Find a Trusted Pet Sitter

FAQs

Why choose a professional pet sitter?

Professional pet sitters provide in-home day visits or overnight stays and daily walks. As pets are more comfortable and secure staying in their own home rather than being boarded at a kennel or day care facility, in-home pet care is the best choice for most pets. Professional pet sitting services may include: Providing food and fresh water at each visit; cleaning litter boxes and pet cages; walking dogs; play time for your pets; administering medications; caring for pets that may require special handling. Most professional pet sitters also provide some home care services, which give your home a lived-in appearance and added security. Your pets will thrive on the love and attention they receive from a one-on-one pet care provider, and you will appreciate the peace of mind that comes from hiring a reliable, insured, professional pet sitter, whose full-time job is caring for pets.

Why do professional pet sitters require an initial interview or consultation?

Professional pet sitters know the importance of choosing the right person for the job. During the consultation, your potential pet sitter will interact with your pets and observe their behaviors, allowing the sitter to gather information and ask appropriate questions. You also get the opportunity to ask questions and experience how your sitter interacts with your pets. The consultation thus ensures a good fit for your pet care needs and gives you reassurance that your pets will receive personalized, high quality care. Some pet sitters may charge a small fee for initial consultations.

Why is it important to hire an Insured pet sitter?

Hiring a professional pet care provider who carries liability/property insurance ensures protection for your pet(s) and your property when you’re away from home, either at work or on vacation. Since accidents/incidents do happen, pet owners should view pet sitter insurance coverage as an important requirement/credential for any pet care provider they are considering.

Do you permit sharing of pet sitting duties with a family member or friend?

Sharing pet sitting duties with other caregivers (friends, neighbors, family members or other, un-insured pet sitters) is a policy decision made by individual pet sitting services. Primarily, this policy relates to potential insurance liability, but it also involves consistent, quality care for your pets – which can be a big issue when multiple providers care for your pets. Please ask your pet sitter about his/her policies regarding this situation when setting up your initial consultation.

Will you pet sit for aggressive dogs?

Some of our pet care professionals specialize in obedience/behavior training for dogs and may be able to offer you some guidance in managing your dog’s behavior. However, most professional pet sitters will not provide care for animals that have a history of aggression/biting. If you have any questions regarding this issue, you should address these concerns with your pet sitter at the initial consultation, before the pet sit starts, to clarify expectations for both you and your sitter.

Do you provide every other day visits for cats or once a day visits for dogs?

Anything can happen to a beloved pet within a 24-hour period. That is why most AAPPSA members require cats to be visited a minimum of once each day, and dogs at least twice each day. Cats are curious by nature and often get into hazardous situations that may threaten their safety or prevent them from accessing fresh water or their litter box. Some pets will overeat from boredom or loneliness, which can be deadly. Dogs can tip over their water bowls and use them as toys, thus leaving them with no water for an extended period of time. A pet sitter making regular, frequent visits to your pets ensures that they are under the watchful eye of a professional caregiver, who is paid to proactively provide safety, security and social interaction for your precious animal companions.

What happens in a medical emergency, a weather emergency or natural disaster?

During the initial consultation, your professional pet sitter will discuss the appropriate emergency plan for your pets, in the event one of them falls ill or is injured. You will likely be required to sign a veterinary care release, which gives your pet sitter permission to transport your pets to their primary or emergency veterinarian. Your professional pet sitter can also help you plan for your pet’s safety in the event of weather emergencies and/or natural disasters. Anticipating emergencies and planning ahead, for your pets’ safety and security, are services of great value – which only professional pet sitters provide.

My pets live indoors. Do they need to be vaccinated?

We respect everyone’s opinion on whether to vaccinate pets. However, many professional pet sitters will not accept unvaccinated pets as clients because of the health risks to themselves and to other clients’ animals. Proof of basic vaccinations is often required.