When you are leaving town, whether it be for an overnight trip or a three week vacation, you want your pets to be as well cared for as when you are home.So do you have friend or family member help out, or do you hire a professional pet sitter?

When we are contacted by a new client we often end up discussing what they have done previously for pet care and the most common answer we get is:

My friend, family member or neighbor helped me out.

Inevitably something goes wrong with this scenario and pet owners are left scrambling for another option, often deciding to opt for a professional pet sitter this time.  Granted, when a friend or neighbor watches your pets your fur kids are often able to stay in your home, but there are many advantages to having a professional care for your pets instead of a well-meaning friend.  Let’s take a look at some of these advantages:

Your pet can follow his regular diet and exercise routine.

Friends and family have the best of intentions but visits will often be done around their schedule and what is convenient for them.  After all, they are doing you a favor!  As professionals, we at Wet Noses Pet Sitting work to set up a schedule that is ideal for your furry friends. It can be extra stressful if your normally active dog all of a sudden just gets a quick potty break twice a day so we try to keep their routine as normal as possible.

Your pets are the priority!

Friends mean well but they often have their own pets and responsibilities.  Our Wet Noses pet sitters arrive at your home ready and excited to focus on your pets and their needs.  If your dog needs a walk in the snow or cat needs some extra cuddle time to feel happy, that is what we will do.

Wet Noses pet sitters are experienced with a variety of medical and behavior problems.

Unfortunately pets do get sick and occasionally develop behavior problems, partially due to the disruption of their normal lives.  As professional pet sitters, we try to keep everything as routine and fun as possible, but there will be one major change in their lives – you are gone!  When problems such as a sick cat or a depressed dog arise we have a plan in place to work with the situation and eliminate any stress on your part. Our managers are always on call to help, whether it be ideas or a second pair of hands to assist your sitter.

There is always back up.

Good professional pet sitters will always have back up in place in case an emergency arises.  At Wet Noses Pet Sitting we always have other sitters and managers ready to step in at a moment’s notice when needed.  If a friend is watching your pets and becomes ill what will they do?  If they are in a car accident will anyone else even know to stop by and feed your dog?  More than once we have received calls from people already out of town whose sitter never showed up and they are frantically trying to find someone to take over.  Don’t let this be you!

Bonding and insurance covers you, just in case.

Some circumstances cannot be predicted, such as a friend slipping on the ice outside your home or your dog getting bit by a loose dog on a walk.  If you are not using a professional you might be responsible for these costs, including expensive medical bills!  Real professionals have at least one, and often multiple, types of insurance to make sure they are covered as well as you and your home. It is important for you to know how you are covered.

Not all pet sitters are created equal, nor are they all professional.  In hiring a professional pet sitter, it is important to make sure you have chosen the right person to care for your beloved pets!