Are Pet Sitter’s That Good?

The American Humane Society has said that pets are the happiest when they are “at home”.

Hopefully that statement will clear up any confusion about leaving your dog at someone else’s home and think of that as “pet sitting.” It’s not.

Caring for the pet IN YOUR HOME is what separates Pet Sitters from boarders, doggie daycares, or kenneling at a vets.

Consider these advantages for your pet:

• Happier and less stress in a familiar environment
• Travel trauma is eliminated.
• Exposure to illness is reduced
• Diet and daily routines are uninterrupted

Here are just some of the tasks Pet Sitters perform in clients’ homes:

• Feeding and providing clean fresh water
• Giving any medications that are needed
• Play with your dog and provide exercise (walking them if that is arranged)
• Cleaning up any messes
• Bring in mail as well as any packages and/or newspapers
• Turn lights on and off, alternate blinds to make the home look “lived in”
• Most all Pet Sitters are very accommodating and will be open to other tasks you may require

If you have ever used a Pet Sitter, especially for overnight care, the greatest benefit is the peace of mind you have knowing that your dog is in good hands.

Just a few more of the benefits a professional Pet Sitter provides:

• Ability to react to any changes in circumstances or emergency
• Security to the home while you are away
• Providing no compromised health, safety or security for your dog
• Human interaction with your dog, your pet not just sitting in a cage

While all of those are great reasons to use a Pet Sitter, I’ll admit the biggest negative to utilizing a Pet Sitter is cost. For many, the cost is prohibitive.

If you are taking a week’s (7 days) vacation, a Pet Sitter will cost, on average for one dog will run between $300 – $900, depending on the services you need and your location in the US (much higher on the West Coast).

Here are the final two considerations before hiring a Pet Sitter for your furry friend.

One, make sure they are bonded as well as carry insurance and make sure you have adequate personal liability insurance coverage as well.

Second, during the interview process find out if they are a member of either Pet Sitters International or the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. Anyone who is serious about being a Pet Sitter will have joined at least one of those professional organizations.

Next time you need to have your dog watched for an extended length of time, check out using a Pet Sitter, it just may fit into your budget and your pet will be left in good hands.