July 12, 2024

How do I choose between a pet sitter or pet boarding facility in the UAE?

Pet Boarding OR Pet Sitter?

Are you someone that gets anxious about leaving your fur kid when you travel? Do you struggle to decide on whether to send your fur kids off to boarding or have a petsitter stay at your home?

With so many facilities offering dog boarding and cat boarding in the UAE, and numerous cat sitters and dog sitters, how do you decide which to choose or who to look after them?

As a pet parent to 3 cats and 2 dogs, having a pet sitter is my first choice. I’m a work from home mum, my dogs and cats like their own space, I have rescues that don’t like car rides or loud noises and they prefer the comfort of their own home. Having a petsitter stay at my house is my preferred option; however, I have friends who send their dogs to doggy day care and happily board their dogs and cats when they travel, and they love it!

Is it safe to leave my pet in a boarding facility?

Boarding facilities for cats and dogs come in many shapes and sizes in the UAE, and with so many to choose from, how do you know which one to choose? As always, whichever choice you make is up to you but always make sure to ask questions about your pet’s safety first!

If you’re sending your dog or cat off to boarding, I recommend to ask the following questions to help you decide if it’s the right fit for you and your fur kids:

Are there protocols in place if a dog or cat gets out and goes missing? Has this ever happened before and if so, what did they do? What safety measures are followed to prevent this from happening, and what steps are taken if this was to happen (the chances of this happening are slim; however, accidents do happen, and we don’t always hear about it online) You want peace of mind that your fur kids are well cared for whilst you’re away!

A visit to the boarding facility you’ve chosen before you hand your fur kids over is a MUST! Ask to see where your dog or cat will sleep, where they are fed and how many cats or dogs are in the facility at any given time. What’s the maximum capacity they run at and are there security cameras? Does anyone stay over at night with them? Do they have an onsite vet (if not which vet do they use in an emergency)? Where do they use the toilet / do they take them for walks? Check what requirements are needed for your pet to stay; what vaccinations should be valid? Is it a necessity to have your pet microchipped? Does your dog or cat need to be neutered or spayed (if not are un spayed / un neutered pets kept separately)? Do you get sent daily updates?

How do I know which pet sitter to use?

Just like entrusting a boarding facility to look after your dog or cat, entrusting someone in your home is equally (if not more) important. There are so many people advertising their services on social media groups, however, putting your faith in a complete stranger can be overwhelming. Meeting the person and introducing them to your fur kids before selecting your pet sitter is super important.

My first go to is recommendations! Who do your friends use or who do others recommend and why? Is this person / business licensed? How long during the day do they spend with your pet? Will they stay over night? Do they have access to transport in case of an emergency or do they have a reliable pet taxi they normally use if needed? If they are walking your dog, are they happy with the times you normally walk them and do they have instructions on food time? If you have cameras inside / outside your home are they aware of them and happy about this? If they are staying overnight, are you comfortable with them having friends over? Are you happy for them to use all the facilities and appliances in your home? Have you set boundaries and expectations?

This is not an exhausted list of questions and I’d encourage you to ask as many questions to make you feel comfortable with your choice. You should feel comfortable when leaving your dog or cat in the care of someone else and there’s no such thing as a stupid question!

Making sure your pet is safe whilst you're away!

Making sure my fur kids are safe when I travel is my number 1 priority. I’m a paranoid pet parent and whoever looks after my cats and dogs, know exactly what to do in the event of an emergency.

Whether you have a pet sitter staying in your home or if you’re sending your dog or cat off to a boarding facility, emergency contact details are important! Is your pet microchipped?

A microchip is a form of ‘proof of ownership’. If the worst was to happen, a registered microchip should show your contact details and shows you’re their parent! Make sure your microchip is registered with the relevant municipality and your contact details are up to date. You can also register your dog or cat on our pet safety app – Where My Paws At. It’s free to download and register, and you become part of our pet safety community.

Should the unthinkable happen, our app sends out instant lost notifications to all our users, registered vets, rescuers and organisations, as well as giving you the ability to generate a personalised missing pet poster in less than a few minutes – which is shared with our community too. The easiest way to identify any dog or cat is with a pet tag. Our smart pet tags link to our app and don’t require a subscription. Anyone with a camera phone can scan your tag without the use of our app and your pet’s information can be seen.

Finally, I recommend leaving contact details of your registered vet for the person looking after your pet. If you have friends staying in country whilst you are away, leave their contact details too. This always gives me peace of mind knowing if I’m uncontactable, a friend is there to help.

If you have any questions or would like my recommendations – get in touch!

Register with Where My Paws At for peace of mind

Where My Paws At is the first pet safety app developed by pet parents for pet parents in the UAE – and guess what – it’s FREE! Download our app today and be part of the fastest growing pet community in the UAE. Join thousands of pet parents protecting their pets, staying up to date with news and information, and save money on all things pet related.

Whether your a dog parent or cat parent, you can register multiple pets under one pet parent account! Microchip or no microchip, we still help keep your pets safer, but remember a microchip acts as proof of ownership should your pet go missing or even worse, is stolen!

We’re revolutionising pet safety starting in the UAE!

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