If you are going away on holiday, remember to make arrangements for your pets and your home while you are away.
These days, more than ever before, it is essential to check that somebody responsible - either a person well-known to you, or a reputable security company - is looking after everything.
It is cruel and totally unacceptable to leave pets without adequate care.
There are horror stories of thoughtless people going on holiday for two or three weeks and leaving their pets outside in their gardens with dog pellets and bowls of water spread all around.
This is not good enough. Either book your animals into a good kennel, get a pet-sitter or make an arrangement with somebody you know and trust to come to your house at least once a day to feed and walk your pets.
Pay that person and make the arrangement professional.
We have always informed our local police station the dates of our departure and return, and are lucky in that our police station is particularly jacked up.
There are those who feel that informing their local station is virtually an open sesame to thieves as there are police who cannot be trusted. In that case, make other suitable arrangements.
Remember to cancel newspapers and ask your neighbours to collect your post because an over-flowing post box is also an indication that your house is empty.