Why should I use a pet sitter, instead of boarding my pet or having my relative/neighbor/friend drop in?

There are many good reasons to opt for a pet-sitter over boarding you pet or having a non-professional look after your furkids. Today we'll cover those to see if a sitter is right for your situation.

And, in the interest of fair play, there are some situations where a sitter might not be the best choice, which I'll address next week.

The top reason to hire a sitter is so your pet doesn't have to be uprooted from their familiar routine and comfortable bed.

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Some pets, especially cats, don't do well with interruptions of their expectations of 'what happens next' and will let you know in no uncertain terms you messed up. They have countless ways of making us pay for those errors, but that's another topic.

Some pets can't tolerate the necessary medical precautions kennels and boarding facilities usually require - like a shot for preventing kennel cough, for example. A sitter will not have to require much above an up to date rabies shot, which is a normal part of regular pet care.

With a sitter, you're not bound by the facility hours. If you get back late on a Sunday evening, you may have to wait til the next day to pick up your furkid... which is going to cost you for the additional day, plus, having to make special trips to drop them off and pick them up.

The best reason, in my not-so-humble opinion, is the attention your pet receives in that one-on-one relationship that can grow if you'll need visits more than once. The sitter will come to know your pet as well as you do - maybe better! They don't have kids distracting them or have to listen for the washing machine to stop so the load can go in the dryer... all the while missing that the cat just threw up and the dog is still in the backyard... in the rain.

Their job is to be 100% focused on your pet and its well being. They may notice a new bump or scratch before the owner because of the hands on (usually) nature of the work. An extra set of eyes or pair of hands is often quite handy, too, if the owner has noticed something out of the ordinary and needs further evidence to confirm a suspicion - like developing an excessive thirst could indicate diabetes. You can team up to monitor things so you have the best information available to make decisions.

A side benefit to having a sitter includes making your house looked lived in when you're absent. Bringing in the mail and papers, tracks in the snow on sidewalks and driveways, lights turned on and off, TV and radio following a regular day's routine, and that second set of eyes to notice anything amiss is guaranteed peace of mind for the client. They will usually bring in delivered packages (within reason) so the client doesn't need to worry about theft - especially useful around the holidays!

So, by all means... have that relative / neightbor / friend drop in - to visit the critters and make it playtime. It breaks up the kids' day!

That way, you know the pro will be there reliably on schedule to handle the essentials - food, water, bathroom, meds, and play. The other folks don't have to be accountable for such a major responsibility and the client can count on updates as needed and/or wanted.

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Upvote, ReSteem,

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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