You want your pet to join you on all your adventures, which isn’t always possible. This is why it is important to have a trusted pet sitter who can take care of your pet while you are away. For first-time pet parents, the process can feel daunting – how do you find the best pet sitter for your furry family member? To help you, we’ve put together a list of things you should look for when interviewing potential babysitters.
They are happy to provide references for customers
Professional pet groomers will always be happy to share references from other clients. In fact, they may already have them available on their website, social media, or profile on a pet-care app. If a pet sitter you’re considering has only a handful of references, consider how long they’ve cared for these pets. Some babysitters just love having a few long-term clients so they can build a close relationship with the pets they watch.
They have a flexible schedule and are clear about their capacity
A great pet sitter can work around your pet and its needs. This is especially important if your pet needs medication or other care at specific times of the day – you want to make sure the pet sitter will always be able to work during this time. Not only do you want their schedule to be flexible, but you also want them to be honest about their capacity and the number of clients they can handle at any given time. If they take on too many customers, they may not spend enough time with each pet.
They get to know your pet and ask you to fill out a detailed admission form
When choosing a pet sitter, it is important that they ask you questions as much as you ask them. The most common way babysitters do is ask you to fill out a detailed admission form for each pet they will see. This form should include questions like:
- Does your pet take any medications?
- Do they have any allergies?
- What is their favorite toy or game?
- Who can they contact in the event of an emergency if you are not available?
After you fill out the form, they will go through the answers with you and ask any additional or clarifying questions. Most pet sitters will ask to do this in person, so they can also meet and greet before their first visit.
They don’t just do the ‘basic’ things when they visit your pet
A professional pet sitter will do more than just feed your pets, water them and quickly scoop out their litter box or take them for a walk around the property during their visits. . In addition to these basic duties, they will take the time to give your pet some personal attention and enrich their day. What this looks like will depend on your pet’s preferences and the details you’ve shared about them in the intake form. For example, if your cat loves to chase a feather wand, your sitter might be looking for new activities they can do with your cat that involve wands. Great pet sitters will even prepare activities and toys that they think your pet will enjoy, bringing a new level of excitement to the visit.
They know what to do in an emergency
Accidents can happen, so you want to find a babysitter with the knowledge and experience to handle any situation that arises. The best pet sitters are those who have completed a pet first aid course and regularly refresher to ensure that their knowledge is up to date. In this training, they will learn basic first aid skills such as:
- Respiratory and cardiac emergency
- Wound care
- Convulsions
In addition to basic first aid, pet owners should feel comfortable using various medications, including injections and subcutaneous fluids. Bonus points if they know all the answers to these top first aid tips Dr. Aziza, our Freshpet vet, wants pet parents to know!
Do they provide updates while you’re away or reports after you return?
A good pet sitter knows it’s never easy for your furry pup, which is why they’re happy to share daily updates during their visits. Before you leave, the sitter should ask how best to hold you while you’re gone and if you’d like them to send you photos, videos, or messages letting you know your pet’s condition that day. At the end of their visit, they will often rewrite a longer, more detailed version of each visit. In this report, they may also make recommendations for activities or toys that your pet is particularly fond of so you can try them out for yourself when you return.
Knowing that your pet is in good hands can give you the peace of mind to really enjoy your time away. We hope that this list has given you a good starting point for your search or even confirmed that your babysitter is, in fact, one of the great ones!
