will we have to choose - this is just awful :(

We should be visiting eldest AC and wife next month in Africa but we cannot, I shed a tear when wrapping their Christmas Gifts that I now have to send.

Haven’t seen them since Nov 2019.

I'm so sorry you are facing this, I have the same situation that I can't see my Dad right now and usually see him two to three times a year which isn't enough anyway (really adore my dad). I can't fit quarunteen into my life either due to working and still having school age children.

I hope you can find a way to make this work soon.

If you don't want to leave your pets let the family visit you. You could help pay for a b and b.

Fuschia I think this is the organisation you need, www.trustedhousesitters.com we have used them a lot, it is a wonderful arrangement. You get free accommodation anywhere in the world, and the owners get their treasured pets pampered?

Which country are you in biba70?

biba, I advertised for a pet sitter for between 3 & 4 months, over Christmas and New Year 3 weeks ago (so daughter and grandson could come here for an extended stay). I was inundated with replies.

Of course, the issue for you will be only people in the country already will be suitable, because no entry without a permit.

Free to advertise though. Trusted House Sitters. There are more sitters available than houses so it is free to the home/pet owner. You can vet applicants from references on the site from their previous pet sits. I just did a quick recce and there are 266 listed possibilities for you. Of course, not all of them would be active.

OR another idea. Couldn't you go to the UK and your AC pick the dog up from your isolation flat and look after for the 2 weeks you quarantine?

Lots of lovely pet sitters around. My friend in uk goes to peoples houses and completely follows the pets routines. If said dog/cat sleeps with owners then she will allow dog/cat to do the same. I’m not sure if I’m totally following your story of where you live and isolation issues which could all change anyway and not for the better. Christmas is but one day we all just have to accept not seeing family and friends. We’re not allowed to mix where I am in the UK just now. May sound harsh and unsympathetic but I’m being realistic.

we would not put the family at risk, as we would be in quarantine for 14 days before meeting up with them

How will you be travelling to them? This is probably a bit pointless if you come into contact with other people.
You’d need to travel there. Then quarantine two weeks before seeing them to actually make it safe.

fushiarose a friend of mine looked after homes with pets and got paid for it. I think the firm was called animal aunts but others are available.

I understand that you would normally stay in your flat but , for once, could you rent a cottage with a garden?
I suppose that it may be tricky to find an owner that is prepared to have someone who needs to isolate but it could be possible.

With Petstay you look after the dog in your own home, Fuchsiarose . The dog is on holiday - you aren't.

I would love to be a pet sitter. Never thought about it till now. Will look into it. Free holiday, furry companion, comfy bed and ready meals etc all organised. Crikey I would do it for free. I lost a dog 2 years ago who I adored

If the only problem is walking the dog then just put out requests on local neighbourhood sites for someone to come to your flat and walk your dog for a fortnight. I think you would probably be inundated if you offered some financial recompense. Don't make yourselves miserable just for a dog walker?

Davida- that is the whole point, we would not put the family at risk, as we would be in quarantine for 14 days before meeting up with them. We have our own flat in the UK. Our dog is fully passported and has made the journey back and forth many times- so this is not an issue.

Petstay or sitter would not be suitable for this length of time- and not over Christmas I imagine. She is a lovely dog, but past experience has made her so attached to us, she will not let us out of her sight for more than a few hours without getting really stressed and begin to howl like a wolf and not eat.

So she either comes with us - and we would have to find someone to walk her 4 times a day at least, including at 10pm and 8am (she is 15 and needs to go out regularly, no garden where we would quarantine). We could advertise in the local paper and some local cafés before we travel- but this is how complicated. The point being we will have to isolate for 14 days in a flat, on 2nd floor, without a garden- and not allowed to go out to walk her- and we can't leave her behind for nearly 1 month- as she has issues linked to previous experience.

Someone I know does boarding for Petstay www.petstay.net/ I have met several of the "house guests" who all appear to love their holiday and are very happy to repeat it, for instance the beautiful pooch in the photo, whose owners said "When I drop her off she just trots in and makes herself at home.”

One or two were a bit nervous, but they bonded well with their temporary host and hostess. Much better than kennels.
Petstay have branches all over the country. There is a "find your local branch" interactive map.

Hope that I've got this right - you are wanting to go abroad to visit family/GC's for Christmas, but they would be devastated not to see the dog? Is that what you're saying?

