What to Look for in a Pet Sitter
By Jillian Langston-Bennett
The holidays are just around the corner and the invitations for gatherings and parties are in the mail! You’re so excited to go to your best friend’s party on Friday evening, but who will feed your pet their dinner? And how will you ever manage to take them on a walk between work and getting ready for the party?Have no fear, our wonderful pet sitters are here!
We all know that the younger generations are choosing having pets over having children- in fact, 58% of millennials prefer fur babies over human babies and on average budget over $200 for pet care per month. With all that money going towards something, it must be important, so of course you want to know your pet is in great hands while you’re away. It’ll make the party that much better to not worry about your pet being unhappy.
While Hooman on Demand does not offer overnight sitting, we can still take care of your critters while you’re away! Our pet sitting services can begin as early as 7:00 AM and go until 9:00 PM to make sure your fur babies get all the care that they need. Our pet sitting services include three 30-minute visits that can be scheduled around the same times you usually take care of your pets, to help them stay in their routine.
To make this an easy process for you, we’ve compiled a list of qualities to look for in a pet sitter:
- Responsible- Merriam Webster defines responsible as “able to answer for one’s conduct and obligations”, but a quick Google search reveals that so much more goes into what it means to be considered responsible. You want to know that your sitter is not only going to do their job, but that they will take feedback accordingly, own up to any mistakes made (IF there are mistakes, we are Hoomans after all), and correct themselves to ensure your pet gets the best care possible. At Hooman On Demand, we send a report with each visit, detailing what happened and are receptive to feedback, if needed.
- Trustworthy- this is one of the most important qualities in a pet sitter. How are you going to enjoy your vacation knowing a stranger is in your home with your fur (or scale or feather) babies? Our instincts can go a long way in deciding if someone is trustworthy or not, but Hooman on Demand also requires intensive background checks for all of our walkers. At Hooman On Demand, safety of both the walkers and the animals are our main concern, so we make sure that the sitters are comfortable and confident before sending them out on their own.
- Problem-solving- As we all know, things happen and if you believe in Murphy’s Law, something is going to go wrong at some point. A good pet-sitter will be able to solve problems on the fly, whether it’s a dog who has an upset stomach or a bird who won’t go back to his enclosure at the end of the visit. Will your pet-sitter be quick on their feet to assess the situation? At Hooman On Demand, we always have a manager on duty who knows each pet we watch (and has spent enough time with them to know the pet very well).
- Good communication- At Hooman On Demand, we provide photos and a report card at the end of every visit. This allows you to know what happened during the visit (“Roscoe pooped and peed on his walk!”) and see some photos of your pet while you’re away. Our sitters have your phone number and can contact you in case of an emergency, should one arise.
- Respectful- Is the pet-sitter going to leave a mess when they leave your house? Are they going to consider the words you use to correct or reward your dog? Will they set the alarm when they finish their visit? These are all worries that have been expressed when looking for a good pet-sitter and things that we look out for when onboarding our sitters and walkers! Along with hiring quality people, we ensure that our sitters will respect your wishes of what needs to be done while you are gone so you can return to your home in peace.
- Curious- some of the best pet-sitters want to know more about animals and truly enjoy caring for them. Good pet-sitters are not afraid to ask questions to help them do their jobs and take care of the animals in the best way possible.
Ready for your pet to meet their new best friend while you’re out of town? Sign up today and schedule a meet and greet! We can’t wait to meet your four-legged (or three, or two, or one… or even none) friend!