Pet sitters for your animals

If I go away and get to take my pets, I take the dogs if I'm able, but some of them just can't go. I have 2 people who come in 3 times a day to take care of my animal family. I've heard of other people who hire sitters who are specialist in what types of animals you have. Is it better to hire the specialist, or do you use a person who you know and your pets know to take care of them?

I have used the same 2 people the last 4 years every time I went away from home. If I had to find replacements for them I would again find people that my pets are familiar with. I think a friendly face cuts down on anxiety, while I'm away.

I have no need for anyone to babysit my fish. They can go 2~3 weeks without food.

We do have a few professional pet sitters in the area. There is one doctor in the area who has to go out of town pretty much every week. He is a regular customer of one of those pet sitters because of his dog. Then one day, the pet sitter asked him if he would like a "free" dog. He said no. I thought it's funny. You can notice the intention of that offer right away. So instead of paying for one dog, he would have to pay for two dogs if he took on that "free" offer.

Yes, you can see the underlining meaning. Some people will do or scam anything to make a buck.

My daughter while trolling around on craiglist today told me there were more listings for pet sitters than for children. I wonder if more people have become self proclaimed pet sitters because of how picky parents are with their children and think it is easier to secure a pet sitting job. If I was ever going to hire a sitter for my pets, they would get the same questions and interview I would give a child sitter.

I agree. All of my local craigslists are brimming with the same ads. No way. I employ my mom to watch the cats. Most of the snakes I can leave with minimal care needed for at least a week if I time it right. Really, we only use friends and family we can trust. I wouldn't levee care of an animal, no matter how minimal, to anyone I wouldn't consider our girls with.

I have only used a pet sitter once, and she was actually a neighbor that already knew the dogs (and the ferrets, snakes, sugar gliders that I was fostering) so I am not sure that qualifies as a sitter...plus since I was gone two weeks my girlfriend drove the hour and half every weekend so that the dogs had someone familiar and no "lock up time"

I would only use someone who was already familiar with all my pets for a couple reasons 1) dogs can have a fear of strangers and bite and I can't afford a lawsuit and 2) I foster so I need someone familiar with the care of all my animals and some are exotics that not a lot of people have been around and if they aren't familiar they may be too afraid to allow them their wander time that they are used to

I usually use my parents to pet sit when we are gone on vacation. If we are away camping or up north at the cabin, I will bring my dog. However, if we are using our timeshare and staying at our resort I have to get a sitter. My dog does good at my parent's house because she is familiar with them and gets along with the other two dogs they have. I am heading out of town in like two weeks and my mom is having knee surgery so won't be able to watch my dog. I really hope I am able to get another friend to watch her.. There aren't many people that can handle my obnoxious dog.

Hi,

I really wished I could use someone to catsit my cats but I am so anxious; just thinking that something could happen to them. If there's a fire, if she/he let the cats out, if he/she doesn't come.

Mabe if it was someone I knew, but even that I am not sure, I am really anxious by nature

Unless we're gone for a whole month then I wouldn't bother hiring a pet sitter. Even so, I'd probably have a friend of mine just check in once a day to fill the bowl or refill the water (if we didn't have a fountain). It's a waste of money and when you have cats, a pet sitter is rather superfluous.

The only time I would have a pet sitter is if I am able to find someone who I could trust. I'm talking about someone who I feel would not let my cats out by accident, someone who would not steal from me and someone who would not leave my door unlocked. I would never trust an organization of any kind. No matter how reputable the organization is, you do not know who you are going to get to take care of your pets.

Luckily my parents live about 5 minutes away from me so I have to go away for the weekend they can come over and feed my cat. The fish is fine without food for several days. If I end up having to go away for longer than a week I just bring my cat to my parents house and leave her there. She's not overly fond of it as they have 3 cats and a dog and my cat has severe only child syndrome but she's well taken care of there. I don't think I could ever trust a stranger that I found on craigslist or anywhere else to take care of my pets for me though.

I pet sit for my neighbors when they go out of town. It ends up costing them less money than boarding their dog, and I get over there to give plenty of walks through the day, make sure the dog goes out to the bathroom, give the dog some attention and pets, and feed the dog and make sure he has enough water. The dog is an older dog and very easy-going, so he doesn't require much maintenance, but he sure is happy to get out for his walks and get some attention while he's lonely because his parents are away. He doesn't like readjusting to different places either, so he's more comfortable being at home and having someone he knows visit him than going to a kennel. They probably have other neighbors keeping an eye out to make sure I go over there and take care of the dog, too, just to be sure.
Their house is right next to mine, so if anything were to go wrong at the house, I would see it immediately and be able to do something about it.

I think it's a lot less of a worry for them to have a neighbor to petsit than finding a random stranger.

Well we tend not to leave our dogs alone. In fact, as a general rule one of us is usually in our home at all times. However, if it ever came down to us having to leave our home for an extended length of time we have family members who live out side the home, and close family friend as well, whom I feel could be trusted to watch our two dogs. I am not in favor of hiring someone who is a stranger or going to a kennel that I know nothing about.

I would make sure that the pet sitter is someone who is familiar with my dogs. My parents live close by and have agreed to pet sit my dogs if necessary. But, I plan my life around my dogs, just as someone plans their live around children and so far, have not needed to have my dogs looked after by someone. My dogs are very special to me.

