How to manage your pets while travelling?

Managing Pets While Travelling

Pets may sense when you start planning for a journey - especially when they’re not invited! The second you pack your suitcases, your dog may start looking sad. Before going away, one of the toughest decisions for pet owners is what to do with their pets. Here are some quick tips on managing your pets while travelling.

1. Pet Sitting

Using a professional pet sitter is one approach to fuse the personal with professional. Many pets feel more comfortable in their usual surroundings, so having an experienced pet sitter for feedings, walks and playtimes is a good option. All you need is to decide whether the sitter should simply visit your home on a daily basis, or have them stay in your home for the duration of your trip.

2. In-Home Pet Boarding

While hiring a pet sitter is a good alternative, so is in-home pet boarding. It involves you bringing your dog or cat to a pet sitter’s home in your locality before leaving on vacation. In-home boarding offers the opportunity to socialise with other dogs under the supervision of a responsible pet owner, as well as personal attention and daily interaction. In-home boarding can be more cost-effective than pet sitters.

3. Traditional Boarding (Dog Kennels/Catteries)

One standard option is placing pets in dog kennels in Chessington or catteries while you’re travelling. If this is your final choice, call ahead dog home boarding and confirm the quality of their offerings and staff of caretakers. If you have a cat, then choose a boarding facility that offers a litter box, toys and quality food, as well as a nice hiding place within the area. On the other hand, dogs are sociable, so look for indoor dog kennels that have enough activity time and space to play with other dogs.

4. Family Friend/Neighbor

Good friends or neighbours love your pet? Next time you plan a vacation, consider asking them to help feed and play with your furry family member. Of course, confirm if the person is responsible and well-informed about the basics of pet care. If your friend or neighbour is a pet owner, offer to return the favour someday.

5. Take Them Along

Travelling with your pet can be fun. It is also more feasible as the number of pet-friendly hotels are increasing in numbers. If an activity such as camping is on the agenda, your dog may enjoy being with your family in the great outdoors. If your pet loves travelling, a pet-friendly journey will truly be a memorable one!

What you need to know about a cattery?

Finding a reliable cattery in Epsom can be challenging. You should start looking for a cattery much before you need it, as it may take some time to find a suitable one. Also, the popular catteries like Star Boarding Kennels get booked up well in advance, especially during the holiday season.

You can't beat the personal recommendations and referrals, so first ask friends, family or your vet. We recommend that you must visit a cattery in advance - a well-run cattery will be happy to show you around.

What to look for?

There should be ample ventilation to ensure that there are no air-borne diseases are spread among the cats. Depending on your cat's habits, enquire if a cattery has an indoor or outdoor area for the cats to run around.

• Check if the cattery has a working smoke detector and/or heat sensor.

• While visiting the cattery, take a look at the other cats. Do they look happy and content?

• Check for basic cleanliness of the units, and litter trays and feeding bowls for the cats.

• Talk to the owner to learn how they will take care of your cat.

• All licensed catteries should insist on seeing a current vaccination card, showing recent vaccinations against cat enteritis and flu. If they do not, choose some other cattery as it could mean that your cat will be exposed to infectious diseases from other pets.

• Find out precisely what the price covers – administering drugs or grooming long-haired cats may cost more.

Accommodation

The individual cat accommodation should be a good size. It should offer a sleeping area and a separate, individual running area. Two cats should never share this individual space unless they are from the same house. It should be clean, warm, and secure, with lots of natural light and with an interesting view to keep your cat stimulated.

Feeding

You should inform the cattery of any special dietary needs that your cat has. A good cattery in Epsom should adhere to your cat's regular feeding habits.

 

Medical Issues / Illnesses

All cats should be vaccinated against both cat flu and enteritis at the time of boarding at a cattery. Before leaving for your holiday, check if your cat has been vaccinated against those diseases before hand. You must get your pet vaccinated at least five weeks before leaving them at the cattery. After the initial vaccinations, your cat should get booster injections once a year, at least one week before boarding.