Pet Sitters

02/06/2024

They,re not all this easy. Adorable xx

18/04/2024

I took my dog to the park today and played Frisbee with him. He was useless. I think I need a flatter dog.

18/04/2024

22/03/2024

16/01/2024

According to Cyprus Veterinary Authorities, companion animals include dogs, cats, ferrets, invertebrates (except bees, bumblebees, molluscs and crustaceans), ornamental aquatic animals, tropical ornamental fish, amphibians, reptiles are considered pets , birds (except those referred to in Council Directive 2009/158/EC), rodents and domestic rabbits.
At Angels Pet Cemetery we provide burial services for all types of companion animals.
📲 94040667
🌐 www.petcemetery.com.cy
📧 [email protected]

16/01/2024

People have been setting their pets new year resolutions, study reveals

Nearly four in 10 pet owners have set a new year’s resolution for their animal companion - if only to help them achieve their own goals

Lucy Brimble
Tuesday 24 January 2024

Owners felt they were more likely to complete their own resolutions, such as exercising more, if they do them alongside their pets (SWNS.com)

A poll of 2,000 adults who have a pet revealed their top goals for their furry friend for the year - including getting more exercise and losing weight.

Others want them to learn a new trick and bark less, while 18 per cent are adamant about their pooch improving when walking off the lead.

It also emerged a third of owners are more likely to complete their own resolutions if they do them alongside their pets.

Bella Von Mesterhazy at Petplan, which commissioned the research, said: "After the over-indulgence of the Christmas and New Year period, we know the new year is a great time to reset and focus on some resolutions for the year ahead.

“Making resolutions for your pet, to make sure they are happy and healthy is equally as important."

The study also found 85 per cent of those who have set their furry friend a goal think it’s likely they will stick to their resolution, with 28 per cent setting targets for their pet in previous years.

Improving physical health is the main objective for 56 per cent, while half are keen to improve their relationship with their four-legged friend.

When it comes to their pet’s behaviour, 34 per cent feel there are areas they would like to improve this year – including pulling on the lead, nervousness and excessive barking.

Nearly a fifth (18 per cent) put these bad habits down to needing more time to learn and 17 per cent said it is a behaviour common with their breed.

Despite wanting to work on these things, 82 per cent said their pet is typically well-behaved

Touching on their own resolutions, 42 per cent of owners have set themselves one, with 69 per cent claiming they will stick to it – less than when asked the same question about their pet.

For 40 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, there is a similarity between their own goal and that of their furry companion - such as more exercise and a healthier diet.

And when thinking about the year ahead, 51 per cent said their pet will help them become a better person.

Bella Von Mesterhazy, at Petplan, added: “We have lots of useful advice, guidance, and training tips that can help with any resolutions you decide to set them.

“The health of the nation’s animals is at the heart of everything we do, so we’re delighted to see that this is reflected by owners too.”

Top 20 pet resolutions for 2023

Get more exercise
Lose weight
Keep on top of grooming
Learn a new command
Eat a healthier diet
Walk be Bark less the lead
Bark less
Make neighbour bonds in the neighbourhood
Reduce separation anxiety
Travel more
To be fully house-trained
Get on better with other pets
Tackle a fear of loud noises
Be less nervous
Be more independent/ less needy
Be more sustainable (when it comes to toys, accessories, bedding etc.)
Stop scratching the furniture
Get on better with humans
Snore less
Sleep in their own bed

16/01/2024

https://www.petcemetery.com.cy/en/

The first and only licensed companion animal cemetery in Cyprus!

07/01/2024

What does a pet sitter do?

Maintains your pet's familiar routine
Prevents separation anxiety
Keeps your pet healthier
Helps socialise your pet
Provides one-on-one attention

Tips for hiring a pet sitter
Those of us fortunate enough to live with a dog or cat know they depend on us for what they need to be happy and healthy. Food, shelter, and health care are just a few of our responsibilities.

What about when we need to leave Fido or Fluffy at home? Great pet parents plan ahead for when they can’t be there to care for their pets. They know they have several options when they need to be away for long days at work, overnight trips, or vacations. For your dog, one of the best solutions is hiring a pet sitter.

