Pet sitting in the Alps
Dogs and cats, but also rabbits, birds, horses and smallholding animals. Day care while you ski, visits at home, walks, and licensed boarding.
Hi, I'm Mira!Not only dogs and cats: rabbits, birds, horses and smallholding animals too.
While you ski
Most lifts do not take dogs, and a car park is not a kennel. Day care for the hours you are on the mountain.
Visits at home
Cats, rabbits, birds and reptiles usually do better staying where they live, with someone coming in.
Walks
One or two a day, at agreed times, with a message when it is done.
Boarding
Licensed facilities only. We ask for the authorisation and show the date we checked it.
What to agree before you hand over the lead
- The vet. Name, address, opening hours, and written authorisation to treat with a spending limit. Without it a vet can hesitate, and hesitation costs time.
- Food. Brand, quantity, times. Changing food and changing house in the same week is how a holiday turns into diarrhoea.
- Medication. Written, with doses and times. Never verbally.
- Microchip and documents. Number, and where the passport is kept.
- The border. Crossing between Italy and Switzerland with an animal means an EU pet passport, a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. Check before, not at the barrier.
Altitude, snow and heat
An animal that lives at 300 m does not arrive at 2,000 m unaffected, and a coat that suits January does not suit an August afternoon in the valley. Say the animal's age and any conditions when you write: a sitter who knows the area will tell you which walk is realistic and which is not.
What we verify on a pet sitter profile
Identity and written references from previous owners, confirmed with the date. Plus any qualification — veterinary assistant, dog trainer, canine first aid — confirmed directly with the body that issued it. Not more than that, and we say so.
The questions to always ask
- Do they have experience with your dog's size and temperament?
- How many animals do they look after at the same time?
- Where do they take them, and for how long?
- What do they do if the dog gets hurt or runs off?
- Can they show you the verifications and references on their profile?
The same rules apply to pets and to children: always meet the person and read their verifications before trusting them with someone you care about.
Away for the day, or for the week?
Read the profiles and the references before deciding anything.
