My cats *always* stay at home (unless it's a short car trip to visit family at Christmas then if they are a "travel friendly" type they come along).

A friend stops by to feed him (or them but I recently lost my #2 guy), do the cat box, and play once a day. They don't ask for pay but I usually leave some cash or a grocery store G.C. or something.

I have also used a paid cat sitter, that was $25/day for one visit per day. Feed them, brush them, do the litter, write me a long note about what the cat did that day (cat sitters are a wacky bunch in my experience).

We are SoooOOOOooo lucky! We have friends that pick Sammy (our Golden Retriever) and take him to their home where he plays constantly with their dog and daughter. He is loved, looked after, and is happy as can be! God Bless our friends. He has it made!!! It beats just dropping him off with strangers and hoping he doesn't get fleas or frustrated with tons of barking and upset animals all around. Whew.

We have a few options.

One, my ILs, live about 2hrs away and love to babysit our dog. But if that is not convenient, we've asked friends to come dog/house sit for a few days - we wouldn't ask for anything longer than 2-3 days, though.

We most often use the doggie daycare that our dog uses on a weekly basis. However, recent events caused us to fire the daycare company so now we're back to square one!

I could never put her in a kennel - she'd go nuts. She needs lots of action and activity, somewhere that there's a big area to run around and other dogs to play with.

I'm sorry, I forgot to include prices.

Normally, for 24hours which includes an overnight, hours of playtime and 2 feedings, it costs anywhere from $40-60 per day.

I have two giant schnauzers, Barnum & Bailey. Boarding them together at the kennel here in South Carolina costs $40 per day. This includes the indoor/outdoor run so that they can go in and out as necessary. It also includes daily play times. They can share a run...it would be a few dollars more per day if they had separate runs.

This probably won't be helpful to anyone because I'm living in Germany right now but I just couldn't resist responding...

Our amazing, sweet, energetic Australian Shepherd and our bossy, independent black shorthair cat stay at the Tierhotel at Schloss Unterriexingen (www.care-royal.de) near Ludwigsburg whenever we do overnight trips. It is a real castle owned by a real German prince. They charge 25 Euro per day for a large dog and 12 Euro per day for the cat, but we get a discount for having 2 pets. They supply their own homemade dog food (they sell the dog food as part of the business).

You have to bring your dog for a trial visit to make sure he/she is sociable because the dogs are split into playgroups and run around together all day, plus they also go out off-leash on long runs on the castle grounds. My dog loves it - sure beats staying in a concrete cell at the vet back home in Michigan. I've never heard of anything quite like this in the States.

I would NEVER consider finding a kennel in a strange town unless I had a very good recommendation from a close friend or relative.

Lucky for me, all my friends love my dog and I have no problem finding someone to stay at our house and watch her while we're gone. I prefer this because, not only is she in her own environment, but then I also have someone to watch the house, get the mail, etc. What I pay them varies on how long we're gone, what else they do while here, and how much they need the money. (I have an aunt who will not take any money from me for watching the dog!) Usually, we pay $10 a day or more. If you can't find someone, there are licensed & insured pet sitters in almost every city and I would recommend that over a kennel - but that's just my preference.

My mom and my MIL tag team so that the cats have someone over almost every day. This last time we came home to clean laundry, a scrubbed kitchen, food in the fridge, and flowers on the table. And all they ask in return is a heart-felt "thank-you". We always bring presents too

For trips of up to one week, we've kenneled the dog and had my parents come in every other day to take care of the 3 cats.

We were happy with the kennel, but our dog was very scared each time she was there. The kennel staff was attentive enough to know the dog was scared.

For longer trips, we've had to improvise. Last year, I posted a "help wanted" note on the bulletin board of a local college. One girl responded and she was a good fit. For $25 per day, she lived in and took care of the pets. It worked out very well. Although I have to admit, I had people checking up on her very frequently for the first days to make sure she was doing her job. Unfortunately, she graduated and moved away.

For our trip this fall, we are "grooming" my cousin for live in duties.

I have two Persian cats I brought over from Germany and I leave them with a lady that works with me. She has cats and dogs at her home and comes to my house, puts the two kitties in two carriers and takes them about 30 minutes to her house. I stay gone most of the time a night/two but sometimes 6/7 days. They do well at her house. She takes the kittie litter box and their food/water bowls. They enjoy the trip I think. We also take them to our vacation place on the MS River about an hour away and they do they same then. They ride in their carrier then go out in the camp house. Find you someone who loves animals that will keep them for you.

If our trips are four days or less, we leave our two kitties home with ample food and water. Over four days, we have a friend or catsitter come in to check on them about every other day.

We used to have a cat who required medication 2x a day. We tried boarding him at the vet but that never went well and he hated being there. Thankfully we were able to find a friend who enjoyed visiting with them twice a day to administer the meds. We have never had to hire a petsitter that we didn't know.

Thanks to evryone who has written!!! I have both a personal AND professional reason for asking the questions I posted.

First the personal.I love to travel. I also always have pets and always will. Can't even imagine life without them. I'm now down to one dog at home and one horse that is boarded. As pets pass away I am no longer adding new ones. It's my way of easing toward retirement... and more travels. At its peak my menagerie consisted of three dogs, two horses, a cat, and a cockatiel. Then we lived thirty minutes from town. I was very lucky at that time. I always had young, single people who worked for me. Many still lived at home with parents. Therefore, they were just thrilled to stay at my farm AND get paid for it. Unfortunately I am no longer in the job that provided me with wonderful pet sitters. I'm still looking. Though it was VERY difficult for me, I finally had to put my dog in a kennel - or give up traveling. At six years old it was his first time. But, it went very well.So, I would like to offer some tips for folks in the same position:

1. As stated by many posters, get recomendations from your vet and friends.

2. Visit any kennel you are considering...WITHOUT making an appointment. You want to see how the facility is kept up when they aren't expecting visitors.

