What To Look For In A Pet Sitter For Your Pet’s Safety

Going on vacations are bittersweet when you have pets that you have to leave at home. Leaving for work is much easier because you get to see them again by the end of the day. However, vacations can take days or weeks, so you need someone to take care of your pets. When looking for a pet sitter, here are some of the qualities you must look for:

Certified

Sure you can hire your teen neighbour to look after your pet. But, are you sure they’d be the best person to take care of your fur baby? Hiring professionals is a much better route to take. These people are properly trained for the job, so they know about taking care of pets. They’ll respond accordingly in cases of emergency. For example, what if your dog eats chocolate or your cat won’t eat at all? Professional pet sitters will know what to do in that kind of situation.

Trustworthy

You’ll not only leave your pets to the sitter but also your house. You’re letting them into your home, so it’s essential that you trust this person. During the interview, try to figure out whether the person seems trustworthy. Trust your gut. You can also run a background check. Read reviews on their pages or ask previous employers for references.

Experienced

Someone new to the job may do a good job, but someone with more experience will do much better. If your pet is calm and mostly eats, drinks, and then sleeps, a rookie may handle taking care of him without too many problems. However, if your pet is high maintenance, someone who knows how to handle different kinds of behavior is more fitting.

Has A Connection With Your Pet

You shouldn’t entrust your pet to anyone even if they passed your standards. If your pet is not comfortable with the stranger you’re leaving them with, then look for a different pet sitter. Your pet and sitter should be comfortable with each other. It won’t do either of them any good if your pet gets aggressive nor the sitter becomes violent with them.

Has Insurance

Having insurance protects every person involved in case something happens while on the job. It could also mean that the person takes this business seriously, not just some side job that earns them extra cash. It will also help if you have a contract. It should state all the fees and rules that both of you have agreed upon. There should be no hidden charges as well.

Sincerely Cares for Animals

It’s essential that your pet sitter has a genuine love for animals. It means that they truly care about their well-being and not just doing it for the money. Ask them about the previous pets they took care of. Did they have any fond memories of them? Ask them if they have pets of their own too. It’s crucial that you and your pet sitter are on the same page when it comes to fur babies.

Has A Flexible Time Schedule

Your schedule can get disrupted at any given time. You could be asked to attend important meetings or stay longer in the office. You could also suddenly have the urge to go on unplanned vacations. Whatever the situation, it’s beneficial if you have a pet sitter who is available even on short notice.

Respects House Rules

Before signing the contract, you must be clear on the rules and regulations that your pet sitter must follow. If your pet is trained to follow certain rules when inside the house, there should be no reason for the sitter to break them even once. If that happens, you might return to a pet that has a different behavior.

Aside from following pet rules, your sitter should also follow house rules. Tell them which rooms they’re not allowed to enter or what things they’re not allowed to use. If you two are clear on that, then you’ll have a respectful and orderly relationship.

Has Expertise

If your pet has special needs, your pet sitter should have expertise in looking after pets that need a certain kind of care. Make sure they know which medicine to give your pet and at what time to administer it. It’s a little trickier to care for pets that require special handling, so they should know what to do and what not to do.

Follow these tips when you look for a pet sitter. This way you can enjoy your vacation and not worry about your beloved pets even for a short while.