Email

An open letter to pet owners who don’t use professional pet sitters

Dear pet owner,

We get it—you’re busy and you’re budget conscious. And we can even understand why you’d think about asking your neighbor’s teenage daughter or checking one of those Uber-like sites to find a pet sitter when work or travel keeps you from your pets. And while we get it, and while we can understand your desire to find a quick (and cheap) pet-care solution, we urge you to stop and think about your pet.

Here at Pet Sitters International (PSI), we aren’t just the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters—we are pet owners ourselves, and our love for pets drives everything we do here at PSI.

We’ve seen the news alerts come through about crimes committed against pets and clients by purported “pet sitters.” Just this week, a police report detailed how a neighbor who was asked to pet sit installed hidden cameras in the bathroom and watched the pet owner and her children shower.  We wish this was the only horror story, but it’s not. Time and time again, we’ve seen reports of teenagers hired as “pet sitters” trashing a home,  so-called “pet sitters” stealing thousands of dollars in property, and much worse, including pet abuse and death.

Oftentimes, pet owners, and even news outlets, use the term ‘pet sitter’ carelessly, referring to anyone—from a family friend to the neighborhood teenager asked to walk a dog—as a “pet sitter,” but it’s important that you understand pet sitting is a professional career and professional pet sitters offer peace of mind that other pet-care options cannot.

While it may be tempting to save a little cash by hiring  a neighbor, high school student or even a loving, retired couple or family who’ve listed a free profile on a “pet sitter” site, isn’t your peace of mind and your pet’s health worth more?

Would one of these individuals be able to spot possible early signs of renal failure in your senior cat and rush him to the vet while you were on vacation? A professional pet sitter would.

Would any of these “pet sitters” know how to respond if they entered your home to find a broken window, open door and missing pets? A professional pet sitter would.

Would any of these hired “pet sitters” rush to your home at your call to say goodbye to your beloved pet on his deathbed? A professional pet sitter would.

How do we know this? At PSI, we hear from professional pet-sitting members every day. They share their successes: the aggressive kitten that owners thought they would have to rehome but has now adapted to the family after the professional pet sitter shared behavior tips learned at a recent pet-sitter conference…the professional pet sitter whose pet-first aid training enabled her to recognize signs of bloat in a client’s dog and seek veterinary care just in time…the PSI Certified Professional Pet Sitter who was able use the information he learned about pet loss and grief counseling to comfort a family mourning the loss of a beloved pet.

Every day we work with professional pet sitters  who are committed to taking advantage of continuing education, to maintaining the proper business credentials and to increasing communication with their clients to ensure they offer the best professional pet-sitting services possible.

We also hear the other side: the frantic call from a pet owner seeking advice because they’ve discovered their “pet sitter” wasn’t insured and they’re now left with thousands of dollars in damages to their home resulting from a running faucet left on overnight…the e-mail from a pet owner asking for help finding a professional once they return home to discover their pets have been left unattended for days by the “pet sitter” they hired while they were vacationing…the tragic reports of pet owners trusting individuals they’ve found through an online listing only to have their pet stolen, lost or worse.

This is why PSI is so passionate about promoting the benefits—and necessity—of using only local professional pet sitters.


Even for pet owners committed to using professional pet sitters instead of friends or family, the search can be confusing. With the influx of Uber-like pet-care sites popping up in the last few years and news stories touting pet sitting as an easy way to earn extra money, more and more people are deciding to cash in on the growing need for pet care. 

Please know that just because you’ve seen a pet sitter in an online directory—or even on a nationally-publicized site—it doesn’t ensure that person is a legitimate, qualified professional pet-sitting business. Anyone can post a profile advertising pet-sitting services, so it’s important that you to take a closer look to ensure you are hiring a ”real pet sitter” to care for your pets.

While professional pet sitters may cost slightly more than their non-professional counterparts, your investment pays big dividends. Using a professional pet sitter who is insured, bonded and trained protects you and your pet—and we know there’s no price you would place on your pet’s safety and well-being.

We encourage you to ask seven important questions of any pet sitter you consider hiring.

As a pet owner, you decide which pet-care option works best for you and your pets—and we understand that what works best for another pet owner may not be what works best for you.

But, we want your decision to be an educated one. We want to make sure you know that relying on family and friends is no longer your only option—there are professional pet sitters available.

We want to make sure that you understand not everyone who advertises pet-sitting services and “loves pets” is a reliable, qualified option—but there are professional pet sitters available.

We understand that you may be looking for a quick solution and don’t think you have the time or money to invest in professional pet-care—but there are professional pet sitters available…and they offer quality care for reasonable rates. You just have to know where to look and what to ask!

At PSI we are here to help answer any questions you may have about selecting a professional pet sitter….your pet is counting on you to make the best decision!

Comments

J. S.

March 6, 2020  |  8:k AM
It is so important for people to be able to trust that their sitter knows what to do in all of these situations that can occur that we normally don't think about as pet owners ourselves. These are our babies, and we want to leave them in the hands of people who know what they're doing.

