Getting a new puppy or kitten is such an exciting time for a family! It takestime to settle them in to their new environment, and it is important to spendas much time as a family unit in those first few months getting to know yournew furkid and helping them adjust to their new home.

It might be necessary during those first few critical months to board yourpet, and this can be nerve racking when it is the first time that they will beaway from you. One of the biggest factors is knowing the safety aspectsinvolved when boarding your puppy or kitten, to ensure that they meet therequirements to be able to stay at a Pet Care facility.

One of the most important things is to ensure that they are old enough to havecompleted all their required vaccinations before being in an environment withother pets. Puppies and kittens both need to be vaccinated against a varietyof diseases that can cause significant health problems whilst they have animmature immune system, and usually this takes a series of vaccinations donesequentially in the first 4 months of life.

Vaccination schedules can vary greatly between different manufacturers of thevaccines, and also different veterinary practices depending on theirpreference, so it is important to ensure that your pet has had everything theyneed before making contact with other animals in a pet care facility. Usually,a puppy will require a minimum of a C5 vaccination, and a kitten will requirea minimum of an F3 vaccination prior to boarding, and this is usually fullycompleted by around 16-18 weeks of age. It is important to check in with eachindividual pet care facility to ask about their requirements for boarding andensure that your new fur baby has had everything that they need to safelysocialise.

If you puppy or kitten is due to be de-sexed, it is best to check your traveldates and touch base with your pet care facility prior to boarding. As thereis a recovery time for these surgeries, and they will have stiches, it isoften best to ensure that they are home until they are fully healed prior toattending a pet care facility for boarding or day care.

The last thing to consider is how social your new pet is. Is it important tosocialise a puppy? The answer is yes – very important!

Being proactive when it comes to socialising your new pet is one of the mostimportant responsibilities families have. It has many benefits, as it willhelp influence the behaviour of the puppy or kitten to assist them in growinginto happy, fear-free, well-adjusted adult dogs and cats who relate well toother animals also other people.

Pet care facilities that offer services such as pet boarding and doggie daycare are a great way to assist in socialisation skills for your new pet. Oncethey are old enough to be fully immunised, the sooner that they are introducedto a pet care facility the better. That way, when families need to travel, itis much easier for the pets to settle in and have a great holiday away fromhome!

For more information about the Australian Pet Care Association, visit us athttps://www.australianpetcareassociation.com.au/ where you can join to becomeone of our members or contact the Secretary of the Association anytime [email protected].

Previous Swift action needed to help critically endangered parrot

Next Pets returning to workplaces to share the love!