Pet hotel or home boarding: choosing for your trip

A pet hotel offers professional conditions: private rooms, scheduled feeding, often video updates. It works well for sociable dogs that settle quickly in a new place. The drawback is that a change of environment stresses some cats.

Home boarding means your pet stays in someone's home, or the carer comes to yours. For cats this is often the better option, because the territory does not change. But quality depends entirely on the individual — read the reviews carefully.

Before booking, ask: are vaccinations required; how many walks per day; how many animals are kept at once; which clinic they use if something goes wrong; can you bring your own food.

Preparation: vaccinations up to date, parasite treatment done, passport and vet records ready. Send your own food, bowl and bed — a familiar smell makes settling in easier.

If you can, do a trial overnight stay before the trip. It shows how your pet reacts and removes the risk of nasty surprises during a longer absence.