Hiring a pet sitter has many advantages over boarding in a kennel or dropping your pup at a doggy daycare for the day. Some dogs and cats may not fare well if they have to leave the house to be cared for. In these cases, a pet sitter who comes to your home can benefit not only your pets, but you, too.

Let's take a closer look at the pawtastic benefits of hiring a pet sitter to take care of your precious pooch while you are away.

What does a pet sitter do?
A top-notch pet sitter is different from a dog walker or a neighbour or friend who comes into your home a couple of times a day to feed and walk your dog or cat. Sitters take a wider view of their responsibilities and are prepared to meet all aspects of being in your home and caring for your pet. They’ll spend time playing with your dog or cat, snuggling with them, and assessing how they’re doing. They can even bring in the mail, water plants, and make your home look lived in while you’re away.

Emergencies may arise while you’re gone, but the good news is that pet sitters are well prepared to deal with them, whether it’s a power outage, a sick animal, or anything else you would deal with yourself if you were there. They’re good at communicating too, letting you know what’s happening and reassuring you that they’ve got things well in hand. They can even update you regularly about how your pet is faring with photos and videos of snuggle or play time.

The most important benefits of hiring a pet sitter, however, are for your pet. Some animals may do fine in a kennel or other boarding setting. However, many pets tend to feel most comfortable in their own homes where they have familiar smells and surroundings. Going for a potty break in their own yard will be less stressful than in an outdoor run surrounded by strange, curious dogs.

Besides allowing your dog or cat stay home while you are away, there are other specific benefits that a pet sitter can bring to the table. Let’s look at the top ones for your precious furbaby!

Pet sitter taking a brown and white dog for routine dog walk - benefits of hiring a pet sitter
Maintains your pet's familiar routine
Pets like predictable routines and thrive on being able to count on their daily schedule. It can be stressful to a dog or cat to have to wait for their meals or eat them in an unfamiliar location. They feel most comfortable if they can go to bed in the spot they usually sleep. Because of their acute sense of smell, they can even be reassured by your scent in the home while you are away.

Pet sitters, whom you’ve prepared with detailed information on your dog’s habits and schedule, can help your pets feel more secure and relaxed in their regular routine. Some may even be able to carry on with your pup’s training progress!

Prevents separation anxiety
Separation anxiety can occur in dogs who don’t like to be left alone, and even in some cats. The stress of being alone can make an anmial frantic, and they may take out their fear on objects in the home or another pet. If a dog is left in a crate, separation anxiety can cause them to damage it, or hurt themselves in the process of trying to get out.

A pet sitter can relieve that stress and soothe your pet's anxiety by being consistently present and affectionate, as well as distracting them with games, exercise and cuddles.

Keeps your pet healthier
Not only can pet sitters monitor your dog or cat for illness and injury and take them for medical care when needed, but simply being able to stay in their own home prevents your pet from coming into contact with numerous strange animals in a kennel or boarding facility who may transmit infections like kennel cough, or parasites such as fleas or worms.

Animals with special medical needs like respiratory problems or post-surgical recovery need not limit their pet parents’ ability to be away from home. Hiring a pet sitter ensures that treatments and medications are given on schedule. Many pet sitters work with veterinarians and bring their expertise to their pet sitting jobs. Also, many complete courses in pet first aid for those times when immediate medical care is needed.

Pet sitter sitting on couch cuddling three dogs
Helps socialize your pet
Dogs and cats that get to meet other people and animals become more well-rounded and less likely to be reactive, overly shy, or aggressive. Bringing a pet sitter into your fur-baby’s life can be a lesson in learning to trust, how to approach a stranger, and how to give and accept affection from other people. Socialising a cat or dog with a human is more likely to happen smoothly when an animal is relaxed and secure in their own surroundings.

Knowing how to introduce a professional sitter involves allowing your dog to take their time approaching, and letting the sitter spend some time with them at least once before you leave them. A meet and greet is a great way to see if your dog and the sitter are a good match.

