By IKHALA VETERINARY CLINIC
We are finally here, at the end of a very long and trying year. Some of us may be planning on going away for a much-needed break, but we may not be able to take our pets with us. This leaves us with a challenging task – finding someone trustworthy to take care of our pets.
How can you trust that this person will be providing the care or service you expect?
There are always risks when leaving your pets with someone else, but there are some steps you can take to ensure that you reduce this risk.
They are:
Find someone well known and recommended by at least two other people: We recommend you not take recommendations from the pet sitters friends or family but rather from two of their previous clients. You are well within your rights to ask for references.
Try to meet with the person in advance and introduce your pets to them: This will give you a sense of the person and establish whether you and your pets are comfortable with them.
Ask your vet for recommended house sitters: Your vet team will know of many house sitters in the area and will be able to recommend trusted people. Sometimes pet sitters are working at vets that could assist you.
Be clear about your expectations and duties: Write out your expectations, make a list of expected duties, and have the sitter read and sign these. This will create a contract as a backup should something go wrong.
Consider using a kennel: While keeping your animals in the comfort of their home is often first prize, sometimes it is better to entrust them to a business with experience and a well-known name regarding animal care. It is important to remember that while it may be slightly stressful for your animals, you leave them in the care of experienced people.
In Makhanda, there are a few places that provide long-term boarding services, they are:
- Fairbairn Kennels: 082 552 3829
- Pets Place Salem: 084 283 9746
- SPCA: 046 622 3233
Ikhala also provides short term boarding, although we are currently fully booked until the new year: 087 701 9501
