Pet Sitters: Pros & Cons

There are many Pros and a few Cons to Hiring Pet Sitters

So WHY should you hire a pet sitter?

According to a door knob hanger published by Pet Sitters International…(My own thoughts are in parenthesis.)

Advantages for the pet

  • The pet remains in his familiar, secure environment. All of the sights, smells and sounds are familiar. (The pet will not be stressed out by a kennel environment where its sight is limited to the walls of the kennel, the smells of other pets and stressed barking and whining.)
  • The pet will have his or her usual diet and exercise routine (The pet is more likely to eat on a normal schedule with its own food and exercise in a familiar space.)
  • The pet does not have to travel if it doesn’t like to travel (Some pets just do not travel well.)
  • The pet is not exposed to illness from other pets (Kennel cough and distemper are concerns.)
  • The pet receives love and personal attention while you are away (A pet sitter can give your pet personal attention.)

 

 

Benefits for the Owners

  • Convenient (You don’t have to allow time to drop off your pet)
  • Do not have to ask a friend, neighbor or relative to care for your pets (Not always a balanced trade-off)
  • Crime-deterrent services (Someone is coming and going and picking up mail and papers.)
  • Leave knowing your pet is in good hands (Better to have a trained person for your pets.)
  • You can return home any hour of the day to a healthy, happy pet (No picking up involved.)
  • (You do not have to get additional vaccines for your pet.)

Cons of Hiring Pet Sitters

  • Not all pets are suitable for the pet sitter
  • Can be more costly if multiple trips in a day are required
  • You should NOT rely on your pet to be in the yard, fenced or with an electric fence
  • Thieves follow pet sitters with emblems on their vehicles waiting for an opportunity to strike
  • Services should NOT be shared with family members or friends
  • Pet sitters should visit cats on a daily basis since they hide illness (Some owners want less frequent visits.)

So what are your thoughts? Do you use pet sitters? Was  your experience good or bad? What suggestions do you have for others?

Come back for more Miracle Living With Gusto,

Amelia

 

7 Replies to “Pet Sitters: Pros & Cons”

  1. Great post with terrific lists for making the decision. Not everyone knows about the national organizations for professional pet sitters, either–and those folks may be bonded and better trained than the neighborhood teenager. *s* This is the season for vacations, so very timely info, thanks!

  2. We have a live-in cat sitter every time. I would not put the cats in a cattery as the price would be crippling – we have more than three ;-). I am already looking for someone to cat sit over the BlogPaws event!

  3. We have a pet sitter that we have used for many years. He knows our pets and is great with animals. I had no idea that some thieves follow pet sitters! Fortunately, our pet sitter doesn’t use a sign on his car.

  4. For pet-sitters, we have used family or friends with references. We pay one person to come in the morning and another to come in the evening. The cost can get expensive but is worth it. The first year we left our youngest cat alone she stopped eating out of fear of fireworks. If not for having dedicated pet sitters, she could have died. Good article!

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