Keeping Your Pet Safe in Vacation Rentals - and Keeping Your Vacation Rentals Safe from Your Pets!

If you have decided to take your dog or cat along with you to your vacation rental, you have made a good choice. You will be able to save on kennel or boarding costs, and your entire family, pets included, will be near you on your vacation.

However, there are things that you should be aware of in order to protect your pet from your vacation rental.

Remember that you should pet proof your vacation rental before you allow your pet to roam freely in it. You should make sure that there are no exposed electrical chords for him to chew on, or places where he'll be able to get out of the house. Remember to put any plants up that might be poisonous, and to not allow him into any cupboards or closets that the rental owner might have put pesticides or bug sprays into. Do a general check of the property to make sure it is safe for Fido, too. The worst thing that you can do is to leave your pet unattended in an unfamiliar place without making sure it is safe for him. This is your responsibility as a pet owner, and as a vacation renter.

If you are taking your pet along with you to your vacation rental, you have made a good choice and a wise decision. However, there are some safety concerns that you should be made aware of first.

Generally, you should check out the rental to make sure that it is safe for your pet. Unsafe things include electrical chords they could chew on, poisons or mouse bait, sharp corners, objects that might fall on them to hurt them, and a heating or cooling system that might make them too hot or cold while you are away.

After you have made sure that you have taken care of all of those things, remember that while you are at a vacation rental, you should never let your dog or cat outside without a leash. No matter how well trained they might be, they simply shouldn't be left off of the leash on vacation. It is too easy for them to get lost, stolen, or to go somewhere dangerous, like the street. Keep them close by you, or better yet, keep them safe in the vacation rental. Vacation is a stressful enough time for you, don't make it worse by loosing your pet.

Even though you probably love your pet very much, and you know that you are doing the right thing taking him on vacation with you, there are some things that you need to keep in mind. Even pet-friendly vacation rental owners might not be too pleased if your lovely dog or cat ruins their vacation rental. You might not be able to rent from them again, and worse, you might find yourself with lots of damages to pay for.

In order to make sure this doesn't happen, there are several things that you can do. First of all, when you get to the rental, pick up anything that your pet might find to play with, chew on, or destroy, and put it out of the pet's reach. This includes any knick knacks or fake plants or other decorations in your vacation rental. Secondly, when you are leaving your pet alone in your vacation rental, don't let him roam all over the house. Confine him to one room, preferably a room without carpet. That way, if there are accidents, they are easy to clean.