Petsitters’ Week starts March 6th! This niche has been growing rapidly over the past few decades. While Fido and Fluffy would love to spend every minute of every day with their humans, that just isn’t always possible. Whether it’s for work, travel, events, or just hectic days, it’s likely that sooner or later, you’ll need someone to help care for your pet. A local vet discusses hiring a petsitter in this article from Armitage Animal Clinic, your Newmarket, ON vet clinic.
Experience
Experience is one of the biggest considerations. You’ll need to find out how much experience a prospective petsitter has, and with what kind of pets. While having a young niece, nephew, or sibling watch your furry pal sounds great, that option can have some downsides. If something were to go wrong, you could find that relationship seriously strained or even ruined.
References
You’ll of course need to choose someone that is trustworthy. Request references, and check them. You may also be able to find reviews and/or testimonials. Ask your vet, friends, family, and coworkers for referrals. There are many agencies now that work with petsitters and petwalkers. These may be worth looking into.
Specialties
Choose someone who is used to working with your specific type of pet, whether that’s a big dog, a blind cat, or a feisty kitten. This may be the tricky part, for some: it’s much easier to find petsitters for dogs or cats than for reptiles or exotic animal.
Transparency
It’s always a good idea to meet potential petsitters before hiring them, whether it’s in person or online. Ask plenty of questions, and toss out some what-if scenarios.
Availability
You’ll also want to find out about the petsitter’s schedule and availability. If you tend to have a lot of last-minute trips, someone who requires that bookings be done two weeks’ in advance may not be a good fit.
Let Your Pet Weigh In
Animals are extremely astute judges of character. It’s normal for pets to be shy around someone new. However, if your animal companion seems extremely uneasy, it could be a red flag.
Insurance Coverage
Hopefully all will go well, but it’s important to be prepared in case it doesn’t. Professionals should be insured, which will protect them and you.
Do you have questions about your pet’s health or care? Contact Armitage Animal Clinic, a Newmarket, ON vet hospital!
