We all live our pets; how can we not? They’re lovable, always there to make us feel better, and are an integral part of the family. However, it’d be wrong to suggest that having an animal in your life is a walk in the park. It’s positively not, especially when it comes to things like traveling. Even an overnight trip can become problematic, but when we want to go away for a longer period things can get really tough. We have the option of taking our animal with us (which, if it involves a flight, is usually more trouble than it’s worth) or leaving them behind with a friend (the better option). Below, we take a look at four tips that’ll make this process as painless as possible.
Are They Suitable?
You might be eager for anyone to look after your pet, but it’s important that you’re vetting your friends and family members who say they’ll help you out to ensure they’re the right ones for the job. Some people like the idea of looking after a dog, but don’t fully understand how much effort is involved. If they’ve never had a dog of their own before, it might just cause complications for you, your friend, and your pet.
Advice, Advice, Advice
Once you’ve found someone who will look after your pet, you’ll want to ensure that you’re giving them as much guidance as possible about what your pet needs and wants. They might have looked after animals before, but they haven’t looked after YOUR animal -- and as you know, your pet has a personality all of their own. They’ll need to know how they act around other animals, children, and so on, and any other information that’ll make them easier to handle.
All They Need
In order to make the process of looking after your pet as painless as possible, you’ll need to provide everything that your cat or dog will need during the time that you’re away. Remember, they’re doing you a favor -- you can’t expect them to provide food, toys, and so on for your animal. Plus, you’re the one who knows what they need! Before you set sail on your travels, you’ll want to look up ‘pet supplies near me,’ and pick up everything that your pet will need. Plus, by doing this, you’ll avoid those phone calls asking which type of dog food they need and the like when you’re trying to have fun/relax.
Building Up
Of course, you’ll need to think about how your animal is going to handle being away from you. Your cat will do fine, but your dog? That might be more tricky. In the build-up to your travels, look at leaving your dog alone for longer periods. The trick is to get them used to you not being there. It’ll make life for your friend much easier!
Finally, don’t overdo it. You can go away for a week, but a month will be too much time to stay away from your pet/ask your friend to take care of them.