This article provides information on Vet, Council, Obedience Training and Grocery Shopping for your Pet prior to a Pet Stay.
Ensuring your pet is registered with your local council
1. You need to microchip your Pet at a Vet. All cats and dogs being registered must be microchipped prior to registration. You can be fined by Council if you do not comply. In the event that your pet escapes, a microchip will help the Vet or Council identify your pet and access your contact details and ring you. PetCloud is a licensed microchip register so you are welcome to store and save your pet's microchip number in their Profile.
2. Ensure your dog or cat is wearing a collar, has a leash (if they are a dog), and engraved ID tags. Engraving can be done at your local shopping centre's key engraving shop.
3. You need to register your Pet with your local council. Pet registration is a legal requirement and is mandatory under the Domestic Animals Act 1994. You can be fined for not complying. Every dog and cat three months of age and over must be registered with your local council. Existing registrations must be renewed by 10 April each year.
Find my local council 4. Ensure your pet is up-to-date on vaccinations before taking them to the Pet Sitters home to stay.
5. Ensure that either your pet is desexed or you have selected a Sitter whose pets are desexed.
6. Ensure your dog or cat is de-flead & up-to-date on flea control treatments. Fleas can be prevented easily and effectively with a once a month topical solution or tablet.
7. Ensure your dog or cat is up-to-date on Heart Worm + Gut Worming (Gut / Intestinal Wormers are known as 'All wormers' but do not include Heart worm, so you'll also need heart worm).
8. Ensure you have bought enough wet & dry food. Make sure you have enough mince and kibble biscuits for your Pet and meaty bones (+ 2 extra days) to last them while you’re away. If not, you'll need to shop online (Woolworths, Coles, Petbarn etc) beforehand as Sitters do not provide food as change in your dog's diet can cause them to have an upset tummy. Pets can sometimes feel a little more anxious than usual away from home, we recommend also buying them enrichment toys such as kongs stuffed with bacon and cheese filler, treat balls they have to nudge to get kibble out of, pigs ears, and meaty bones to chew on. The extra licking creates serotonin which helps distract the pet and can help relieve them of anxiety and can help them settle in.
9. Purchase a bed and any coats or thundershirts
10. Ensure you have bought enough doggy poo bags, puppy training mats, or kitty litter & trays.
11. Be sure your pet (if they're a dog) responds to basic commands. Be sure your dog responds to basic commands and is well socialised around both other people and pets; if your dog has an aggression problem or is otherwise unruly, he/she may not be a good candidate for pet sitting.
12. Make sure you complete your Pet's full profile on PetCloud (which includes their Emergency contact person) Before your Pet's stay begins, make sure you fully complete your Pet's Profile. Your chosen Sitter will need to know your Pet's Emergency Contact person while you're away, any financial limit you are willing to spend out on emergencies, and whether your pet is de-sexed, & what they eat. This is a 1 time set up only.
13. Purchase any anxiety remedies and medications.