Toms River Pet Sitting v Dog Boarding

Choosing the best pet care for your fur babies when you go away doesn’t have to be a headache.  Here are a few pros and cons to each choice that will give you a better idea of the best pet care route for you!

Pet Sitting Pros:

• Professional pet sitters provide peace of mind that your pets are home in their own environment, their normal routines, food, medications, play time, walk routes and bedtime rituals are performed as close to the times you usually perform them as possible.  They roll around on the floor getting your dogs to play and sit quietly on the floor, coaxing your kitty to come to say hi.

• Beside providing pet care, most pet sitters also care for your home.  They will bring in your mail & deliveries, rotate blinds & lights, bring the garbage and recycling to the curb and back, water plant and more.  Pet sitters around the country have stopped or handled catastrophes for their clients.   Maybe your kids leave the sugar cereal open, attracting a swarm of ants into your kitchen?  On your mad dash out the door, someone didn’t jiggle the toilet handle just right and the toilet has begun to overflow.   Who else would know that your heating or cooling unit stopped working while you’re away?  There are lots of things that can happen to your home while you’re dipping your toes in the sand – a professional pet sitter will communicate with you and help to correct any issues that arise while you’re out of town.

• You can schedule services to fit your needs.  Since sitters come to your home to care for your pets, you’re able to start and stop services around your departure and arrival times!  What does that mean?  It means if you get home Saturday night – you don’t have to wait until MONDAY to see your pets!

 

Pet Sitting Cons:

• Some people just aren’t comfortable having a pet sitter come into their home while they are away.
• If you have your heart set on having your dogs socialized while you’re away – most pet sitters do not have playgroups or dates.

• There will be times when your pets are alone since most sitters are not in your home for 24 hours.

 

Boarding Pros:

• Your pets can go on vacation.  Maybe you equate having your pets go to a boarding facility as a vacation for them, too.

• Socialization – if playing with other dogs is very important to you, then this is the route for you.  Some boarding facilities even have a “cattery” where cats can run and play with each other.

• While most boarding facilities have staff on premises at least 10-12 hours a day, some have staff there 24 hours a day.  That doesn’t mean your pets will have constant human interaction, but there will staff members checking in on them throughout the day and night.

 

Boarding Cons:

• Being away from home can cause added stress to your pets.  Some dogs may bark non-stop, lose their appetite, or develop loose stools.  Cats may be affected by the barking dogs and unfamiliar surrounding, too.

• That dreaded Monday pick up.  Most boarding facilities are closed on Sunday, so if you arrive home on Saturday after they close or on Sunday, you have to wait until Monday to go get your fur kids.

• Although most boarding facilities require vaccinations and negative fecal test prior to boarding your pet, it is still possible that your pet may contract an illness or intestinal parasite while they board.