How to Find a cat Sitter?

How to Find a cat Sitter?

I have three cats of my own. They are family to me. So, when I have to travel, leaving them is a concern. When we provide pet care services to our clients, I think about what I would need and want if I were the client. That is why I gave careful consideration to our tag line, "We take care of your pets and home as if they were our own." At Doggie Diva Pet Care, LLC, we provide the highest standard of customized care because that is what we would expect for our own pets and homes. It is my hope that this article serves as a checklist that helps you determine what is important to you for your pet and home care needs.

There are several things to consider when shopping for a pet sitter. First and foremost is trust. Who do you trust to watch your furry, feathered and scaly beloveds? With trust, comes peace of mind and comfort in knowing you can rely on that special someone to take care of your pets and home as you have requested. Who do you trust to take care of your pets and have access to your home while you are away? Who do you trust so that your mind is at ease so much so that you don't even think about what is happening at home while you are away? How do you determine that?

Some things to consider that may help establish trust for you are:

1. Is the pet sitter, dog walker, house sitter licensed, bonded and insured?

2. Do they offer references and have testimonials?

3. Do they do a professional presentation on the initial consultation?

4. Are they active in their community? Do they give back?

5. How long have they been in business?

6. Do they have any other qualifications like being Pet First Aide certified?

7. But most importantly, do you feel comfortable with them. Trust your instinct and intuition more than anything else.

Another important issue to consider when shopping for a pet sitter, dog walker, over night pet care professional is their credibility and professionalism. Which is related to trust but goes a bit further in helping you distinguish the good from the great. There are many people out there that are doing pet sitting for fun and as a part time thing but don't have any real qualifications for doing so, other than a love of animals. Although a love of animals is a must for a good pet sitter because it comes with an innate desire to care for animals. That is the first quality we look for in anyone applying for a position at Doggie Diva Pet Care, LLC. They must absolutely adore animals in order to work with us. We do not hire people who are merely looking for a job. We hire people who are thrilled to be able to be around animals all day and would rather do that than anything else for work. If we start there, the rest is easy. But what about the rest?

Credibility and professionalism can be determined in a few ways:

1. Are they licensed, bonded and insured? What does that mean? When someone is licensed, it means they have a business license as a professional pet sitting service. When a pet sitting company is bonded it protects you from being a victim of theft. For example, if one of their employees or independent contractors where to steal something, the bond insures that you will be compensated for that indiscretion.

When a company has liability insurance they are covered to handle any major mishaps that may happen; such as damage to the home or a pet getting lost or hurt due to negligence. What is important to be aware of with regard to liability is it is for catastrophic incidents. Due to the sometimes unpredictable nature of animals, there are many circumstances that a pet sitter would not be liable for that were not due to negligence. For instance, when a dog slips their leash or escapes from the yard, or perhaps if the house were broken into.

2. Professional pet sitting companies should have a professional service contract that should address these issues of liability and make it very clear for you what they are and aren't liable for when watching your pet and home. The service contract serves as an official agreement that provides you with security and certainty about your agreement.

3. Do they have references that you are encouraged to call? And, do they have testimonials either on their website or that they show you during their initial consultation?

4. Consultations are an initial meeting with a pet sitter that allow you to meet and interview them to determine whether or not it seems like a good fit for you. It is an opportunity for you to meet and find out more. It is a good idea to interview more than one pet sitter to compare and contrast so you get the best one for your needs. Most professional pet sitting companies offer a complimentary consultation of 30-60 minutes.

5. Do they offer a diary or log of visits while you are away? These priceless little notes tell the story of your pets experience while you are gone. And, they provide proof that your pets were visited. Our clients enjoy coming home to read our Doggie Diva Diaries. They have commented that they are amusing and reassuring for them because they help them feel reconnected to their home and pet when they return.

6. Does your pet sitter encourage communication with you while you are away? Are they service oriented and proactive in providing you with reassurance that your pets and home are being well cared for in your absence. At Doggie Diva Pet Care, LLC that is one of our favorite things to provide to our clients because we know how it feels to miss our pets and wonder how they are doing. Not only does it handle the trust issue but it also is a way for our clients to feel connected to their furry, feathered and scaly beloveds while they are away. We will usually call, text or email our clients on the first visit or two, especially if they are a new client who needs the extra reassurance that they made the right choice leaving their pets in our care.

Once you have established trust and have determined a potential pet sitter is credible, what else is important? How about whether or not they are reliable and will do exactly what you are requesting they do while you are away? I have heard many stories from my clients of previous experiences they have had that have damaged their trust because what was promised was not what was delivered. Integrity and reliability are absolute musts when lives and property are at stake! But, how do you determine that in an initial meeting with someone? Sure, we have our gut feelings that are usually pretty reliable but what are some specific ways we can be sure? How about:

1. Do they listen when you are giving them your list of care instructions? Do they ask questions that show they are interested and wanting to make sure they will provide the best service possible for you?

2. Do they write it all down on a service contract? Are they taking detailed notes that show they care and don't want to miss even the slightest detail?

3. Do they have references and testimonials to offer?

4. Do they offer to provide notes in the way of a log of visits or Doggie Diva Diary to prove that they were in fact there as promised?

5. Do they encourage communication and are they proactive in calling you to check in to reassure you that they are there and all is well.

6. Are they willing to call when they are unsure about something or if something out of the ordinary has happened, to get your instructions on how you would like things handled?

7. Do they have a Veterinarian Release Clause in their service contract which allows them the ability to bring your pets to a vet if need be in your absence? Are they willing to address possible unpleasant situations that could arise, professionally and directly to obtain clear and precise instructions from you on what they are to do when you are not there? A pet sitter is acting on your behalf while you are away. Is the pet sitter you are considering someone you feel comfortable with in that position?

With the important trust, credibility and liability issues addressed then it simply comes down to preference, personality and rates. Who do you like the best and feel the most comfortable and confident with? Again, trust your gut feeling. It is always right! Something important to consider; since you and your pets are inviting that pet sitter to become part of your lives. One of the unforeseen rewards of my business has been that I have become friends with many of my clients. It is a relationship that hopefully lasts for many years, so choose it wisely because that pet sitter will become an extension of your family in a way.

Deborah Brightstar - The Doggie Diva, owns and operates, Doggie Diva Pet Care, LLC, a licensed, bonded and insured, pet sitting business in Tucson, AZ, where she customizes her service with a, "We take care of your pets and home as if they were our own!" approach, providing the highest quality of care and service to all of her clients- people as well as furry, feathered or scaly. She shares her active and fun-filled life and her abundance of love with her two rescued greyhounds Kali and Dora and the love-of-her-life Pepper, her English Springer Spaniel and Pet Therapy partner. She enjoys writing about pet related topics and on a variety of other subjects in her spare time

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