Although the typical petsitter may only be thought of as a dog walker, they really do so much more! In addition to making your life easier, hiring a petsitter can increase your home’s security, improve your pet’s quality of life, and reduce the stress that comes with being a pet owner. We have put together a comprehensive and educational guide with all the information you require about hiring a petsitter since we recognize that leaving your beloved pet in the care of another person is a major commitment.
A pet sitter is a person who provides pet owners who are out of town with pet sitting services. Only specific pets, like dogs or cats, may be cared after by pet sitters, or they may offer services. These professionals may offer additional pet-related services such as dog walking. Pet sitters work independently or as employees of a pet-sitting business.
What’s the job of a pet sitter?
A petsitter’s everyday routine is diverse and frequently unpredictable, contingent upon the kind and quantity of animals under their supervision. Depending on your preferences and the specifics of the scenario, a pet sitter can perform their services from your house, your home, or another location. While this is by no means a comprehensive list, the following are some common tasks that you could assign to your pet sitter:
• Dog walking
• Exercising the pet
• Stimulating the pet by playing with them or spending time with them
• Feeding or providing water for the pet
• Cleaning the pet or their cage, kennel, bed etc.
• Looking after the pet overnight in their house or your house
• Taking the pet for medical appointments or to grooming appointments
• Socializing the pet with other animals.
While the petsitter may not need to spend time in your home to complete certain tasks, others might. If so, the sitter can take on additional responsibilities to improve your home’s upkeep and safety while you are gone. When hiring a petsitter to watch for any animals you leave behind while you are gone for an extended length of time, they may additionally do the following duties:
• Checking for parcels or post
• Adjusting the appearance of the house to make it seem lived in e.g. opening and closing curtains
• Changing light settings on timer lighting
• Watering plants
Consequently, in addition to offering your pet security and routine, a pet sitter may also be able to assist you during long trips away from home or in disrupting a daily routine in which your home is unoccupied at specific times.
What justifies hiring a pet sitter?
It’s no secret that caring for a pet can be demanding; frequently, you just can’t offer them the care and attention they require while still managing your hectic chedule. A petsitter can serve as an additional set of hands to guarantee your pet’s pleasure and well-being, so you can be confident they are getting good care even when you aren’t able to spend meaningful time with them.
A petsitter can help provide your pet with the full care they need even when you are unable to, taking the stress out of pet ownership and giving you the peace of mind that your pet is well looked after and cared for at all times. Unexpected responsibilities that come with owning a pet include, but are not limited to, the need for regular medication if your pet becomes ill, the fact that certain pets require more exercise than other animals of their breed, and much more.
TYPES OF PETSITTER
Dog walkers: You don’t have to be away from home or away from your dog for the entire day to hire a dog walker! Whatever your circumstances, you can employ a dog walker. Maybe you are less mobile or able to take your dog for walks. Maybe your hectic schedule prevents you from guaranteeing that your dog will receive enough exercise each day. Routines have been shown to be quite beneficial for dogs, so even if you spend most of your time at home, hiring a dog walker on a daily basis could help give your dog more structure and enhance their behavior, mood, and overall well-being.
In-door Pet sitting
In-home pet sitting is among the most widely used pet-sitting services. Pets can receive the care and attention they require while remaining in the comfort of their surroundings thanks to this kind of service.
A pet sitter will come to your house to take care of your pet on a regular basis, playing, walking, and feeding them. Your pet will feel safe and comfortable in familiar surroundings since they will keep their routine intact. Pets with specific requirements, parents with lengthy work hours, and nervous canines can all benefit from in-home pet sitting.
Your pet will receive excellent care every day from a committed pet sitter, guaranteeing their happiness and wellbeing.
Vacation petsitters: Whether you’re heading on a work trip or a vacation, it can be costly to board your dog in a kennel or uncomfortable to constantly ask friends to watch over your pet. You can avoid this stressful situation by hiring a petsitter to come to your house on a regular basis to feed and care for your pet, or by having them take care of your pet while you’re away. In addition, petsitters frequently inspect your home while they’re doing their job, giving you peace of mind that your home is secure and safe while you’re away.
Drop-in petsetter
Drop-in visits take place in the pet’s home, making them comparable to pet sitting services. The duration is the primary distinction. A drop-in visit is typically more constrained in scope and far shorter than a pet sitting appointment. For instance, a 10-minute drop-in visit might be sufficient to check the dog’s water and allow for a toilet break. You should arrange a 20–30 minute pet visit if you would like to cover more ground, like as feeding, water replenishment, medication administration, litterbox cleaning, mail collecting, plant watering, etc.
Checks for young or old pets: If you’ve recently adopted a new pet, or if the family pet is becoming older, there’s a good chance they won’t handle being left alone for extended periods of time. Even though an elderly animal may tolerate a full workday, it’s still advisable to let them out or provide them with company more frequently. Puppies should never be left alone for more than a few hours at a time. A pet sitter might stop by your home to see how your pet is doing and maybe feed or water them, let them go outside to relieve themselves, or just spend some time with them.
Pet sitter overnight
If a pet owner must travel for an extended amount of time, overnight pet sitting is a great solution. During the night, our service offers your pet extra love, care, and company.
Your pet will have a pet sitter stay over-night to make sure their needs are fulfilled, saving them from being left alone. Numerous pet sitters offer overnight stays in your house, giving your pet a cozy and stress-free atmosphere.
How much does a petsitter cost?
The typical cost of a petsitter varies based on the tasks they must complete, the kind of animal they are looking after, the number of animals you need to have looked after, and other factors. The average hourly rate for pet sitters in the UK is between £6 and £20. Less money is paid for less labor-intensive jobs like walking dogs or watching puppies, while more money is charged for more difficult tasks like feeding fish, cats, or hamsters while the owner is away.
Agreeing on a set price with a petsitter to have them watch your animal in their house while you are gone for an extended length of time might be less expensive than buying the animal. Most petsitters are self-employed and may be open to negotiation for longer stays. We’ve got all the details about the average cost of petsitting so that you can make sure you’re paying the right amount for your petsitting services.
How do I hire a petsitter?
It can be difficult to know where to start, as entrusting another person with the responsibility of looking after your pet can be a daunting and difficult move for some people, but fear not, by using an online care platforms that are designed for this purpose.
The great advantage of making a profile online is that firstly you can gain access to thousands of available applicants instantly and spend as much or as little time as you need researching their profiles and credentials to decide if their pet sitting services could be right for you. Simply sign up and create an advert stating your pet sitting requirements and you will be able to message applicants who you deem suitable asking if they are available to talk more about the role. What’s more is that registered users signed up as pet sitters will be able to find your advert and apply for the pet sitting job you have posted, meaning the ideal candidate could even come to you with no searching on your behalf required!
