The Getaway Team
Whoever said “money makes the world go ‘round” really meant “Mommy makes the world go ‘round”. On top of caring for our lovable offspring, most of us are responsible for everything else, like the family pet, the garden, the car, the house, the plants…
We dream of day-trips, weekends away and (gasp) an extended holiday, but getting away isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be when it takes months to plan it. Finding someone trustworthy to step into our demanding shoes is tricky business. We won’t hand over the keys or the leash to just anyone. Hearing your cry, we’ve sourced some reliable house and pet sitters so that you can make that great escape this summer.
How about a service that offers everything from walking your dog to watering your garden while you are away? Such a godsend could only be the product of another mother. Amy Vilis, mom entrepreneur and owner of Creature Comforts, employs a team of house and pet sitters who scurry around Vancouver keeping home fires burning for vacationing families. Not only can your pet be cared for in the luxury of your own home, but Creature Comforts will also perform home security visits and make your home looked lived in during your absence. Mail, newspapers and flyers are cleared, and garbage and recycling get to the curb.
Fido no longer needs to interfere with North Shore family adventures. With its fleet of grass-green trucks, Embark Dog Centre has dashed into the doggy daycare scene this year, offering a combination of daycare, boarding and walking services. Whether you’ve saved the whole day for Second Beach Pool or have ferried away for the weekend, Embark will assume all of your canine commitments with their handy drop-off and pick-up service. We love Embark’s brand-spanking-new facility, complete with puppy-cam so you can spy on your pooch while he sniffs and frolicks with the other happy hounds before heading into the mountains for a hike. New dogs and wanderers wear tracking devices when off-leash and the owner, a certified dog trainer, assesses your dog’s obedience upon arrival and trains him during each visit. (If only they took children.)
Cat owners will readily admit that, as easy as it is to adopt one, it’s twice as hard to find a place to leave one. Luckily, we found Vancouver’s purrfect Cat Lady who runs a cattery aptly named The Cat Cottage. Nestled away on Bowen Island, Daniela Gifford, owner of The Cat Cottage and primary caregiver, happily ventures into Vancouver to retrieve kitties in need of restful retreat. Veterinarian-endorsed, The Cat Cottage takes mousers, young and old, and caters to those with special medical conditions. Each cat enjoys her own private ‘condo’ and is doted on in the manner to which she is inherently entitled. To ease your guilt, Kitty’s day is logged and reported to you via email (ate, slept, massaged, slept, ate, sunbathed—repeat).
Feline like you can get away after all?
Creature Comforts
creaturecomforts.ca
Embark Dog Centre
www.embarkdogcentre.ca
The Cat Cottage
www.thecatcottageonbowenisland.com
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Tested by Skipper (5), Robinson (7), and Marble (18), Vancouver |  |