How to choose a good pet sitter

When looking for a pet sitter you want to find someone who loves pets and is a very responsible person because they will be accessing your home and taking care of your pet while your away.  What can you do to be sure you’ve found this kind of person or pet sitting service

First ask your veterinarian, favorite pet store or pet-owning friends for a referral.

If you cannot get a refferal you can check outPet Sitters International (www.petsit.com) and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (www.petsitters.org), for a list of member pet sitters in your area. As a last resort, check the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory under “pet sitters.” Call to set up appointments to interviews with potential pet sitters.

Questions you may want to consider on how to choose a good pet sitter

• What training has the pet sitter received to handle emergencies?
• Will the pet sitter record information about your pet, such as his likes, dislikes, fears, habits, medical conditions, medications, and routines? This is sometimes called a Pet Profile.
• Is the pet sitter associated with a veterinarian who can provide emergency services?
• What will happen if the pet sitter experiences car trouble or becomes ill? Does she have a backup?
• Ask if generally the same pet sitter will be coming to care for your pet each and every time you need service. Ideally the same person should be coming since pets adapt to changes less readily.
• Will the pet sitter provide a written service contract spelling out services and fees?
• If the pet sitter provides live-in services like overnights, what are the specific times she agrees to be with your pet? Is this detailed in the contract?
• How does your pet sitter make sure that you have returned home?
• Will the pet sitter provide you with the phone numbers of other clients who have agreed to serve as references? You should call at least one or two of the numbers they give you.

A great pet sitter is a valuable person to know for pet lovers who want the best for their furry friend while they are out of town.  Please add Nina to your list of pet sitters to interview.  Please email at topdog@stlpetwatch.com or call 314-766-2311.

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This entry was posted on December 18, 2011 at 1:23 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Posted in Blog Pet Sitting by DK Brown 1 Comment