According to the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) 63% of American homes are shared by some sort of animal family member. Though the benefits that a dog, cat, bird or other pet can bring to your life are numerous, travelling when you have a pet can present a particular challenge.
As a result, many pet owners, or pet parents, have decided to turn to professional pet sitters as a means to ensure that their furry or feathery family member is well cared for while they are away.If you are going to travel soon and are interested in finding qualified pet care, consider the following five points for any caretaker you interview.
Animal Preference – it is not just a myth that there are “dog people” and “cat people.” Therefore, it is important to make sure that anyone who you consider to care for your pet is comfortable with the species and breed. Someone used to caring for large dogs will have a hard time with two house cats and vice versa.
Experience – the whole purpose behind organizations such as the NAPPS is to ensure that pets left at home while their families are at play are well taken care of. Therefore, certification from NAAPS or a similar association is a good way to gauge if the person you are considering to care for your pet has the necessary training and experience to do it properly.
Insurance – a true professional pet sitter, such as one described above, will have more than just an acronym to support their trade. NAPPS and other agencies insure professional pet sitters to make sure that if something does happen while they watch your pet there is means to protect you and them.
References – again, a true professional will offer proof of their professionalism in the same way any other person interviewing for a job would. This means they should provide you with a list of verifiable references that you can and should call.
Interaction – finally, even if all the other elements line up, the final decision needs to be made by your pet. Animals are exceedingly sensitive to character so it is important to pay attention to how your pet responds to the potential sitter and how the sitter responds to your pet. If your pet is “not himself” around the sitter, it is probably not a good fit.
Choosing a pet sitter is like any other interview for a job. As a pet parent who wants and deserves to get away it is important to have peace of mind that your family member left behind is well cared for and happy while you are away.
Making a choice on who is going to take care of our much loved pets while we are out is a choice not easily made. You can get an experienced pet sitter to look after your pets in your own home if ever you do a people search. You will be assured that your pets are in good hands while you are away.