6 Essential pre-holiday tips for pet parents

December 16 2019 By Marcus Michael

Your bags are packed and you're ready to hit the road. Day dreaming of sipping on Pina Coladas while soaking up the sun...

Ah! What an exciting time to be alive! Going on holiday is great but the most daunting part of the whole trip is leaving your fur-babies behind.

If you're anything like me, your brain starts playing Jedi-mind-tricks on you with an endless amount of "what if's?".

What if, (like in The Secret Life of Pets movie) my pets decide to go on an adventure in search of me and gets lost!? Heaven forbid. Anyone who has seen that movie will agree that that bunny rabbit was down-right crazy.

Although there is a slim chance of this actually happening, an estimated 1 in 3 pets are master escape artists, and go missing in their lifetime, with only an estimated 15% being reunited with their owners.

 I've outlined 5 pre-holiday tips to give all you pet parents some peace-of-mind this festive season:

 1. Get a MyKittyPup™️ Smart PetID tag

When someone finds a lost pet, their first instinct is to look for a tag and contact the owner. Having a Smart ID tag with updated pet-owner information will make it easy to locate the pet-parent in an event of an emergency. 

Take a look at our designer designed smartID pet tags.

2. Leave detailed notes for the pet sitter

Weather you board your pet or get a pet sitter, you need to leave clear, detailed information and instructions for them to take proper care of your pet. With a Smart Pet ID tag, you can store all kinds of important information about your pet; dietary requirements, medical info, and much more. With MyKittyPup, important details can be updated anytime, anywhere, from any device (all you need is an internet connection). You even get to add an alternative number for people to get in touch with you!

3. Leave behind something to comfort your pet

Lay out an item of worn clothing with your scent, so if your pet starts to feel lonely, they can cuddle up to that familiar smell. Another great option is to put out a few treats to keep them occupied while you're away.

4. Get your pet insured

Getting an emergency call, (concerning your pet) while you trying to chillax on the beach, can be the pits. Pet health insurance is very similar to medical cover. It helps pet parents cover expensive vet bills by paying a monthly premium. You can do a quick Google search to find a plan tailored to your pets individual needs or get a broker to contact you with a quote. 

5. Keep the goodbyes short and sweet

Your pet will most likely sense you are going away, so try not to drag it out, this could make them a little anxious. Try being discreet about it; pack your bags in advance and once you're ready to leave, act as you usually would on any given day. Try to keep your emotions of excitement at bay until you reunited after your vacation. Be sure to give them tons of hugs and kisses on your arrival home.

6. Use WhatsApp

It's important to maintain good communication with the pet sitter/boarding house, while you are away. Ask for daily updates, videos, images or even a video call from time to time.

With a MyKittyPup tag, you can be sure that your pet will be kept safe this festive season.

If you enjoyed these tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook or Instagram. MyKittyPup has a lot of exciting things happening in 2020 and we don't want you to miss out!

Resources:

Special appreciation to Nadia Sinovich.

Resources: Photo by Dominika Roseclay from Pexels