we put our dog in a family run kennels he loves it cant wait to get in to start playing with the other dogs we used to dread putting him in hated leaving him but he doesn't even look back its a case of let me in im coming to play he has just spent a weekend in there and will be going in 5 weeks for 15 days they text me to let me know how he is and I phone to check he is always playing out with one of the dogs would not put him anywhere else they are really lovely people if he is happy then we are x

We are really lucky as our neighbours take care of them. This means they can stay in their own home during the day and have company at night.

The are so spoiled that one of them even sleeps on their bed - something their own dogs are not allowed to do!

This is a reciprocal arrangement as I look after theirs during the day whilst they are at work and when they go away for weekends etc.

our sons look after our dog now when we go away
equally we look after their dogs when they go away.just had their dogs for 3 weeks recent
years ago we used to have to put our dog we had then in kennels when we went on holiday, we used to hear her crying and barking when we left her.the kennels always said she settled down after we left and she was always in good condition when we collected her, but it didnt seem fair we stopped going on holiday eventually because we didnt like to leave her

I always left my beagle in kennels when I went away, She always made a huge fuss of the young woman who worked there and as they walked away from my car she never looked back. She was in good condition when I went to get her and the staff said she settled down straight away.

I haven't had any pets unless you count my OH for years now as my lifestyle isn't right for devoting the hours that most pets need, but do miss having a four legged companion.

well we only have tropical fish and we tend to get a family member or friend to come in every few days to check on them and do a small water change as the auto feeder does the trick with food.

My neighbours who also had cats, looked to look after mine and I looked after theirs in the past but after a gap of about 5 years without cats, I now have two young cats and when I go on on a cruise if the Norwegian Fjords in July my Mum and Dad are coming up to catsit because they decided that the cats were still two young to be left on their own and needed the company!

SM

My Mam used to look after our dog when we went away but after she inherited my daughters dog my Aunt looked after him.
Unfortunately he had cataracts and was very short sighted.
She let her budgie out of the cage one evening and it hopped along the floor straight under my dogs paws!
This was a few years ago and we now look after my daughters menagerie and 3 of her friends houses and pets during the summer holidays.
Its as good as a holiday for us as they all live in Sunny Surrey in the stockbroker belt.

My mum usually comes around and looks after my guinea pigs.
However a couple of times I have taken them to my friends.

The fish get left alone - the lights on a timer etc.

We both worked full time, so didn't have any pets, however, when our neighbours asked us to look after their pets as, if we didn't, they couldn't go on holiday -- their first with the 3 little ones -- as kennel fees were horrendous. Against my better judgement I said yes and endured 2 weeks of hell. Every morning had to get up at 6 to feed the 3 cats that I disliked intensely, take the lovely Sheba for a walk, go to switch the 6 aquariums lights on/off. Night time, feed the damn cats again (thank god that they had the shed to sleep in so I didn't have to have them in the house) walk Sheba again and feed her, go to switch the lights in the aquariums again and feed the 5 lots of fish and the dreaded snapping turtle.their varied culinary requirements. I said 'never again', but how can you say no? I had that palaver every year for 2 weeks and several weekends until we moved house ------------------------ when , by this time Sheba had moved in full time to avoid the noisy children. Again, how could we say no after looking into those old grey faithful eyes? In any case, by then she was so used to sleeping on my feet ---------------------------------------------------

what a lovely story

I remember a friend at work telling me she had to look after her friends pet and agreed to doing it before finding out it was a snake , she had to take mice out of the freezer and defrost them before feeding them to the snake !!
It's enough to put you off your KFC .
I'm not that keen on snakes ( but have held one ) and mice and rats etc I'm not too keen on either .

When I go away my brother looks after the cats , I pay him for doing that . Years ago we had a guy who used to look after our cats , he was an ex army and ex police dog handler , and they often say owners look like their dogs and he did look like an Alsatian !! But he was wonderful with animals and it was a shame he moved away from the area , my next door neighbour is very good and has said he would look after our cats if we needed , his daughter who is about 15 would look after them probably, she likes animals , she even turned her unused Wendy house into a home for our cats to sleep in during the day !! Anyone who has a cat knows they will use any situation to their advantage !

I never had any problem when leaving my Pomeranian behind, as my brother would take care of him very well, feeds him the right amount, even when I’m on a long vacation. He even knows when to put the dog leash as some areas in our location would definitely require for a pet to be leashed. I guess I can credit that to my brother having a veterinarian as a girlfriend. She definitely teaches him a lot about animals and the proper care that goes with owning one.

Mine come with me..:) They went to Ireland with us last month.

I agree with you that a pet is a responsibility. Before you buy one you should think about this problem.
I left my rabbit with my parents once, second time my flatmate took care of him.
I know that changing a place of such a small and not too smart animal is stressful. How can you explain him that you are not leaving him for ever?
Another option is to take your little friend with you.
It depends, but some of the hotels and apartments let you bring your animals. Don't you want to share those moments with 4 leg friend of the family?