The PET CARE EVOLUTION

By Heather Branch

Years ago, when we were going on a trip, my family would toss the keys and a big bag of cat food to a “kid next door” and pretty much left our cat outside! Everyone knew each other in smaller communities and helped each other out. As our cities have expanded and time is crunched, this is not usually an option anymore. Society has evolved, and we have become more pet “parents” rather than pet “owners”, so ….What is the best pet care choice for you now?

My husband and I faced this dilemma with our own “kids” (1 dog and 3 cats) in 2009 when we were going on a long trip. In the past, we relied on friends to care for them, but that had been hit or miss (especially with the cats; a friend “forgot”, no one ever really scooped the litter, etc.)….But the good news is that in 2020 you have a variety of professional choices!

BOARDING:

You can board your pet in a facility or private home. Look up reviews and do a thorough walk-through of any place you are considering. Conduct due diligence and review what your expectations are for your pet’s needs and how they will should be cared for. Anyone doing home boarding should have a limit on the amount of pets they care for and safety should be the first consideration. Anyone offering this service should have a business license, they may be a member of a professional association, such as IBPSA (International Boarding and Pet Services Association) and provide plenty of references. There are cat-specific boarding facilities too. Generally, cats do much better in their own home environment, but if they are young and sociable they may have fun in a boarding facility. Will your pet be in a cage all day? What measures do they take to make sure that the pets are safe, (double doors for instance), and do they get plenty of enrichment and safe socialization during the day. Do they temperament test prior to agreeing to board your pet? Will qualified staff be monitoring the pets there all night?

“ON-DEMAND” APPS

We’ve all heard about the popular and well-advertised, apps/companies where you go online and pick a pet sitter or dog walker at the touch of a fingertip. An important factor to note is that these apps are not “pet sitting or dog walking companies”.  They are convenience apps designed to connect you with a network of neighbors who like pets, but there is no oversight on the quality of work (besides the reviews). There is no way to speak to the owner directly, and anyone who likes pets and wants to make a few extra dollars on the side can apply to work without any pre-qualification or training. The pet sitters are independent contractors –which means that they should have their own business, business license and their own insurance; they are offered no training from the companies, and very little support. Some people have found wonderful pet sitters and dog walkers through these apps, but there also have been nationally publicized mistakes. If you decide to go this route, you should interview a few pet sitters and not just rely on the picture or reviews on the sites.

IN-YOUR-HOME PROFESSIONAL PETSITTERS

When we were looking for a pet sitter, we were scared to hire a stranger to come into our home. How could we trust someone to take care of our furry family in our house? When I was searching for a great pet sitter, I found the National Association of Professional Pet sitters (www.petsitters.org) which changed my life! NAPPS has a locator directory; you type in your zip code to find a list of NAPPS sitters in your area. A certification means that the sitter has passed extensive pet care and business classes and they have a certification logo next to their name. NAPPS is an association dedicated to continuing education and mentorship for their members. Our professional pet sitter came to our home to meet us, and she brought over paperwork and a contract to fill out, we did a detailed walk-through, and we provided keys. Our professional pet sitter wowed us with her service and we had the very best experience with this arrangement!  When someone has a professional business and reputation to uphold, it makes a huge difference in the quality of care.

TECHNOLOGY

Technology has evolved in the last 20 years and your professional pet sitter may ask you to fill all of this information out online now prior to meeting you, and they may charge an upfront fee for their time, which are reasonable requests.

20 years ago, a pet sitting company was a niche business. It was rare to find a professional pet sitter. Now, pet sitting businesses have become more sophisticated and their business models vary.  A solo pet sitter is still sometimes preferred because you feel that you are dealing directly with one person, but the drawback is that they may not always be available.  A company that has staff may be able to handle more requests, but then they also have labor costs, so expect a staffed company to be more expensive than a solo sitter, but a staffed company with employees will also offer training to their sitters, and convenient online scheduling, updating and payment options.

It’s good to have choices for your pet care and there is a demand for true professional pet care. Knowing your options, what to expect and what to ask -are key factors into making your trip and time away from your pets ultimately successful - stress and guilt free.

Heather Branch is a Pet Care Specialist, founder of the award-winning, pet sitting company Best Friends Forever Pet Services, LLC in Los Angeles, CA; and an Independent Pawtree Consultant.