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While You're On Vacation, Pets Can Go To Camp

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By KRISTEN LEVINE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 29, 2007

If holiday plans will take you out of town in December or January, now is the time to arrange for pet care. It's not unusual for pet sitters and lodgings to book solid well before the holidays.

'By October, most of my regular clients have already called to schedule holiday services,' says Miriam Lindley, owner of Wags and Wiggles Inc., a Tampa pet-sitting business.

Some businesses don't like to take on new clients during the holiday rush because they're so busy with their regulars, according to PetsitUSA .com.

'Our newsletter goes out this week to remind existing clients to book now for services needed November through January,' says Mary Beth Albright, owner of Happy Camper Doggy Day Camp in Clearwater. 'We already have dogs with reservations for anywhere from a three-day to a three-week stay during Christmas.'

If you don't already have a care provider, now is the time to start looking.

Sure, some cats I know could pull off a McCaulay Culkin 'Home Alone.' But to ensure your pet's safety, a quality pet care provider is your best bet. To find one, follow these tips from Lindley and Albright, along with reliable online resources.

Choosing Pet Care In Your Home

Invest time in seeking out reputable, qualified professionals.

'I'd recommend people start by looking for pet sitters in business for at least two years,' Lindley says. 'That weeds out the professionals from those just trying to make extra money pet sitting on the side.'

Reputable sitters will insist on an in-home interview prior to providing services. They should ask lots of questions and complete a profile on each of your pets, including veterinary information and emergency procedures.

'Observe how they interact with your pets, and be sure to ask about their backup plan in case they are unable to fulfill services while you're away,' Lindley suggests.

Petsitusa.com is a good place to start looking. The site has a directory of pet sitters throughout the country and information on what to expect from a sitter, how to prepare pets and home for the owner's absence and a list of topics to discuss with potential pet sitters during the interview. Those include:

•Qualifications and experience

•References

•Insurance and/or bonding

•Emergency pet care procedure

•Procedure if the pet sitter is unavailable to care for your pet

•Key security

•Contract and other forms

•Cost.

Pet Care Away From Home

For some people and pets, the better option is staying away from home. And pet owners have more choices than ever.

Traditional kennels continue to offer safe boarding, but popular day cares and camps provide a bit more.

'Our guests get social and treat time seven times a day and up to six hours of play on weekends,' Albright says.

Some facilities offer monitored, controlled environments in which groups of friendly dogs from multiple families can play throughout the day in buildings or yards. For dogs with active social lives or those that need stimulation, the day care camp may be best.

Albright offers these tips for those seeking a camp for boarding purposes:

•Make sure the facility is approved by the American Boarding and Kennel Association, the nonprofit trade association for more than 3,000 pet care service businesses.

•Staff should be trained in pet CPR and first aid.

•Pet care technician training, offered by the kennel association, is a plus.

•Staff should let pet owners know it's OK to call daily, if they wish, to check on their pet.

The kennel association offers a free publication, 'How to Select a Pet Care Facility,' at www.abka.com. It covers finding and evaluating a facility and how to prepare your pet for the stay.

Kristen Levine can be reached at Kristen@fetching

communications.com.

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