Pet care while owners in hospital?

I live in sheltered and theres been a couple of incidents where owners have gone into hospital and the cats havent been looked after properly by the owners relatives!
I have made arrangements with a friend to care for my cat ( my family arent local to me ) if I have to go into hospital and my son will take my cat when I die.

Thank you petnanny I will google you. It just gives peace of mind knowing that my beautiful little girl will be looked after if I need it while in hospital anytime. You do a grand job.

As Managing Director of Nina's Nannies for Pets, we often care for pets who's owner has been hospitalised.

Also, the Cinnamon Trust are a good point of call and we have often proved a pet sitter for them at short notice.

Not sure if I can post a link to our website here, but you can google us, for full details.

I have also posted a picture of one of our self employed, live in pet sitters.

When one of our dogs had to go into kennels, we made sure he went there first for an overnight, then for 1 week-end- before going for 10 days- so he knew the staff and the kennels, etc.

An animal who senses their owner is poorly and then 'disappears' will cope much better in known surroundings and people, even if the kennel is 'reputable'- surely.

Well of course- much better than that alternative. I just feel that it is much better for all pet owners to make advanced directives and arrangements with good friends or relatives who know the pets- rather than kennels. I would not put my elderly dachshund in kennels as he gets very distressed. He is 17, blind and diabetic, and loves to go to my wonderful neighbour who loves him to bits.

Why not granjura? They are placed in reputable kennels - the same ones most pet owners use when they go on holiday. I find it reassuring to know that my pets would be looked after in an emergency and not left to face a long horrible wait at home and possible starvation.

I wouldn't want any pet of mine looked by the local authorities- truly.

So I really hope this thread has made every pet owner on GN to consider what would happen, and make the necessary arrangements well in advance, just in case. Both in case of hospitalisation (eg short term) or demise (a bit longer!). PLEASE.

Local authorities have a duty to look after a person's pets if they are admitted to hospital in an emergency. Hospital staff are usually aware of this and know who to contact depending on the time of day, such as adult services during office hours or the emergency duty team (or out of hours team) at all other times. I used to deal with these incidents on a very regular basis when I worked in an emergency duty team. It involved collecting a key if necessary and arranging for the pets to be taken to kennels/ cattery until the person was discharged/ made other arrangements. I believe local authorities can make a charge for this but my own never did. On one occasion we had to step in for a farmer who had a large dairy herd, now that was interesting.......

Before a recent operation I was asked if I would have help when I got home. I'd made sure family members would walk my dogs so said yes.
I was then horrified to be told I could only get up for 10 minutes each hour for 2 weeks, then 15 minutes for the next 2 weeks. My only concern had been the dogs and I live alone, my family popped in every day but I never asked for any help.
Lots of dog-walking friends offered to walk mine too, I think we must all have plans in place before it's suddenly necessary.

Sorry to hear you were in hospital - somehow I had missed that and hope all is improving now?
As gj says, you should carry the information that you have a pet at home in the event of an emergency. Assuming you cannot count on your son, is there no neighbour/friend to whom you could give a key to feed and let your dog out? That person's name and number should be with the info that you have a dog at home. Cinnamon trust will step in for care whilst you are in hospital, but it can be the protracted visit to A&E that can be a worry. I have 2 doggy neighbours/friends who have stepped in more than once under precisely those circumstances.

Every pet owner should ensure that they have clear plans, with family, friends, or otherwise, for every pet- in case of illness, accident or death- just as you do for your children.

Yes, the Cinnamon Trust.
Sorry, can never remember how to do links on the iPad but Google will find it.