Vacation Checklist for Pet Caretakers

I always have so much to do before a trip that I think I spend twice as much time preparing for the trip as the trip itself. One thing that eases my mind more than anything is having a competent petsitter that I trust. In my case, I have too many pets to reasonably board them (and I have yet to find a place that will board fish, chickens and geese!), so I have someone who stays at the house. Having the house occupied is a nice side benefit too, since plants get watered and mail retrieved on a daily basis.

This list is a general "before the trip" preparedness checklist to help make your trip as worry free as possible. Your pet may have special needs not covered on this list. I have found that if I mentally make my deadline for getting everything done 2 days before I leave, that leaves plenty of time for "last minute emergencies" and trips to the store.

Food
Make sure to have plenty of food on hand, especially any special diets. I usually have considerably more food on hand than will be needed in my absence in case of any spillage or spoilage; necessitating using more food than normal.

Medicine
Refill all prescriptions and supplements prior to departure. This sounds obvious, but it is easy to overlook the total amount of medication left in the bottle and not count ahead. Make sure that your petsitter is capable of administering the medication to ensure that the pet receives the medication and to prevent waste of the medications.

Food dishes
Clean and refill all pet water dishes and food dishes. Make sure that the amount to feed each pet each day is clearly marked and explained.

Clean the tanks and cages
Perform maintenance tasks such as water changes on fish tanks 1-2 days prior to departure. (I enjoy having extra time to observe and make sure everything is OK.)

Call your vet
Call your vet to let the office know that you will be out of town and that your pet sitter is authorized to bring your pets in should there be an emergency.

Call your neighbors
Let your neighbors know that your pet sitter will be at the house and watching the pets.

Stock up on litter
Make sure to have extra cat litter (or other litter bedding for animals that require it) on hand. Good litter box maintenance is always important, but especially while you are away so that 1) the pet sitter can monitor normal habits and 2) to discourage voiding outside the litterbox as cats in particular may be upset by the change in routine.

Secure the surroundings
Ensure that the yard fence, kennel or other enclosure is safe and secure and repair any holes if necessary. What may not be a big problem while you are there could escalate while you are away and pets are stressed "looking" for you.

Pest control
Along those same lines, I recently realized that there were several hornet's nests around the chicken coop and aviary at my house. I was sure to take care of them to protect my pets and my pet sitter!

Pet behavior and habits
Create a list of any pet habits or quirks that your petsitter should know about to avoid confusion and enhance communication.

Phone list
And last but not least, create a list of veterinary contacts, including your regular vet and any back up vets. Also include the number(s) to your local veterinary emergency clinic.

Finding a good petsitter takes time. Here are some additional articles that are helpful when traveling:

Finding the right petsitter for your pets

How To How To Choose A Petsitter Or Kennel For Your Pet (step-by-step)

Make sure your pet gets the correct medications while you are away