Whenever I serve as a pet nanny, the person who needs my assistance sets the price based on what their needs are and what they are able to spend. I know that hiring a service is expensive and I don't do it full time.

Usually it's someone I know and the arrangement is based on something that is mutually beneficial. In most cases I already have a relationship with their pets. Occasionally I stay over and house sit as well.

I have been a pet sitter, and it is fun too do. I would say to pick a friend who knows your animals and your animals are used to them, as in someone who you don't know could be a thief or just plan careless, as in pets running away or having an accident. I would go and stay at that persons house while they were on vacation. I took care of the house, as well as. the pets. That way they had no worries in mail in the box or newspapers on the lawn. I even pet sit some goats and sheep, on time and one of the sheep ate something poisenous and got colic and almost died. The owner was in Germany at the time and so I did the best I could with the animal and luckly it recovered.

I would have a problem hiring a pet sitter. It's not that I wouldn't trust a stranger if he's a professional, I personally don't have trust issues, but my cats do. If I had to leave my cats to someone, he would have to be a great animal lover and have a great knowledge of animal behavior and needs. Not only that, but my cats would have to be familiar and friendly with him beforehand, since I feel like being without their regular guardian for a while would be stressful enough for them without a stranger coming in the house. I actually have a problem leaving the house for too long since I don't have anyone I can trust with my cats.

I used to be a pet sitter for someone who had a crazy cat that would pur at you one moment and then lash out and swipe her claw at you the next. Temperamental pets are not the best to deal with so if your pets might act out in your absence you should speak to a trainer.

I live with my parents and my brother in the same house so we don't need any sitters because we always take turns. I will have my holiday in August so the rest of my family will stay home and take care of the pets. My parents will go to the sea side in the beginning of August and then my brother and I will be home to take care of the animals. We never leave the house at the same time because we don't like strangers taking care of our pets. Not strangers to us, but to them.

There are some pet hotels nearby where pets can be left though I would only recommend them as a last resort. A familiar face would always be better for pets to lessen their anxiety or stress levels. I haven't left without my dog yet but if I had to, I would probably leave him with my mom I would let my mom stay here at my place instead of bringing my dog to her place. My dog doesn't know my mom that well but he has seem her over the years. She is still better a better choice compared to the strangers at the pet hotel. The pet hotel has some perks though, if you check in your pet they will groom him and give him toys to play with. He will also be left to mingle with other dogs.

We usually don't go anywhere and have to leave the dogs with anyone. We don't really know anyone here, so I think we would ave to take them to a vet or boarding kennel if and emergency came up and we had to leave them somewhere.
Usually, if I go with my daughter out to visit my family in Idaho, then my husband is home, and e takes care of the dogs. When his father was dying, then he went there for a week or so, and I was home to watch after the dogs, so it has worked out ok for us thus far .

I hate leaving my dogs on their own. When we had the pub, one of my members of staff would stop over and look after them for me. Now we have left I am not sure who I will ask now.
I would also like to get into Pet sitting for people as I love animals and mine are pretty good with other dogs.

I have only had friends or family take care of my chinchilla. I would want someone I could trust, even though the chin is pretty low maintenance. I have also been a pet sitter, but only for friends or fellow church members. I would not be comfortable going to a stranger's home.

We've not gone on any vacations ourselves since adopting our cat a few years ago, but we've helped other people with their animals. Several times we've gone daily to a friends house when they were out of town to give their cat fresh water, check on their food and scoop out the litterbox. Currently we've been walking a friends dog daily while the person who is watching their house is at work.

I guess I am just overprotective of my pets, but I will only leave them in the care of my sister or mom and I would never let someone that I didn't personally know take care of them. I don't go away very often, but if I do, my sister comes by every day and checks on the cats. If I'm only going to be gone overnight, they'll be fine and I just leave them plenty of food and water.

Same with my turtles, but last year I had to be gone for several days, so I took the turtles out to my mom's house and she looked after them for me. They were babies then and since she didn't know a whole lot about turtles, we did a lot of texting back and forth when she had questions. One time I had to be gone for work and I didn't have time to take the turtles out to my mom's, so I just took them with me. They just hung out in the motel room and did just fine. I felt better having them with me than leaving them at home by themselves, because I would have worried about them the entire time.

We have been blessed to always be able to have family members come care for our pets while we're away. Most recently two of my sons spent the week here with our two cats. It was nice for them to have the house to hang out in (they live in a small apartment with another person) and we had the benefit of knowing our girls were with people they know and love, and who love them. My youngest son actually gets right down on the floor so our Siamese can hang out all over him. She loves attention, so that's nice.

It seems to be a thing in my family to do this. My husband cared for my brother's dogs over the weekend, and my son used to do it when he still lived here. Two of my boys have both house/dog sat for my sister's two labs. She and I recently spoke of this and she said she feels really good knowing that her dogs, both aged and one pretty debilitated, are with someone who loves and will be patient with them while she's away.

I know not everyone has this option, and sometimes hiring a person who just "knows" animals is beneficial, but I'd be lost if I didn't have family members to care for our pets when we're away.