5 pet-sitting options

1. Live-in sitter
The scoop: Have a friend or family member provide care for your pets in your home.

Good for: All animals.

Pros: This is the recommended choice of The Humane Society of Canada because it reduces stress for your pet. Bonus: Friends or family can do double duty and collect your mail, water the plants and just generally keep an eye on your home.

Cons: It's a big time commitment to ask of someone.

Price: Varies. Arrange to swap services so no money exchanges hands or negotiate the fee up front before you leave so there are no hard feelings.

Ask yourself: Are your pets familiar with this person? (Ideally, they are.) How do your animals react around her? Is the sitter able to take your pet to the vet if needed? Do you trust the person to be in your home?

Advice: Have the sitter visit your home before you go, especially if your animal isn't familiar with her. Go over feeding and care instructions before you leave and put them in writing as a reference, along with your vet's number and where you can be reached.

2. Live-out arrangements
The scoop: Fido stays at your mother's or girlfriend's home while you're away.

Good for: Most small caged animals, except birds, dogs or cats as these animals get stressed-out easily.

Pros: Your pet gets one-on-one attention from a familiar person.

Cons: There is the potential for your animal to do damage in someone else's home, so unless the sitter's house is pet-proofed -- and she is prepared to put up with a few "accidents" -- you may want to consider another option.

Price: Arrange to swap services or negotiate the rate up front.

Ask yourself: Is the sitter familiar with your pet? Is she physically able to care for it? (Leaving your rambunctious golden retriever with your elderly mother isn't a great idea.) Does the sitter know what's required to care for the animal and is she willing to meet his needs? Can she take the animal to the vet if needed? Is she trustworthy and reliable? (You don't want your flighty sister heading off to the beach for the day while poor old Rover sweats it out in her apartment.)

Advice: Arrange for an overnight stay before you go to see how your pet -- and the sitter -- cope.


Would kitty be better in a kennel? Find out on page 2.