When You Need a Pet Sitter

Title: When You Need a Pet Sitter
Author: Elyse Grau

When You Need a Pet Sitter
If you don't have someone readily available to take care of
your pets when you need to be away, you may be looking for
a stranger to do the job. The thought may be daunting, but
with some advance knowledge and planning, you will be able
to find the right person.

The best way to find a pet sitter is to ask your
veterinarian or friends who have pets for recommendations.
There may be people who do it occasionally, like I do, just
not as a business. Some pet sitters will advertise in the
yellow pages or newspapers. Most will leave flyers or
business cards with veterinarians.

There are professional Pet Sitter organizations that have
websites. Some of them offer a search feature, but remember
that only their members will be listed. Some smaller towns
may not have local professional pet sitters.

Keep your expectations realistic. Normally, a pet sitter
will feed the animals, let them out or walk them, change
litter boxes and do whatever else is needed to care for the
animal. They will spend an average of thirty minutes for
each visit. They might even pick up your mail and water
your plants.

There is usually an extra charge for additional visits
during the day. Some sitters may be willing to spend the
night - something you may desire if you have older or sick
animals.

A "meet and greet" visit should be arranged before you are
to be away. It is important that both the animal and the
sitter be comfortable with each other.

Be sure to plan well in advance, as pet sitters are usually
in heavy demand. You should ask for the pet sitter's fees
and policies in writing, so you know exactly what to
expect. I would suggest getting references; a trustworthy
businessperson will have these readily available.

Ask what other kinds of animal experience the person has.
Someone with veterinary experience, such as a technician,
is a good choice for special needs pets. A dog trainer, or
someone who has trained a few animals will know how to
handle dogs with behavioral issues. A pet groomer will have
experience handling both dogs and cats in stressful
situations.

Pet sitters are not required to have any special licensing,
but those who have gone to the trouble of acquiring
accreditation from one of the pet sitter organizations show
a high degree of professionalism in my opinion. They will
have been required to take a course that usually includes
business management, animal care and animal health
instruction. Accredited pet sitters will therefore likely
have more diverse knowledge and experience than someone who
has not been through the course. Once you have found the
right sitter for you, be sure to give and get all the
information you both will need.

You will want to leave phone numbers for where you can be
reached, as well as a friend or neighbor who might be able
to answer questions or help out in emergencies. Provide the
sitter with the name, address and phone number of your
veterinarian, and leave a signed letter giving permission
for necessary medical procedures to be preformed.
Additionally, make sure you have a way to reach the sitter
at all times, in case something comes up.

Be sure to tell the pet sitter of any special behavioral
problems or quirks. If your dog is afraid of people in
hats, say, the sitter will not make the mistake of wearing
her rain hat indoors! Point out where all the supplies are;
food, dishes, toys, beds, etc. Tell the pet sitter your
rules on treats, how much you feed, how often and when. If
you can put everything the pet sitter may need in one
central location, so much the better.

If your animals are on strict schedules for feeding or
medication, ask if these can be accommodated, and work out
an acceptable compromise if need be.

You will need to provide the sitter with the keys to your
home, so you would want her to be bonded and insured. Also,
make arrangements for payment and the return of your keys.

It is a good idea to have a contingency plan in place in
the event that your return is delayed. Plan to call the
sitter on your return or ask her to call you at a specified
time.

You would also hope that the sitter has backup in the event
of problems on her part - car trouble or ill health, for
example. If not, you had better make a backup plan of your
own.

Leaving the pets behind can add unnecessary stress to your
trip. Knowing that you have hired an experienced pet
sitter, and that you have provided her with everything she
needs to do the job right can help ease that stress.

About the Author:

Elyse Grau is an herbalist and a long-time pet owner,
well-versed in pet nutrition and feeding. She is the author
of Pet Health Resource, your web guide to a healthy, happy
dog or cat. The website strives to answer your holistic pet
health questions through a large collection of articles.
http://www.pethealthresource.com

.

__,_._,___