Pet sitters are like babysitters who are employed to take care of a pet within the home. Usually, pet owners hire them on a contract basis when they go out on vacations. They can also work for a short duration, like for an evening. The advantage of hiring a pet sitter is that the pet is taken care of within its environment.
The problem faced by segregating the pet out of its environment is that they become stressed out. In case of traveling before reaching the new owner, they can also experience travel trauma. Vaccinations are administered to the pet after studying their lifestyle. Chances are, they can become ill because of exposure to parasites because the situation was not considered at the time of vaccination.
It is a good idea to conduct a pet sitter interview before hiring them for the job. The interview can be done by phone or in person. It is better if it is taken at home, as the ability of the pet sitter can be tested with the pet. The pet sitters should be qualified and must have completed educational coursework. The coursework should include pet care, nutrition, and health, along with business and office procedures. It is a bonus if they have taken care of animals similar to the pet you have before because not all pet sitters can take care of all types of pets. Every pet sitter is specialized in certain types of pets as they rarely know all kinds of pets. They should have good experience in the pet care industry.
The pet sitter should also be insured or bonded in case of accidents. The insurance card and coverage should be checked out for this purpose. You can even ask them for references. The pet owners, whom they have worked with earlier, can provide a clear picture. The payment terms should also be discussed beforehand.
The pet sitter looks after the food and water needs of the animal. They maintain the normal routine of the animal. They also give medicines to the pet if it is on medication. Some even provide special services such as injecting insulin, administering subcutaneous fluids, and checking blood pressure and glucose levels. In such cases, the knowledge of the pet sitter should be assessed with the vet of the pet.
Some pet sitters also provide pet walking services. This service is availed by people who are old or are having some kind of disability, and are not able to provide adequate exercise to their pets. They also drive the pet to the vet, groomer, or trainer. Pet sitters also pick up pet supplies such as food and medicines. All the additional services are optional and not provided by all pet sitters. They also play with the pet and maintain the litter box.
Pets such as dogs, cats, snakes, rabbits, ferrets, lizards, guinea pigs, fish, and hamsters can be having a stranger also as a pet sitter. But some of the exotic animals are very fussy and shy. They accept pet sitters whom they are familiar with. In such cases, pet owners must try to develop familiarity between the pet and the pet sitter beforehand, in their presence. The most common method of bonding with the animal is by bottle feeding them. After the initial bond is formed, the pet can be left alone with the babysitter.
