Looking to take a vacation, but can’t take your pet with you? Many pet owners like to hire a pet sitter to take care of their animal until they return. This is great for the animal, because it gets to stay in familiar surroundings and doesn’t have to endure the pain of staying at a pet boarding facility or kennel. Choosing a good pet sitter is very important – you don’t want just anyone coming into your home.
Pet sitting has become an industry in itself, because people travel for business and pleasure more than ever. There are many times when it isn’t practical to take a pet along. Many people looking to make money try pet sitting, because it seems easy. Unfortunately, many try it for a while and move on to something else. It is hard work. It’s important to look for a stable and reliable sitter who has been in the business for a good while.
It isn’t difficult to find someone offering pet sitting services. The trick is figuring out who to start with among all the choices. check around among people you know and try to get the names of some good ones to start. Your veterinarian should also have some idea of who you can contact.
Once you have a few names, contact some of them and have them visit your home. See how they interact with your pet, and how your pet reacts to them. Animals have a great instinct and “sixth sense” about people.
Ask the potential sitters some thought provoking questions. Find out why they are in that business, and why they think anyone should hire them. Some will flake out at this point and you can eliminate them. Others will go into detail and begin to establish a trust with you.
A prospective sitter should surely love animals, but that alone isn’t sufficient. There needs to be a knowledge of pet health and how to recognize often subtle signs that something isn’t right. This may seem to be asking a lot, but remember, this is your pet and these folks will be in your home taking care of them.
Here are a few things you should find out before employing a pet sitter:
How often do they check in with your pet every day?
When they are at your home, what will they do? There is more than just providing food and water. What about taking time to walk your dog or play with your cat? If the pet leaves a bowel movement in an inappropriate place, will they clean it up?
Take your time and be diligent in choosing your pet sitter. The time and trouble you spend now will pay off in peace of mind and reassurance up the line.