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By PSI Staff | March 3, 2020

Please note: This blog post was published on March 3, 2020, and much has changed as the pandemic has evolved since that time. While some of the tips in this post are still valuable for many businesses, we encourage PSI members to visit PSI’s dedicated COVID-19 Resource Page for Members for the most up-to-date information, including access to free trainings on boosting business during COVID-19, as well as interviews with an employment attorney, tax professional and SEO expert on what information pet-sitting and dog-walking businesses need to know during this time.

You can’t turn on the news without seeing a new story regarding the coronavirus outbreak. If you participate in Facebook groups for pet sitters you’ve likely also seen posts from pet sitters who have recently had clients cancel services due to this issue.

So, as a professional pet sitter, is it time for you to panic—and what should you know?

What are coronaviruses?

First, it’s important to understand exactly what coronaviruses are. The NC Department of Health and Human Services shares that coronaviruses are a group of viruses than can result in a variety of illnesses, ranging from the common cold to more severe infections such as pneumonia. What we are seeing in the news now is the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

20190nCoV (or COVID-19) is the virus that has been identified as the cause of the outbreak of respiratory illness that was first detected in Wuhan, China, this past December. Other impacted countries now include Iran and Italy, and most recently, cases have been identified in various U.S. states.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever, cough and difficulty breathing and can lead to more serious illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that while this particular virus was first linked to the live animal market, the virus is now spreading person-to-person.

The CDC recommends a variety of preventative actions to help prevent the spread of this coronavirus including avoiding close contact with those who are sick; avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth; and proper handwashing. The CDC only recommends facemasks for those who show symptoms of COVID-19 (not for those who are healthy).

There have also been recent concerns (and misinformation shared) regarding whether or not pets can contract and spread this coronavirus. Dr. Marty Becker addresses this question in his recent blog post and shares that currently “there’s no evidence that pets or other animals in the United States could be a source of infection, or that they could become infected through contact with a human who has the virus.” However, the CDC does advise restricting your contact with pets if you are sick with COVID-19, just as you would with people.

How may pet sitters be impacted by COVID-19, and how should they prepare?

While news reports and warnings regarding COVID-19 are certainly scary, don’t panic. Remember that as a professional pet sitter you plan ahead for a variety of issues that may occur and you can implement your readiness plan in this situation if needed, as well.

First, stay up to date on the most recent information regarding this coronavirus, areas impacted and advisories in place. Follow reputable sources such as the CDC, the public health agency of Canada, the UK’s National Health Service and your state’s department of health and human services—and not misinformation that may be shared across social media or less reputable websites.

Resources for PSI members:

PSI members, you can join the conversation in PSI's private Facebook group (search keyword: coronavirus) to learn how other pet sitters are responding to COVID-19.

PSI has dedicated specific discussion threads in its private group for members to:

• discuss how they are being impacted.
• share examples of policies they've implemented and communications they are sharing with clients and staff.
• provide tips for boosting business and supplementing income during this epidemic. 

You can also take the following steps to help your pet-sitting business better prepare:

1. Have a cancellation policy in place, make sure your clients are aware of it and decide if you’ll be making any exceptions. As a professional pet-sitting business owner, you should already have a cancellation policy in place (including the timeframe in which clients are able to cancel without penalty and what credits or refunds—if any—you issue for cancellations) and clients should be aware of your company’s cancellation policy.
   
   Now is also the time to consider if you will be adjusting or making any exceptions to your policy for cancellations that result from concerns regarding the new coronavirus, particularly clients who may have international travel or cruises planned.
   
   
2. Make sure you have a local emergency contact for each client and determine plans for extended visits. Another issue that could possibly arise is clients who are not able to return home when they originally planned. With this new coronavirus, there have already been situations of passengers quarantined on cruise ships for additional days or international travelers temporarily restricted from returning home.
   
   Consider what you will do if a client is unable to return as originally scheduled. Do you have the availability and manpower to continue pet-sitting visits until the pet parents can return? Do you have a plan in place to purchase additional pet food and supplies as needed? Or, is there a local emergency contact that will assume care of the pet until the owners can return? Determine what your business can accommodate and plan accordingly. Remember, it’s always a good idea to have an Emergency Pet Guardianship Form on file for each client—even when there’s no coronavirus concern!
   
   
3. Analyze the potential impact on your business and adjust your marketing accordingly. Depending on where your business is located and which services generate most of your revenue, you may find that cancellations (or lack of new service requests) due to coronavirus concerns may begin to impact your bottom line. For businesses who focus primarily on vacation visits, this may have the most impact.
   
   If this may be an issue for your business, consider ramping up marketing for other services you offer that are less likely to be impacted. For instance, increase promotions around daily dog walks. You may also consider inexpensive social-media ads focusing on using your pet-sitting services during staycations for would-be vacationers who have chosen to stay in town (or very close to home) but will still be outside of their home for extended hours at local attractions or events.
   
   
4. Continue with your standard sanitation practices and remind your staff sitters to as well. As some memes circulating around social media have said: It’s important to wash your hands even when there isn’t a coronavirus scare! As part of your standard pet-sitting practices, you should be washing your hands with warm water and soap between pet-sitting visits.  While this is already a standard practice, it’s a good time to remind your staff sitters to continue regular handwashing.  Also be mindful to prevent the spread of the virus. If you—or your staff sitters—have recently returned from an outbreak-affected area or had contact with someone who has the virus, contact a medical professional to determine testing and quarantine procedures and do not perform pet-sitting visits until given the clear to return to work from your doctor.
   
   

5. Continue to put money aside in your savings and/or emergency fund. Because business for pet sitters and dog walkers can sometimes ebb and flow (and occasionally is “feast or famine,” particularly in the earlier years of your business), it’s always best practice for pet-care businesses to put money away to sustain you and your business in the event of slow seasons. Don’t skimp on your savings now! While the ultimate impact of this novel coronavirus is not known at this time, it’s possible that vacation clients will cancel or delay trips as a safety precaution. By continuing to put money into your savings and/or emergency fund—and perhaps even increasing the amount you typically set aside—your business will be in a better position if you do see a decrease in visit requests or increase in cancellations due to the coronavirus.

Hopefully, your area—and your business—will not be impacted by this most recent coronavirus. However, as a professional pet-care business, it’s important to always be prepared and keep the above tips in mind year-round. Just like washing your hands, having a clear cancellation policy, gathering emergency contact information and diversifying your marketing efforts are all good steps to take even when there’s not a coronavirus outbreak!

PSI members, join the conversation in PSI's private Facebook group (search keyword: coronavirus) to learn how other pet sitters are responding to COVID-19.