How to take care of your dog or cat during the holidays?

The season of big holiday departures is approaching, with, as every year, the same problem for millions of French people: how to take care of their pets?

Camping, summer rentals, hotels … It’s not always easy to take your four-legged friend anywhere.

One situation that can lead to serious situations: the abandonment of animals.

Each year, 100,000 animals are abandoned, including at least 40,000 during the summer holidays.

In 2021, SPA shelters thus collected 16,894 animals between May 1 and August 31, a record.

However, there are many solutions for keeping your pet, such as pensions, “taking care of a pet”, assistance between individuals, or custody only of relatives. We are investigating for you, and, with the help of our readers, prompted by a survey, we have dug up solutions.

Call relatives or neighbors

The first option is the simplest, and the least expensive. It involves turning to those close to you. Friends, family, neighbors… One of them will definitely be happy to take care of your furball. If you have a cat, you can, for example, give your keys to your neighbor or a friend, who will come and feed it, and he can even take advantage of the opportunity to water your plants. If your pet needs attention, you can take it to your loved one; or the latter may be with you during your absence.

This is what Caroline, a resident of La Garde (83), did.

“A friend will come to my house to take care of my cat and guard the house instead of going to her parents. Everyone can get something out of it!”
Caroline.

More than a third of readers who responded to our survey relied on their pet with a loved one when they were on vacation.

However, it is not always possible to find a relative or neighbor willing to take care of your pet. Don’t be afraid, there are other options.

Exchange of custody or volunteering: economic solutions

If your budget is small, there are two alternatives: volunteer or exchange pet seating.

You can find someone to take care of your pet during the time you are away, and instead, you will take care of their companion during the time they are away. Depending on the arrangement, your pet may stay with you. To do this, the free Animal Keepers site offers to get you in touch with other owners.

Finally, if you haven’t found volunteers to keep your companion, you can always go to special sites. A service though subject to an annual subscription. Have Animal smart (€ 9.90/year) or Borrowing Mon Toutou (€ 29.90/year).

Book a place at the boarding house

One of the most popular solutions is pension. You can hand over your pet to a professional within a few days or a week. Your companion will thus be cared for within a regulated framework, benefit from a box or a large space, and be able to have fun with his congeners.

The price of a dog ride is usually around 20 € / day and per animal. Take a few euros if it’s a cat. There are many kennels and pensions in the Var and in the Alpes Maritimes. Our readers recommended to us, among others, the pension of Dog Méditerranée, located in Mouans-Sartoux (18 € / day for a dog, 13 € / day for a cat), as well as Dog Attitude , in Mougins (from € 18 to € 24/day for dog, from € 12 to € 14/day for cat). Also in Mougins, the Argeville kennel offers to welcome your dog from € 17.50/day. In Var, you will find the pension des Coeurs Poilus in Cannet-des-Maures (20 €/day).

In Toulon, a reader recommended our cat boarding house in Matoulonnais. If your cat is someone at home and doesn’t like the changes, you can take refuge in Katzamis, also in Toulon, which offers home boarding.

To keep you from being separated from your partner, you should also find a boarding house next to your vacation spot. This is the option preferred by Valentin, a resident of Aspremont (06).