Leaving your pet at home during the holidays

At a glance

Going on holiday but can't take your pet with you? What are the options for your dog or cat?

While it makes sense that many people want to share as many happy moments as possible with their pet, travelling with your dog or cat isn't always easy, nor always the best choice. Your pet might not enjoy this holiday as much as you do.
What are the options?

Your pet isn't coming with you

If your pet can't come with you and there's no one at home to look after it while you're away, you have 3 options:

leave it alone at home, with regular visits from someone looking after it (neighbour, friend, family, dog or cat sitting service...)
find a host family
book a hotel for dogs/cats or a kennel/boarding facility

Each option has its pros and cons, and involves very different costs.

Leaving your pet alone at home

The advantage of this solution is that the animal stays in its familiar environment. This is even easier for animals that cope more easily with being alone, such as cats.
The downside is that your pet stays alone for a very long time, which it's not used to, and it may therefore become depressed, cause damage, or run away.

However, this option requires careful thought when choosing the person you're going to ask to visit your pet regularly. Choose someone you trust (who will therefore be able to enter your home), and if you have a dog, take the time to get to know each other before you leave. Try to stick as closely as possible to your pet's usual habits in terms of food or activities (such as, for example, the daily walk).

Describe your pet's (good and less good) habits and explain how you react in these situations.

If you choose someone from a professional network (pet sitting), make sure the organisation is reliable, check the sitter's experience, and check what insurance covers them. Read our article on this topic: "Finding a pet sitter for your dog or cat during the holidays".

Tip: prepare well in advance. Pet sitting services are often in high demand during the holiday period!

Placing your pet with a host family

This option is used by many holidaymakers. It requires good preparation, but has the advantage of offering your pet an environment that will give it as much attention as it gets when you're around.

Either you'll find a host family within your family circle or among friends, or you'll use a network (professional or not) that offers this service.
Whatever you choose, take the time to visit the place where your pet will be staying and get to know it.
Here too, describe your pet's (good and less good) habits, its eating behaviour, and explain how you usually react.
Send your pet with objects it knows (toys, blanket...) that carry its scent.

Booking a hotel, boarding facility or kennel

This option is probably the most expensive and is best suited to animals with sociable behaviour. It's less suitable for cats, who generally hate changing environment.
There are all kinds of hotels, boarding facilities or kennels, offering a minimal service (accommodation & food) or a full service (accommodation, food, (veterinary) care, grooming, training, walks, etc). Take the time to find the ideal hotel, boarding facility or kennel, find out as much as you can, and see under what conditions your pet will be looked after (individual or shared kennel/pen, size of available space, hygiene). Stay in touch while you're away, and give the hotel or boarding facility your vet's contact details. In case of any problems, they'll know your pet's medical history.
Your pet will need to be in good health (health certificate issued by your vet) and have the required vaccinations.

You'll easily find addresses online (including, for example, pawshake, holidog, cat-alicious...)
Also ask for advice and addresses from professionals, such as your vet.
Book well in advance. Most good boarding facilities are fully booked several months before the holidays.

Your pet goes on holiday with you

If you decide to share your holiday fun with your pet, make sure:

you travel with a means of transport that suits it
you find accommodation that accepts pets and where it will have enough space
you comply with current health regulations (compulsory vaccinations)
you choose a type of holiday that takes its presence into account (so no keeping it locked up all the time)
and you go somewhere it's welcome and won't bother other travellers or holidaymakers.

Also see, in this case, the following articles:

Also read the following articles: