Alternative and free solutions to have your pet looked after during the holidays

Sometimes, it is impossible to take your pet with you on vacation. Your neighbors, family, or friends are not available to take care of them, don’t panic. Above all, do not abandon your friend. Shelters are overwhelmed every summer. Every year in France, nearly 100,000 animals are abandoned. Of these statistics, 80% are abandoned around the holiday season.

There are alternative solutions that are not necessarily very expensive.

1 – Home visit: 5 to 25€ per visit

They are called pet sitters. Independent or offered by companies, they make temporary visits to your pet. You establish with them the frequency and duration of the visits. Twice a day or only every three days; 20 minutes per visit or several hours. The price varies according to your requirements from about 5 to 25 euros. For a dog, prices are always higher due to the walks that need to be done.

2 – Foster family: from 5 to 30 euros per day

Some people, the Solidarity Cohabitants, offer their services to look after your animals. On the Internet, there is everything: approved people, animal lovers, but also individuals just looking to supplement their income. Be vigilant. Take the time to communicate well with the person you entrust your animal to. Ask to visit their home beforehand to see if the environment suits you. The price will vary depending on the setting and the services offered by the foster family. You often have to provide the food. This service costs on average 10 to 30 euros per day for a dog, and 5 to 30 euros for a cat.

3 – Kennels for dogs and cats: between 8 and 20 euros per day

There are kennels for dogs and boarding facilities for cats. You leave your pet in accommodation specially designed to host animals and managed by approved people. They will be fed and receive daily care. Expect between 10 and 20 euros daily for a dog and between 8 and 13 euros for a cat. “A good boarding facility is one that pays attention to the well-being of the animals entrusted to it, that takes care to know the specificities of the animals, especially

4 – Care exchange: FREE

You just need to find a trustworthy person who also has one or more animals and is not leaving on vacation at the same time as you. In your absence, you leave your animal with them. In return, you will take care of theirs during their vacation. Make sure your companion gets along with theirs, so that cohabitation is not a nightmare. The service is free since it is an exchange.

5 – Care exchange for accommodation: FREE

Toitchezmoi.com offers to connect pet owners with foster families, pet sitters, and other exchange families, allowing you to get in touch with individuals and entrust them with your home and your animals for the desired time.
An economical and win-win solution for all parties.

The solution involves no cost for pet owners. Thus, exchanging your home during your holidays with an individual, couple, or family in exchange for the care of Médor or Kitty is the holiday bargain.

Moreover, your animals, especially if they are aging or ill, will be much better at home than in any shelter.

Finally, this solution also guarantees the surveillance of the host’s home and therefore an additional security against burglary.

In conclusion, trading your home in exchange for the care of your animals only has advantages for you and your feathered or four-legged companions and will also allow your guests to visit your region.

Finally, know that if someone offers to take care of your animal for payment, they must imperatively hold an animal capacity certificate, authorization from the DSV to practice this profession, as well as animal liability insurance.

As a reminder, owners who abandon their animals in a wild manner (in the street, for example) face criminal penalties. “Abandonment is a crime punishable by 2 years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros.”