If you can't take the dog - she's not passported or whatever - then why not use a house-sitting service and perhaps a retired someone who would care for them in your home and walk the dog? Or maybe arrange for the dog to go elsewhere - to a friend perhaps for when you are away, and when you are there but in quarantine, find a volunteer on social media who loves dogs and would be willing to walk your dog whilst you can't.( I can recall when dogs needed to be quarantined - I never ever thought I would be writing about people needing that !!) Lots of people like to take a dog for a walk but maybe are no longer able to own one! Cats, of course, prefer to be in their own homes, so your kindly neighbour could help in your absence or, as above, why not try to arrange for a friend or a house-sitter to move in whilst you are away.

When we go to England we take our very sensitive and previously maltreated dogs, rescued from a refuge here in France; or we leave them to have their own really nice holiday with friends who adore them but who normally travel too much to be dog owners. Cats have gone, occasionally, to a cattery with a heated kennel and outdoor run, because I wanted to be certain that they were completely safe. Otherwise, for short breaks and in lovely weather here, we ask a friend to visit and feed. No ill effects from that. Otherwise they have stayed at home and we have employed a house-sitter. One of the "joys" of pet ownership is that when life and travel gets complicated there's quite a lot of organising to be done in order that one can go away and not worry. If this involves Christmas, you have lots of time to work out a plan I think. Good luck with it.

biba, have you thought about looking for a pet sitter? There are many international sites, AND you could have them come to you early, before you left, to make sure your dog can take to them.

I've tried twice to use pet sitters and had to pull out for other reasons, BUT there is a huge market in it.

Even without the concerns about the pets, for me this would be a no-no. In your place not only would I want to avoid putting myself at risk of getting CV19 when travelling (then lumbering the family with my care!) but also I'd hate to think that I might in any way put my family at risk. (I don't say this lightly - our only child and family are thousands of miles away and we haven't seen then for over two years, so I appreciate how you feel. We are holding on for 2021.)

I’m not quite following this but are you saying you could bring your dog to the UK, to your own flat? If so, and you’d need to check the rules, but would it be possible to have someone come and take your dog for a walk each day while you were in quarantine?

There are a lot of such services round where I am.

Not brutal at all, Oops- I like your frankness. They can't come to us as they would have to self-isolate on return and miss work and school.

Of course we will put a brave and happy face on it all- of course. Grandchildren are older now- and they totally understand the situation. The children will be fine - it is us who are suffering. As said, despite all the quarantining, we are prepared to bite the bullet and self isolate there and when we get back - and play it really safe. But then we were told we would not even be allowed to take the dog out of our flat for wuick walk round the block even.

Yes, the cat is no problem - he misses us terribly when we are away, but neighbour is great with him. Again 3+ weeks is very long.

I’m going to be brutally frank here.
Your GCs will be devastated IF you put on a gloomy face, put on your best smile and FaceTime them or Zoom and tell them that it’s all going to be fine, but at the moment things aren’t very easy. They will understand.
At Christmas do the same thing, you are doing this for a reason, and it’s for everyone’s benefit.
I was too ill to go to our DDs one Christmas , nobody was devastated, we all wished it was different, but that’s life and we got over it.
We won’t see our GCs either, but again, we can’t change anything so it’s no use moping around, put your happy face on and tell them now rather than later, that way they will have time to put other plans in place, the children will be fine, trust me. On the day you can watch them open their presents and even eat at the same time whilst on FT or zoom.
Alternatively let them come to you, at least the poor cat and dog can stay in their own home too.
Hopefully next year will be easier.

she will not sleep alone- since her companion (her son actually, 2 years younger) was euthanazed by previous owners. It would be for such a long time too- and granchildren would be devastated not to see her.

I have one young friend here who would love to have her for a day or two- and we said we would try soon. They would be ok with her sleeping on their bed (believe me, we both said we would NEVER EVER allow a dog to sleep on our bed- and then ... Emma happened and her trauma)- but they have a young baby and a toddler, and enough on their plate. A couple of days, yes- but 3+ weeks- too much to ask.

If you look on Facebook, you will find there is a local group for your town/area. Put a post on there setting out your dilemma and I'm sure someone will look after your dog for you. Would the neighbours take the cat in?

Its a horrible situation to be in, but when you think about it - what's the alternative?
If you were in Boris' position of making 'rules' to keep the virus under control (and heaven help us, it isn't under control) what would you advise everyone to do?
I know that sounds harsh, but we're in a harsh situation, and its heart breaking, I do feel so sorry for your dilemma.