If You're Traveling Without your Pets during the Holidays
I recently talked about some things to consider if you're taking your pets travelling with you during the holidays. But what happens if you decide to leave them home? What details do you have check as far as their dietary/medical needs go, and who do you even ask to swing by the house and take care of them for a few hours?
Option A: Ask a family member or a friend
Of course, it's easier on your wallet if you ask a family member or a close friend. However, some questions to consider might be: Are you comfortable with asking them for the favor? Do they know how to take care of pets in general, or can they take directions fairly well? Are their schedules consistent enough that your pets can rely on them to go for walks, bathroom breaks, feeding time, etc.? All these things are some details to consider before asking a family member / friend to watch your pets while you're away from home. However, while it might be easier on your wallet for now, just be aware that relationships can turn sour fairly quickly if (heaven forbid!) something were to happen to your pet. So the other option we might look at is...
Option B: Hire a professional pet sitter
This might be a more reliable option for me personally, as this purely based on a professional relationship and you are guaranteed a certain level of service and care for your pets. You don't have to worry about losing a friendship when something goes wrong — which, in most scenarios, you won't even have to get to there since professional sitters will be more experienced in handling emergency situations.
However, unless you're going with an established pet-sitting agency (i.e. Pawshake and Trusted Housesitters), you're most likely going to be hiring individuals who advertise themselves as independent pet-sitters online. This goes without saying, but you should probably avoid Craigslist and go with more reputable hiring websites like Indeed or LinkedIn. And since everyone operates on a different level of service, cost and what they actually provide will differ from person to person — always make sure to take this into account so you won't be in for any surprises later on!
Always discuss the cost upfront, have the pets with you while you're interviewing them at your residence (to see how the pets react and how they get along generally), and disclose any medical/dietary needs your pets might have before signing a contract. (And always read the contract carefully before signing!) Ask for references to be safe, since you'll have to give them access to your house while you're away.
Before you embark on your holiday traveling, give your pet-sitter all the information he/she needs — your travel plans, where & how long you'll be staying, a contact number and/or email address, your apartment manager's number, and your pets' veterinarian information (as well as any medical information you might deem necessary for the sitter to know just in case). It might also not be a bad idea to have a pet carrier by the door in case a quick trip to the hospital becomes necessary. (But before running to a vet, have them try using a first aid kit first, which if you've been reading our blogs, you SHOULD have one of these in your house!) In fact, it would probably be a real smart idea to have all of your pet's essential things packed in a neat little travel backpack and have it next to the pet carrier. That way, if your pet-sitter needs to dart off anywhere with your pet, he/she can just grab those 2 items and head out.
Safe travels! And may the Paws be with you