Tips on how to Employ a Pet Sitter

If you’ve ever picked up your pet from a kennel after your vacation and received an enormous bill and a very unhappy dog, you’ll immediately understand the worth of startups like DogVacay and Rover.

DogVacay, for instance, is kind of like Airbnb for dogs, connecting dog owners to 10,000 screened and trained dog sitters throughout the country. Hosts set their prices, usually about 50 % as much as a kennel. The idea is always that dogs staying in a sitter’s home will get better care, one-on-one attention, along with a chance to take walks or frolic in the park. And dog sitters usually send vacationing pet owners photos or videos as proof that their furry companion is having fun.

As for concerns regarding the safety of dogs, CEO Aaron Hirschhorn says the company addresses that in several ways: “We provide all the quality control; we have a five-step vetting process, comprehensive insurance, and 24-hour customer support.”

“You can even do a no-obligation meet-and-greet,” he adds, “so you can visit the host family and see how they interact with your dogs.”
Vet before you commit

Taking your dog or cat to stay in the house of someone who is essentially a complete stranger (despite their detailed online profile) is a relatively new concept in comparison to having someone move into your home, or having someone check in daily on your pets in their home environment.

And while it’s easy to research and book a sitter online, the onus remains to be on pet parents to personally vet the sitter. The person you are considering needs to be both willing and able to answer all your questions prior to committing to anything.

Set up a meet-and-greet to ensure that you’re certain you have found the right person for your pet’s needs and personality. And if the sitter doesn’t respond to your questions to your satisfaction, or are “too busy” for a meeting, consider it a warning sign and find someone else.

Go to the pros

If you’re uncomfortable finding a pet sitter through an online service, talk to your vet’s office. Sometimes they have staff members who are licensed and bonded pet sitters.

Finding a sitter using this method has huge advantages. First, they have access to your pet’s medical history. Also, should you have pets that need daily medication or the administration of subcutaneous fluids, these sitters are educated to provide such services.

If you’re “old-fashioned” and like real personal recommendations (as opposed to online reviews), the veterinarian’s office probably also has sitters on file they are comfortable recommending.

Don’t wing it

It’s never a good option to casually ask a neighbor to pop in to keep an eye on your furry companions. There has to be a firm commitment.

Also, think twice about having your neighbor’s teenager do the job. Even though many teenagers are very responsible, some don’t consider the commitment of looking after a pet seriously enough.

Finally, it’s never advisable to leave pets alone with lots of water and food – even overnight- because things do occur in the house. A sudden invasion of ants overtaking the food bowl will leave your pal without food, or raucous play could cause the water bowl tipping over and your pets going thirsty.
Considerations for at-home sitters

If you choose to have a pet sitter stay in your home or check in on pets there, it’s important to provide plenty of information about both your home and the pets you are planning to leave in their care.

Here are some topics to cover:

Other services, such as getting the mail and putting out the garbage, the sitter is prepared to do.
If it’s a live-in arrangement, specify the time(s) you want them to be with your four-legged friend.
If it’s not a live-in arrangement, be sure that the pet sitter knows where to turn on the lights when they’re checking in on your pet in the evenings.
Find out if the pet sitter is associated with a particular veterinary office or perhaps is willing to take your pet to your veterinarian.
Make sure you point out salient features of your home, such as an alarm system and where you keep the remote control for the garage door.
Before you leave, make sure you’ve written out all instructions regarding your pet’s food, medication and general routine. Remember to provide your contact information and give the pet sitter at least one neighbor’s name and phone number.
Make sure they have access to a spare key in case they get locked out.
These days it’s common for pet sitters to text you and also send photographs. Find out if they may be prepared to do this.
If you have a pet video cam set up, you should definitely inform your sitter. It’s a common courtesy.
Also make sure that your pet is micro-chipped and wearing a sturdy collar with proper identification. All things considered, if something goes awry and your pet goes missing, proper ID will be your pal’s ticket home.