You’ve planned your family vacation for six months now. You’ve requested the time off from work, purchased the airline tickets, booked the hotel, and even checked the weather forecast 800 miles away. If you’ve a cat like mine, she’s sitting in your empty suitcase, watching with big eyes as you lay out your wardrobe for the next week. The dogs are constantly underfoot; somehow they seem to know that this is a people-only trip.
What they don’t know is that three times a day, someone is going to come by with an extra catnip mouse and a Frisbee, and make sure that they’re as happy as can be while their human family is away. Your vacation might not have included the family pet this time, but that doesn’t mean he’s not happy as can be, right in his own home.
He’s having his very own staycation, enjoying his bed, his same routine, and he doesn’t have a strange dog yipping all night in the next kennel. And that’s exactly why pet sitters can be a great option for your pet—when your pet stays home, he’s familiar with his surrounding and he gets to sleep his favorite spot every night. He gets his own food, on his own schedule (and maybe even an extra treat here and there). Maybe you have more than one pet at home, and a hiring a pet sitter ensures that they get to spend their staycation together, in their very own home sweet home.
Pet sitters may also bring in the mail, take out the trash on pickup day, and cycle the lights and curtains (which helps the house look lived in while you’re out of town). And since the pet sitter is spending quality one-on-one time with your pet, you can even get personalized updates and photos while you’re away.
Professional pet sitters have experience with shy cats, excited dogs, elderly rabbits, quiet koi, and many, many other pets. A cat that needs daily insulin shots, or a turtle that needs special feeding, is not a problem. And in just these sorts of situations, a pet sitter is the ideal vacation pet care, since they’ll spend one-on-one time with each pet and can keep a close eye on any health issues that might arise, or they’ll see that a shy dog needs some extra snuggle time, while his more active canine sister needs an extra lap around the block. And you’ll get the peace of mind that comes with knowing your pet is being cared for by a professional.
If you’re planning a trip away from home soon and won’t be taking along your furry family, give a pet sitter a call to see if it’s a good fit. They’ll meet your pets, ask about your pet needs, and treat your pets just as if they were their own while you’re away. Just don’t be surprised if you return home to a happy and content furry friend at the end of your trip.
By Rachel Leisemann Immel
Photo by Bev Lloyd-Roberts LRPS