Whether you’re looking for a regular pet sitter or a temporary one - finding the perfect person for the job can be challenging. After all, you’re going to let them access your house, take care of your furry friend, and much more on a daily basis.
So, only seeking a suitable person won’t be enough for you. Apart from that, you must do a little bit of background check as well. Let’s keep reading to know more about it.
Why Should You Hire A Pet Sitter?
Hiring the right pet sitter can be highly beneficial for both you and your pet. The advantages related to your pet may include the following -
Keeping them in a safe and secure environment and not letting them feel alone.
Ensuring good health by offering medical treatment and personal attention.
Taking the responsibility to improve their physical and psychological health.
Helping them follow their regular exercise routine and diet.
Decrease the trauma of an unfamiliar environment or travel.
On the other hand, having a pet sitter can help you with the below-mentioned -
Having some sort of peace of mind, knowing that your pet is in safe and loving hands.
Eliminating the trauma of leaving your pet alone while traveling.
Not having to impose the responsibility on your friends, family, and neighbors.
Besides, having a pet sitter can also make your house safer and more secure. After all, they’ll go in and out of the house quite a few times a day. Hence, they will certainly notice if there is something wrong happening in your house.
But here’s the catch.
Neither every pet-sitter is created equal, nor is the person outright professional. Thus, when it comes to hiring someone for the job, it might be best to do some background checks on them.
Move on to the next section to learn more about it.
Background Checks to be done on a Pet-Sitter
Before you start performing a background check on your pet sitter, you should list down what you are looking for. Here are some of the questions that need to be answered -
Is your potential pet sitter bonded or insured? (Always go for someone who’s insured)
Does the pet sitter have a criminal background, or are they clear of everything?
Who has referenced the person to you? Can you verify them?
Does the person have any form of a legal contract? (For instance - cancellation policy)
Do they have a ready-made backup plan when they’re in an emergency?
Is the person a member of a pet-care group or an association?
Will someone else (like a child) be accompanying them during their job?
Besides, check if the pet-sitter has a First Aid or Pet CPR certification with them or not. It’ll be important, especially if they’re handling a ferocious furry.
Honestly, carrying out all these tests and checks alone can be tricky and time-consuming. So, if you are looking for some sort of help regarding the same, make sure to opt for the national police check from ANCC. You might have to spend a little bit of money here, but the results you’ll get are going to be accurate. Even if something goes wrong during the test, they’ll take care of the same as well. There are no two ways about it.
What Else Should You Look For?
Apart from performing a police check, you should also look for some other crucial yet usually ignored attributes of the pet sitter. Here’s what you need to know about them.
1: Their Demeanor.
Handling a pet requires a calm and composed mind. Hence, if your pet sitter doesn’t have the same attribute, it might be best to avoid them. Usually, when someone’s going out with a pet, especially a dog, they should expect that something will go wrong.
And that’s where the sense of calmness and sensitiveness will come in handy. As long as you are not getting anxious, your pet won’t be able to feel and react to it.
2: Their Sensitiveness.
A good pet sitter will understand what you and your pet need with just a single glance. Thus, it becomes much easier for them to attend the same whenever it’s needed. Hence, you should hire someone who understands when your cat wants to play or not.
If they don’t want to interact, your pet sitter will give them the space they need to recover. So, look for someone who handles your pet affectionately and avoids using force.
3: Flexible.
Does your work schedule tend to change a lot? Well, in that case, you must look for someone who can work flexibly, no matter when you want them to come to work. Besides, they should also be able to step in on the short notice. That way, even if you have to stay late at work, you can still trust someone who will take care of your furry friend.
4: Experienced.
If your pet belongs to a high-maintenance breed, a novice pet sitter won’t be able to tackle it. In that case, going for someone who has at least five years of experience must be your choice. For example, if your pet is a German Shepherd, you can’t expect someone new to control it. So, instead, try to find someone who has worked with large dogs before.
5: Reliable.
Your pet sitter should be there to make your everyday life easier - not to cause headaches. The person should be reliable enough to show up at your door within the time limit.
Even if they’re not going to come due to some reason, they should inform you at the earliest. Make sure to set a clear set of rules and agreements at the beginning to let them know what you are expecting from them.
The Bottom Line
So, there you go. We hope we could offer as much information as you were looking for about this article. However, if you still feel like we missed out on something, don’t forget to tell us all about it in the comment section below. We’ll try our best to reply as soon as we can.
Thank you for reading!