Interview Questions You Should Ask A Pet Sitter

Pet Sitting allows you to travel while allowing your pets to live at home where they feel safe and comfortable. It is an excellent alternative to boarding where some pets feel stressed by being caged in close proximity to other animals. Finding a pet sitter is not difficult. Google, Facebook and Yelp will yield a lot of results. How do you find the right pet sitter for your needs?

Ask questions! Caring for your pets is a serious responsibility. Interviewing prospective pet sitters for the position will ensure you make an educated decision. Here is a guide to use during your search:

1: Do you have business insurance and are you bonded?  Your pet sitter will have access to your home and valuables as well as your pets. Business insurance will protect you in the event of any accidents to your home or your pet. How will you be protected if your dog is attacked while out walking? How will you be compensated if something is broken in your home? Hire a professional with business insurance specific to the pet sitting industry.

A bond will protect you against theft. A reputable pet sitting company carries a bond on their staff, typically up to $10,000.00. We also conduct background checks. You will want this peace of mind when allowing access to your house.

2. What is your Emergency Plan? Things happen! A sole proprietor may not have a back up plan in the event of illness or a personal emergency. Who is going to cover if your pet sitter has an emergency? At Creature Comforts, we have a team of professionals and every situation is handled without missing a beat.

3. What is your experience with __________ (your type of pet and/or medical condition/unique requirements)?  If you have horses you'll want to make sure the person caring for them has experience (it is very easy to find someone who just LOVES horses but what experience do they have?) If your cat is taking medication can the person administer it? What experience do they have? If your dog is insulin dependent can they do the injections? Have they done this before? Do they know how many times a day an animal needs insulin? Can they be on time?

4. How will you know when the visits are done? A good company will have GPS and time-stamped visit reports that are automatically sent to you to let you know the pet sitter was at your house when clocking in and out of your visit.