More Australians are favouring Pet Sitting Service websites for the speed and easy convenience they offer.

A local Pet Sitter is a welcome relief given many of us don’t live near family to help with our pets and our hectic lifestyles. However, some Pet Owners who need Pet Sitters try to arrange care at the last minute, without realising there is some preparation required by Pet Owners before they book one:

Before you begin your search

• Be sure your dog responds to basic commands and is well socialised around both other people and pets; if your dog has an aggression problem or is otherwise unruly, he/she may not be a good candidate for pet sitting. 
• Ensure your dog is up-to-date on vaccinations before taking him to the Pet Sitters home to stay. It is a measure of a quality service if companies do ask for vaccination proof as it guarantees your pet stays in a hygienic environment.
• Ensure your dog is de-flead & up-to-date on flea control treatments Fleas can be prevented easily and effectively with a once a month topical solution or tablet. 
• Ensure your dog is up-to-date on Heart Worm and Intestinal Worming (this can be a monthly tablet purchased from Vets or supermarkets)
• Ensure your pet is de-sexed
• Ensure that either your pet is desexed or you have selected a Sitter whose pets are desexed - you want to avoid returning home to a pregnant pet.
• Ensure your Pet is microchipped this can be done at the Vet
• Ensure your Pet is registered with your local council and is wearing the registration tag on their collar
• Ensure your pet is wearing an engraved ID tag on their collar.
• Make sure you have enough wet and dry food for your Pet (+ 2 extra days) to last them while you’re away.

The Process of looking for a Pet Sitter

1. Use a Pet Sitting Service Website to look for Sitters such asPetCloud.com.au 

Using a Pet Sitting Service website can cut down on the time you spend search for a Sitter by offering an advanced search and selecting things such as distance from your home, services offered, size dog serviced, size of backyard offered, and price range.

In the search results, click on each Sitter to read their online reviews from other people who have used them. Good Sitters will have a clear profile photo, click through the photos of their backyard, and lounge and look for places that indicate they have a secure fence, maintained outdoor area, and clean and tidy house.

If the Sitter will be entering or staying in your home while you are away, check on the website that your sitter has undergone a recent criminal background check and has received proper training. On PetCloud we have verification badges that tell Pet Owners exactly what Sitter training, verifications, and checks the Sitter has had.

PetCloud House & Pet Sitter Lauren from Surry Hills, NSW has had a Police Background check.

2. Research the Company

Check if the parent company registered with ASIC and has an ABN?  Ensure the company insures their Pet Sitters for Public Liability cover and Personal Liability cover. Check the Company’s own Reviews from credible review websites.

3. Request a “Meet & Greet” with the Sitter

Request a Meet & Greet 2-4 weeks before the pet stay with your pet(s) present to observe interactions and establish a “comfort level” for both you and the pet(s). The purpose of a Meet & Greet is not to just shake hands.

4. Shop and pack a Pet Holiday Bag

Pack a Pet Holiday Bag. PetCloud have provided this must-have handy list on their website so you can know what to take. 

OK, let’s see if I have everything packed. My teddy, my ball, my coat, my kibble and a photo of my family. Think that’s it.

Photo: @tobywigglebottom

5. Snap a photo of your Sitters address and phone number 

You will need to drive to their home on the way to the airport or the highway so keep it in a handy spot.

6. Handing over Care of your Pet to the Sitter

When you arrive with your pet at the pet sitters home, (or if the Sitter comes to pick them up) remind the Sitter about any medical or behaviour problems your pet has, such as a history of epilepsy or fear of thunder. Then hand your Pet’s Holiday Bag and your leashed pet to the sitter, and say good-bye.

Meeting the Sitter @tobywigglebottom

Tips on what to look out for

• It’s the casual sitters, including family and friends of the pet owner, who are at most risk if a pet escapes from care and causes a problem in the community.
• Check that the Sitter is insured with public liability cover for damage caused by the pet, & take our Accident & Illness cover for your pet. 
• Ensure the company offers seven-day per week telephone and e-mail support for both you and the Sitter
• Ensure the Pet Sitter’s company asks you for your pet’s identity information, medical and behavioural history as well as veterinary and other emergency contact information and passes this all onto the Sitter.
• Ensure the company has “backup” measures in place should your sitter have an emergency that prevents them from completing your booking.
• Always use a Pet Sitter whose company is partnered with a Vet Network and Animal Welfare organisation. That way if anything unexpected happens during the stay, they have extra support and expert advice they can call upon.
• Ensure the parent company has a Pet Sitting training program available to support their pet sitters.
• Ensure the website makes Background checks mandatory for House Sitters or in home Visits. Any Sitters who will have access to the keys of the Owners home while they are away.
• Ensure the website explains clearly what ‘verified’ or ‘screened’ means. Using the words ‘Screened Sitters’ is not enough. What does ‘screened’ mean? A phone call? An email verification?

Photo credit: @nrahmichelle

Hero image credit: @nrahmichelle from instagram