If Only Doodles Could Fly!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

A little over a year ago I had abandoned my hopes for a high flying jet-setting career, having discovered that I am much more comfortable at home, and so decided to nest a little, by taking in some furry babies. Well, wouldn't you know that this is when my career starts to pick up?

I am being sent off to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for a week of training and there are a few more trips in the new year being planned to much more exotic and far away places. After my last ordeal of being sent off to Washington for a couple days and not having a good option for doodle care, I did a lot of searching for a good place to take my doodles when I'm away. The Country Dog Resort - a cage free boarding experience - seems to be the best place. I brought the doodles out there this past Sunday and they loved it. The only problem is that it isn't cheap, especially for two doggies.

I have also asked around and found a few options that are free. Winston and Sophie's uncles, Kevin and Brad, are willing to take in Winston, the calmer of the two, for the time I'm away. In fact they are looking forward to it. I have a friend who has a doodle of her own, and she's offered too. So I can split them up into different homes within their own neighbourhood for free, or I can pay an arm and a leg out of my own pocket to keep them together in the country where I know 100% that the owners are professionals and won't mess up (not that my friends will, but the professionals have more at stake so I guess it just feels slightly more secure...).

I hadn't quite made up my mind about what I wanted to do when I discovered that the hotel I'll be staying in is super pet friendly. Oh to add insult to injury. I have to leave my doodles behind and see all these other hotel guests happily toting along their furries all the while knowing that if Halifax wasn't quite so far I could have driven there with my doodles and had them by my side.

Maybe if my work wasn’t so weird about pet care expenses they could have given me a couple of extra days to get to and from by car, or paid for the boarding place. Why isn't pet care a legitimate, claimable, travel expense? It’s not like I’m choosing to go to Halifax for vacation, they aren’t really giving much of a choice here (although, I must admit I am pretty excited as I’ve always wanted to go to the East Coast). And for that matter, why can’t I take them with me on the plane? Is flying with doodles really so bad? It’s not a long flight, only about two hours… If only doodles had wings of their own, they could fly along with the plane and stay with me in Halifax.

 

 

My work’s travel directives state that when on travel status employees can claim up to $75 a day for child care expenses if they are the sole care provider or if the other parent is also on travel at the same time. Not only that but my employer also allows 5 days of family care leave per employee to take when their kids are sick or have appointments and what not. This strikes me as discrimination against pets, it’s just not fair. As single pet mom I don’t have a lot of options.

Whenever I start a new job and move to a new office from now on I plan to post up pictures of random kids in my office and tell everyone these are my children: Winston 5, Penny 3, and Sophie 1. Then nobody can complain if I take a day off because “I was up all night with Sophie who has an upset stomach so I can’t come in today” and I won’t need to use up my vacation days when “Winston needs to see the doctor for his ear infection”. And then maybe when I travel I can claim daycare expenses.

My colleague suggested I write the union about this and see if they can convince management to add pet care to the travel directives and leave allowances. Yea, sure, when doodles fly…

 

 

This is just another reason why I need to get out of the rat race and open my own doggie daycare. I really do prefer staying home. Home is where the heart is and in my case my heart is with my doodles and kitty.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Sherri-I know you want them to be with you but I really wouldn't fly them even for 2 hours. I think that you should this time pick one of the 2 options and see how it goes ( I would pick the free first) and then on your next trip maybe try the other and see what works best for all of you. It's ok to split them up, it's probably even good for them to have the one on one attention. I would write the letter all they can do is laugh and say no-so what?? You could be on to something!!! Keep your job girl-lord knows I'm searching and it's not easy. Someday your dream will come true!!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I say board them with a professional boarding facility and then you always have that option. This is one of the hardest things for me...what to do with Fudge and Vern when we travel.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

If you are going to travel frequently it might be worth the time investment to find an "in home" pet sitter.  Although I rarely need them as my own children now live close, I have found three, one single teacher who has maintains no home of her own, but is in such demand that she very seldom has to crash at her mom and dad's for a couple of nights.  It is a great way for young professionals to make extra money.  The second is an admin assistant in a hospital, who loves to get the extra money and the third is a retired widow who also loves to earn the extra money.  I found them through ads in church bulletins, friends with pets, and an ad on the local internet paper.  Check their references of course, but this has worked well for me. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

For many years while I was working I had to travel...a lot and far.  It always broke my heart to leave the kids, but I knew they were in the great care of my DH, so that was a help.  I did have dogs at the time, but our relationship was different than mine with "the boys".  Somehow we do what we have to, make the best possible arrangements for "the kids (human or fur) and in the end it all seems to be okay.  It sounds like they'll be in really good hands with either of the two arrangements, and you are off to make the $ to support them in the manner to which they have become accustomed.  Hopefully someday you'll have your Daycare, but in the meantime it's all going to work out fine.

[BG and Gavin]

Split them up.  Also give the caretakers strict instructions to text you twice a day with updates.  Oh wait, that was me.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

One of my co-workers just lost their much loved German Sheppard suddenly to bloat, she was just so upset at work and one of our unit manager was very sympathetic and made arrangements for her to take time off, even though she didn't have any paid time off left in her bank. That is really going above and beyond when it's a firm rule, unless you're in dire straights, you don't get any time off if you don't have any PTO left.

I think you are on to something here. It is probably MORE expensive to board dogs than it is for average 10-12 hours of daycare for kids.

Personally, I'd rather have them in loving homes even if they were seperated. I don't think either would mind not having one another as much as not having constant human contact that they'd get in a home. Plus, my two sleep very near us, so I think they would be very lonesome at night, even with eachother, if no human was there. But that's just my opinion.

[Mimi Linna, Lilly and Lolly]

if you are concerned at all about spitting up the furbabies, spend the extra jingle. it will give you peace of mind while onthe road. good luck.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

My boss lets me use sick time if my two are sick.  It's not a "policy" but up to departments to make that decision on their own. 

Wish you could take your kids with you!