FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

PET SITTING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why hire a professional pet sitter?
What are the advantages for my pet and I?
How should I prepare my home and pets for a pet sitting service?
What can I do to help the pet sitter take the best care of my pets?
How much should I tip my pet sitter?
Will I be able to contact my pet sitter while I'm away?
How do I know that the sitter really comes?
What happens when I get home?

Why hire a professional pet sitter?
Involved pet owners know that most pets adjust better to their owner’s absence and experience less anxiety and stress when they can remain in their home environment. Pet sitters make this possible with daily visits to your home. In addition to meals, exercise, playtime, and cleaning litter boxes or cages, professional pet sitters may also administer medications, walk dogs, and perform other pet-care duties. In-home pet care has become the first choice of pet owners and the “pet-preferred” method of vacation and travel care. Pet sitters may also provide vital home-care services while you are away, including mail or newspaper pick up, placing trash outside for pickup or altering the lights and blinds as a crime deterrent. Professional pet sitters are just what the description implies – professional. While having friends, family, or neighbors care for your pets may seem like a logical choice, professional pet sitters do this for a living and have the experience necessary to care for your animals. We reliably enter your home while you are away and since this is our job, you can count on us to be there.

What are the advantages for my pet and I?
1.    Your pet stays in their normal and familiar environment, reducing their stress and anxiety.
2.    The pet's normal diet and exercise routine stay the same, creating a fluid transition for the care takers and the animals.
3.    When you are able to leave your pet in its own home, there is less of a chance that they would be infected with a transferable illness, unlike a stay at a boarding kennel or vet's office.
4.    Your pet sitter will spend actual love and attention time with your pet, just as you would if you were there.
5.    You won't be inconvenienced by any type of travel concerns.  Your pet will be taken care of as soon as you leave the home until the time you arrive back.
6.    You don't need to inconvenience friends, family, or neighbors to watch over your home and pets.
7.    A pet sitter creates a natural crime deterrent for your home through not vacating your home when away.
8.    A pet sitter can provide you with lots of additional services, which ends up benefiting the owner even further.
9.    You have the peace of mind, knowing that your pet is receiving the ultimate level of care while you are away.

How should I prepare my home and pets for a pet sitting service?
Preparation can make a big difference in how smoothly things go for your pet when the pet sitter comes to visit. Here are some tips:
1.      Call your pet sitter before you leave town to confirm travel dates and contact information while you are away.
2.      Make sure the pet sitter has a phone number where you can be reached, as well as a local emergency contact number.
3.      Provide the pet sitter with a house key. If you wish to provide a garage door opener, give the sitter a back up key as well, just in case of a power outage. If you have new keys made, try them out to make sure they work.
4.      Make sure to test the alarm system, and provide your pet sitter with both the keypad code, as well as the spoken password, in case of a false alarm.
5.      Provide extra food, litter and other supplies just in case you’re not able to return when planned.
6.      Adjust the thermostat to keep the house comfortable for the pet during your absence. In warm weather, a shut-up house can get dangerously hot quickly.
7.      Leave a list of phone numbers in case the pet sitter needs to contact service or maintenance companies while you are away; i.e., plumber, electrician, cleaning service, etc.
8.      Tell the pet sitter of any household areas that are off-limits to your pets or to the pet sitter. Secure access to those areas before leaving home.

What can I do to help my pet sitter take the best care of my pets?
You can help your pet sitter be a better friend to your pet by making sure there are no problems while you are away. Planning and preparation in the following areas will help to ensure satisfaction:
1. Tell the pet sitter about all health problems your pet may have—major or minor, past or present.
2. Provide written verification that your pet is up to date on its vaccinations.
3. Make sure your dog’s collar fits—Otherwise he may slip out of a too-large collar while being walked.
4. If your dog is not accustomed to walking on a leash, practice with him before you leave.
5. Make a list of your pet’s favorite hiding places. This will prevent the pet sitter from worrying if your pet is not where expected—the sitter will know where to look.
6. If your dog growls or snaps at a pet sitter during a consultation visit, understand that the pet sitter may ask that you make other arrangements for your dog’s care during your absence.
7. Be honest about your pet’s quirks, i.e. a dog that is nervous about having his leash put on, or a cat that does not like to be petted. The more your pet sitter knows, the better equipped he or she is to care for your pets.

How much should I tip my pet sitter?
Pet sitters work hard and often get overlooked. They care for your pets with a great deal of love, and commonly go “above and beyond” the call of duty. If you were provided with great service, it is appropriate to tip your pet sitter 10-20% of the total bill.

Will I be able to contact my pet sitter while away?
You will be provided with our main number and our main emergency number as well. You will also be given the cell phone number or direct number for calling your personal pet sitter. You are welcome to call whenever you wish, and if the sitter is unable to answer the call, you will receive a timely response after leaving your sitter a message.

How do I know that the sitter really comes?
Besides trusting the relationship with your sitter, it is common for clients to wonder how they would really know if someone came and visited their home. We have paperwork and forms that we leave at each visit. Also, our company has a call back feature in place where each sitter is required to call the main line and check in arrival and departure times from a client's home phone (if available) or a cell phone when a land line is not present in the home. In addition, you will be able to tell by your pet's response that they were properly cared for and thoroughly loved in your absence.

What happens when I get home?
When you arrive home you should have all the invoice and billing information at your house.  You will mail the payment or make arrangements to have it picked up if necessary. It is always helpful to let your sitter know when you are home safe. This way we know the animals are taken care of and can therefore avoid unnecessary visits to your home. Other than that, sit back, relax, and enjoy being home again.