Pet Care Articles
Tips for Interviewing & Hiring Pet Sitters
July 19th, 2011
Paw Minders Plus picked up three new clients yesterday, so I thought it would be a good idea to offer a few tips for prospective clients to do when interviewing and hiring a pet sitter...
1) Make sure the prospective pet sitter doesn't charge for an in-home consultation. Paw Minders Plus offers it for free, and so should all quality pet sitting businesses. We need to meet you and your pets to ensure a good fit before taking on a new job. Pet owners shouldn't pay to meet a pet sitter.
2) Ask the pet sitters to see their license, insurance, bonding, and association cards to verify they are legitimate professional pet sitters. We always show our identification to prospective clients when we first meet them.
3) Make sure to introduce your pets to the pet sitter, even if the little kitties are hiding. We are the ones responsible for their safety while you are gone, so please don't assume we don't need to see your pets before we take a job. We are responsible and professional, and need to meet your pets before a decision is officially made to take the job.
4) Make sure the pet sitter explains the pet-sitting contract to you before you sign anything. We use the standard Pet Sitters International Pet Sitting Contract, which lays out the details of the job as well as details about your pets' vet information and ensures the vet shots are current. Both parties sign this contract in duplicate so we can keep one on file and you (the pet owner) keep one. That way both parties are protected, along with your pets.
5) Ensure you have a copy of your house key to give the pet sitter once the deal is done at that time. If we must return later to your home to pick up the key, it's a standard $10 charge.
6) Leave detailed instructions for feeding and care in your home for the pet sitter to use, especially if your pet has special needs. Paw Minders Plus keeps copies of these instructions in your file with us for future use.
7) Give your phone number and e-mail address to your pet sitter so we can communicate while you are away to keep you apprised of how things are going.
8) Upon your return, please don't hesitate to contact your pet sitter, so we can return your house key and thank you for your business.
9) Finally, when we return to your home to give you your house key, if we've done a good job, consider tipping. Remember, pet sitting is a part of the service industry. We do a very important job. We take care of members of your family while you are away. We take this job very seriously. We want your future business, and tipping shows your pet sitter that the important work they are doing is very much appreciated.
1) Make sure the prospective pet sitter doesn't charge for an in-home consultation. Paw Minders Plus offers it for free, and so should all quality pet sitting businesses. We need to meet you and your pets to ensure a good fit before taking on a new job. Pet owners shouldn't pay to meet a pet sitter.
2) Ask the pet sitters to see their license, insurance, bonding, and association cards to verify they are legitimate professional pet sitters. We always show our identification to prospective clients when we first meet them.
3) Make sure to introduce your pets to the pet sitter, even if the little kitties are hiding. We are the ones responsible for their safety while you are gone, so please don't assume we don't need to see your pets before we take a job. We are responsible and professional, and need to meet your pets before a decision is officially made to take the job.
4) Make sure the pet sitter explains the pet-sitting contract to you before you sign anything. We use the standard Pet Sitters International Pet Sitting Contract, which lays out the details of the job as well as details about your pets' vet information and ensures the vet shots are current. Both parties sign this contract in duplicate so we can keep one on file and you (the pet owner) keep one. That way both parties are protected, along with your pets.
5) Ensure you have a copy of your house key to give the pet sitter once the deal is done at that time. If we must return later to your home to pick up the key, it's a standard $10 charge.
6) Leave detailed instructions for feeding and care in your home for the pet sitter to use, especially if your pet has special needs. Paw Minders Plus keeps copies of these instructions in your file with us for future use.
7) Give your phone number and e-mail address to your pet sitter so we can communicate while you are away to keep you apprised of how things are going.
8) Upon your return, please don't hesitate to contact your pet sitter, so we can return your house key and thank you for your business.
9) Finally, when we return to your home to give you your house key, if we've done a good job, consider tipping. Remember, pet sitting is a part of the service industry. We do a very important job. We take care of members of your family while you are away. We take this job very seriously. We want your future business, and tipping shows your pet sitter that the important work they are doing is very much appreciated.