To kennel or not to kennel, are housesitters an alternative

Have you been tempted by last-minute airline sales? Then in frustration grinding to a halt wondering who is going to look after your pets.  Most good pet-sitters are fully committed by now and friends you can sometimes fall back on are probably taking their holidays too. So what next?

Rather than flying into a blind panic about who is going to care for your beloveds, take a few minutes to consider an option that might not have occurred to you before. Traditionally the two main choices were to kennel your animals or to hire a paid pet-sitter.  

Let’s start with the first: kennels and catteries. As the affectionate owner of a Labrador, one of the key disadvantages of the kennel system is that it offers mass confinement rather than individualised pet care. My dog constantly demands cuddles and despite their best intentions, because of their large capacity kennels are often simply unable to provide special one-on-one time which most animals are accustomed to.

Avoiding kennels and catteries therefore not only contributes to your peace of mind, but also to your pet’s. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated a link between stress and kennelling, an issue which is easy to understand. Particularly for new and older pets, it is important to maintain a regular routine to avoid unnecessary anxiety. The fact that the whole pet care process can continue to take place in your home eliminates the need to relocate animals.This change of address often poses the greatest challenge, particularly for cats who hold a particular aversion to new circumstances. Not only can the handover be stressful but it can bring with it a whole host of transmuted illnesses, exacerbated by the close proximity of kennelled animals. Most common amongst dogs is kennel cough, more formally Canine Tracheobronchitis. By maintaining them in the same homely environment that they are used to, you can effectively eliminate the worry - and the cost - of coming home to a poorly pup 

Whilst at first putting your pets into kennels may seem like a quick, easy and simple guarantee of your cherished pet being looked after, it is not that straightforward. Several websites verified by vets detail the sheer volume of safety checks which a responsible owner should make before admitting their pet to a kennel. Not only is this time consuming but it is avoidable. Issues including sufficient ventilation and space, friendliness with the other animals and, most importantly, a comfortable place to sleep, are all eliminated with a housesitter within your own home. 

Very quickly the advantages of recruiting a pet-sitter become very apparent. However, this is the more costly alternative to kennels and can significantly bump up the price of the holiday.  

So is housesitting a third option?

At HouseSit Match you can avoid kennels altogether while enjoying a personalised pet-sitting service at a fraction of the cost. As a company devoted to mutual cooperation between pet-sitters and pet-owners, we can provide a low cost alternative to ensure your menagerie is well-cared for. Particularly if you are lucky enough to have a variety of pets, getting comfortable holiday homes for them all can be a complex affair. HouseSit Match offers a far cheaper option as well and can be particularly useful for multiple pets where the cost of care can add up.

Although some people can feel uneasy about the idea of hosting a stranger in their home, this anxiety should quickly alleviated by the ratified pet-sitter reviews and police checks which can provide you with peace of mind you need. Unique to HouseSit Match, the only reviews which can be posted are those who have experienced the housesitting experience themselves - and these reviews are unable to be edited or censored by HouseSit Match (link to: https://www.housesitmatch.com) themselves.  This means that all reviews are 100% genuine. Moreover, the types of people who register are always animal lovers with plenty of real-time experience often with their own pets, meaning they will be more than happy to discuss and cater to your pet’s specific requirements. Consequently, they are able to provide the personal attention and lavish the levels of love, which your pet deserves - especially when you’ve left home without them!

If this blog post has demonstrated anything, hopefully it’s that there are a whole variety of options for you as a pet owner, from kennelling to housesitting. The past decade has opened up the world to an entirely new way to travel in housesitting. The internet’s creation of a community which enabling you to share homes and pets has revolutionised the holiday. You only have to read the testimonials and blogs of all the numerous housesitters who’ve looked after pets to learn more about just how fun and useful it can be for owners and housesitters alike.

To reduce costs and maximise care, housesitting is the perfect solution.