Questions For A Pet Sitter
Are you facing the possibility that you may have to leave your dog alone due to a trip and are in need of a pet sitter? Although the thought of leaving your lovable dog alone with a stranger to take care of him for a certain period of time sounds scary, the truth is that there are many professional pet sitting services out there which will take good care of your dog and will guarantee his safety.
As with looking for any service that you must trust with your pets (as well as your personal belongings), you must do your due diligence and be sure to interview the person or organization that you are considering for the job. Below are a few questions that you should be asking every pet sitter service so that you can make an informed decision and feel comfortable with your choice.
1. Anything can happen at any time and if an emergency springs up in your home, especially if your dog becomes sick or injured, ask the pet sitter if they have a veterinarian that is on-call for these types of emergencies. And even if they do have a veterinarian to assist them with help, you should also provide the contact information for your dog’s veterinarian as backup, just in case their doctor is unavailable for some reason.
2. Ask the pet sitter if they have a checklist that they go by to ensure the safety of your house and the prevention of crime. What you are looking for here is to see that this person is conscious of the fact that they are not only responsible for your dog, but they are also responsible for your house and its belongings. Having a checklist of what doors to lock, windows to shut, and other security measures to take, such as keeping the lights on, etc. is a positive sign that the pet sitter can be trusted.
3. Find out if they have a backup plan in case something prevents the pet sitter from arriving at your house to take care of your dog. Poor weather could hold the schedule up or the pet sitter may become too sick to work that day, so it is imperative that they have a contingency plan which includes a secondary pet sitter to take their place. The last thing you want to find out is that your dog went without fresh water and food, or the ability to use the bathroom outside, for an extended period of time.
