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Yesterday I asked for petsitters recommendations.
I got 2 recommendations, but 4 people wrote to me privately NOT recommending someone.
4 different bad experiences, 4 different sitters.
So concerning, alarming, really…
As we know, the industry is not regulated, so ANYONE that loves animals (or “pretends” to love them) can be a petsitter… and the results can be sad, problematic or even catastrofic.
I wrote this a while ago, so I’m re-sharing.
Best advice to find a good petsitter.
I hope it helps…
And PLEASE, make sure you leave your pets with someone with knowledge, reputation, trustworthy, with several recommendations… even if you have to pay a little more for peace of mind!
And always keep an eye on your sitter while you are away…
Before hiring someone:
1) If promoted on Facebook, have a look at the person’s personal profile. Is it sketchy? Does the person have many friends, nice posts, nice messages from others? Does the person have any pictures of animals in their profile, or shared anything related with pets (rescues, donations, time spent, etc.?)
2) Is the person looking for accommodation or for a job looking after pets? What is the priority? Is it a serious job for them or pure convenience? Sometimes the sitter is there only to live in the house, while only “surviving” the pets, not spending good loving quality time with them. And some people don’t even like the pets!
3) Ask for qualifications. OK, I’m not asking for a professional dog trainer or vet nurse here (that’s a gem!), just simply training courses related to animal care. Many of them are free, many of them are affordable. If the sitter has never been interested in attending to any course related to animal welfare, to learn more / get more education on this matter… do they take this job seriously?
4) Experience: Do they have their own pets? How many animals have they dealt with in their lives?
How many years has the person been working with animals? is their title “experienced petsitter” valid? Has the person shadowed someone or has ever been supervised on how to care for animals properly?
What’s the plan in emergency situations? Does the person known about first aid, has a close relationship with vets in your area to find a quick solution to a life-threatening situation? Can the person realise quickly if your pet is in distress?
What is the experience with dogs with behavioural issues (anxious, barky, reactive)? Is the person going to improve or worsen those behavioural issues?
5) Does the person have a business profile? Business page with google reviews? Has the person been in the area for long, is known in the community?
Can the person provide at least 3 referrals from other clients, and a police check?
6) Does the person pay taxes for these services as a serious business? Does the person have insurance in case they break something in your house or anything happens to your pet?
Once you hire someone:
1) Write detailed instructions / lifestyle about your pet’s routine, so the sitter can follow it properly with no room for error. The more detailed, the merrier. How many walks, where do you usually go, (don’t let them go off the lead!), meal times, medications, where they sleep.
2) If the sitter doesn’t provide a contract for the services, you can write up one with the routine of your dogs, and clear policy about the house rules. Is the sitter allowed to invited people over? 2 people told me in the last month that their sitters invited people without their consent. One of them brought a random man, the other one her boyfriend + extra couple to “spend the weekend”.
3) Have a backup person that will come over during the period you are away to supervise the sitter. Get a dog walker (ever day if possible), a neighbour, family, vet, to pay a visit every second day or so to check on your pets’ welfare. 3 people recently told me that they were horrified by the testimonials of neighbours: sitters yelling at dogs, leaving them in the backyard by themselves for hours, not being at home all day, leaving the cats locked out at night. I’ve checked some sitters as per request from my clients and found the animals terrified of them, with no water in the bowls, old smelly food in their plates, thinner, depressed, hiding. Ask someone to pay a visit and flag anything that seems odd.
4) Agree on a way of reporting about the welfare of your pets. Will they send daily updates with photos and videos? Or no updates at all? We send a detailed report at least 3 times a day. You can see in them your dog eating, playing, having cuddles, going for walks, being happy. Will you get that from your sitter?
5) And last but not least, get a CAMERA. I’ve been recommending this to everyone. It’s only $150 and huge peace of mind. Place the camera outside your house (not inside, unless agreed with sitter… we don’t mind!) and check the movements of your pets & the sitter.
Are your dogs being walked every day as promised? For how long?
Is the sitter away all day?
I got a testimonial from a friend who recently told me that she could see in the cameras that her dog didn’t leave the house for 3 days even though the sitter told her he did.
She could also see how the sitter would leave in the morning and come back late at night, leaving the dog by himself, and invited a man in the middle of the night and she could hear screams from a heated discussion.
Luckily, the next morning she sent someone to rescue her dog and kick the sitter out of the house.
All the things listed above are a huge differential in our service, and that’s why we charge accordingly.
Sometimes what’s cheap turns out to be expensive, so please, don’t go cheap on your loved ones.
If you have any questions about petsitting, flick me a message and I’ll be happy to help.