Hiring a Pet Sitter: Your Preparation Checklist
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According to ASPCA, roughly 100 million people will be traveling this holiday season. While some families are able to bring their adored pets with them, others will have to leave their furry friends at home or in pet boarding facilities.
Hiring a pet sitter to care for your pets is a great way ensure that you and your pets have a great experience while you are away. Hiring a pet sitter instead of boarding your pet keeps your pet comfortably at home.
We have compiled a pet sitter safety checklist that every family should go through before traveling and leaving their furry friends at home.
- Leave Contact Information: Make sure your pet sitter knows how to reach you in case of an emergency and to give you updates while you are away.
- Itinerary: Give your pet sitter a brief itinerary of your trip, including when you will be leaving and returning home so they will know how long care is needed for. This can also help your pet sitter to know when the best time is to contact you.
- Emergency Contacts: Provide the name and phone number of at least one person you trust in case of emergency. Also make sure that your pets are familiar with your emergency contacts.
- Pet Information: Your fur babies weight, age, any current health issues, diet, medications and microchip information. Anything that can help your pet sitter in case of an emergency situation.
- Veterinary Information: Leave the name and contact information of your pet's veterinarian for your pet sitter. Also the information for the closest emergency animal hospital if your vet is not open after normal business hours.
- Medication: Have all medications that your pets are on listed for your pet sitter. Medications they are currently prescribed, the dosage and times along with tips on how the dog takes the medication best. Some animals try and out smart their handlers.
- Daily routine: Keeping your pet comfortable and relaxed is a priority for all animal caregivers. Leave a list of your pets daily routine including their walking and feeding schedule. Some cats may be nervous when their owners are away and will hide, you may want to leave a list of favorite hiding or sleeping spots around your home.
- Plan Ahead: Let the pet sitter know exactly what you would like them to do in case of an emergency!
- Any Information Specific to Your Pet: We as pet owners know the quirks that each of our pets have. If you know there is something specific to your pet that your sitter may run into (ex. pets not eating normally while you are away) leave them tips on how to overcome these obstacles that could occur.
We hope that the above check list will help you feel at ease whenever you are traveling for the holidays.