It's okay to leave your pets alone overnight, but any longer would be pushing it. Photo: RNZ
With summer in full swing, it is easy to start thinking about a quick getaway. But have you thought about how your pets might fit into those plans? And is it okay to leave them home alone overnight if you need to?
Animal behaviourist Mark Vette says it depends on a few factors, including what type of pet you have and how well-adjusted they are.
Cats v dogs
"It's a little bit different for cats and dogs," Vette explains.
"With cats, they're territorial animals and they stick to their territory. Whether you have an indoor or outdoor cat, it varies a little bit, but in both cases ... an adult cat that has adapted to your environment is normally gonna be fine. Cats are a solitary species by nature, so they do have much more independence in their behaviour and their ability to adapt.
"Dogs, it's not so advisable to leave them overnight. You can if it's an emergency and they've got the necessary water, food, all the basics available to them. But that also depends on how well-adjusted the dog is to separation."
Vette says dogs in particular can suffer separation distress, making it harder to leave them even if it is just for a night.
"They're likely to be vocal and have problems, so if you've got that pre-disposition in your dog, get on and treat it, it is treatable. But assuming you're making that decision in a short amount of time, it's gonna be less good for the dog and your neighbourhood relations if they suffer from separation distress."
Consider your pet's age and temperament
Understanding your pet's temperament is key to knowing how well they will fare without you overnight. And while cats are generally independent animals, Vette says some of our modern cat relationships can be very "over-dependent".
"They can suffer from separation distress as well and won't do as well being separated overnight. You also wouldn't normally leave a kitten by itself overnight ... it's about [considering] the temperament and age of the animal."
What steps can you take for their welfare?
Vette says it is worth investing in technology like auto-feeders and furcams so you can keep an eye on pets while you are away.
"If you can get a furcam where you actually monitor your cat or dog from your phone, you can talk to it, listen to it and even distribute a food reward for it. It's great if someone's going to be doing this more than once or twice, certainly I'd recommend bringing in some technology that helps monitor the pet.
"Even simple auto-feeders are a very good tool, so at least you know they've got plenty of food, plenty of water."
What about their emotional enrichment?
Pets, like people, really need human contact for their emotional enrichment. Vette suggests creating an environment for them that still makes it feel like you're home.
"For cats it's a little bit less critical, whereas dogs are dependent on that social contract ... I normally would leave the environment a little bit like you're there, leaving the TV or radio on is a good idea cause you're trying to simulate that you're coming back, or they feel in a sense that you're there."
SPCA New Zealand scientific officer Dr Alison Vaughan says food puzzles can also provide pets some mental stimulation and help reduce any stressors.
"Anything that involves your animals sniffing, licking or chewing, those are all really good behaviours for reducing stress. For my cats, I like to hide treats around the house if I'm going to be out for the evening. That keeps them busy with something that really engages their brain.
"The other thing would be, make sure you're exercising them early ... like us, it's much easier to relax after you've been for a run. And I would also set up a safe space wherever they prefer ... with dogs you can cover up a crate with blankets, cats really love a cardboard box. You can set that up, close your curtains.
"There's also good research behind music reducing stress. Soothing music like classical, soft rock, even reggae can have a calming effect on animals."
What about safety and security?
Vette says safety precautions have to be taken for pets - particularly for dogs, more so than cats.
"You may have a dog door to get out of the yard, that's ideal if they can but only if you've got secure fencing. They can't be getting out of the property.
"That's where the furcam technology is a bit like a baby monitor, it gives you peace of mind to know what's going on with the animal and you can engage with it.
"In all cases, to be honest, I would recommend that someone is available to check in on them, inform your neighbours that you're leaving your animals unattended. The emergency situation is really if they get caught in something, they get hurt or something goes wrong in the house, there's more risks attached ... you really do want your animals to be under supervision in the ideal world."
What is the absolute maximum time pets can be left alone?
Any longer than overnight creates a more serious situation for the animal, Vette says.
"It's a welfare consideration ... with a cat, there's basically just a little more leeway than a dog, because of their nature and self-contained temperament and species pre-dispositions. For dogs it's certainly not advisable. An overnight is pretty much where you'd draw your limit.
"There's very little justification for doing it more than overnight and it leads to much more risk attached for the animal getting into difficulty while you're away or getting into difficulty with the neighbours."
The laws
There's no law against leaving your pet home alone, so long as you meet the necessary welfare standards.
Internationally, the Five Freedoms form the basis of a lot of framework for animal welfare. They consist of freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury or disease, freedom to express normal behaviour, and freedom from fear and distress.
But as Dr Vaughan explains, SPCA New Zealand prefers to follow a model called the Five Domains, which not only talks about freedom from negative things, but goes further in talking about positive welfare.
"It's not enough to just minimise suffering, we also want to be finding positive opportunities. So it's not just food that meets your nutritional requirements, it's food that's delicious and varied.
"That's the main framework that SPCA uses, and the key difference is it looks at positive welfare and the mental state of the animal, because everything that happens to an animal physically has a mental impact. You know, 'I enjoy delicious food, I don't like being confined in my house all the time'."
The Five Domains of animal welfare consider nutrition, physical environment, health, behavioural interactions, and the mental state of the animal.
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