Make sure your pet’s forever home is extra comfortable, especially while you’re away. Have your pet’s favorite toys or blankets around and stock up on their favorite snacks and treats. Another item to consider adding to your home is a pet camera. This will allow you to see what your baby is doing while you’re away and some cameras even have two-way audio, so you can hear and talk to your baby! (Kim actually has this camera and loves it.) Other cameras even offer the option for you to dispense treats to your pet. How cool is that?
What do you all do with your pets while you’re traveling? We’d love to know. Drop us a note in the comments!
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