Municipality of the County of Colchester

March is the time of year when everyone has had enough of winter and decides to go on holiday. However, there is always the question of who will take care of your pets if you cannot take them with you. Fortunately there are some options you can explore. Ask a member of your family who would be able to care for them (either in their home or yours) or there is always the option of choosing a kennel to board your pet while you are away. If at all possible try to avoid having someone just stop by the house periodically to simply check on the pets. As we all know, dogs require much more work than a few simple visits and even though cats can require minimal care, depending on temperament or health, they should be somewhere where they will have the same access to affection and company as our dogs.

Should you choose to board your pet at a Kennel you should do research on a Kennel that is close to home and are able to provide specific needs that your pet may have. For example: Is your pet diabetic? You should check that the caretaker or anyone monitoring the kennel in their place is comfortable administering insulin needles ahead of time. Be sure to double check if food is provided or if you need to supply your own and what the daily routine will be for your pet. This will help put your mind at ease about having to leave someone behind. Below, we have included a list of Kennels in Colchester County found in the yellow pages of the phone book:

Kennels in Colchester (Alphabetical Order):
All My Pets - Salmon River
Birchill Kennels - Shortts Lake, Brookfield
Brookside Kennels - Brookside
Cloverfield Kennel - Otterbrook
Country-Side Kennels and Grooming - Elmsdale
Creature Comforts - Pine Grove
Doggy Makeover Grooming Parlour - Murray Siding
Kamp Kanine Dog Lodging - Upper Stewiacke
Novaway Kennels - Shubenacadie
Paws for Fun - Truro
Regalridge Kennels - Elmsdale
Trollhattan Kennels - Brookside

If you are fortunate enough to have a family member or close friend care for your animals you should always make sure you have a detailed list of instructions of anything they may encounter with your pet, especially if they are not experienced pet owners. You should always consider whether or not one person will be able to care for all of your pets and you may have to make separate accommodations. Your cousins may be fine looking after your dog but refuse to look after your child's snake and are allergic to your cats.

Regardless of where your pets will be staying they should be accompanied by some important items:
1) Make sure your pet is wearing a collar with a County Tag (incase of a runaway)
2) Information about who your vet is or even a copy of their vet records
3) Food and treats (Unless supplied)
4) Their Bed (Unless supplied)
5) Some of their favourite toys
6) Enough medication for the duration of the trip plus a few days extra in case of unforseen delays
7) Some money in case of an emergency (Only when you know the person caring for your pet would not be able to afford the cost for you to reimburse them later)
8) A phone number if you absolutely need to be contacted (hotel and room number)
9) Make sure the caretaker knows to contact the Animal Control Officer at 897-3175 incase your dog has already been found, as well as to advertise in a wide range of places (The radio, SPCA, Kijiji etc.)

You may also wish to let your vet know that someone will be caring for your pet while you are away and to allow any medical records to be released if needed when they are not under your care. Many vets may not require this notice, however, you should inquire about their policy ahead of time.

Travelling is meant to be a fun and exciting time and by planning ahead and thinking through scenarios before you leave will help you be prepared. With the right preparations you can avoid disaster and come home to a happy and healthy family of pets with a bitter sweet reunion.