With holiday travel at an all-time high, who’s letting the dogs out?
Pet Sitters International offers tips for pet owners in need of pet-care services this holiday season.
KING, N.C. (December 18, 2017) — AAA predicts the 2017 holiday season will break travel records, with more than 107 million Americans projected to travel during the year-end holiday travel period, December 23 through January 1—up 3.1 percent from last year and the highest volume on record. With 68 percent of U.S. households owning a pet, millions of these projected holiday travelers will have to answer the question, “Who will care for the pets while we are away?”
Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, advises pet owners to ensure they can travel worry-free—and that their pets stay happy and healthy—this holiday season by securing the services of professional pet sitters.
“Knowing that a beloved pet can enjoy the stress-free environment of its own home during the holiday season can provide great peace of mind for pet owners,” said Patti J. Moran, PSI founder and president. “But, it’s important that pet owners understand what to look for and what questions to ask when selecting a professional pet sitter.”
PSI advises pet owners to ask seven important questions when interviewing a potential pet sitter:
- Does the pet sitter have the proper business license for your city or state, if required?
- Is the pet sitter insured and bonded?
- Can the pet sitter provide proof of clear criminal history?
- Does the pet sitter provide client references?
- Will the pet sitter use a pet-sitting services agreement or contract?
- Is the pet sitter a Certified Professional Pet Sitter (CPPS®) and/or has he or she participated in other pet-care training, such as pet first aid?
- Is the pet sitter a member of a professional and educational association, such as Pet Sitters International?
Even for pet-owners who don’t plan to travel long distances, a pet sitter can also come in handy to help keep pets on their regular schedules while the owners are out shopping late or enjoying holiday parties.
But, pet owners in need of pet-care services this holiday season should contact their local professional pet sitters right away. According to a membership survey conducted by PSI last holiday season, more than 60 percent of its members are completely booked for holiday pet-sitting visits two to three weeks prior to the holiday—and nearly 13 percent are usually fully booked at least two months in advance.
Pet owners who need in-home pet care during the holiday season can visit http://www.petsit.com/locate to find professional pet sitters in their areas and download the Pet Sitter Interview checklist.
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About Pet Sitters International
Founded in 1994 by Patti J. Moran, author of Pet Sitting for Profit, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, with member pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and more than 20 other countries. PSI members have access to the widest array of business services and educational resources available in the professional pet-sitting industry. PSI’s Pet Sitter Locator is the largest online directory of professional pet sitters, and pet owners can visit petsit.com/locate to find local professional pet sitters.
