by Nanette Piotrowski

Created on: June 23, 2008   Last Updated: October 13, 2010

For the majority of pet owners, using a kennel is the safest route to take. Not only is your loved one in a controlled environment, but if the pet should become ill, the facility has the ability to bring in a vet if necessary. He/she has other animals to cohabitate with so they don't become lonely and you know that if anything goes wrong, the facility is liable. You also know that your pet will be fed and watered on a regular schedule and that someone is always around in case of any problems.

I have used a pet sitter (which was a good friend), that turned out to be a nightmare. I have quite a menagerie, consisting of 4 dogs and 7 cats. Everybody is fed once a day and I had put out all the necessary cans and bags of food to be used during the time I was gone. I even supplied the jug of litter along with baggies to dump the waste into from the 3 litter boxes.

Upon my return; five days later, none of the food was gone. The litter boxes were full and the dogs big water buckets were empty. When I questioned my friend about all this, he stated that he had been by but everybody seemed to be fine. Fine? Five days without food and who knows how long without water is not fine.

Two days after my return, one of my cats was quite ill. It was a weekend, of course, but my vet met me at the clinic. After checking him, the vet said he had a bad urinary problem. After giving me all kinds of medication and inserting a catheter and handing me a bill that I won't enumerate here; I brought him home. If my (sitter) had actually come in the house, he might have known something was wrong.

If I could have afforded using a kennel, believe me, I would have. My case is a little different from most because of the number of animals that I have but for anyone else, if you can, please use a kennel.

Also, flying your animal somewhere is a nightmare for them. They receive no care from the time you drop them off at the terminal to the time you pick them up at your destination. Sometimes they are lost and if they get out of their cage, you'll never find them. If you don't like turbulance on the plane, imagine what they go through. It traumatizes most animals to travel this way.

Most kennels are very reputable but it still doesn't hurt to do your homework way before you decide to leave. Cost, reputation, cleanliness and knowing whether the staff at those facilities really care about the animals they house. Make sure you take a favorite blanket or toy for your pet so they can smell you and them on the items, it's less traumatic for them. While you're away make sure you call and check on their welfare and make sure there are no problems. You and your pets will be happier for it.

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