How to Choose a Pet Sitter or Pet Boarding
Did you know there are many people who haven’t taken a vacation in years because they have pets? That may sound unbelievable, but it’s true. It can be a scary experience to leave your beloved pets in someone else’s care. You think you’ll spend your whole time away from home worrying about them and not enjoy yourself at all. No doubt, your main worries are about their safety and security, health and welfare, and socialization and exercise. Well, it’s up to you, but rest assured there are ways to take that vacation, knowing your pet(s) are safe and sound. The purpose of this guide is to inform you of the pet care options and help you figure out how to find the right fit for you.
Pet Sitting vs. Pet Boarding: What’s the Difference?
What do pet sitters do? A pet sitter is someone who comes to your home regularly while you’re away and provides your furry friends with fresh food and water, exercise and playtime, or may even stay in your home around the clock the entire time you’re away. This may be a professional pet sitter, a member of your family or a neighbor.
Pet Boarding, on the other hand, involves taking your pets to a facility where they will stay while you’re away. There, they will receive care, food and water, exercise and possibly even playtime with other animals there if you allow it. Some even have cameras so you can see your pet while you’re away!
The first thing you want to do is consider your pet’s unique needs. Consider personality, health, need for medications, and level of need for exercise…and keep those needs in mind as you read on.
Addressing Common Concerns
Let’s talk about those concerns about being away that we mentioned before. Specifically, let’s discuss what you can do to minimize the risk of any of your concerns coming true.
Safety and Security
Whether you choose pet boarding or in home pet sitting, it’s critical to select a provider with a strong reputation for safety and security. One way to do that is to ask some very specific questions, such as:
- Are you licensed or certified in any way?
- What are the qualifications of the staff that will be caring for my pet?
- Do you have any special security measures in place, such as cameras and safe entry protocols?
- What do you do in case of an emergency? If it’s a boarding facility, ask what they do if there’s an emergency in the building. What do they do if your pet isn’t eating or acts sick?
Health and Welfare
- Ask both a potential pet sitter and a boarding facility if they will feed your pet a special diet if you want to bring your own.
- What if your pet needs medications? Will they administer them?
- What sort of measures do they have in place to sanitize the areas if it’s a boarding facility? How do they prevent the spread of illness from pet to pet?
Socialization and Exercise
- If you’re using a boarding facility, you don’t want your pet locked in a cage 24 hours a day (mainly dogs although some places have cat playrooms, too. Just be sure they are escape proof!). Ask if there are times for exercise and play and possibly socialization with people or other pets.
- If you’re using a pet sitter instead, make sure she is a good match for your pet’s personality and energy.
Additional Tips
- Get recommendations for a pet sitter or pet boarding facility from your veterinarian, friends, neighbors and family.
- Read reviews!
- Try a trial run by having your prospective pet sitter come for a few hours or board your pet for a day. See how things go. When it comes to the real thing, make sure your pet sitter or boarding facility will stay in touch with you regularly. Most sitters will send you pictures daily or more often.
- If your pet doesn’t already have a SuperGood ID, consider getting one before you go anywhere. Having a SuperGood ID means if your pet gets away, the tag can be scanned and you can be reunited. It also means if your beloved furry friend becomes ill and needs to be taken to a different vet or emergency room, his medical records are stored in the tag, allowing him to receive the best of care. This can greatly enhance your sense of security.
Pet Sitter: Pros and Cons
As mentioned before, a professional pet sitter is someone you hire to take care of your pet while you’re away. They will come to your home as often as you wish to check on food and water and provide exercise and companionship. They will even stay overnight if you hire someone who agrees to that.
Pros:
- Your precious pet gets to stay home where they are comfortable in the familiarity of their own surroundings. This tends to be low stress.
- By using a pet sitter, you will be able to avoid your pet being exposed to diseases or parasites that can be transmitted from pet to pet at a boarding facility.
- The care your pet receives will be very personalized and specific to your pet’s needs.
- Having a pet sitter in your home has the added advantage of keeping your home looking lived in, helping to keep potential burglars away.
Cons:
- You may not want someone entering your home.
- If the professional pet sitter has a problem like illness or other emergency, you can find yourself scrambling to find a replacement.
