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Pet care is a gigantic pain when you like to go travelling. You’re planning to be away for a few days or weeks, but someone needs to look after your dog or cat at home. Conventional pet care options include sending your furry friend to a pet boarding facility where they’ll be looked after while you’re away.
The problem with this is that it can cost between £30 – £60 a night to keep your pet in one of these places. If you’re away for a week or two, that’s up to £840, which could be more than your actual holiday costs. In fact, it gets so expensive that you sometimes avoid travelling to save money on pet care! There has to be a better way to deal with this situation. Well, there are actually three better ways to handle things and save money on pet care while travelling.
1. Look For Pet-Friendly Accommodation
You’ll be surprised how many accommodation options are suitable for pets. Granted, hotels are normally out of the question – but what if you rented a cottage or an Airbnb instead? You’ll easily find dog friendly cottages or Airbnbs that accept cats, which means you can bring your fluffy friend on the trip with you!
The cost of paying for your accommodation won’t be that much more than if you didn’t seek pet-friendly options – and it will certainly be nowhere near an extra £30-60 a night. Most importantly, you enjoy peace of mind knowing your pet is safe and sound the whole time because they’re with you.
2. Find Free Housesitters
There are websites like Trusted Housesitters that are gaining popularity for people seeking holiday pet care. It’s an innovative idea that allows other travellers to stay in your home and look after your pet while you’re away. They don’t charge for this; from their perspective, they gain something by having free accommodation.
Of course, you need to use a trustworthy platform to find the right sitters, but it’s a fantastic idea. You’re getting free pet care – and your home will be looked after and kept safe while you’re away, too.
3. Ask Friends or Family For Help
If you’re lucky enough to have friends or family who will look after your pet, then this will always be the ideal option. You trust them, and your pet should also know them and be less afraid. It’s a great idea if you can’t bring your pet with you on your travels and don’t like the idea of getting a sitter.
The only downside is that you’re now indebted to that family member/friend, so you may have to pay them back with a favour at some point.
Looking at these three ideas, it’s easy to see how affordable pet care can be when you’re travelling. Search for pet-friendly places to stay so you can bring your friend along for the ride. If your pet isn’t good at travelling, then look for a sitter or family member/friend to look after them for free. All three ideas will help you save a fortune, which is extra important if you’re trying to travel on a budget in the first place.
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