How to leave your pet for extended travel
How to leave your pet for extended travel
Leaving your furry pal is never easy, but you have to be aware of the fact that taking your pet with you on long travels may end up a lot more uncomfortable for them compared to your absence. You will miss each other, that’s for sure, but in the end, it’s important that you act like a responsible owner and do what’s best for your pet. However, there are ways to help your animal friend feel less anxious and confused once you leave for your travels. Following are steps on how to leave your pet for extended travel:
Start preparing your pet in advance
In order to assess your pet’s behavior while you’re gone, you have to get them used to your absence little by little. A couple of weeks before your trip, start leaving your pet at home for a longer period of time. If you usually leave your pet at home when you go to work, don’t go home from work right away. This will help you see whether your pet can handle being alone for an extended period of time without causing any incidents. Even if they happen to cause problems during your absence, you should just adjust your time away from them a bit more, but still continue to gradually train them for this situation.
Talk to the vet
Since you’ll be gone for longer, it’s essential that you talk to your vet. This can be especially helpful if your vet knows the medical history and behavioral patterns of your pet. If necessary, the vet will provide your pet with the meds and vaccination for the duration of your trip. Moreover, they may have some helpful advice when it comes to getting your pet to adjust to this sudden change.
Pet sitting
Getting a pet sitter for your home is the best possible option when leaving for an extended trip. The fact that they will get to stay in a familiar environment can be essential for your pet’s health and comfort. If you can’t get your friend or family member to pet sit at your home, check out house sitting websites. You can fill your information and get your name into the database so that the interested house/pet sitters can contact you. It’s a win-win situation for both of you. The sitter will get a place to stay, while you will get someone to look after your pet and your home for free.
Leave instructions
It’s important to provide your sitter with as much information as possible about your pet. Make sure to write a detailed note that thoroughly explains the meal times as well as the personality of your pet. Don’t forget to include any specifics such as your pet’s favorite toys, peculiar reactions to different situations as well as things they are not allowed to eat. Moreover, if your pet has to take some medication or vitamins, leave proper instructions for that as well. Also, make sure that your sitter knows where all the pet essentials are stored in your home.
Completely pet-proof your home
You may not have bothered with a complete pet-proofing of your home since you were there to keep an eye on things. However, you cannot expect your sitter to pet-proof your home for you. Just to be on the safe side, make sure that all the poisonous plants and toxic products are far from the pet’s reach. Moreover, reorganize your home so that your pet cannot be tempted to play with or break some accessories and decorations and possibly get hurt.
This may sound strange but don’t take forever to say goodbye to your pet before you leave. Try to act composed as much as possible. Your pet will notice a change in your behavior and can become very anxious and restless if you appear to feel the same as well.
