One of the most challenging aspects of pet ownership is finding appropriate supervision for your pets when you’re on vacation. This can be especially tough if you have a larger pet or one with special needs. Whether you leave your pets with a family member, a friend, or a professional pet sitter, there are a few steps you can take to reduce the amount of anxiety that your absence will cause your pet to experience.
Five ways to help your pet cope when you’re on vacation
Pets are curious little creatures. While they can seem alike from the outside, each has its own personality. While some animals can cope with separation from their owners fairly well, others can find it incredibly distressing. These five simple actions will make it easier for your pet sitter to keep your pet calm and comfortable while you are on vacation.
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- Make sure all necessaries are in good condition
Ensuring that your pet goes to its sitter with all necessary equipment in good condition is key. Whether it’s your dog’s leash or harness, a cat crate, or other supplies for less common pets, it is important that the sitter has everything they need to take care of your pet properly.
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- Update microchip and ID information
Losing a pet in their care is undoubtedly a nightmare scenario for pet sitters (and for owners, of course), but sometimes animals can be crafty. If you send your pet to a sitter away from your home, there is a chance it will try to get out and return home. This may not be too much of an issue if the sitter lives a street away, but when they are in another state, up-to-date microchip and ID information is your pet’s best chance of finding a way home.
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- Write down their routine
Routine is very important for most domestic animals. Nervous dogs in particular rely on it. If you want to help your sitter keep your pet calm, writing down their usual routine is a great way to make it easier for both the sitter and your pet. If your pet is fed, walked, played with, and groomed at the times they are used to, then their day-to-day life won’t change much, and this will give them a feeling of stability. If your pet feels stable and safe, it will cope with your absence much better.
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- Provide Comfort Items
If you are sending your pet away to a different place and you are allowed to send personal items with them, you should do so. Toys, bedding, and blankets that are familiar to your pet can go a long way toward helping them settle into a new environment. This is crucial because of the impact that environmental factors have on the stress levels and well-being of domestic animals like cats.
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- Leave a piece of yourself
If you can leave items, it can also be useful to leave an item that is personal to you behind with your pet. For example, placing a top you have worn with your pet’s bedding may help them to relax in a new location by infusing your scent in their sleeping area.
If your pet has medical needs or underlying conditions, there are additional steps you should take to prepare your pet sitter for every eventuality. Assuming anxiety as a result of separation is the main issue your pet is facing, however, these steps will make a huge difference.
