If you’re planning a holiday to a place that isn’t exactly dog or cat friendly (and let’s be fair, there’s quite a lot of them), you’ve probably already made peace with the fact that you need to get a pet sitter. Getting the right pet sitter for your animal is about much more than simply choosing a random person from the internet (much to the chagrin of time poor owners, no doubt), and there are actually quite a few steps involved in getting the ideal pet sitter for your circumstances. No need to fear, though – in this article we take a look at a few key points to help ensure you find the perfect pet sitter to complement your perfect pet!
Invest time to find a good pet sitter
It’s good to keep in mind that the best dog insurance in Australia won’t help you if your four legged friends tears up the house in your absence! The best thing you can do to ensure you find a sitter who can comfortably control your crazy pet is to ensure you find one as early as possible. It’s usually the case that the best pet sitters are booked way in advance, so to ensure that you don’t wind up with someone who has no idea what they’re doing, investing time to research the most popular sitters out there will give you a much better chance of finding someone good. It’s not just about booking them and forgetting about it until the day before – you should always plan a meet and greet to ensure that you get along with the pet sitter, as this should give you an indication of whether they’ll also get along with your pet. It’s also helpful to have them walk your dog to see if they get along well, and if you have a cat or other pets you can have them sit in with them to see how well they bond.
Preparation is everything
There are a few things you’ll need to do to ensure that you appropriately get your pet sitter up to speed. The first thing you should keep in mind is that they shouldn’t be scrounging through your kitchen cupboards to find all of the specific things you need for your pet – get everything ready and out it in one place so that they can find it when they need it, rather than having your pet go hungry while they search! Things that you should include will be food, medicines, accessories (such as a leash) and any cleaning supplies you think they’ll need. It’s also a good opportunity to attach any relevant notes, whether they relate to specific things or just general care notes. You’ll also need to take the time to walk the pet sitter through what areas of the house your pet are not permitted to be in, and appropriately pet-proof them if you have the time.
Finding the right pet sitter pays off
It’s important to remember that the perfect pet sitter is a combination of many things, and to ensure you find the perfect person to look after your pet, committing time to interviews, meet and greets and a whole lot of background research will help you find the best pet sitter possible. It’s more than just about your pet receiving the best care, after all (although this should be a huge part of it) – it’s the knowledge that your pet is having as nice a time as you are when you’re away!
