No time to walk your dog? There’s a service for that!
Pet Sitters International (PSI) advises busy pet parents that professional pet-sitting and dog-walking services can provide the pet-care solution.
KING, N.C. (January 31, 2022) — An estimated 41 percent of pet parents are not walking their dogs regularly, per Psychology Today—and that’s bad news for the health and overall well-being of their pets. Fortunately for busy pet owners, professional pet-sitting and dog-walking services are available to offer a solution, says Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s leading educational organization for professional pet sitters.
Regular exercise can help dogs maintain a healthy weight, provide mental stimulation, and mitigate unwanted behaviors, among other benefits—but what happens if the pet parent has a busy work schedule, physical limitations, or other reasons they are unable to regularly walk their dog?
PSI explains that’s where professional pet sitters come in.
When people hear the term “pet sitter,” they may associate it with someone who watches pets while owners are on vacation, but pet parents depend on professional pet-sitting services for much more than occasional travel. With 1 in 2 remote workers adopting a pet during the pandemic, many pet-sitting and dog-walking companies have been customizing services for busy pet parents who need someone to check in on their pets even while they’re working from home.
“From daily dog walks to outdoor play time to hiking excursions, professional pet sitters and dog walkers are able to offer customized services to help pets get the exercise they need to stay healthy and happy,” said PSI President Beth Stultz-Hairston.
“Professional pet sitters are happy to meet with pet parents to discuss their specific pet-care needs, whether the clients will be traveling, returning to the office, or working remotely,” she added. “With professional pet-sitting services now widely available, pet parents should never have to worry about their pet’s well-being.”
And owners of cats or other types of pets don’t have to feel left out—they can also hire pet sitters to provide their pets with additional daily playtime, such as cat enrichment visits, and to help them maintain a regular feeding schedule.
Before hiring a pet sitter, pet owners should do their due diligence to ensure they are hiring a true pet-care professional to care for their pets, whether they need long-term vacation care or a simple drop-in visit due to long work hours.
“Often times, pet owners, and even news outlets, use the term ‘pet sitter’ carelessly, referring to anyone—from a family friend to the neighborhood teenager asked to walk a dog—as a ‘pet sitter,’” said PSI Founder and CEO Patti Moran. “It is important pet owners understand that pet sitting is a professional career and professional pet sitters offer peace of mind that other pet-care options cannot.”
PSI advises pet owners to schedule an initial consultation with a potential pet sitter prior to booking services and offers a free Pet Sitter Interview checklist on its website.
Pet owners in need of pet-sitting services can visit PSI’s Pet Sitter Locator at www.petsit.com/locate to find pet sitters in their areas. To learn about PSI or becoming a professional pet sitter, visit www.petsit.com.
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About Pet Sitters International
Founded in 1994 by Patti J. Moran, author of Pet Sitting for Profit, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, with member pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and more than 15 other countries. PSI members have access to the widest array of business services and educational resources available in the professional pet-sitting industry. PSI’s Pet Sitter Locator is the largest online directory of professional pet sitters, and pet owners can visit petsit.com/locate to find local professional pet sitters.
