FAQs
People often have questions about pet sitters and the business of pet sitting. These are some of the questions I get asked most often.
If you have a questions that aren't answered here, please use the form at the bottom of the page and I'll be happy to answer you!
Q. Are you against boarding a pet?
A. Not at all. If your pet does well at a boarding facility and you’re comfortable taking her there, then by all means do so. It really depends on what works for your pet. If you are going to board her, I would suggest a place that offers “extra attention” – either extra walks or playtimes or some type of extra time spent out of the cage/run. I am not receiving any kickbacks from kennels, so this is based solely on personal experience with my own pets. Your pet will enjoy her stay more if there’s some fun involved and if she doesn’t spend all but an hour each day in a cage.
Many places also have a “check out time” like a hotel. If you’re pet isn’t out by that time you are charged for an extra day. There are situations where your flight may be delayed and you don’t get to pick her up before they close and she spends an extra night there and you spend an extra night without her. What if you need to head out before they open? This is where my pet taxi service will come in handy. I can go and pick her up and bring her home for you. That way she’s already waiting at the door when you walk in!!
Q. Some boarding facilities claim that pet sitters aren’t reliable and leaving pets at home is dangerous.
A. I have never told a client not to check my references or asked them to not tell their neighbors I am coming to their home. You will know how many visits I plan on making and at approximately what time of day. I have my cell phone on for you to call me and check on your pets. The truth is, you have greater ability to track the coming and goings of a pet sitter to your home than you do to see what’s happening with your pet at a kennel.
Your neighbors will see me walk your dog but who will see the walk they're supposed to get at a kennel? The other thing you’ll notice is your pet's attitude when you return home. Are they stressed out like they've been ignored or exhausted because they haven't slept in days? You can also talk to me about your pet. When you talk to people about the pets you love, you can tell if the conversation is "generic" or if that person really spent time and got to know your pet.
As for danger, accidents happen whether you’re home or not. The sad reality is that something can happen to your pet while you’re at work, out to dinner or out of town. The advantage of a pet sitter coming to your home is that I can check things out. If I notice something isn’t right (the coffee pot is left on for example) I can take care of it before it becomes a problem. Be sure to ask the kennel what their emergency plan is and how they will handle caring for 50+ pets at a time during an emergency. When we meet for our initial consultation visit, I will review my "disaster plan" with you and you'll know exactly what I will do to ensure the safety of your pets.
Q. Why is your service area so small?
A. My job is to provide a quality service. For me it makes more sense to cover a small area thoroughly rather than to spread myself out over a greater area and put that quality of care at risk due to time and traffic. I believe that since my job is to care for your pets and keep their routine as close to "normal" while you're away, I shouldn't be rushing through your pet's visit just so I can drive for 30 minutes to make it to the next client's home.
Q. Will you stay with my pets at my house?
A. At this time I do not stay at client’s homes. There are pet sitters who do offer this service, but the logistics don't work for me . First and foremost, I have my own pets to take care of. I would need to hire a pet sitter to care of them if I wasn't home!
As a business owner, I've learned that just because I’m at home doesn’t mean I’m not still working. A lot of my "free time" is spent catching up on administrative work (scheduling, invoicing, etc.), returning phone calls & e-mails and meeting with new clients. Staying at your home would make that difficult.
As my business has grown over the years I’ve also come to truly treasure sleeping in my own bed at night. I get better rest (even when it's fewer hours) and I wake up refreshed and ready for another active day of pet care.
Q. Can my pet stay at your house?
A. I am not a licensed kennel and don’t have the capacity for many animals to sleep over. As I mentioned above, I have my own pets that I need to consider also. My own dog is older, and while he is very sweet and tolerant of other animals coming over to play, he does get very jealous if they stay too long!
Q. I want to be a pet sitter. Any suggestions or advice?
A. There are some very good books out there you can read, some are about pet sitting, some are about running a business. The best advice I can give you though, is to talk to a pet sitter.
Yes, the job can be flexible and it is fun but it's also quite demanding, more than you see on the surface. Feel free to contact me and I'll give you the real scoop about the job!
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