3. Ask if you can get your dog used to the kennel by leaving him/her for increasing amounts of time. If the kennel doesn't agree, go elsewhere.

4. Have a standard parting phrase that you use whenever you leave your pet. Use it every day. It teaches the pet that you will be gone for a while, but, you will be back. Be sure to use it when you leave the kennel. Some I've heard: "see you later", " I'm going to work", " you wait" and, "we'll be back".

In the month leading up to out trip we left Nick at the kennel four times. For his first kennel experience, we dropped him off and then went down the street for breakfast. We picked him up an hour and a half later. He was confused, but fine.The next week left him for four hours, then six, then eight. Each time the staff made a big fuss over him. Finnaly, the week before our trip, we dropped him off at six pm and picked him up at nine the next morning. We were slowly teaching him that we would always come back. It paid off. He did very well with his weeklong stay. On the pick up day I showed up two hours earlier than they were expecting me. I can't tell you how relieved I was. Nick was out in the huge exercise yard playing with the owner's 11 year old daughter. I watched unnoticed as he raced around in a game of "keep away" - his ears flying, and a doggy smile on his face. He's been back since then and eagerly ran up the hill to see the kennel staff. In the best of all worlds he would always stay at home with a wonderful pet sitter. I'm still looking. But,I'm now at peace with the kennel idea. I hope some of you will find my expereince helpful.

Now, If you're still with me in this looong post, I'll tell you my professional interest in this topic.

Two years ago, after nineteen great years as a horticulturist, knee problems caused me to leave my job. I wasn't quite ready, or, able to retire . And, I wanted to do something completely different. Just to keep busy while I considerd my job options, I started volunteering for Saint Francis Of Assisi Service Dog Foundation: (saintfrancisdogs.org.) I loved it! The service dogs in training were so smart, and, so earnest. It was as if they knew they were destined for something special. The "cause" was meaningful. Who wouldn't be moved by seeing these noble dogs helping the disabled people they were eventuallty partnered with? And, the people! They were all so special...the trainers, puppy raisers,and, the many volunteers. I've made some lasting friendships. And, surprise! Through all of the contacts I made there, I stumbled onto my next career. I'm now a pet sitter! It is definitely the best job I've EVER had. I'll never get monetarily rich. But, if you count happiness as wealth...move over Bill Gates! I meet the nicest people. I LOVE spending my time with everyone else's pets. And, it makes me feel good to know that I'm helping others enjoy their travels. I've been in their shoes. Also, by being my own boss, I can travel any time I like. I just block off the time and don't accept bookings for those weeks. So, that is my story. Hope I haven't bored you all to death!

ps.
Thanks to all who told me what you pay for pet care.. It varies considerably geographically. But, I now know my prices are in the right ballpark.

Hugs to your furry friends!
Gretchen

cactushugger: I didn't see that you mentioned where you live. i have a cat and a dog and am blessed to have my mother less than a mile away. She is an animal lover and is always willing to pet sit. There may come a day and time where that won't be an option, so this has been an interesting and informative thread to read.

Laurenzo,
I live in southwestern Virginia. However, if you ever need a pet sitter in your area, Google: Pet Sitters International (PSI) It's a great professional pet sitting organization. Many sitters who take their work seriously belong to it. PSI"s web site lists its member pet sitters by location.
Hope that helps.

Well we never take our pet dog with us. But when we travel my stepson takes her to his place.

We're lucky enough that my in-laws have been able to watch them and we've never had to kennel them...I've heard some nasty kennel stories from co-workers. I don't know what we'll do when they move into their condo next year!

In the past our sons have been visited by neighbors and the vet tech from our vet. We are vacationing in Montreal this year and the boys have an every day visit @$20/day. It's worth it to me to have them checked in on even if they are out wandering "the hood". I cannot imagine leaving them in a kennel because they would flip out!!(cats who go in and out doors). Our very old tom (now deceased) stopped eating when we kenneled him 20 years ago.

We recently had a case here in N. California where parents paid for pet sitting but left their two children home alone including a 5 year old who is autistic. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Icuy, Just let me know when the MLI can't make it. LOL. Hawii is one of the five states I haven't been to yet. I'm doing my first out of state sitting job in September. It's a family thing. My mother is paying my plane fare so that her dog can stay home while she is away for ten days. A good deal! My airfare costs about the same as her kennel. She won't worry about her boy. Her boy will avoid the kennel. And, I get a trip to the Hamptons at the nicest time of the year there. It's a win win win situation.

We just got two cats last fall. We have a petsitter who is a guy I used to work with, so I know and trust him. He charges $25/hour. So far, he has looked after the kitties for a couple of weekends, and they seem to like him a lot. We have an automatic kibble dispenser & water bowl, so he just has to do a little maintenance and spend time with them. We have friends who live nearby who could do this for us, but we prefer to pay someone who is obligated to come over and spend time with them.

We are taking a two week trip to Greece soon and we're not happy about having to leave them, but they seem to adapt to new situations pretty quickly.

OMG, Sunny, $25 an hour?! Does he keep them 24/7 while you are gone? How do you afford to travel? That's more than some college graduates make when they start out. Where do you live?

We don't have pets anymore since our last dog passed away, so we seem to have become the family pet keepers. So far that has worked out great since it gives us the best of both worlds with temporary pets.