Everyone is anxious to get out of town now that Covid19 cases have finally dropped to record lows since the pandemic started. That means getting your vacation plans set sooner than later is a must, that includes getting your pets taken care of. Booking your pet sitter months in advance is a smart way to go. Most professional pet sitters book up 1-6 months in advance! Especially during the summer and holidays. Don't wait until the last minute or you will end up scrambling to find a family member, friend or worse some random "pet sitter" on one of those mass pet sitter websites! Many of those companies claim to do background checks and test their pet sitters' knowledge. But just because they had a dog and a hamster as a kid, that doesn't replace years of experience, education and training required to care for other people's pets. Extensive knowledge of animal behavior, health and care is always a must for any pet sitter. If you are looking for a new pet sitter here are a few things to look out for: First and most importantly, are they insured as a pet sitter? If not run the other way! If they are not willing to pay for insurance then they are NOT a professional pet sitter. Other things to look out for are: do they have a business license in their city? Are they Pet CPR and First aid trained? Do they have any past experience working with animals (veterinary hospital, shelter, etc)? Also always check how many dogs they board at one time. If they have more than 6-8 dogs you will want to avoid them! (Unless they have a huge property and several employees caring for the dogs). Many pets require medication and special care for elderly pets, make sure your pet sitter is 100% comfortable giving your pet it's medications and able to care properly for your furry family members!
I recommend looking on the Pet Sitters International website www.petsit.com for a professional pet sitter near you.
Best of luck! 🐾
Sylvia De La Parra
OC Pet Nurse
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