Pet Sitters do not choose this line of business because they make a lot of money, they choose it for the love of animals. I was a Flight Attendant for almost 31 years, my dream was to have a pet sitting business on the side. I realized it would take approximately 16 hours a day, 7 days a week and I didn't have that flexibility being out of town. I took an early retirement from my career with the A
irlines after my Father passed away and for other personal reasons that only made sense. In March, i lost my best friend, my buddy, my pal Blue to the negligence of a pet hotel. I have the greatest pet sitter in the world for my fur baby that was, unfortunately, out of town that weekend. I knew how important it was to pick the right person to watch my beloved 4 legged kid, I knew what I wanted for him. When I couldn't get my pet sitter , I went on a mission, I looked for pet sitters, had one picked out, but my Mom said she'd watch him. After a day I decided he'd be too much for my 76 yr old Mom to handle and I didn't want to sound like a flake to the other person I was going to hire. I decided for one night, find a spa like hotel, pay the $90 a night and give Blue a mini vacation. I found a 5 star hotel, according to Yelp and Google, turns out, those 5 stars do not mean anything especially when they're fabricated by the company itself and the company was paying to have bad reviews removed. Long story short, Blue was negligently killed by an employee that took him off premises, on a frayed lead without my permission, and he was struck by a car. I wish I had researched more. In fact, I wish I had canceled my plans. You may not use my services for your pets, you may look for those "5 stars" at a Pet hotel or you may choose a Pet Sitter by word of mouth or on a Pet Sitting website, and that's ok. Do yourself a favor and really listen to the facility or pet sitter you interview to watch your pet. Ask lots of questions, even if you think you're being too over protective. For the Pet Hotel..READ THE FINE PRINT CAREFULLY and remember, there are too many hands on your pet. If you decide to hire a pet sitter so your beloved pet can remain in a comfortable environment called "HOME"
Ask these questions and keep these thoughts in mind:
*Does the pet sitter mind if you have cameras up? If they have a problem with that..RUN!
*You should be able to call your pet sitter at any time if you'd like to know how your beloved pet is doing, and you should never have to feel uncomfortable about doing it. Ask for a back up number if available, or an email address
*Make sure the pet sitter is bonded and insured
*Make sure your pet sitter asks for a return home text or call back from your vacation, the reason for this is, if something happens where you are delayed, flight cancellation , God forbid you end up in a hospital somewhere, you would want that pet sitter to take care of your pets if they do not hear from you within a certain time frame . You don't want them assuming you're safely home when you're not leaving your pets without care. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
*Ask the pet sitter for references, speak with these references.
*Ask what's included in the price..getting your mail/paper, watering your plants , rotating lights and curtains should all be included
*make sure the PET SITTER is the ONLY one handling your pet while away. Do not schedule any maintenance to your home or allow anyone to stay at your home while you have a Pet Sitter come in. And do not hire two sitters at a time. This is a big problem for most Pet Sitters. Sometimes lawn service , maintenance etc. fail to close your gates (think..doggie door), lock your doors etc..A Pet Sitter feels it's their responsibility to take care of your pets and look after your home as if it's their own. Please understand if the Pet Sitter asks you to stop all maintenance and any visitors from staying at your house under their care of your pets, it's for your pet's protection.
*Make sure the Pet Sitter offers a free consultation prior to meeting your pets
* Keep your pet food in plain view for the Pet Sitter and keep paper towels and a cleaning product on the counter in case of little accidents if your pets are piddlers.
*Make sure you give them your Vet's number and ask them what they would do in case of an emergency. Always have a backup 24 hour emergency pet hospital number
* Do not allow a Pet Sitter to administer shots etc. to your pets unless they are a licensed Vet/ assistant. If they take a pill daily, make sure you show the Pet Sitter how you do it
*Do yourself a favor and have a collar on your pet at all times during your stay away, also, buy a harness for your dog if your dog requires walks and make sure you have a sturdy leash. Do not allow the pet sitter to walk your dogs without a fitted harness and sturdy leash. Do not allow the sitter to walk your dog on a retractable leash. Your pets act differently while you're away, remember, they miss their owners and look for them when they're away.
* If you have multiple dogs, it may be fine for you to walk them simultaneously, but again, they act differently while you're away. Suggest walking your dogs separately
*if you do not have a video camera set up in your home, GET YOURSELF ONE! They are very affordable and life savers. I find this very important. Make sure you can see what your pets are doing and the pet sitter AT ALL TIMES. If you see your pet(s) acting unusual while you're away, you would want to call the sitter to check in on your pet(s) .Remember, this is your home and your babies. It's an extra barrier of protection and peace of mind.. If the pet sitter has a problem with being taped..RUN! These points are very important...and remember NO QUESTION is a stupid question, especially when it comes to the care of your loved ones. Ask those questions , there's no such thing as being overly cautious.
