Pet Sitters, What You Don’t Know About Today’s Pet Care Options

Pet sitters, in my day, were usually the same people we had taken a watch over our house and get our mail when our family went on vacation. It stands to reason that a lot of pet owners, to this day, lump in pet care with grabbing the mail and making sure the house is safe at regular intervals while they are away.

But have you ever thought of the psychology of a situation where you “disappear” for a week or more from your pet’s life? Talk about abandonment issues!

Add to that the problem of having a lesser-known neighbor or relative pop in for a few minutes each day to fill water and food bowls. Do they know how your pet likes to be handled and talked to? Probably not.

It all adds up to a stressful experience for most pets who are used to things being a certain way, just like us. Pets live on your schedule. When things change and you go away, everything is suddenly different and disorienting for them.

How can you make life easier and most comfortable for your pets on your next trip?

Well, you may not have noticed, but pet sitters are now professionals! In fact, professional pet sitters are now becoming bonded and adding a whole slew of services beyond feeding and taking care of the basic essentials for your pet while you are gone.
Professional pet sitters should be bonded, trustworthy, and most of all, they should be “pet people.” They should understand what it is like for your pet to be in unfamiliar waters with you gone. They should know what it is like for your pet having their whole schedule changed around without you there doing your regular daily routines.

A professional pet sitter can do a lot more than a neighbor or relative. Someone who has decided to dedicate a full-time or part-time level of work to pet sitting should love animals and have a knack for comforting and bonding with any pet.

Tips for Selecting a Professional Pet Sitter

• Make sure they are bonded and insured.
• They should have references with phone numbers.
• They should have everything in writing including their services, prices, and preferably a written contract of services to be performed for you while you are away.
• They should visit your home before you leave and make some kind of immediate connection with your pet.
• They should offer more than feeding and watering services! Companionship and play time should be a daily staple of any good professional pet sitter.