"If you are going away and taking your dog, remember that it will be in a less familiar environment and may not behave as you might normally expect," advises Tracey Moore, Auckland Council's Manager Animal Management.

"If you leave it for a while in a strange place, your dog may go looking for you or try to find their way home, so make sure they can be found and reunited with you, no matter where they end up."

Tracey says Auckland's three animal shelters fill up over the holidays with lost and forgotten pets.

If you are going away and not taking your dog, here are a couple of key things to remember:

• Make sure the person looking after your dog is ready for the commitment, understands your dog, and understands their responsibilities while the dog is in their care
• Make sure the person looking after your dog has a way to contact you. Leave them with contact numbers for Auckland Council's animal shelters and instructions to contact both the council and you if the dog goes missing - don’t wait until you are back from holiday.

"Whether you are taking your pet with you or leaving it with a responsible carer, make sure your dog is registered and microchipped before you go away, so that any council, vet clinic or welfare organisation can help return it safely," she says.

Auckland Council News