Pet sitters are like baby sitters, who are employed to
take care of a pet within the home. Usually, pet owners hire
them on a contract basis when they go out on vacations. They can
also be employed for a short duration like for an evening. The
advantage of hiring a pet sitter is that the pet is taken care
of within its environment.
The problem faced by segregating the pet out of its environment
is that they become stressed out. In case of travelling before
reaching the new owner they can also experience travel trauma.
Vaccinations are administered to the pet after studying their
lifestyle. Chances are that they can become ill because of
exposure to parasites, as that situation wasn’t considered
during the time of vaccination.
It is a very good idea to conduct a pet sitter interview, before
hiring them for the job. The interview can be arranged on phone
or in person. It is better if the interview is taken at home as
the ability of the pet sitter can be tested with the pet. The
pet sitters should be qualified and must have completed an
educational coursework. The coursework should include pet care,
nutrition and health along with business and office procedures.
It is a bonus if they have taken care of animals similar to the
pet you have before because not all pet sitters can take care of
all types of pets. Every pet sitter is specialized with certain
types of pets. It is very rare that a pet sitter has knowledge
about all kinds of pets. They should have good experience in the
pet care industry.
The pet sitter should also be insured or bonded in case of
accidents. The insurance card and coverage should be checked out
for this purpose. They can even be asked for references. The pet
owners, whom they have worked with earlier can provide clear
picture. The payment terms should also be discussed beforehand.
The pet sitter looks after the food and water needs of the
animal. They maintain the normal routine of the animal. They
also give medicines to the pet, if it is on medication. Some
even provide special services such as injecting insulin;
administering subcutaneous fluids, and checking blood pressure
and glucose levels. In such cases, the knowledge of the pet
sitter should be assessed with the vet of the pet.
Some pet sitters also provide pet walking services. This service
is availed by people who are old or are having some kind of
disability and are not able to provide the adequate exercise to
their pet. They also drive the pet to the vet, groomer or
trainer. Pet sitters also pick up pet supplies such as food and
medicines. All the additional services are optional and not
provided by all pet sitters. They also play with the pet and
maintain the litter box.
Pets such as dogs, cats, snakes, rabbits, ferrets, lizards,
guinea pig, fish, and hamsters can be having a complete stranger
also as a pet sitter. But some of the exotic animals are very
fussy and shy. They accept pet sitters whom they are familiar
with. In such cases, pet owners must try to develop familiarity
between the pet and the pet sitter beforehand, in their
presence. The most common method of bonding with the animal is
by bottle feeding them. After the initial bond is formed, the
pet can be left alone with the baby sitter.