5 Simple Ways to Find a Local Pet Sitter You Trust
Finding a local pet sitter can be harder than it seems. Pets become family in a hurry and it can be difficult to find someone you believe will treat your family with the love and respect that they deserve. Parents scour over babysitters for their kids, after all. Should it be any different for pets?
There are a few qualities that will tell you a lot about a local pet sitter, however, and how confident you can feel leaving your furry friend with them.
Are They Insured?
Though many local pet sitters operate on loose handshake agreements, a person who takes their business seriously will have the appropriate licenses and carry insurance should anything happen to your pet. Hopefully, it never becomes an issue, but any sitter who goes to such lengths to protect their business and everyone involved clearly cares about what they’re doing.
They won’t point fingers. They know how important your pet is and they’ll have a professionalism to match.
Make Sure They’re Trustworthy
It’s easy to get a feeling about a person based on your first impression of them. When meeting with a potential sitter, it can be easy to convince yourself that you have a winner on your hands.
It’s still wise to perform a quick background check and ask for references. Good candidates will have nothing to hide and will encourage you to ask around about their reputation. It’s also worth bringing your pet to an initial meeting with a candidate simply to see how they interact. First impressions are hard to fake.
Check Their Temperament
All animals appreciate a calming presence.
A good sitter can be that calming presence while also remaining flexible to your animal’s needs. The last thing you want is a sitter that gets spooked easily or overreacts to any issues that might arise. When things don’t go according to plan – and they hardly ever do – will they be able to take charge?
Vet Their Experience
Let’s face it: not every sitter is right for every animal. Every type of pet comes with their own unique challenges, so it’s important to make sure your sitter is experienced in dealing with your specific animal. This goes deeper than just making sure you don’t find someone that specializes in cats to care for your dog; even within species, make sure that your sitter is experienced with your breed. A dog sitter who has only ever dealt with Pomeranians will not have the same set of skills as someone who has normally worked with Dobermans, so make sure to ask about both their quantity and type of experience.
Determine Their Passion for Animals
Taking care of pets is not something you do for the money – or just for the money, at least. Many pet sitters aspire to work with animals for a career.
There are various ways that you can determine how much they actually care about animals: ask them about their funniest pet story or favorite animal they’ve ever taken care of. Check to see if they’re taking notes while you’re talking, writing down specifically what your requests are and the needs of your pet. These may sound like minor things, but the best candidates will show a genuine care and concern for your animal and will be willing to work with you to give your pet the best treatment possible.
If you are in Indian Trail NC or any of the surrounding areas in Union County NC, Call Love and Kisses Pet Sitting for all your pet sitting needs. 704-763-9857
Alex Briggs is a contributing writer for VIP Pet Services