Tonia Cansler Merideth

November 3, 2019  |  11:k AM
Great article. Wish I had read it before I hired my pet sitter. She apparently has been stealing items from my home. My girls are devastated as the items she stole were theirs, (Nintendo Switch, iWatch, Google Cast) maybe more things we just hadn’t discovered yet. Changed my locks don’t know what else to do

jaime lynn eichman

September 1, 2019  |  3:k AM
would rather pay good money to good people

adam smith

April 14, 2019  |  7:k AM
I would only let close family or close friends watch my pets. Sorry. I don't care how good this or any other service is, but my pets are the most important thing to me after my wife.

Lori Genstein

September 20, 2016  |  5:k PM
Professional Pet Sitters: Please do not consider nonprofessionals your competition. Someone may love animals and be wonderful, but unless they are a professional pet sitter with an insured, registered, licensed legitimate business, not to mention the education and skills required, they are animal lovers doing it just for extra money. It's our responsibility to enlighten families... we must raise awareness as to who we are and the services we provide and why they and their pets should have nothing less than a professional! For pets' sake and the profession, force hobby sitters to raise their level of education, skill, credentials and the like, up to yours by setting the example. Lead the way for them to follow. =^..^= Lori Genstein
I've Got the 'Scoop'!, LLC

carol palmer

August 16, 2016  |  11:k PM
Excellent piece of work. More than nine in 10 pet owners consider pets as their family member. Leaving your pets at the hands of pet sitters is an overwhelming decision. Every time you hire a petsitter there are few things to be kept in mind. Agree upon the number of times he/she is ti visit your pet. Referrals from friends, neighbors and family , your veterinarian , dog trainer are the reliable sources of pet sitters. Else check for online info. Check for their past experience and pet training details. Take a written proof of commercial liability and should be bonded to protect against theft. Exhort them to communicate with you about the daily activities of your pet. Photos would be more convenient. Meanwhile we too can strengthen the safety of our pets with few simple tips. Check this article (http://www.apialarm.com/blog/keeping-pets-safe/keep-pet-safe-thieves/) for more tips. Fix on the grooming and walking services , duration of walk and the fees involved. To be on safer side ensure his services in case of unexpected delay in your arrival. Make your pets healthier and happier.

Lori

July 21, 2016  |  11:k AM
My takeaway from this article is that if i do not belong to PSI, i am not a professisional. Although I do agree with your article about professional petsitting, I do not feel that people are not professional petsitters because they do not belong to PSI. I am a professional petsitter and do not belong to PSI. That does not make me less of a professional. My jobs are by word of mouth, referrals and proof that I am, in fact, trained to care for animals. Just because I do not want to pay to belong to an organization does not make me less of a professional.

Jan Kissinger

June 8, 2016  |  10:k AM
Excellent article. Defines the professional integrity we strive for every day especially with those who haven't understood how important our profession is.. Kudos PSI !!

Lisa Marie Dobbins

April 27, 2016  |  1:k PM
Excellent article!

Susan Noble

April 24, 2016  |  8:k PM
Excellent article for all pet owners to read. Recent new clients of mine have shared "not the best experience" when they placed their 4 legged furry family member into a kennel for bording. They now are considering other potions and hiring a pet sitter is what they are considering.

Annette

April 17, 2016  |  1:k PM
Wonderful article!!!!! I am going to copy this and start handing them out to potential clients.

Sari Reis

April 16, 2016  |  8:k AM
Love the article. You covered all the essentials and hopefully pet owners will "get" the importance of hiring a legitimate professional pet sitter.

Denise Fleck

April 15, 2016  |  2:k PM
Fabulous article and oh so important. Pets are part of the family. If I'm not there for my best friend, someone who knows as much or more than me is the only someone I would trust. Someone who has taken the time to learn all they can to spot trouble before it happens, someone who is trustworthy and reliable beyond compare and who genuinely has my pet's best interest at heart. In other words, a professional pet sitter. This is not the place in life to cut back by hiring the kid next door. Make sure your best friend has a "second" best friend when you aren't around who will care for him like you would.

Matt Frazier

April 15, 2016  |  1:k PM
That was an excellent article!

Donna Corlito

April 15, 2016  |  10:k AM
excellent article Well said
I'm tired of hearing bout the neighbors & friends & unqualified ppl posting on sites I've been in bz 17 years & the competition is more difficult w/the non professionals

Jeanne Leary

April 15, 2016  |  9:k AM
Great article!!!!

Merika Reagan

April 14, 2016  |  4:k PM
Very good article. Too many people think anybody can do pet care as long as they can put a leash on the dog and that simply is not true.

Joan Schaper

April 14, 2016  |  2:k PM
Great Artical

Maria

April 14, 2016  |  2:k PM
Excellent article! I appreciate the support of PSI. Our business is flooded with questionable competition. This blurs our professional picture to the public.