Provides one-on-one attention
Most pet sitters are or have been pet parents themselves. They understand canine and feline behaviour and body language and can adapt their approach to suit the animal they are caring for. This focused, one-on-one interaction can put the animal at ease and allows them to enjoy personalised and undivided attention.

Competing for human attention with a group of dogs or cats at a kennel can be stressful for your furry pal, as well as limit how much interaction with a human they get, whether for playtimes, potty times, or just affection. We all want our fur-babies to feel safe, and individualised attention from a pet sitter who's only there for them can help them feel more relaxed and confident.

Tips for hiring a pet sitter
Finding the pawfect caregiver for your fur-baby may take a little detective work and preparation, but the upfront effort will be well worth it to ease your mind while you’re away. Here are some furbulous tips to help you book your dog's pawfect match:

Ask about a sitter’s experience with dogs, including any additional experience such as with a local veterinarian or clinic, certifications or first aid training

Find out if they’re insured

Ask for references or look for pawsitive reviews on their website or page

Relay info about your dog’s personality, temperament, experiences, and quirks to find the right sitter for your pup's needs

If all goes well and you come home to a happy, stress-free dog or cat, be sure to recommend the pet sitter and/or provide positive feedback. Most would appreciate a small gift from wherever you’ve been to show your appreciation, and a simple tip added to their fee would likely bring a smile to their faces. Of course, never forget the power of a “Thank you!”

Planning to be away from home? Take the stress out by booking a pet sitter to keep your dog or cat safe and relaxed until you return.

Call Pet Sitters on +357 99 877769
Available for overseas clients. Flights paid for by pet owners. Also accompanied flights overseas if moving abroad or moving back home.

07/01/2024

Happy New Year's to our clients & and their furry family

Comfort at Home Pet Services

Planning to be away from home? Take the stress out by booking a pet sitter to keep your dog or cat safe and relaxed until you return.

Hiring a Pet Sitter:
We are now taking bookings for Easter 2024

While compassion fatigue is well documented for veterinarians and rescue workers, not much is mentioned about those in pet services. In actuality, pet sitters and dog walkers have an even higher chance of developing caregiver burnout and compassion fatigue.

Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion brought on by one's job. Responsible pet sitting requires a high level of dedication, care and service to those who have trusted you with their furry family members. Add to that, a lot of pet sitters are small business owners and as such are more prone to experiencing stress and burnout from running a full time business in addition to caring for animals themselves. Caring for an animal, putting their needs above your own, is very emotionally demanding -every pet sitter wants to the best for both their human and furry clients.

Pet sitting can come with a wide array of emotional challenges, such as stress, anxiety and exhaustion. It's not uncommon for those in pet services to feel isolated -there's no time off, no sick time and schedules often include evenings, weekends, and holidays. They must remember schedules, client phone numbers, employee phone numbers and emergency numbers, medication schedules and animal routines. Pet sitters care, deeply, that's why they are in the business they are in. They care about the animals in their care, bond with them, look forward to seeing them and want the best for them, and because of this, yes, worry about them. Pet sitters give 100%, to every client, all day long.

In addition to the emotional toll, Pet Sitters deal with mental and physical exhaustion as well. Pet Sitters must always be thinking, always be alert, and always be on their ‘A' game. They must be aware of changes in the animal, remember medications, and while on walks, they are on constant watch for cars, children and other animals running loose. They must have precision time management to keep on their very tight schedule and make sure all clients have their needs met in a timely manner. Pet sitters deal with traffic, road closures, construction and detours on a daily basis that can definitely increase stress levels.

Physical stamina is required to do multiple walks all day long. Dog walkers are constantly walking on varying surfaces, suffer joint pain from being on their feet all day and dog's pulling on leashes and constantly bending to clean waste. They deal with frequent temperature changes all day long - from their vehicle, to homes, to outdoors and back again. They must be conditioned to walk in sun, rain and snow. They must also always be aware of the potential dangers of an aggressive dog, a serious bite or scratch.

