The holiday season often means travel plans, visiting family, or maybe just escaping the cold or the routine. But for pet owners, the excitement can be tinged with a significant question: what about our furry, scaled, or feathered companions? Deciding the best course of action for your pet while you’re away requires careful consideration of their personality, your destination, and your budget. Let’s unpack the three main options: boarding facilities, hiring a pet sitter, or bringing your beloved animal along for the ride.
Boarding Kennels and Catteries: The Traditional Route
For decades, boarding facilities have been a go-to for travelling pet parents. Modern kennels and catteries often strive to be more than just cages; many offer playtime, grooming services, and varying levels of accommodation, from basic runs to luxury suites.
Pros of Boarding
- Professional Supervision: Staff are typically trained to handle animals, administer medication (if needed), and recognize signs of distress or illness. This provides a certain peace of mind, knowing experts are on hand.
- Socialization (for some pets): For well-socialized dogs, group play sessions offered by some kennels can be a bonus, keeping them active and engaged.
- Security: Reputable facilities have secure enclosures and protocols to prevent escapes.
- All-Inclusive Care: Feeding, walks, cleaning – it’s all handled by the facility staff, leaving you free from coordinating logistics remotely.
Cons of Boarding
- Stressful Environment: For many pets, especially cats and anxious dogs, the unfamiliar environment, noise from other animals, and separation from home can be highly stressful.
- Health Risks: Despite vaccination requirements and cleaning protocols, the concentration of animals increases the risk of contagious illnesses like kennel cough or upper respiratory infections.
- Impersonal Care: While staff may be caring, they have many animals to look after. Your pet won’t get the one-on-one attention they’re used to at home.
- Disruption of Routine: Feeding times, walk schedules, and sleeping arrangements will differ from home, which can be unsettling for some pets.
- Cost: Especially during peak holiday periods, boarding can be expensive, particularly for multiple pets or extended stays.
Choosing a Boarding Facility: If you lean towards boarding, thorough research is crucial. Visit potential facilities beforehand. Look for cleanliness, knowledgeable and friendly staff, adequate space, ventilation, and safety measures. Ask about their emergency protocols, vaccination requirements, and daily routines for the animals.
Hiring a Pet Sitter: Keeping Them Comfortable at Home
A popular alternative is hiring a pet sitter. This can take two forms: someone who visits your home multiple times a day to feed, walk, play, and clean up, or a house sitter who stays overnight, providing constant companionship for your pet in their own familiar surroundings.
Pros of Pet Sitting
- Familiar Environment: This is the biggest advantage. Your pet stays in their own territory, surrounded by familiar sights, sounds, and smells, significantly reducing stress.
- Maintained Routine: Feeding times, walk routes, favourite sleeping spots – a sitter can adhere closely to your pet’s established schedule.
- One-on-One Attention: Your pet receives dedicated attention and affection from the sitter during their visits or stay.
- Reduced Health Risks: No exposure to illnesses circulating in a kennel environment.
- Home Security: Having someone come and go (or stay) can deter break-ins, adding a layer of security for your home while you’re away.
- Convenience: No drop-off or pick-up logistics involved.
Cons of Pet Sitting
- Trust: You’re entrusting your pet and your home to someone. Finding a reliable, trustworthy sitter is paramount and requires careful vetting.
- Cost: Professional pet sitters, especially live-in ones, can be more expensive than boarding, although daily visits might be comparable or even cheaper for multiple pets.
- Limited Supervision (for drop-in visits): If the sitter only visits a few times a day, your pet will spend significant periods alone. This might not be suitable for pets with separation anxiety or medical conditions requiring constant monitoring.
- Potential for Issues: What if the sitter gets sick or has an emergency? Reputable sitters or agencies usually have backup plans, but it’s something to confirm.
Finding a Pet Sitter: Ask for recommendations from your vet, groomer, or fellow pet owners. Use professional pet-sitting organizations that vet their members. Always conduct an in-person interview, check references thoroughly, and ensure they are bonded and insured. Clearly outline all expectations and emergency procedures.
Verified Information: Always ensure your chosen pet sitter or boarding facility has your emergency contact information, your veterinarian’s details, and clear instructions regarding feeding, medication, and any specific behavioural quirks or needs of your pet. A trial run, like a single overnight stay at the kennel or a short visit from the sitter before your main trip, can help gauge your pet’s reaction and identify any potential issues. Prepare a detailed care sheet regardless of the option you choose.
Taking Them Along: Adventures with Your Companion
For some trips and some pets, bringing them along seems like the ideal solution. No separation anxiety, no worries about their care back home – just shared experiences. However, this option comes with its own set of significant considerations.
Pros of Traveling with Your Pet
- Companionship: You get to enjoy your holiday with your beloved pet by your side.
- Peace of Mind: You know exactly how your pet is doing because they are with you. No worries about kennel stress or sitter reliability.
- Avoiding Separation Anxiety: For pets prone to distress when left alone, this eliminates the cause.
Cons of Traveling with Your Pet
- Travel Stress: Car rides, flights, train journeys – travel itself can be incredibly stressful and even physically taxing for animals. Motion sickness, anxiety in crates, and unfamiliar noises are common issues.
- Logistical Challenges: Finding pet-friendly accommodation, transportation, restaurants, and activities can be difficult and limiting. Many places, including national parks or certain attractions, have restrictions on pets.
- Pet Safety: Unfamiliar environments pose new risks – different parasites, potential hazards at accommodations, risk of getting lost.
- Changes in Routine: Just like boarding, travel disrupts your pet’s routine, which can cause stress or behavioural issues.
- Not Always Fun for Them: While you might enjoy sightseeing or dining out, your pet might be stuck in a hotel room or car, which isn’t much of a holiday for them. Consider if the destination and activities are genuinely suitable for your pet’s enjoyment and well-being.
- Health Regulations: Air travel often involves specific crate requirements, health certificates, and sometimes quarantine periods, especially for international travel.
Making the Decision: What’s Best for *Your* Pet?
There’s no single right answer; the best choice depends entirely on your individual circumstances.
Consider your pet’s personality and health: Is your dog adaptable and loves car rides, or are they anxious and prone to car sickness? Does your cat hide whenever visitors come over, suggesting a kennel would be terrifying? Are there medical conditions that require stable routines or expert supervision?
Consider your trip details: Are you flying internationally or driving a few hours away? Will you be staying in a pet-friendly cabin where your dog can roam, or a city hotel with strict rules? How long will you be gone?
Consider your budget: Boarding, professional sitters, and pet travel costs (extra fees, specific carriers) all impact your holiday budget differently.
Important Information: Never leave planning your pet’s care until the last minute, especially during busy holiday seasons. Reputable boarding facilities and popular pet sitters get booked months in advance. Similarly, arranging pet-friendly travel requires significant lead time for booking suitable transport and accommodation, and potentially for vet checks and paperwork. Rushing these decisions can lead to stress for both you and your pet.
Ultimately, the goal is to ensure your pet is safe, comfortable, and experiences the least amount of stress possible while you’re enjoying your holiday. Whether that means the structured environment of a quality boarding facility, the familiar comfort of home with a trusted sitter, or a carefully planned journey together, weighing the pros and cons honestly will lead you to the best decision for your cherished companion. Do your research, plan ahead, and choose the option that gives you the most peace of mind, knowing your pet is well cared for in your absence.
