Holiday Travel Pet Care Checklist for Circle C and Southwest Austin Pet Owners

Your dog has already noticed the rolling suitcase sitting on the ground. That’s just ominous as far as he’s concerned, which is why the past twenty minutes has consisted of him following you from room to room while you pack. Your cat, meanwhile, has climbed inside the suitcase while you were trying to find bottles less than 3.1 ounces. There is cat hair all over the shirts you just folded.

Holiday travel is exciting, but it’s hard to get out the door sometimes. You might have to go to the airport. Or you might have a bunch of presents to lug with you. Coordinating family schedules is no joke and there’s always that ever-present possibility of leaving something important in the house.

If you're leaving pets behind in Circle C or Southwest Austin, a little preparation makes the difference between a smooth holiday and a frantic phone call from several states away. Here's what to work through before you go.

Get Feeding and Medication Instructions Down on Paper

You know your pet’s routine because you do it every day. But the details aren’t always obvious to someone else.

Let’s say your dog gets half a scoop of one food and a full scoop of another. He’s picky. Your cat might only eat in a separate room because the dog will happily eat both dinners. And the older dog needs medication with food, but not before breakfast.

Write it all down. A pet sitter should be able to pick up your instructions and know what to feed your pets, when, and how much. They should know when medications should be given and their proper dosage. They should also have general instructions for daily care and be aware of behavioral quirks like what makes your pets nervous and how to get them to settle.

If your dog is an Open-Gate Houdini, mention it. If your cat can open the laundry room door but only from the inside, that’s worth a mention too. Those details seem inconsequential until you’re gone and the pet sitter can’t reach you because your phone is on airplane mode and the regional jet’s Wi-Fi doesn’t work.

Prepare Emergency Contacts and Home Access Before You Leave

An emergency plan doesn't have to be complicated. It does have to be usable. Make sure you leave your pet sitter with means to contact your vet and the address of a nearby emergency vet hospital. If you can, also provide the phone number of someone local who can make decisions if you're temporarily unreachable.

It’s also worth thinking about your house. Make sure the sitter has the gate code if they need it and knows how to disable the alarm before it goes off. Make sure they know which door to use and if the lock is fiddly. A few minutes spent answering questions like these can help a lot.

Before leaving, make sure your keys and codes work. Also be sure to leave fresh supplies, make emergency information easy to find, and put away anything your pets might get into.

You don’t need to plan for every catastrophe. But if your sitter has a few basic details readily at hand, they won’t have to play detective when it counts.

Confirm Your Holiday Pet Sitting Schedule Early

Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day are popular times for travel. They're also days when pet sitters may have particularly full schedules. So if you know your travel dates, arrange care as soon as you can. That gives you plenty of time to prepare.

You should also confirm which visits are needed on travel days themselves. A dog who gets breakfast before you leave may still need an afternoon walk and dinner. Don't assume that the first or last day takes care of itself.

Woofie's® of Austin Hill Country provides in-home pet sitting for Circle C and the surrounding area. Our sitters can take care of your pets while you’re away, and that includes feeding, walks, medication, and head scratches. Overnight care is also available for pets who need company after dark.

Heading out of town for the holidays? Call Woofie's® of Austin Hill Country at (512) 649-2914 or request in-home pet sitting online. We'll help you put a holiday care plan together so your pets can enjoy the season at home.