Not All Pet Sitting Companies Are Alike

By:  Laurie Brzostowski, President, Snaggle Foot Dog Walks and Pet Care-Round Lake.


I understand, as a pet owner myself, what it takes to trust someone to come into your home and take care of your home and your pets.  All of our pet sitters are strictly screened to make sure they are the best of the best.  We do phone interviews, face to face interviews, reference checks, background checks and "field" training.  It takes a very long time to the find the right people to do this job.

However, as a pet owner it is your responsibility to also check and make sure you are hiring the right person to take care of your home and pets.  Here are some tips to help you make the right decision in choosing a pet sitter for your home and your pets:

• Make sure you call and compare different pet sitting businesses.  Don't just call around and base it all on cost.  The old adage "you get what you pay for" does go along way in who you hire.  The cheapest pet sitter out there may not be the best pet sitter out there.
• Are they bonded and insured?  This is very important, it protects you and it protects the pet sitter.
• Do they have a backup system, this means are they the only pet sitter or do they have a staff. This is also very important in case the primary sitter/walker goes on vacation, falls ill, etc., you can then have the backup put into place.
• If they do have a staff do they run background checks on the staff?  Also very important since these sitters will be entering your home.
• How do they schedule the visits and what is included in the visit.
• Ask for references from the pet sitting company, talk to their other clients. 
• Ask the pet sitter to text or email you every day while you are gone.  We text and send pictures after each visit or once per day based on what the client wants.
• Make sure you meet the pet sitter before you go away.  If you are not comfortable with that person then do not hire them.  If the pet sitting business has other pet sitters available, ask that you meet another sitter that does make you comfortable.  If none of them make you comfortable, then hire another pet sitting business.  It is your home and your pet and you should do what you think is right.  We understand.

If all of this still does not make you comfortable, then by all means, hire a friend, a neighbor or a family member, but make sure these people also don't mind coming to your house early in the morning, again in the afternoon, and again at night and on weekend or Holidays.

We are professional pet sitters, our business name and reputation are on the line so we all make sure we do what is right by making sure you and your pets are taken care of and loved while you are away.