How to trust a pet sitter

Where do I begin. Even being a pet sitter myself, and running a successful pet care business, I still find myself missing and worrying about my animals when I leave them. I know how hard it can be to leave your animals at home or in a kennel in someone else's care. But sometimes its necessary, we can't live our life missing out on events, trying to be home 24/7, making up excuses not to go to that weekend work retreat... so what do you do? In this post, I will share with you some top tips to help you feel relaxed and reassured when hiring a pet sitter, and a bonus if you're in the Southern Highlands or Goulburn, you're reading an article written by a top one ;)

Sometimes I encourage people to remember how much trust we put in every day situations, then tell them to compare that to hiring a pet sitter that has an excellent reputation, experience, and knowledge. When we drive, when we put our kids on the bus to school, or when we pay someone else to make our lunch. Now, I know these situations aren't quite the same as leaving your pet alone for what is sometimes a week or more, but it shows that when we do not overthink a situation, and have natural faith that the professionals all through our day to day lives know what they're doing.

Another question I like to ask people that helps set their mind at ease, Does your back up have a back up? I find asking this means that pet owners will ensure that there are at least 2 people who can / will tend their pet while away. I often tell people, I am 'Chenelle' I am not 'Paws N Whiskers'. People can get sick, people can get injured, called away to family emergencies and so on, so, does your back up have a back up? Look at pet sitting services that have more than 1 staff member, leave emergency contacts with your sitter, ask the question 'what will happen if you are unable to come' either they will answer in a way that puts you at ease, or they will answer in a way that makes you realise you may not be interviewing the person who is right for you and your pets needs and you will be able to continue your search - because lets face it, when we come for meet and greets, its an intense interview on our clients part to make sure the right decision is made.

When looking at pet sitters, check out their reviews! See what other people have to say about the company or sole trader you're checking out. Do the reviews just say 'Did a good job looking after my babies, thanks' ? As these reviews can seem a little un-enthused and malcontented. When you read reviews you want them to make you feel almost excited to reach out to your prospect, already with a high expectation for standard, looking forward to chatting with the person(s). Reviews with words like 'trustworthy', 'thorough', 'reliable', are all going to mean the clients were incredibly satisfied with their service, the more effort someone has gone to write, the better the pets have been cared for. When was the last time you left a good review for a mediocre service or experience? Did you leave a review? Or do you only leave a bang up review when you LOVED whatever it was you just did, experienced, ate, etc.

The more at ease they make you feel, the smoother bookings will run. A person that shows absolute understanding and caring in life and towards animals are going to make your choice a no-brainer, if you have to 'um' and 'ah', trust your gut, and shop around, look at peoples personal Facebook pages, Instagram, reach out to clients and ask 'what do you think of ---?' Do they do pet sitting full time? Will they be able to devote themselves to your beloved pets? Or do they have multiple manners of employment? A person stretched too thin, may be more likely to make errors, burn themselves out, or not commit entirely to your care plan.

These are some of my top suggestions when it comes to finding a sitter you are able to trust, as that really is the key in pet sitter / client relationships. Pets are often our pride and joy, for some people they are their children, and we only want what is best for them! We want to know they are being treated like absolute little kings and queens, and happy and content when you return to them.

If you have any questions or queries regarding this post, or really any pet care related issues, never hesitate to contact me via our website, Facebook, or phone. Our website also has an interactive chat feature in the bottom right hand corner which I will personally reply to you from!

Enjoy the rest of your week! Follow our socials to be kept up to date with what we get up to day to day.

Chenelle x