I Never Thought My Family Would Do This to Me - My Short Stay At Pet Boarding
It has been a very long time really. Mom has been busy with her projects and if she does one thing without fail everyday, it is taking me out for a morning walk. Yes, I love morning walks. It gives me a great start for the day. Not on that particular day though.
I knew I was the center of some discussion that was constantly coming up in the family. Some words that were frequently mentioned included travel and pet stay. I didn't understand what pet stay was. As always, I decided to wait and watch. But I was feeling anxious inside.
Travel or pet stay, I want you guys with me right?
It was after the viral infection episode when I went without food for more than a week. Hope you read this post on parvo virus episode and the treatment process I went through. So, it seems, the family was more in a dilemma, yet another term I was getting to hear often.
Shortly, the family started talking to me about leaving me with the doctor's family for four days. I was told they have a pet care where I will be staying while the family went on a short travel to attend a marriage.
I was very worried.
What are these guys talking about?
How can they leave me?
How will I know they are safe?
Why can't they take me with them wherever they go?
Is taking me out while traveling too tough for the family?
Do all pet families leave their pets in pet stay while traveling?
I had too many questions.
Big B was watching tennis and I was lying on his lap. Suddenly I rushed towards the television.
Is Nadal also traveling without his pet?
I had too many questions. And answers to none.
The family tried their best to keep me happy. Big B kept petting me often and kept telling me how much he loved me.
I love you too Big B, but does loving not mean being together always?
When I was unwell, the family took great care of me. And it was during this time, I was allowed to sleep with them in the bedroom. Ever since, bed time was more of a party time for me as I used to keep changing places so I get to sleep close to them all. Hence, I felt even more bad about all that I will be missing.
I was pondering over all these when on an afternoon dad took a nap.
Dad, are you sure you want to leave me at pet stay?
Mom came in to check on me.
No second thoughts mom??
It seemed there were none. One afternoon, dad started getting ready and mom was placing my bedspreads and food bowl in a bag. She said that she was packing. Oh, so you are taking me out. I was a bit nervous. Family kept repeating that they are leaving me at doctor's home where I know everyone. They said, "Chezhi, you know everyone there and you love them all; they all love you and you know that too. Just one, two, three and four days, okay. We will come back for you".
We went to the doctor's home where they also have a pet clinic and pet care. I was greeted by them very happily. I was happy to see them as well. Roopa, their pet member was so excited. So was I.
Everything seemed normal as parents were engaged in conversation with the doctor's family. I was immediately given some tasty treats by Roopa's grandma and I relished them.
After a while, my parents came over to me and told that they will return in four days. Even before I could gather myself they were out through the door. I tried to hurry towards them but I was restrained.
I was taken great care of by the doctor's family. I had a wonderful playmate, nice place to play, great food and good place to sleep. I was taken out for walk twice a day. Well, it was a very different experience being away from home yet feeling at home.
Hope you remember reading about the Big B from doctor's family in my post I am Growing and So Does My Responsibility -Part 1. He gave me very good company along with Roopa, pet member of the doctor's family.
However, after my parents left me at doctor's pet care that day, I felt anxious. I wanted to stay close to my belongings, which carried familiar scents....scents of my family members.
It is very nice here but I miss my family
Feels nice to be surrounded by greenery
I am going to miss him when I get back to my home...
Parents kept their word and returned around midnight on the fourth day. I just can't explain how happy I felt to be united with them.
We reached home and had a great family time in the middle of the night when the neighborhood was asleep. I was back to where I belonged.
Love and thanks to the doctor's family.
What did mom learn?
Lessons Learnt
Ever since Chezhi came into our life and conquered our souls, she was very much part of our daily routine, just as we were part of her's. So, to travel without her even for four days to attend a family member's marriage was a difficult decision to make.
We wondered if we could take Chezhi with us but decided against it as the traveling time was over 10 hours and she was just back to normal after an illness that lasted 10 days. The only option was to ensure she was safe while we were away. Our natural choice was to leave her with our veterinary doctors, who brought Chezhi into our life and have been taking care of her health requirements.
Chezhi knew every member of their family already. So, what more could we all want?
Even though the stay lasted just four days, the doctor always gave an update on Chezhi so we felt relaxed. He sent us her photographs, videos and shared with us how the day went for her. When I thanked the doctor during one of the conversations while away, he replied, "Being a pet parent, I know how you will be feeling". Chezhi definitely was in the right hands.
However, we had our own questions about Chezhi.
* Did Chezhi know we would return for her?
* Did she think we had abandoned her?
* Once she got settled in pet stay, did she still miss us and kept thinking of us?
* What would be her reaction once she gets back home? Will she be missing the company of Roopa?
Any pet, during her first pet stay, may feel abandoned and may believe that they will not see their pet family again. But subsequent pet stays, when necessity demands, will make the pet understand that her pet parents would come to fetch her back home. That doesn't mean that they will not miss their pet families. Since it was first time for Chezhi at pet care, she may have thought that we would not return. It aches my heart to think about it even now.
However comfortable a pet stay is, a pet still loves her family the most and definitely will miss the familiar scents of her pet family. When the doctor informed us on day 3 that Chezhi was very comfortably settled at their place, he still said that her eyes were on the door. This only shows that how much ever a pet gets to like her new environment, she would want to unite with her family.
That said, the experience may not be same for every pet; neither will the emotion be the same. Some pets love pet stays and get adapted pretty quickly. Some take a little longer.
The doctor's family being our friends, we had no need to browse the internet looking for pet care in Chennai.
Friendship apart, Dr. Baktha has wealth of expertise in the world of pets and is supported by his son Dr. Ramesh Baktha, who guided us throughout her viral infection episode. We knew we were leaving our little member in the best hands, that is in Petman Clinic, Valasaravakkam, Chennai.
All said and done, with so many researches being conducted on canines' moods and behavior, we humans still have a long way to go in understanding the innermost feelings of our pet members. Every research in this field comes up with a new theory, sometimes substantiating earlier results and other times refuting results of earlier studies. One thing is certain though - pets love is unconditional, period.
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