Compassion fatigue, also known as secondary traumatic stress (STS), is described as “a state experienced by those helping people or animals; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with those being helped to the degree that it can create a secondary traumatic stress for the helper.”

While veterinarians see the animal a few times a year - and yes, sometimes must deliver heart breaking news to the families of their pet patients - the pet sitter sees the animal every day, sometimes more than once a day and more than one animal. Those in pet services witness firsthand the physical decline of a much loved animal, the side effects of the medications and sometimes have to use assistive devices for the animal. Anyone who has ever lost a pet, or watched as a disease ravages their beloved family member, understands the extreme emotional toll this can take on a person.

A devoted pet sitter will have formed a bond with the pets in their care and deal with illness and even death of pet clients in their care. Many times, a pet sitter, as a trusted friend to both client and dog, will accompany a client to the veterinarian's office for checkups, diagnosis and prognosis and yes, even for euthanasia. During these times, a pet sitter is dealing with their emotions as well as the emotions of their client, and lending emotional support.

On account of pet sitters dealing with several pets a day, and are invested in the wellbeing of every one, a typical day can be an emotional roller coaster ride. A pet sitter could spend time playing with a new puppy and the next hour have to defend a dog from a roaming animal while on a walk. One animal can get great news such as a good prognosis or finding out a pet is in remission, and the pet sitter shares the sheer joy of the news! The next animal can be in decline, or have a disheartening prognosis and again, the pet sitter feels every bit of those emotions with the client.

On other occasions, a pet sitter may arrive to find an animal is sick or has injured themselves and must provide immediate care and get the animal to emergency services. Once stable, the pet sitter must contact the pet's owner and provide an update. The pet sitter must remain steadfast for both pet and client.

Pet sitters are never off duty, most work nights, weekends and holidays with few days off in between. They rarely have time to destress from the emotional rollercoaster that comes with providing outstanding care to multiple clients and being bonded to them all.

Pet sitters also become very close with their clients as well, even becoming friends with some. Being so involved in the everyday lives of the pets and pet parents, pet sitters witness divorce, illness and even death of family members.

Adding to the emotional toll of pet sitting, pet services providers are animal advocates. As such, they are often called upon as a contact in rescue situations. In these situations, they can see abandoned pets, injured, neglected and abused animals. Always wanting the best for animals, pet sitters will work tirelessly to provide resources and care to all who require it.

Though it's not as widely discussed as those in the veterinary and rescue fields, it's important that we don't forget pet services professionals while discussing the possibility of falling victim to compassion fatigue and caregiver burnout. A little knowledge and understanding can go a long way in helping a pet sitter combat compassion fatigue and caregiver burnout and in turn be the best possible pet professional they can be for your pet!
We can guarantee that we take care of ourselves as much as we can take care of your fur babies. Contingency plans are in force and in any event your pets will be taken good care of.

Professional Pet Sitters now taking bookings for Easter & half term school holidays.


BUSINESS HOURS
Weekdays: 8:00am to 8:00pm (All inquiries will be answered.)

16/12/2023

Dangers for animals at Christmas

Google searches for an emergency vet traditionally see an increase from the middle of December onward to the end of the month and through New Year’s Day. As families decorate their homes for the holiday season and prepare meals for special gatherings, companion animals are exposed to more dangers than usual.

Below are some of the most common holiday pet hazards families should be aware of:

Christmas Trees
Christmas trees often attract the attention of dogs and cats alike. However, if a tree is not securely anchored, it can potentially fall onto and injure an animal. Tree water also poses a danger, as bacteria is known to grow and thrive in sitting water, which may cause gastrointestinal upset in an animal if ingested, as can any added Christmas tree fertilizer.

After securing a Christmas tree to a wall or ceiling, pet owners should block the tree off with a playpen, baby gate, or other barrier to keep pets safe while additionally covering the tree stand with aluminum foil to discourage pets from drinking from it.

