Terrible. I’m an expat and often it’s 2 years in between visits to Ireland these days so when we go it’s usually for 4-6 weeks and we get a pet sitter to move into our house when we go. Yes it’s extortinately expensive, but we know it’s in the best interest of our pets to stay in their familiar surroundings of their home, and it minimises the disruption to their lives. And we still feel horribly guilty. Dogs especially, they pine for their humans