Sara C. Says:
We want to spend part of the year overseas, but I don’t think it would be good for our pets to move back and forth like that. What do you suggest we do with them while we’re away?
IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says:
Hi Sara,
Deciding what to do with your much-loved pets will be one of the more emotional decisions you’ll have to make when taking a long trip.
You can engage a housesitter to live in your home and care for your pets while you are away. Alternatively, you may have a family member or friend willing to care for your pets either in your home or their own home.
Either way, make sure you compensate them for any out-of-pocket costs. It’s a good idea also to have a Plan B just in case your pet carer becomes unavailable for any reason while you’re away.
There are organizations that will call at your home to feed, water and exercise your pets. They may also collect your mail and water the garden if needed.
If using a service like this, it’s important to also appoint a friend or family member as a local contact in the event something goes wrong.
Your pets can live with a professional pet minding service, but these services get expensive if you’re away long term. For example, Rover.com charges from $25 per night for a medium-sized dog, excluding food, and depending on your location within the U.S. Petsitter.com is another similar website.
Got a Question?
Send your thoughts to mailbag@internationalliving.com. We’ll post and respond to as many of your emails as we can right here in the e-letter.