A Discussion on Pet Sitting vs Pet Boarding

If you have a pet and you need to go out of town or even out of the country for work, family or even vacation time, then you’re probably trying to figure out what is the best thing to do with your cat or dog. The two main options you have are pet sitting and pet boarding and we will now look at the pros and cons of each one.

Pet Boarding

For the most part, the majority of pet owners have typically chosen pet boarding as the main option when they need to leave their home for extended periods. In the traditional pet boarding situation, the pet would only have access to plastic or steel cages, concrete floors and steel runs where they don’t have any social spaces. As you can tell, this is quite depressing and is fortunately no longer the normal pet boarding situation. Now, there are luxurious pet boarding hotels that have loads of amenities and fun features for your pet.

For example, your pet dog Simba can enjoy a very comfortable and luxurious dog cot that has a long run and even dog Tv. There are are even day camps for dogs where they can have play dates, get massages, wear luxury dog collars and much more. Your pet cat Fifi can enjoy doing laser tag with other pet cats, play with bubbles and even recline in perches that have multiple levels. There are even fish tank screens and birds chirping to create a more natural and harmonious environment. In most cases, there are even shuttle services available which can help you to make the boarding arrangements much easier and more accessible.

Now, there is a new type of pet boarding option where people actually board the pets at their own houses as opposed to doing so in a boarding hotel or facility. These people usually have other pets in their home so it creates a more natural and homelike environment. In most cases, this is mainly available for dogs since it can causes numerous issues for cats.

The cost for this particular type of boarding service depends on many factors such as the amenities provided as well as the particular level of care and service. The more additional services and amenities, the more the cost will be. However, you should keep in mind that the more attention and care that is given to your pet, the happier they will be and reduce their overall stress. As a result, this additional expense should not be an issue for those who can afford it.

Quite a lot of owners actually prefer their pet to be boarded at a vet clinic. They do this because they think their pet will be safer and will always have quick and easy access to a veterinarian if needed. However, even though this is logical, the majority of veterinary clinics that offer pet boarding are very cold and unwelcoming environments. They tend to have the traditional type of pet boarding and your pet most likely won’t get as much attention and care because the veterinarians will be busy dealing with the sick animals that they typically treat. I have personally worked in 20+ veterinary clinics and hospitals and almost all of them provide poor pet boarding facilities and care in comparison to other pet boarding options.

One of the main issues when it comes to pet boarding is stress. Unfortunately, the majority of pets are extremely unhappy and uncomfortable when they are out of their typical home environment. This is especially true for cats. This type of stress causes pets to have issues such as diarrhoea, vomiting etc. Also, since the pets will be quite afraid and shy, they will also lose interest in food and will typically lose some weight. There is also the risk of self harm and even fights between your pet and other pets that are being boarded.

Pet Sitting

The next option that we will look at is pet sitting. There are two main types of pet sitting and the first one is where the pet sitter visits the owner’s house every day in order to feed the pet, exercise, interact and make sure they are clean. The next type of pet sitter will actually live at the house for the period that the owner is away to provide constant care and companionship.

The cost of this particular service varies considerably but it is usually at basic pet boarding cost since the sitters don’t need to provide actual boarding or the amenities. A live in pet sitter will likely be more expensive but can possibly be cheaper than some boarding facilities that offer a lot of additional services.

It should be noted that your pet will likely still be stressed due to the absence of the owner, but it will not be as bad since they will be within their own home and not at a boarding facility or other strange place.

Additionally, a pet sitter has another benefit, since they can actually help to secure the pet owner’s house. Due to their presence and activity, it will not appear as though the owner is away and will discourage any robberies.

Lastly, a pet sitter that is living in the house can also care for the home in addition to the pet, water plants, take important phone messages and much more. They will also be able to determine if your pets are sick much faster and they can then arrange appointments for your pet to the vet. As a result, I have concluded that live in pet sitters are one of the best options and will greatly reduce the amount of stress your pet will go through during your absence.

14. A Discussion on Pet Sitting vs Pet Boarding.txt