Difficult to keep your pet in Rimouski for the summer

Every June 25, World Pet Abandonment Day aims to raise awareness on the eve of the holidays.

However, Rimouski dog owners will come up against a limited offer in terms of dog boarding.

Unsurprisingly, the short and long-term canine boarding Le Spécialiste du chien de l’Est-du-Québec, in Saint-Fabien, has been full since the spring.

The announcement of the lifting of health restrictions at the borders encouraged many Lower Laurentians to plan vacations outside Quebec. People have booked a lot since March, since there are fewer health restrictionsnotes Joanie Alain, co-owner of this pension in Saint-Fabien. Usually, it’s in May that we start to say that we are complete, but this year, it was a big boomshe says.

Sometimes, at the last minute, I have a cancellation, and depending on whether it’s a big or a small dog, I may have a small place, but… It’s already very full for summer 2022adds his partner, Josianne Roussel.

Home visits

For cats and rodents, vacationers can opt for home visits.

Owner of Tou-tou chez vous in Rimouski, Jamie Robinson has seen an increase in the number of babysitting requests since the pandemic: People have adopted a lot of animals during the pandemicshe points out.

Zeus will not accompany his mistress, Claudine Poulin, who will stay in Europe for three weeks. During her absence, she will have her Australian Shepherd kept at home by a student from Rimouski.

She adds that she preferred that he stay in his environment. There, he’ll sleep in his little bed, he’ll get his bearings, and then I have a huge fenced-in lot: he’ll be able to run and continue his life.she rejoices.

I looked around and didn’t really have any friends who could guard Zeus. They already had cats or other animals, so it was complicated, explains Claudine Poulin.

Beware of unrecognized services

Since babysitting options are limited in Rimouski, the owners of the Eastern Quebec Dog Specialist prefer to warn pet owners who might be tempted to use an unrecognized service.

Before having your dog kept, you must make sure that the person has a permit from the MAPAQcertification, knowledge and experience with animals. […] Indoor and outdoor facilities must be temperate, dogs must have large spacesexplains Josianne Roussel.

Boarding houses must also comply with many municipal and provincial regulations. For example, infrastructure must be located in agricultural areas, warns the specialist.

” Before having your dog slept, there are a multitude of things to check and a lot of questions to ask. »

Depending on the type of stay and the type of dog, Joanie Alain recommends that owners think about the options. If it’s a small dog accepted in several places, it’s ok to take it. If your dog is anxious, you can have a friend watch it. If he is a sociable dog, keeping him can be a good avenue. We adapt to the temperament of the dogsshe adds.

Critical season for animals

The moving and vacation season is synonymous with abandonment, notes the Rimouski animal service every year. Sometimes the organization takes in stray animals that are never claimed by their owners.

According to Sandrine Trépanier, animal attendant at the Center de services animaliers, this is a responsibility that future pet owners must think about. People who come to adopt must have this in mind that if we go on a trip, someone has to take care of the animal or they have to manage to find someone to take care of it.she recommends.

The Rimouski Animal Services Center recorded no abandonment a few days before the 1^er July, official date of many moves in Quebec.