Do you think pet owners who travel are cruel?

They'd hate me then. I have a cat and will leave her for two days, one night, with NO cat sitter! Just leave enough food down and give her lots of cuddles when I get home. She just carries on with her life as normal.

If I had a dog I obviously wouldn't do this and would get someone in, but it's not cruel to have a life away from having a dog. In reality though, if I had a dog, most of my time away would be somewhere that I would just take the dog with me.

No. But I do disagree with dumping dogs in kennels where they have never been to before and are locked up on their own for most of the day.

We do tend to take our dogs away with us when possible (if UK or drivable Europe) but we have one big / long haul holiday a year where they go to one of two dog sitters who we know very well and who they have been to plenty of times. They both live in big house in rural areas (one on a farm and one on the edge of woodland) so the dogs get plenty of exercise and are allowed to live in the house as they would do at home. They love going to either one and we get daily photos and videos of their adventures 😊

Of course not

this is why kennels and pet sitters exist

I think even if someone is going away frequently it’s fine – this means the dog will have an even stronger bond with the pet sitter and having them there will be a stress-free occurrence for them. Just like if you go away and leave your dog with your partner at home for a few days. For them it’s another person who loves them.

I knew a family who had a cat, they went away for months at a time, several times a year, and had a family member who lived nearby, feed the cat once or twice a day.
imo their lifestyle was not that compatible with having a cat.
But I think most people with pets would leave them for eg a few days or a week (with suitable care)

Is it not just that lots of people have pets and would prefer to use a reputable sitter rather than put them in kennels? Or do you mean it's the same clients leaving them to go away every month? It shouldn't be an issue the leave a well socialised and adjusted dog/cat with a sitter to go on holiday once or twice a year.

Fickle creatures 😀

I often pet sit and I’ve never once had a distressed dog. Everyone worries they will be miserable and miss their owners but there’s usually not so much as a second glance.

I guess it depends how frequently you travel.

Once a month, for a few days, or more? Yeah I'd be a bit uncomfortable with that and I have refused to sell puppies to people who 'travel for work frequently.' If you're out of the country for a week every month, then a dog isn't for you.

That is fine and totally normal. However some owners take the mick. I know a couple with a very elderly (15yo) dog, who has dementia, is stone deaf and obviously has more needs now and they palm him off several times a month. He barks the place down as he is confused, doesn’t settle and just wants to be at home. But their holidays and trips come first.

Pet owners that mistreat/abuse their pets are cruel...

Those that go on holiday/away for work and place them in the care of responsible family/pet sitters are responsible pet owners.

No. Of course not. Main thing is to make sure they are being well cared for while you’re away. We go and visit family every 4-6 weeks for a weekend and our neighbour pops in the feed the (very spoiled and pampered) rabbits and check on them daily. She gets offended if we book them into the boarders! She’s asked to keep a key to our garden gate as she’s home a lot/ works close by and we aren’t with work and commutes etc and she likes to know if anything happens even if we aren’t away (heatwave/unexpected weather and we get held up) she can get into the garden to check on them and says we just have to text her. She likes to make sure she knows which rabbit is which, their names, and asks us to leave treats out for them as she likes to give them attention and a bit of a fuss. It’s lovely. And they much prefer being at home - they don’t care who feeds and gives them treats as long as they get them! We live 3 hours away from any family so if we didn’t have weekends away we wouldn’t see them. However if we go away for longer periods, like a week or so on holiday, we do offer to book them into a rabbit boarders (we’ve found a highly recommended one) as we feel guilty putting that on our neighbour as there’s a lot more involved in caring for them for a week than a weekend.

Its not a problem, the animals will be fine.
I rarely leave my 15 year old cat because she is a velcro cat and has had a lot of medical treatment including two weeks in a vet hospital. She gets upset if I'm not there but the young cat is fine.

Who made you feel irresponsible? Of course it isn't irresponsible to leave your pet.

We have always had .dogs and at one point a cat, dogs always went to kennels our cat was house sat, there was never any harm come to the animals, don't listen to people.

As someone who regularly feeds her neighbours cats, no, there are plenty of pets who literally could not GAF.

I like my neighbour's cats a lot. But they do not give a shit who's feeding them 🤣

It depends. I used a dog sitter or family to care for my dog when I went away but it wasn’t a regular occurrence and only ever for two weeks maximum.

However some friends of mine got a puppy during lockdown and now probably go on holiday between 10-12 times a year, always for a minimum of a week and their dog goes into kennels. I think the longest time they’ve spent at home with him is three weeks. The poor dog seems to spend half his life in kennels which I personally don’t agree with.

Of course not - as long as the pets are well cared for while you’re away.

The only case I did find very sad and upsetting was a couple who’d refused to holiday anywhere if they couldn’t take the dog - until the dog was at least 10, when they thought a fortnight in Spain was overdue.

So they put the dog in kennels - where it pined away and died before their return. 😰

Your response to this person is:
'It is part of responsible pet ownership to make sure that an animal can get used to being separated from its owner for a few days. It would be cruel and irresponsible of me not to make sure they are happy being apart from me, because if I ever got admitted to hospital, or if they had to stay overnight at the vets, and they had never been apart from me before, it could cause them a lot of distress.'

Of course it's ok to go away and leave your pets - whoever is guilt tripping you is is very unreasonable. Pets aren't children - though you can leave kids with someone to care for them for a few days too.

No. My dog goes into kennels regularly even when I’m at home. She’s a pain in the arse if we have tradesmen etc in so it’s just easier. She likes it there and she’s well looked after. Likewise when I go away. I’m having a baby soon and will definitely be booking her in for some of that time so I get a bit of respite from her. If that makes me a terrible owner so be it!

I find it weirder when people get dogs and decide they are never leaving the country again because they couldn’t leave their precious dog. Or only ever holiday in the UK so the dog can come with them. It’s not a holiday if you have to think about the dog 24/7, are still picking up dog shit etc! But then I find fur mums a bit odd generally.

Our two cats stay chez moi with adult DD and DS so their routine is the same and their environment is the same, I don't think they'd enjoy being in a cattery and our boy would be creeped out by someone strange in his house

The guineapigs went to pet boarding where we got the first two (because sadly Guinea pigs do end up being dumped or surrendered this way). They were well looked after but so happy to get their own garden back after

I wouldn't plan a long trip away from them but as long as they're being cared for its fine

I get a house sitter or leave my dog with one of my (adult) kids when I go away somewhere I can't take her. To be honest, it's even MORE of a holiday when I don't have her little whiskery face in my eye every hour of the day (she's a needy thing). I may have done a happy dance last time I drove away...

Our dog absolutely loves his dog sitter who he also goes to for doggy day care. She even let's him sleep in bed with her. He can't wait to get in the door when we take him and squeaks in excitement as soon as he realises where we are going. I don't feel one bit of guilt and he stays with her for 2 weeks every summer as well as a couple of other single weeks and a few weekends each year.

No. Our cats have lived with us for 12-18 years (we have lots) and are very loved, cherished etc. but we still go away from time to time.
They are usually fed by our neighbours who love them and will spend time interacting with them too.

Thank goodness for that - your initial post sounded bonkers 🤣.

If we are away for more than overnight we get someone to feed /water and let our cats in and out. The cats don't complain.