Vacation Angst…or What to Do With the Pets?

Leaving home for work or vacation? Are you concerned about leaving your pets behind? No need to lock them up at a kennel! Your pets can stay home in the care of a professional pet sitter. Here’s what you need to know to help you choose the very best for your dogs, cats, snakes or gerbils.

Article body:

What is more nerve wracking than arranging your travel tickets, finding a hotel and rental car for your trip, and packing your bags? Today, internet travel sites make all that simple and fairly stress free. The most nerve wracking part of the trip happens well before you leave: trying to figure out who will care for your pets!

Among the choices available to you are commercial cat and dog kennels. A clean, well run facility is indeed an option. But the average pet would prefer not to be caged in a noisy environment, far from home, and packed with strange animals. Wouldn’t it be nicer if they could just stay home? Of course it would. Perhaps the neighbor kid would be willing to let the dogs out, feed them, and clean the litter box. Sounds great right?

But what happens when that neighbor kid is asked out on a date, breaks up with his girlfriend, or must stay after school? What happens is your pets might not receive the scrupulous care and attention you would give them.

The simple answer to these problems is to know your community’s professional Pet Sitter. What separates a professional from the random person who watches pets? The keys are: integrity, attention to detail, commitment and a deep love for animals. The best pet sitters are also bonded and insured by professional associations such as Pet Sitters International. This group provides educational resources and insurance to pet sitters to make sure that you and your animals receive the best care…as good as they would get from you!

If you hire a pet sitter who is not insured and bonded, you’ll have no way of knowing whether you have just turned your house and beloved pets over to an honest person. Bonding protects you against loss and theft from unsavory characters. Professional pet sitters want to offer you the best reassurance that they will treat your home and your pets just like you would.

The best pet sitters also study pet health and safety. I operate a pet sitting business in my own community, and I have studied with the Red Cross by taking their Pet First Aid course, and by taking the Red Cross certification. If something should happen, professionals like me would know how to best help your pet, and when to call for veterinary assistance. Will the child next door be equipped to handle an emergency?

Moreover, pet sitter do more that just feed and walk your animals! We also make sure they have quality human time, whether it be cuddling, playing fetch in the yard, or a long walk around the block. You don’t even need to go on vacation to hire a pet sitter. If you work long hours, we can make a mid afternoon visit to be sure he get’s a walk and a potty break.

Along with all that, while you’re away from home, a good pet sitting business will also bring in your mail and your newspapers, water your houseplants, and turn your lights on and off. You’re not only getting pet sitting…you also get a vacation security service as well.

All in all, it pays to know the professional pet sitters in your community. Use the internet to find bonded and insured professionals. Then invite them over for a brief interview and introduction. The next time you need to leave home, you can leave your pets behind with no worries.

Remaining home, comfortable in their own environment is healthier for your animals, and gives you greater piece of mind. When strange animals are grouped together, the chances for communicable diseases increase. So, too, does the stress level increase on your pets when they are housed in a noisy environment, in close proximity to animals they have never met before.

About the Author

Marc Goldberg, CDT is a certified dog trainer specializing in the rehabilitation of difficult dogs and improving relationships. He is President of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) and Editor of SafeHands Journal. The author also educates professional dog trainers in his techniques. Visit him on the web at http://www.trainingdogsinchicago.com or http://www.chicagodogtrainer.com.

Music For Cats $8.99 ...

Music For Cats $15.99 Music For Cats by The Feline Composer's SeriesThis product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply....

Pet Sitting for Profit $9.75 It's estimated that professional pet sitters serve a million clients annually, and demand for their services is growing rapidly. Updated and expanded for today's entrepreneurs, Pet Sitting for Profit, Third Edition covers all the fundamentals of starting and operating a pet-sitting business. It addresses new challenges and concerns faced by novice and experienced pet sitters alike, as well as the ...

The Best of Our WORLD, The WORLD of Professional Pet Sitting $8.20 PSI is making available some of the best that has appeared in The WORLD magazine from PSI. A new and unique resource for veteran pet sitters and industry newcomers alike. Since its introduction in 1994, The WORLD of Professional Pet Sitting magazine has been one of the most important benefits of PSI membership. Members of Pet Sitters International tell us they find each issue of The WORLD interest...

Karen's Black Cat (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #102) $2.75 When Karen's family adopts a new black kitten, Karen is disappointed. She wanted a pumpkin-colored cat in honor of Halloween. But no one can resist a cute little kitten for long....

Pet Sitter International

How old do you have to be to be a certified professional pet sitter through PSI (Pet Sitters International)?

Moe than likely 18. but you can always call them and ask.

Call us Monday - Thursday between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST at (336) 983-9222

Pet Sitter International
Pet Sitters International partners with Garfield and Paws, Inc

Pet Sitter International

Could Not Find What You Are Looking For? Search Below