- A pet sitter may be more expensive than boarding, especially if you want around the clock care.
Pet Boarding: Pros and Cons
A pet boarding facility is a place where pets can stay while their owners are away. They usually have a safe, controlled environment where there will be multiple pets boarding at the same time.
Pros:
- Just like pet sitters, boarding facilities will provide your pet with food, water, exercise and socialization with other animals, if you elect so.
- Some boarding locations offer such things as medical care, training, and grooming.
- There’s usually a team of professionals caring for your pet’s safety and well-being, giving you peace of mind while you are away.
- Boarding can be cheaper than your own private pet sitter.
Cons:
- Some pets become very stressed in strange surroundings, so much so that they won’t even eat.
- While boarding, your pet could be exposed to illnesses, parasites and other transmissible conditions.
- Your pet may not receive as much one-on-one attention while boarding as he would at home with a pet sitter who is devoted to just him.
Finding a Pet Sitter or Boarding Facility
So how do you find a reliable pet sitter or boarding facility? Research, research, research!
- Ask for Recommendations: There’s nothing like hearing good recommendations directly from someone you know so ask veterinarians, neighbors, friends, and family members.
- Read Reviews and Testimonials: Read lots of reviews. Gravitate toward pet sitters and boarding facilities that have lots of reviews.
- Interview Potential Candidates: Tour boarding facilities and ask lots of questions. Have a potential pet sitter over to meet your pet and ask lots of questions. Ask about experience, certifications, and rates as well as the suggestions made previously in this guide.
- Check for Certifications: Look for memberships and certifications from reputable organizations such as Pet Sitters International (PSI) or the International Boarding & Pet Services Association (IBPSA).
- Inquire About Insurance and Security: To reiterate, ask about security measures, insurance coverage, and what they do in times of emergencies.
- Request a Trial: It’s always a great idea to do a trial run before you leave the country for a week! Have the pet sitter watch your pet for a day. Leave your pet at a boarding facility for a day. See what the reports are. Was your pet comfortable? How does your pet seem to you after the experience?
- Peer-to-peer platforms, such as Rover and Wag! have become very popular these days. They connect pet owners with local pet sitters or boarding facilities. Browse through their directories and be sure and read the reviews!
Understanding Policies and Procedures
- To reiterate, check credentials, references, and experience. Online presence can give you an idea of what kind of person they are.
- Discuss the specifics of your pet care. Agree upon medication administration, if needed, as well as playtime, exercise and grooming.
- Make sure all of the above are put in writing. Agree on terms and conditions of the pet sitting or boarding, including fees and services.
- If you’re using a pet boarding facility, make sure you ask about their vaccine and health requirements. Make an appointment right away to get any needed vaccine or certificate of health.
Look for the following components in a boarding agreement:
Liability Coverage: This lets you know what your and the boarding facility’s responsibilities are in case of loss, damage, or injury.
Cancellation Policies: Check to see if you can cancel within a certain period with or without fees.
Payment Terms: Understand all fees, including deposits, payment schedules, and additional costs.
Special Instructions: This is very important especially if your pet is on medication or a special diet or has a particular behavior that needs to be monitored. Ask if you can bring a special blanket or one of your shirts (dirty) to provide comfort to your furry friend.
Start and end dates of the service
Leave emergency contact information where someone can be reached all the time and the number of your veterinarian and local emergency service.
Emergency Plans: Protocols for Medical Emergencies or Natural Disasters
- Medical Emergency Protocols: If you’re hiring a pet sitter, be sure to give her instructions on how to handle accidents, injuries, or sudden illnesses. If you’re using a boarding facility, does the provider have clear protocols in place to handle those things? Make sure both your pet sitter and your boarder know about pet first aid and give them numbers for your vet and emergency hospital.
- Natural Disaster Preparedness: Is there a plan in place at the boarding facility in case of fire, floods, or earthquakes? This includes evacuation routes, emergency shelters, and any specialized equipment needed to protect and transport your pet. Likewise, give your pet sitter instructions on how to handle such events.
- Communication and Updates: Be sure and hire a pet provider that is willing to get in touch with you if anything unusual occurs. Most pet sitters are willing to send you a picture of your pet on a daily basis. That can be very comforting.
