Finding A Petsitter

Finding A Petsitter

I am a strong believer in using a petsitter versus leaving them in a kennel, simply because my dogs are so rotten. I have been fortunate enough that I have never had to use either one of these because I have enough family to fall back on, but usually I am able to take them with me. We have a travel trailer and when we go anywhere they go with us. My dogs are treated like royalty at home and I can't imagine leaving them in a kennel and actually being able to enjoy myself. I think it is important for animals that are that spoiled rotten to be comfortable in their own surroundings if it is at all possible. I know people leave them in kennels all the time and it works fine for them; I just could not do it. Some dogs, I'm sure, are content with this and it may not be a whole lot different than their environment at home. When they are used to having the run of the house and sleeping with you it has got to be stressful for them to go to a kennel.

I had my own petsitting business for a couple of years and while I enjoyed it, I decided I wanted to have a little more freedom to travel when I wanted to. After getting a full-time job, I gave up most of my customers but still have kept a few of my favorites that fit in with my schedule.

Here are some things to look for when choosing a petsitter:

they should be bonded, liscensed, and insured
they should provide references that you can contact
you should be sure that they come to meet with you and your pets at your home to get instructions and see how they interact with your pets and how your pets react to them
if you choose the petsitter, they should have a contract showing the services, fees, and totals
petsitters usually do additional things such as rotate lights on and off, get mail and newspaper, water plants, etc.
arrangements should be made for veterinarian services in case of an emergency

Here are a couple of websites to help you find a petsitter in your area.