Pets - what do you do with them when cruising/traveling?

[kywildcatfanone]

We find ourselves with an aging dog (11 years old),  and are struggling with the idea of going on a vacation and leaving her behind.  When our dogs were younger, we would board them and/or have my FIL come and stay while we were gone, but he is now of an age that we don't want to leave him home by himself, so we don't want to ask him to come stay with the dog. 

 

Because of her age and timidness, we don't like to board her, and my wife doesn't like the idea of one of those services that comes around multiple times a day to check on them.  We want her to stay home in her comfortable surroundings, we have moved twice in the last 6 months and don't want to traumatize her anymore.  She is now 11, has some health issues, and isn't getting around as good as she used to, so we also don't want young neighbor kids caring for her.

 

Just searching for any ideas.

 

TIA.

[Keksie]

We always have hired a house sitter.  So far we have had two different sitters who both did a fantastic job.  Right now we have moved and I don't have one here since I have no idea when we will be able to travel.  The sitters would move in and take care of the pets and the house.  We had 2 dogs, 7-8 cats and chickens at the time.  One of our dogs needed insulin shots each day.  Both sitters worked part time so they were at the house most of the time.  Before we left of any length of time we had a trial vacation of a long weekend to make sure they were comfortable with all the pets.  It really gave us peace of mind knowing that someone was there most of the day and at night.

[TheOldBear]

We've done both the house/pet sitter [large dogs] and having the beastie [beagle] stay with the dog sitter [and their dogs]. One time we were 'between dogs' and were the pet sitter for a week.

 

If the planned cruise occurs this fall, Miss Judy the Beagle will one again be staying at the dog sitter's house with a couple of smaller dogs.

[57redbird]

We've done both boarding & house sitters....we prefer the housesitting arrangement when we're gone for any length of time.

[clo]

There are numerous sites but trustedhousesitters.com is a great one. The site checks out the people and the sitters don't get paid by you. There's a membership fee. We have (now) friends who have literally traveled the world doing this. (Fiji, Thailand, Costa Rica, Mexico, US, Europe and more.) They were about to start their 4th annual multi-month trip to Switzerland when the pandemic has restricted them to home in the UK.

[Heidi13]

On our last World Cruise we used trustedhousesitters.com You post your requirements and review those that respond. Other than an annual fee for the website, no cost. They live in your house and look after the pets.

[lenquixote66]

A friend of mine had a cat who was rather heavy and he would sit on the top of the TV and hit it with his tail .My friend assumed that the cat watched his favorite shows when home alone.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

On our last World Cruise we used trustedhousesitters.com You post your requirements and review those that respond. Other than an annual fee for the website, no cost. They live in your house and look after the pets.

Glad to see there are two of us.

[GUT2407]

Fortunately we have a few options

 

Started planning about 35 years ago and had a daughter we bought up to love animals as much as we do, and her husband loves Maxy almost as much as I do, so that is the first option

 

Then a girl mrs Gut taught at school started a boarding kennel and she treats all boarding pets wonderfully but ours gets treated like one of her own.

[aungrl]

We've always gone the route of having a house/pet sitter, and it's worked out really well.  In addition to trustedhousesitters.com - which we agree is a great resource - we've used Rover.com.   They represent a network of individuals who will either board your pet in their homes, or come to your home and stay with your pet.  No fee to use this service.

[neverbeenhere]

Wife's former coworkers have had many 18 to 22 year olds that will housesit the pets for cheap. Yes, a few small parties have happened, but no officer's have been called. Nothing broken or stolen. We always clean the spa after getting back...

[getting older slowly]

Being a pet owner... is a responsibility...

 

When I had my Dog for 14 1/2 years,  and during that time  holidays were organised around the great woolie beastie.....

 

We do not have a pet now ... but they are tie......