- Staff Training: Ensure that the team members at a boarding facility or pet sitter are well-trained in emergency procedures. Adequate staff training is vital for quick and efficient responses during emergencies.
- Insurance and Liability: Verify that the pet sitter or boarding facility has appropriate insurance coverage to handle any unexpected situations. This will provide you peace of mind and ensure the provider takes their responsibilities seriously.
SuperGood ID: Enhancing the Pet Care Experience
If you don’t already have a SuperGood ID on your pet, there’s no better time to get it than before you leave your pet in the care of someone else! Add that to the peace of mind that, hopefully, this guide has already given you.
What is SuperGood ID? SuperGood ID is a scannable ID tag to access your pet’s medical records, guardian contact information, dietary needs, and more. Here are some of the features:
MODERN CONVENIENCE
24/7 access to essential records for traveling, boarding, and pet sitting.
VET FRIENDLY
Vets send records right to your SuperGood ID.
BATTERIES NOT REQUIRED
Smart features, but without the stress of charging.
LOST & FOUND
Anybody can scan your pet’s ID tag to help get your pet home. Vet records can get hidden if desired.
EASY DROP-OFF’S AND PEACE OF MIND DURING TRAVEL
Dropping off a pet at a boarding service or pet sitter used to be a pain. With SuperGood ID, your proof of vaccination and your pet’s medical needs are only a scan away. Enjoy your trip in peace knowing your pet will get the right care if anything happens while you’re gone.
In An Emergency, Every Second Counts.
1/3 Pets Go Missing Every Year! Anyone can scan your pet’s SuperGood ID to let you know your friend is safe and sound. Get Notified Instantly. When someone scans your pet’s ID, you get an immediate notification with their location.
Pet Profile
Create a profile for your pet and choose what information you want to publicly share, so anyone can quickly contact your pet.
The Right Medical Care, Every Time. If your pet is injured, any vet can scan your pet’s ID and get access to their full medical record, even if you aren’t present.
Trusting Your Instincts and Decision-Making
There are factors beyond credentials: trust and compatibility are the two most important ones. There’s only one way to access those factors: in person, with your pet! This is why it’s critical to have the pet sitter over to your house to meet your pet while you observe how it goes. You can tell a lot from body language. Does the potential sitter really like animals? You can tell and the pet can tell. Also, what are the answers to the questions you’ve prepared and what questions do they ask you? How does your pet react to the pet sitter or the environment in the boarding facility?
In addition, as mentioned before, having a trial run is very helpful. A short stay in a boarding facility or care by a pet sitter for a day or two is a great way to find out which your pet responds best to.
Preparing Your Pet and the Caregiver
So…you’ve done your research, selected your pet care option, and it’s time to leave on your exciting vacation. One last thing. THE LIST! Make a list of everything your pet needs during a day. Include things like where the food is located, where are his favorite toys, how much should he eat, what do they usually do for exercise and playtime, etc. Nothing is too insignificant to include on your lists. Include every little thing. Include how to contact you and your veterinarian. List local emergency clinics and their phone numbers.
Also, do some organizing. Make it easy for your pet sitter to find anything she may need. Food, bowls, garbage bags, toys, poop bags and on and on. Help her out by leaving everything in plain sight and/or posted on your list. Explain to the sitter how your SuperGood ID works, where else to find medical records or important information, and how your dog or cat reacts in a storm.
Communication While You’re Away
If you’re at all nervous and want to be reassured while you’re away, make that clear to the pet sitter and boarding facility. Ask for daily phone calls or texts. Ask for daily pictures. Those can be very reassuring. Again, make sure they know how to reach you at any time and perhaps how to reach someone local, too, such as a family member or trusted neighbor. Address any concerns you may have promptly and openly.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this guide has convinced you that you CAN take that vacation or business trip with the peace of mind you need about your precious pet. You’ve got the information now about what to look for, what questions to ask, and everything else you need to do to find the right pet care options for you. Now, it’s time to use those tools to begin your research. You’ve got a lot of research to do, but it will be worth it. There are MANY wonderful pet sitters out there and beautiful, clean and accommodating boarding facilities. You just have to find the one that is right for you!
Additional Resources