Pet Sitters

[skunklionshow]

I just wanted to give my 2 cents about pet sitters.  When I lived in Chgo, I was fortunate enough to have friends or family that were willing to come to my apt and sit my pets.  When I moved out to Philly…well I was alone and had no one.  Initially I got friends or neighbors to come feed & clean up after my pets.  Until….

I had a friend that was a vet.  She was a very, sweet and kind person.  This is when I only had cats.  Well she watched the cats for a few days.  When I came home, my house was a wreck!  The cats had located their not so secret stash of catnip.  There was catnip everywhere, plenty of broken breakables and keepsakes, and puke and what not everywhere.  I swore that I would locate a pet sitter after that.

I found my original pet sitter on http://www.petsit.com

I didn’t really like her…not a knock to the site.  She tended to get along w/ my husband more so than me.  She was very professional and clean.  She left us notes about our pets and everything.  I had a bad experience w/ her once and I just couldn’t get over that.  I called her w/ a last minute job @ 8:00pm.  She yelled at me about how she needed to get up early to walk dogs and was already in bed.

I found my current pet sitter on http://www.craigslist.org

He had great references and cares for the bunnies, cats, & geckos.  I’ve never had any problems w/ him or his business partner.  They keep everything super tidy and even let cleaning staff into my home for an extra $5.  As a matter of fact, we’re meeting Weds to prepare for our next sitting for over the pre-Christmas weekend.  Now we have our diabetic cat to add to the mix.

I highly recommend looking for a pet sitter, as well as a vet, prior to when you absolutely need them.  Pet sitters will often do a consultation at no-charge.  The petsit website has a list of questions to ask your potential sitter.  In general, I can frequently get away w/ a week or less of notice.  They keep my key and information, so I don’t need to keep reiterating info.  Please do find a pet sitter, it can be the next most important thing to finding a vet.

[ScooterandAnnette]

Petsit.com (Pet Sitters International) is the site we found our pet sitter through. I really liked that they had a checklist of questions to ask. Definitely go with how you feel talking with them both on the phone and in person, and on their interactions with the bunnies in the interview. And not only ask for references, but actually call them!!

[Scarlet_Rose]

I would add that making sure that they are bonded and insured is a must as well. Thanks for starting this discussion!

[Gravehearted]

When we were planning a trip I stated exploring pet sitters. We had one recommended, who was highly professional and very kind – but cleanly didn’t know much about rabbits. She does care for other rabbits, but was shocked by the feeding instructions we gave her. It made me want to print up some literature to take to her other bunny clients!

The other thing, her rates… she charges $24 for a 30 minute visit and $42 for an hour!
It really made me think about becoming licensed and bonded to start my own small pet pet sitting service!
I do some pet sitting, but nothing organized like that.

I miss my old neighbor, she was a vet and we always watched each others pets. I loved her doggies and kitties, and she was a fantastic person.

[ScooterandAnnette]

Our current pet sitter charges us $15 for a 30 min visit – that covers all 4 bunnies and 3 cats. She also waters the plants, brings in the mail, makes the house look lived-in while we’re away. We just couldn’t be happier with her. But I’ve thought about being a pet sitter myself as well! Although I’m not sure how I’d handle that – my place may be a mess but I always have an urge to straighten out other people’s places! lol
– Annette

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I know what you mean Gravehearted, I think pet sitting would be my dream job and I would do it for alot less then most charge…I just wouldn’t know how to get started!

[Gravehearted]

Kokaneeandkahlua – I was googling and there seem to be a lot of books and even programs on how to become a professional pet sitter.
I know it’s important to become licensed, insured and bonded and learn how to run and market your business.

[skunklionshow]

I believe the international pet sit website has recommendations on starting your own pet sitting business.  Often people start business ventures on a part time basis, while still working their main pay job.  As business spreads you can cut back on full-time work.  Its really helpful to do this when working out a new business, I used to do consulting and that’s how I got started.  That’s also how my petsitter started his business.  He & his business partner have f/t jobs and do pet sitter part time.  The business partner has more of a part-time job than full-time.

My pet sitter charges $20 a visit for our entire zoo (4 cats, 2 geckos, 2 bunnies), that’s for a 1/2 hour visit…as a guideline, but he does everything he needs w/o a time constraint.  I would think that in major metro areas, pet sitting could be lucrative.  Especially if you add medical services, i.e. administering shots. 

For my bunnies, I started off the sitter w/ specific feeding guidelines, cleaning, basic medical info.  I’ve never had any probs w/ him, I think he’s great!

[BinkyBunny]

Great thread Skunklion!

Another pet sitter tip is to call you vet and put your credit card on file while you are gone, (mine allow that service)  so that if your pet sitter has to race your bunny to the vet, or emergency vet  and can’t reach you, the care is covered.  If you are afraid of some crazy bill, you can just say, anything over certain dollar amount has to be authorized with you first. But just know emergency vet visits can be at least couple of hundred dollars, so you should at least be prepared to authorize that.  

I was lucky to "trade" bunny sitting with another rescue volunteer/friend for a while.  But then when we moved, I now trade "pet" sitting with our friends/neighbor.  She did not have any experience, but she would come watch me clean and feed before, and I would gab on about the need for hay, watching poops, how to tell if they’re ill, and then we started small when we would be gone for a weekend.  She was great about describing their behaviors, checking for missing poo, and other signs of concern.  She would call me always about something that seemed odd or different.  Most of the time it was fine, and it was just something normal, but something she was not used to, but I was happy that she kept a watchful eye.

It also helps to have a webcam, where I can see the bunnies. 

I also created a Bunny Sitter Guide – basically pages – One where you fill out daily and emergency instructions, as well as how to help your sitter recognize subtle health issues.  and the 2nd page is for your regular vet and emergency vet locations that they can go to in a pinch.

If you don’t have a specific vet, I recommend you find one you trust  and have your bunnies at least get their first check-up before you go out of town.  Having that first check-up out of the way makes it much easier.   It’s just like having a regular doctor for humans.  It’s much harder to see a doctor for the first time, all that paperwork, and general check-up etc etc.  Easier to get into doctors once you are a patient.  I have found the same thing goes with vets too!

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