Written by Dr. Laxmi Iyer

You work all day. So does every member of your family. The result. You have two neurotic parrots, one anxious cat and two lovesick dogs all alone at home.

Perhaps carpets with a bedraggled look, may be some torn wall paper and curtains coming down are not that unusual at your place. You know who's responsible! You are irritated and angry. Don't be! You should expect this. It's but natural - especially if there's no one at home for at least 8-10 hours.

It's only kindness if you have a pet to make sure that they are kept happy and not lonely just because you don't have the time for them. It's a tough choice that you need to make before you have a pet.

Either you make the time for your pets or you make an alternative arrangement or decide on a harsh alternative. Don't keep pets. It is a kind of neglect not to have someone in the house with your pets when you are away.

Pets, as you know need more looking after than babies do. That's natural because your pet is almost like another human being. Deprived of company and attention, they tend to develop all kinds of anxious, neurotic attention seeking behaviour.

You have seen them all - feather picking parrots, cats with bald patches of fur, dogs that howl and cry piteously, aggressive, snarling dogs, screeching pets, cats that spray all over the house, dogs who have developed a fake limping habit so that they are picked up more often by their owners.

The easiest way for you to go about correcting this is to engage the services of a good pet sitter who knows how to handle pets, play games and keep them engaged all day till you return. Always make sure that your pet sitter has all your contact telephone numbers as well as your vet's numbers.

Seven ways to make sure that your pets are safe while you are away at work

1. Make sure that electrical cords, sockets and plug points are totally out of     reach for your pets.
2. If your dogs, cats and parrots have a habit of fighting with one another, warn     your pet sitter about their habits.
3. Check out if your pet sitter is very familiar with cat and dog behaviour and     parakeet behaviour if you have one.
    If not, get him or her some good books so that he or she can read and     understand better.
4. It is only if your pet sitter understands behaviour correctly can he or she       communicate clearly and effectively with your pets.
5. Keep lots of games and toys always around for your pet-sitter and pets to     play with.
6. For cats and birds, brightly coloured strings, feathers, toy mice, flying and     moving toys can keep them engrossed for hours.
7. For big dogs, playing with balls in the garden can be a good way to keep     them active and happy!