Mistletoe, Holly, and Other Seasonal Plants
The RSPCA receives over a quarter of a million cases of potential animal poisonings per year. Plants are the eighth-most reported pet toxin and account for 40% of all calls. Seasonal plants such as mistletoe, holly, lilies, azaleas, evergreens, and poinsettias are all toxic to animals. Ingestion of such plants can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases, even cardiovascular issues. Cats in particular are especially vulnerable to lilies, which can cause kidney failure if ingested.

In a home filled with pets, artificial plants are the safest option when it comes to holiday decor. There are many pet-friendly plants available to select from which will keep companion animals safe.

Anti-Freeze and Ice Melt
Ethylene glycol, an ingredient commonly found in anti-freeze, is deadly to animals. Pet owners should opt for a brand that omits this ingredient and labels itself as ‘non-toxic.’

As for rock salt, this commonly used ice melt is an irritant to paw pads. If an animal licks irritated paws as a result of walking on rock salt, ingesting the chemical can cause vomiting. Ice melts with a propylene glycol base are a safer alternative for households with animals.

Lights and Batteries
Electrical cords, such as those attached to wired holiday lights, can be an especially dangerous hazard to animals. If chewed on, such cords may result in an electric shock that can be potentially lethal to a pet.

Pet owners should always hang tree lights on high branches while also protecting electrical cords with cord covers or double-sided tape and additionally keeping cords out of sight where possible. Pet owners should also keep batteries out of a pet’s reach, both those that operate holiday decor and those included in new Christmas gifts. Batteries may contain zinc, which can cause pancreatitis in an animal if ingested.

Ornaments and Tinsel
Ornaments are another danger to pets. Shards of broken ornaments can cut a pet’s mouth and tear into the animal’s digestive tract. Pet owners should always hang breakable ornaments out of a pet’s reach or opt for pet-safe, non-toxic, and non-edible ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree.

Cats are especially drawn to tinsel and other types of ribbons, but if ingested, these items can cause an obstruction in a cat’s digestive tract, which can lead to vomiting and severe dehydration. In many cases, surgery may be the only means of removing the obstruction.

Food and Alcohol
While it may seem harmless to share human food with a pet, foods are one of many pet toxins popularly reported to the RSPCA, making up more than 20% of all poison-related calls.

Chocolate and other foods containing xylitol (baked goods, peanut butter, sweets, candy, and pudding among them) are dangerous to pets. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause liver failure and even death in dogs and cats.

Additionally, hard candy like candy canes are a choking hazard to animals, as are turkey and chicken bones. If such bones splinter when ingested, they may also cause tears in an animal’s digestive tract.

Raw dough also poses a risk. If ingested, raw dough can expand inside an animal’s digestive tract and cause severe bloating, making it difficult for an animal to breathe. If the raw dough contains yeast, this may also cause a pet’s blood alcohol level to rise, which may lead to alcohol poisoning. Alcohol intoxication in animals can result in vomiting, disorientation, and seizures. If left untreated, it can ultimately lead to organ failure. As little as just a few ounces of alcohol can result in a pet’s death in just 12-24 hours. In addition to alcoholic beverages, alcohol can also be found in some syrups, eggnog, and holiday breads.

In addition to keeping table scraps and other dangerous foods and drinks out of a pet’s reach, pet owners should also secure trash bins to discourage foraging. Keeping a pet comfortably confined in a bedroom or in a crate during holiday dinner parties can also keep an animal safe.

Holiday Pet Safety: Final Thoughts
Many pet owners may remain unaware of the potential holiday-related hazards in their household which may pose a risk to the health and wellbeing of their pets. Given the increase in Google searches for emergency veterinarians during the holiday season, the issue is one that requires increased awareness. While the dangers to which pets may be exposed during the holiday season are many, with proper education, families can keep their companion animals safe while still including them in holiday traditions.

29/09/2023

Mothers, irrespective of the species, are the same. 🤣❤️

22/09/2023

94 days until Christmas and we are taking bookings now. Countdown is already a daily reminder. After Halloween and bonfire night JUMBO will be stocked to the max. Don't be tempted. Book a vacation and make sure we're available. October almost booked out. Must be half term