Professional Pet-Sitting Industry Honors its Own, March 2-8, 2008

February 21, 2008

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Contact: John Long, communications manager

Phone: (336)-983-9222, ext. 318

KING, NC (PSI)—Pet Sitters International, the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, will celebrate Professional Pet Sitters Week, March 2-8, 2008. The educational organization is asking communities and individuals to join them in recognizing the pet sitters who make in-home pet care possible.

For nearly one million discriminating pet owners in the United States, Canada and abroad, there is no substitute for professional in-home pet care. Professional pet sitters offer a unique and beneficial alternative to using boarding facilities or having to rely on family and friends for quality pet care. Because many professional pet sitters receive specialized training in areas such as animal behavior, emergency preparedness, pet first aid, and other important skill sets, pet owners can leave their homes for business or pleasure with the knowledge that their beloved pets are in safe, capable and caring hands.

Pet Sitters International serves a membership comprised of nearly 8,000 independent professional pet-sitting businesses. The business of pet sitting often requires long hours and an on-the-go schedule that keeps sitters busy nearly 365 days a year. On average, the typical PSI member meets the pet-care needs of 126 individual homes each year. With 63 percent of households in the United States owning pets, it is easy to understand why professional pet sitting is one of the fastest growing and in-demand home-based professions in the world—especially among women, who make up 91% of PSI’s membership.

“We are pleased that so many pet owners have embraced in-home pet care over the past thirteen years,” states PSI President Patti Moran. “At PSI, our goal is to help our members grow in knowledge, confidence and professionalism––and to celebrate their efforts along the way. Professional Pet Sitters Week is our way of saying thank you to each of them. We encourage anyone who has experienced the benefits of in-home pet care to do the same during this special week.” In addition to meeting the demands of their normal work schedule, many PSI members spend their ‘downtime’ volunteering for local animal shelters and other worthwhile animal organizations.

For pet enthusiasts, professional pet sitting is the gateway to an entrepreneurial career path that affords them a livelihood with a definite sense of fulfillment. It is a career choice that translates into a win-win situation for all three participants: pet, pet owner and pet sitter.

PSI invites anyone who would like information about a pet-sitting career or about the advantages of hiring a professional pet sitter to visit www.petsit.com.

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