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"The animals have no voice but ours..." |
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Vacation, here I come!
Well, I’m headed to the beach. Look out waves, here I come! And I’ll tell you, it could not come at a better time. Wow, do I ever need a break. The only bad part about vacations is having to pack for them. Ugh. I must admit, I wish I was Barbara Eden so I could just blink my clothes and accessories into the suitcases. Oh, and then I could just blink all that into the car, so I wouldn’t have to carry everything out there. Yes, that would be nice. I also tend to over-pack. I take way, way more clothes and shoes with me than I would actually physically be able to wear in the time I’m away. It’s really kind of bad. I’ve actually become Blair Warner. Remember her from Facts of Life? I always liked Jo best, so you can imagine the pain it causes me to realize as I age I become more like Blair. Sigh. One of the most important aspects of vacations is to remember and prepare for those you leave behind. Specifically your pets. My seven cats will be well cared for in my absence, but I know I will miss them terribly. I really do. It hit me last year on my vacation how much I wanted to see my little four-legged squirts upon my arrival back home. It’s amazing how you can get so very used to the presence of a pet. To make sure that all is well when you return home, you should be sure your babies are cared for while you’re gone. In this pet-friendly world in which we live, there are a lot of options for our animals when we go on vacation. You can ask a friend to pet sit. I’ve heard of situations where that involved the person actually staying in your house, which is helpful because it’s an added measure of security for your home. Plus someone actually living there is a huge benefit to our pets. It keeps the house from being too lonely for them. Keep in mind, an introduction of your pet and the person who will be tending them is a great idea before you leave. You wouldn’t want to be alerted to a tenuous situation while you’re miles from home. Sometimes pet sitters will opt to take animals into their own home. This is another way for our animals to still have that home environment and could make things easier on the pet sitter if he or she has animals. Again, be sure to do a meet and greet with all the people and pets in the house to avoid possible trouble situations. Other times, pet sitters will just do a “stop by” check – a run-through of the house to make sure that the pets are watered, there’s food in the bowl, litterboxes are clean and everything’s copesthetic. If you go the route of a pet sitter, be sure you use a reliable source. If you’re using a pet sitting service, be sure to get references and have involved discussions with the business owners well before you leave for vacation. Another option is a boarding kennel. Boarding kennels are great in that someone will care for your baby in a secure environment while you’re gone. Again, checking references and touring the facilities before signing up for a boarding kennel is a good idea. On the other hand, most boarding kennels use cages to house the animals. I know my cats would go crazy within about an hour. So make sure your pet is adjusted enough to handle the surroundings. With most boarding kennels, the animals get plenty of exercise and personal care, so as long as your pet is up for the change, a boarding kennel certainly adds a measure of safety and security for your four-legged loved one. No matter what option you choose, make sure your animal is up-to-date on vaccinations and has had a recent check up to ensure good health. Also remember to provide whoever is watching your baby with the necessary information, including where you’ll be staying, contact numbers to reach you and easy access to your vet’s information as well. A little pre-planning will guarantee that regardless of what happens on your vacation, you’ll return to safe, happy, certainly glad-to-see-you four-legged friends. ***** Jennifer Vanderau is the Director of Communications for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter and can be reached at cvasoc@innernet.net. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at 263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. Animals available for adoption can be viewed at www.petfinder.org. CVAS also operates thrift stores in Chambersburg and Shippensburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the stores.
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We have been providing
humane services for animals in need, and assisting adoptable pets in a second chance of love and companionship
at our current building, since 1995. |
Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, Inc.