Possibly, yes. If your parent or loved one has been unexpectedly hospitalized and their pet needs care, contact us as soon as you can.

We'll talk with you about the pet, what care is needed, where they are located, how we can safely access them and how quickly care needs to begin. We'll then determine what care we can provide based on the pet's needs and caregiver availability.

If the situation is urgent, we recommend calling us directly.

Yes. We understand that a parent who is hospitalized, ill or in rehabilitation may not be in a position to arrange pet care themselves.

A family member or other responsible person can contact Much Joy to begin making arrangements. We'll work with you to determine what information and authorization we need based on the circumstances.

You can still contact us.

Many adult children coordinate care for their parents from another city or state. We can communicate with you by phone, text or email while providing care locally.

We'll need to establish who is authorized to make decisions about the pet, how we'll access the home or pet, and whom we should contact if a question or emergency arises.

We'll want to learn enough about your parent's pet to care for them safely and maintain as much of their normal routine as possible.

Helpful information includes their feeding routine, medications, veterinarian, behavior and temperament, walking or bathroom routine, medical conditions, location of food and supplies, and anything else that helps us understand what makes them comfortable.

Don't worry if you don't know everything. In an unexpected situation, families don't always have all the answers. Tell us what you know, and we'll work through the rest with you.

We'll work with you to determine a safe way to access the home. Depending on the situation, that might involve a lockbox, key, smart lock or another arrangement authorized by the family or pet owner.

We'll discuss home access before care begins so everyone understands who has access and how it will be handled.

That's okay.

Hospital stays and rehabilitation don't always come with predictable timelines. We can begin by discussing what the pet needs now and adjust the care plan as circumstances change.

If your parent's hospital stay turns into several weeks of rehabilitation, for example, we'll talk with you about what care arrangements make the most sense going forward.

Depending on the pet, the circumstances, and pet sitter availability, yes.

In-home pet sitting may allow a pet to remain in familiar surroundings while receiving meals, bathroom breaks, companionship and other routine care.

For some pets, staying at home may be the least disruptive option during an already unfamiliar time.

Family-style boarding may be available for dogs who would be better suited to staying in a caregiver's home rather than remaining alone between visits.

We'll need to learn about the dog first: their temperament, health, routine and compatibility with the home environment. We can then to determine whether boarding is an appropriate option.

Availability will also depend on the dates and length of stay.description.

In some circumstances, boarding with the pet sitter may be available for cats as well.

Please tell us about all medications and medical needs when you contact us.

We'll discuss the medication, how it is normally administered and the pet's behavior around receiving it before determining whether we're able to provide the required care.

For medical needs beyond what we can safely provide, we'll work with you to identify what other arrangements may be necessary. We do have experience administering oral and injectable medication.

Much Joy Pet Services offers pet transportation, which may be available to help get your parent's pet to or from a veterinary appointment.

If a medical emergency occurs while a pet is in our care, we'll follow the emergency contact and veterinary information established as part of the care arrangements and make every reasonable effort to reach the authorized contact.

Yes. We know that you're likely worrying about your parent and their pet.

You can elect to receive updates about the care being provided so you can know how the pet is doing even if you're coordinating everything from a distance.

Contact us anyway.

Emergencies aren't tidy. You may be trying to coordinate everything from another state, you may not know where your parent keeps the dog's veterinary records, or you may not even know which brand of food they buy.

Give us the information you have. We'll tell you what we need immediately, what would be helpful to locate and what can wait.

Call us and let us know what's changing.

A care arrangement that made sense for a two-day hospital stay may not be the best arrangement for several weeks of rehabilitation. We can talk through the new circumstances and determine whether the current care plan should continue or whether another available care option would be more appropriate.

That can be a difficult situation, and you don't necessarily have to solve everything immediately.

If your parent will temporarily be unable to resume their pet's normal routine, we can discuss whether Much Joy can provide continued support during the transition.

If it becomes clear that your parent's needs have changed permanently, we'll talk honestly about what Much Joy can and cannot provide so your family can make an appropriate longer-term plan.

Potentially. The kind of help needed during a move can vary considerably.

If the pet will be moving with your parent, we may be able to assist with pet care or transportation during the transition. We also provide consultations about the most appropriate pet care tools that still allow pet owner autonomy.

If there's uncertainty about what happens to the pet, contact us and tell us what's happening so we can determine where Much Joy may be able to help.

The cost depends on the type of care your parent's pet needs, how frequently care is required, how long care is expected to continue and which Much Joy services are appropriate.

Once we understand the situation, we'll explain the available care options and associated costs before services begin.

Absolutely not.

In fact, one of the best things a family can do is make a pet-care plan before it's needed.

If your parent lives independently with a pet, you can keep Much Joy's contact information with their emergency information and make sure the appropriate family members or trusted contacts know whom to call if something unexpected happens.

That way, a hospital admission doesn't also begin with the question: “Who's taking care of the pet?”

Call Much Joy Pet Services at 813-785-2015.

Tell us that you're calling about an older family member's pet and briefly explain what's happened. We'll ask you some questions about the situation, the pet and the care that's needed and determine how we may be able to help.

If the need isn't immediate, you can also submit a request for help using any of the Request Help buttons.