 

Good luck.... Don

 

 ps... great woolie beastie = a 45kg long haired Shepard 

 

[clo]

1 hour ago, neverbeenhere said:

Wife's former coworkers have had many 18 to 22 year olds that will housesit the pets for cheap. Yes, a few small parties have happened, but no officer's have been called. Nothing broken or stolen. We always clean the spa after getting back...

Because we're retired and rarely gone more than four or five hours so our sitters aren't 'allowed' to be gone longer than that. So a full time job is a no-go for us.

[BoozinCroozin]

We were fortunate enough to have family close previously for vacationing. Now that we don't, we have a friend that will stay at our home and pay him. We could never board our dogs. If it is a choice between boarding or vacationing, vacationing is done. 

 

Since we can only vacation at certain times, if we run into an issue with the people we could have stay, there are always college students returning home that are more than willing to make $300 to stay in our home for a week. Easy work, not far from their family, and good money.

[sparks1093]

We've always had one of the boys living at home to take care of things, but the last one has moved out. We'll probably have to split things up because we have inside and outside animals. Our neighbor will take care of the outside animals for us and I would think that one of our sons that still live in town would be willing to at least check in on the inside animals (and one of them might even stay here for the time we are gone). 

[sydbarrett]

I find myself in a similar situation, having a raw-fed cat who is very much like a dog and hates to be alone! So far I have only travelled without DH since getting the cat, but I plan to have a live-in pet sitter come when we travel together. I have no experience with this but am interested to hear what others do as well. I don't really have other family where I live.

[sydbarrett]

1 hour ago, sparks1093 said:

We've always had one of the boys living at home to take care of things, but the last one has moved out. We'll probably have to split things up because we have inside and outside animals. Our neighbor will take care of the outside animals for us and I would think that one of our sons that still live in town would be willing to at least check in on the inside animals (and one of them might even stay here for the time we are gone). 

Can't wait until mine turns 18!! Although I probably won't want him home alone by the time he's old enough LOL. 

[George C]

We use a pet sitter for our two cats .

[Keksie]

22 minutes ago, sydbarrett said:

I find myself in a similar situation, having a raw-fed cat who is very much like a dog and hates to be alone! So far I have only travelled without DH since getting the cat, but I plan to have a live-in pet sitter come when we travel together. I have no experience with this but am interested to hear what others do as well. I don't really have other family where I live.

The way we have found our house-sitter's in the past is to ask at the vet's office or the groomer.  Since we have had pets needing shots I have found vet techs a good solution.  

[jtwind]

How much do people charge to stay at your house?  I used to do it for free for a few people I knew.  Their houses were nicer than where I was living, or they were in a nice location.  So it was a treat for me.

[Keksie]

4 minutes ago, jtwind said:

How much do people charge to stay at your house?  I used to do it for free for a few people I knew.  Their houses were nicer than where I was living, or they were in a nice location.  So it was a treat for me.

We pay $70.00 a day.  With pets needing shots and having so many we feel it is a proper amount.

[Sea42]

We use a pet sitter who stays at our house while we're away. We like the fact the our home is also being watched while we're gone. One winter we had a tree come down through a window during a snow storm. If we hadn't had someone staying in the house I imagine the damage, after our month away, would have been extensive.

Our sitter charges $50 for our two dogs per night. It was slightly higher for a puppy. It is comparable in price to kennels in our area. But to have the dogs being able to stay in their own home is the biggest benefit for us.

[cb at sea]

We always kenneled our pet.....found that when we were NOT there, a "pet sitter" was NOT allowed to approach...so I search for a GOOD kennel, and that's how we handled it.

 

[whogo]

Your dilemma, kywildcatfanone, is why I have never wanted to own a cat or dog. I can leave home in a moment with no pet worries.

 

Concerns about dog kennels amuse me. I have two friends that got their dogs back healthier than ever after a couple of weeks of exercise with their fellow inmates and not overeating. Dog overweight? A kennel might be the right choice.

[sparks1093]

I almost wish that kenneling was an option. It might work for the dogs and cat but not for the parrot, fish, and bearded dragon (not to mention the goats and chickens).🤪