Over the past few weeks, we have been receiving an increasing number of calls from people who are looking for long-term care for their pets, due to a change in circumstances. In all these cases the person is looking for their pet to be taken care of outside of the home and so Pet Sitting isn’t an option for them.
People are looking for long-term care for some of the following reasons:
Moving home. Often there is time between you leaving one property and moving into the other, and people struggle to find accommodation that is pet-friendly.
Allergies. If your living arrangements have changed you can often end up living with friends or family. At the time, you may not realise that any of them have allergies so are unaware there might be an issue.
Landlord Issues. There are lots of landlords that do not allow pets in rental properties. If you find yourself having to move home then you can often struggle to rent a property that will accept all the family.
Long-Term Trip. Sometimes work commitments require you to travel for long periods of time. You may have previously had arrangements for pet care that are no longer viable. This leaves you in a difficult position for work.
6 Options for Temporary Housing For Your Dog / Cat
When it comes to finding a long-term pet care solution for your pets there are different options that might suit you. All of them have different pros and cons, and we will discuss them below.
#1. Friends/Family
The obvious solution when looking for someone to take care of your pets on a long-term basis is to ask friends and family, after all, they are the people you know the best.
They may have pets of their own and can just add your pet to their family for the time you need them.
You may find after a while your family and friends need a break, so it might not work out long term.
#2. In-Home Boarding/Minder
An in-home boarding service or Dog Minder takes pets into their own home to care for them. This can be perfect if you are taking a holiday. They will take them into their own home for a period of a week or two.
If you need long-term care for months at a time this may not be practical for you or the minder. It might affect their ability to care for their regular clients and it might work out too costly for you.
#3. Kennels/Cattery
Depending on whether you have used a kennel or cattery before you might want to avail of their services to take care of your pets.
For a long period of time, your pet might feel a little overwhelmed if they are not used to that type of service. If your dog is used to sleeping on the sofa then it’s going to be a bit of a shock for them to find themselves in a kennel for a long period of time.
If you are looking for care for months at a time you might also find this a costly solution, although many facilities may offer you a discount on long-term bookings.
#4. Vet
Very often your vet might have someone who is working for them that might be able to offer a temporary home for your pet. They might also have space in their practice for your pet, depending on the length of care you need.
Vet workers do work long hours though so it might not always suit. Also, the practice is usually reserved for sick pets and so they may not have space to accommodate your pet long term.
#5. Rescue
Most rescues are focused on caring for abandoned pets. For short-term emergency care, they may be able to help. However, they are not a long-term care solution and need to focus on the great work that they already do.
If they do offer to help you then you should always offer to pay for your pets care.
#6. Foster Care
There are hundreds are people who offer foster homes for pets all over Ireland. Most rescues like to keep their fosters free to care for pets that they need foster care for. If you take up space in a foster home then that’s one less person to help another pet in need.
You may find that some fosters are able to offer you some assistance if they have plenty of space/time. However, this would be a paid care option. A foster shouldn’t be considered a free Pet Sitting/Boarding service.
Can Someone Foster My Cat?
Cats generally don’t like to be moved to new surroundings and so it’s important to make sure that a new environment is suitable for your cat.
• Are there going to be other pets in the home?
• Will you cat be kept inside/in a safe environment?
• Are the owners home all day?
How Much Does Long-Term Pet Care Cost?
A long-term pet care solution isn’t free. Most people will require a payment for the time involved in caring for your pet.
Factors to Consider When Arranging Long Term Pet Care
There are lots of things to consider when handing over your pet for someone to take care of. The following checklist will give you some initial things to consider.
1. Is there a formal agreement in place to outline ownership of the pet? There needs to be a written agreement in place to state that you are the pet’s owner and are retaining that right.
2. What happens when the carer goes on holiday or cannot take care of the pet? Who will take care of them instead? You need to have backup care in place, especially if you are leaving the country.
3. Who is supplying food for your pet? Will any special diets be adhered to? If your pet has special needs then you need to be sure they will be kept to.
4. Who is liable for vet’s bills? What happens if your pet is injured? Make sure that you are clear who is paying for what. It will still be your pet so you need to be prepared for any vet’s bills that might occur.
If you need help deciding which option is best for you then please get in touch. We would love to help.
