Less expensive alternative to boarding at the vet's?? Please help.

[sophistacavy]

Hello everyone.

My mom and I need some alternative to boarding all of our animals at the vet's for a week when we go on vacation. It has to be less expensive.

The problem is that this vet charges money per animal, per day, possibly equivalent to the price one would expect to see as a total after an animal has had all four limbs amputated and replaced with bionical parts. I'm not kidding here. Its expensive everywhere, I realize, but I think once I get ahold of one of the final bills for last year, you'll see what I mean.

We board one cat, one dog (who is a shih tzu), 3 guinea pigs (which this year will be one extra, which is probably like $100 extra dollars a day), two parrots, and that is it. My hermit crabs had two of those vacation feeders, and lots and lots of wet sea sponges and extra soaking dishes. So that's a grand total of 7 animals, which will be 8 this year unless we can find an alternative to the vet. Out of those 7 (I'll just use last summer as an example), only TWO are one of the "major" or mainstream boarders that require the most on the vet's place's part: 1 cat and 1 little pint sized 12 lb dog.

Then, the parrots and piggies are very small, and all of them put together would probably equal 1 dog in whatever that vet's terms are.


We have looked into this local doggie day care, but my mother said the price they wanted for one week for one dog seemed like even more than the vet wants. So, I don't really know.

My mom refuses to let strangers come into the house while she's not there, so as soon as I mentioned a professional, licensed, bonded, and insured pet sitter, she kinda shut down.

Please share any ideas you have that would be helpful in this situation!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[sealion]

Could you ask a good friend if she could keep the piggies ? If a C&C cage takes up too much room for her, you can always use a store bought cage, I'm sure the piggies won't mind for a week to be in a smaller cage.
Or maybe you can find a pet boarding facility near you. I have checked those, and they usually charge $3 a day per pig.

 

[MamaCass]

Do you or your Mother have a friend to ask? When I was in college, I constantly house/petsat for my parent's friends. The easiest would be to find a friend, or neighbor willing to come to your home. One of our boxers has severe sep. anxiety, and when we went to Europe this summer we thought about boarding him but decided it would be too tramatic, so we had a family friend stay here - it was sooooo much easier on our doggy, and he was able to water our veggies too! Brainstorm with your Mom and see of there is someone that can stay there for you. Good luck!! Also, the craigslist in my area is always advertising at home petsitting, where you would still drop your pet off, but to someone's home - perhaps that would be cheaper.

 

[sealion]

Mamacass, sophistacavy's mom doesn't really like the idea of having a stranger coming to her house to take care of the pets. But perhaps a relative would work ?

 

[Paula]

The only thing really would be to have a petsitter stop by and check on all the animals a couple times a day. If your mom isn't willing to do that then you're kinda stuck with boarding.

As for whether or not all the animals you're boarding should be charged the same, of course they should - they are taking up space in the vet's office and their staff has to tend to them, whether or not the effort is "minimal" or not.

Making arrangements - and paying for them - for when you go away is part of owning a pet.

 

[vicky2]

My local cavy rescue cavy-sits when your away.
A family friend, friends, or relatives can watch the cat, dog and parrots.

 

[MamaCass]

Ya Sealion - I got that. I think a friend/neighbor/relative would be great - or someone that runs a petsitting service from home - perhaps their rates are cheaper than a Vet.

 

[jenniwat001]

Do you have any boarding kennels or catteries near by (yellow pages) they are often cheaper than at the vets, they could take the dog and cat and then you would only have the pigs to worry about and they are often easier to get someone to take.

 

[4piggers]

Well I dont know what area you are in, but some of the local home rescues, offer *fostering* This is when they take in your animal for a short period of time. Some only require money to feed, or supplies to feed, and or a minimal fee.

You can do a google search, hoobly, CL or Kijiji and see what you can come up with.

Or if you are in Michigan, give me a PM. LOL
Ive been known to do it free, if its for a short period like a weekend or week and as long as you give ample food and such.

 

[cookie_gal]

I board mine at my local animal rescue. Fortunatly the lady there loves piggies as much as we do. By doing this at least your money will be put back into the charity, not someones pocket.