Q: We're going on a weeklong vacation and leaving our dog at home. What does our pet sitter need?
A: When leaving for vacation or even just a day trip, making sure your pet has proper care should be the top priority.
Here's what you need to prepare your pet sitter.
Maintain the same routine: Structure is important. Keeping your dog on the usual schedule while you're away will help make the transition easier and even prevent accidents. Make sure to give the sitter a detailed rundown of when to walk and feed the dog
Enforce the house rules: Just because you're away from home, that doesn't mean your pet gets to break the rules. Make sure your sitter knows what your dog is and isn't allowed to do.
Leave emergency contact information: Make sure there's a backup person the sitter can call if you're unreachable. Don't forget to include your emergency vet contact in the event your dog gets sick or injured. Leave the name and number of your hotel, as well as your itinerary.
Create a list of medications and conditions: The sitter should know of any medical conditions or allergies to report in case they need to reach your dog's vet for assistance.
Leave a credit card and authorization letter: Leave this information with your vet in case he or she needs to charge an emergency vet visit while you're away. Include a signed letter stating that you give permission for the vet's office to use your card for your pet's care.
