Pets are family to most people and it’s hard to imagine leaving without them. It’s a good idea to consider hiring a pet sitter.
Whether you decide to actually get one will depend on several variables including what types of animals you have and how high-needs they are. For instance, a dog almost always requires a pet sitter, as they require more interaction than a cat and many have feeding schedules that need to be adhered to.
What does a pet sitter do?
What is it that a pet sitter does? A pet sitter is in charge of all aspects of your pets life while you are away, whether you are gone for a day, or taking a longer vacation or business trip.
A pet sitter is different than a dog walker, poop-scooper, or even a neighbor that you ask to feed your pets while you are gone. While the previously mentioned individuals can be a good option for some, a pet sitter is always a better option because they do all of those tasks and more. Pet sitters provide your animal with much needed companionship and social interactions.
Dog and Cat Boarding Facilities
Boarding facilities can be mistaken for pet sitters but the two are very different. Boarding facilities often kennel animals at night or during parts of the day, like when it’s time to feed them. Pet sitters rarely use kennels, unless it is specified that they are to be kenneled at night or during feedings.
Boarding facilities can be an acceptable option for some, however, it doesn’t compare to the one-on-one interaction that animals get with a pet sitter. Much of the time, the pet sitter will also house sit, which means less stress on pets because they don’t have to experience the change in scenery.
Pet sitters are often advised for owners of cats because cats often dislike travel and take a long time to adapt to new environments.
Pet sitters are often specialists when it comes to animals. They have a passion for pets that is so great, they decide to spend most of their time surrounded by animals. This means that they are likely to notice if something isn’t right or normal with animals that they are watching.
Unlike boarding facilities, they only take on one family at a time, allowing all of their focus and love to go to those animals alone. For people with animals that have special needs, a pet sitter is the only option because it’s the next best thing to being there themselves.
Pet sitters can be more expensive than any of the single task animal caretakers that were mentioned before, however, they do much more work and give pets one-on-one attention.
Many pet sitters can also provide pictures along with texts, emails or other communications, to update owners on how their pets are doing. The best way to make sure that a pet sitter does everything that needs to be done, is to have a meet-and-greet with the potential sitter, the pet, and the owner.
Meeting with your new Pet Sitter
In this meeting, any specific questions or special needs can be discussed and every person involved can make sure that it is a good match.