Help When a Pet Owner Goes Into Hospital
Making sure a pet is safe while its owner receives treatment: who to contact, what a temporary carer needs to know and where help may be available.
Making sure a pet is safe while its owner receives treatment
An unexpected hospital stay can leave someone worried about who will feed, exercise or care for their pet.
Help may be available from relatives, friends, neighbours, local services, temporary foster carers or licensed boarding providers. The right option will depend on the animal, the owner’s circumstances and how long the hospital stay may last.
Is a pet currently alone?
If someone has already been taken into hospital and their pet may be alone at home:
- Tell hospital staff immediately.
- Ask to speak to the ward team, discharge team, hospital social worker or safeguarding team.
- Contact a trusted relative, friend or neighbour who can safely check the property.
- Contact the owner’s local council adult social care team if there is nobody able to help.
- Tell them if the animal needs medication, has been left without food or water or may be in immediate danger.
Do not enter somebody’s home without their permission or proper authority.
If an animal is seriously ill, injured or in distress, contact a veterinary practice urgently.
First people to contact
Ask whether any of these people can help:
- A relative or trusted friend
- A neighbour who knows the owner and animal
- The owner’s usual dog walker or pet sitter
- The veterinary practice where the animal is registered
- A local carer-support organisation
- The council’s adult social care team
- A licensed boarding kennel or cattery
- A suitable temporary fostering organisation
The owner should remain involved in decisions wherever they are able to do so.
Information a temporary carer will need
Provide the carer with:
- The animal’s name, age and type
- Feeding instructions
- Medication and medical needs
- The usual veterinary practice
- Emergency veterinary contact details
- Microchip information if available
- Insurance details
- Behaviour, fears and known triggers
- Exercise and toilet routine
- Details of any allergies
- Where leads, carriers, food and medication are kept
- An emergency contact for the owner
Medication should only be given according to the veterinary instructions or dispensing label.
Temporary support for older or terminally ill owners
The Cinnamon Trust may be able to arrange temporary home-from-home fostering while an eligible owner is in hospital or recovering.
Its current support is intended for pet owners aged 65 or over and people who are terminally ill. Eligibility applies to the household, and help depends on the owner’s circumstances and available volunteers.
People should contact The Cinnamon Trust as early as possible. Registering before an emergency may make arranging support easier.
Contacting The Cinnamon Trust
- Telephone: 01736 757 900
- Opening hours stated by The Cinnamon Trust: Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm
Opening hours and eligibility can change and should be checked directly with The Cinnamon Trust.
Local help
Local help varies across the UK. Some councils, carer centres, Age UK organisations and local animal-support organisations may know about temporary fostering, dog walking or emergency pet-care arrangements.
Local schemes have their own areas, availability and eligibility rules. Temporary care cannot be guaranteed, so it is worth asking more than one organisation.
Council support in England
In England, a local authority may have responsibilities under Section 47 of the Care Act 2014 to protect an adult’s movable property when the adult is being cared for away from home and cannot make suitable arrangements. This can include pets.
Whether this applies depends on the person’s circumstances. The council may arrange help itself, make other arrangements or recover reasonable expenses. This is not a guaranteed free pet-care service.
People in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland should contact their local council or relevant social-care service and ask what emergency help is available.
Using kennels, catteries or pet sitters
Before agreeing to paid care:
- Check the provider’s licence where one is required
- Ask about insurance
- Explain medical or behavioural needs
- Ask who will contact the vet in an emergency
- Agree the daily price and possible extra charges
- Confirm how long the animal can stay
- Obtain the arrangement in writing
- Tell the provider who is authorised to collect the animal
Do not hand an animal, house keys or money to an unverified stranger responding to a social-media post.
Planning before a hospital stay
Pet owners can prepare a simple emergency pet-care plan containing:
- Two trusted emergency contacts
- Permission for someone to enter the home
- Spare-key arrangements
- Feeding and medication instructions
- Veterinary and insurance details
- The pet’s microchip number
- Details of a suitable temporary carer
- What should happen if the hospital stay becomes longer than expected
The plan should be stored somewhere easy to find. A trusted contact should know where it is.
Who pays?
Temporary pet care is not always free.
The owner may need to pay for:
- Boarding
- Food and supplies
- Transport
- Veterinary treatment
- Medication
- Dog walking or pet sitting
Ask about charges before agreeing to a service. If money is limited, explain this immediately and ask whether local assistance or a reduced-cost arrangement exists.
Important information
Sixpence Support UK provides general information and trusted links. We do not arrange emergency access to homes, temporary foster placements, boarding or veterinary treatment. Availability and eligibility must be confirmed directly with each organisation or service.