Pet owners who want to travel often turn to pet sitters for help. While similar to house sitting, pet sitting involves caring for your pets on a full-time basis during your absence. For homeowners who don’t have loved ones to volunteer for the job, professional pet sitting organizations can fill the gap.
No matter where you’re going or what kind of pets you have, here are some of the important things to know about traveling and pet sitting:
What do pet sitters do?
While every pet has different needs, there are some basic tasks pet sitters perform. They might include:
- Staying in your home to care for your pets and make them feel less anxious.
- Playing, dog walking and encouraging exercise.
- Feeding and providing specialty care for pets like reptiles, birds, fish or rodents.
Typically, the responsibilities of a pet sitter and a house sitter will overlap in some ways. General upkeep of the home, including fetching the mail, light cleaning and gardening, are also things you can ask of a pet sitter.
Finding a good pet sitter
It might not sound ideal to leave your cat, dog or other pet in the care of a stranger. Luckily, there are some trusted ways you can find a good sitter to take care of your animal friends while you’re away. Some excellent ideas for finding a quality sitter are:
- Asking for recommendations from loved ones, neighbors or coworkers.
- Asking for recommendations from your veterinarian.
- Researching and reading reviews for professional organizations in your area.
Safety with sitters & pets
Even with rigorous vetting and glowing recommendations, it can be nerve wracking to leave your pets. For safety, it’s a good idea to clarify communication expectations with your chosen sitter. You’ll also want to make sure everything they need to take care of your pets in an emergency is readily available, including contact information for your vet.
Checklists & checking in
One simple way to take the stress out of hiring pet sitting services is to make a checklist of tasks for them to accomplish. Include plenty of detail, including locations for supplies and information about needed services.
If you’re traveling, house and pet sitters can alleviate some stress of leaving your pets at home. Research your local options and ask around for recommendations, so you’re prepared to leave your pets in the best of care while you’re away.
About the Author
Robin Anderson Real Estate
“My Passion is people and relationships and I promise to provide my clients with exceptional service tailored to their individual needs.” -Robin Anderson
Georgia native, Robin Anderson brings her passion for people and her love of homes to work for her clients. She and her husband, Andy, have been married for over 30 years and have two adult children, Ellen and Drew. They currently live in Fulton County, but Robin has lived and invested in properties throughout metro Atlanta as well as helped clients buy and sell. She has been integral to many real estate endeavors including designing and building several custom homes, remodeling homes, subdividing land, managing rental properties, and buying and selling properties. She spent her first 3 years in real estate working with a new home builder, and she has spent the last 6 years working with buyers and sellers in her own community. Robin is highly motivated but sensitive to the fact that buying and selling homes can be an emotional experience, so she makes it a priority to keep clients closely informed throughout the process and strives to produce quick results. She appreciates the opportunity to help her clients navigate the real estate process, and she aspires to deliver quality customer service that is both informative and positive. She is driven to provide outstanding service for her clients and she is focused on building successful and lasting relationships with her clients. This personalized service earns her enthusiastic referrals from clients she is pleased to call friends.Edit
