House sitter or kennels? How to decide

When you go away, your pets either go somewhere or someone comes to them. Kennels and catteries are the familiar choice; a house sitter is the one more people are discovering. Neither is right for every pet or every trip. Here's how to weigh them up, from two people who have looked after a lot of other people's pets.

What kennels and catteries do well

• Trained staff on site, and a building made for animals.
• Nobody staying in your home, if that matters to you.
• Nothing to prepare at home beyond dropping your pet off.
• A sociable, confident dog may enjoy the company.

A good kennels is a perfectly good choice, and many pets come home happy. Visit before you book, ask what a day looks like, and check what vaccinations they need, as most ask for them to be up to date.

What a house sitter does well

• Your pet stays at home, with its own bed, its own garden, its own walks and its own routine. Older, anxious and unwell pets often cope far better without the change.
• All your pets stay, including the ones that can't go to kennels: rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, horses.
• One-to-one attention, and medication given at the time it's due, by the same person every day.
• Your home looks lived in: lights on in the evening, curtains opened and closed, bins out on the right day, post taken in.
• Updates while you're away, as often as you've agreed.

Questions to help you decide

• How does your pet cope with change? A dog that frets in new places, or an elderly cat, usually does better at home.
• How many animals do you have, and of what kind? Several pets, or small and farm animals, are often simpler to leave at home.
• Does your pet need medication or special care? Ask how either option would handle it, and when.
• How long are you away? For a long trip, a familiar home and one carer can make a big difference.
• How do you feel about someone staying in your home? If the answer is "uneasy", read on before you decide.

If the worry is trusting a stranger

That's the reason most people give for choosing kennels, and it's a fair one. You can lower the risk a long way: read the sitter's profile and reviews properly, talk before you agree, and put everything in writing. Our guides on whether house sitting is safe and the questions to ask a house sitter go through it step by step.

House sitting on Home Tales

Every sitter on Home Tales has verified their photo ID and passed House Sitting Basics before they can apply for a sit, and their profile shows the courses they've passed, their completed sits and their reviews from other hosts. You decide whether to reward your sitter: no tip, a tip at the end if you're happy, or a guaranteed tip that Home Tales holds until the sit is done.