Pet Sitters International shares tips for Responsible Pet Owners Month
The association provides a free checklist with seven important questions pet owners should ask before selecting pet-care providers.
KING, N.C. (January 31, 2017) — February marks the annual observance of Responsible Pet Owners Month, and Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, is reminding pet owners to do their due diligence when selecting pet-care providers.
With the influx of pet-care directory sites popping up in the last few years and news stories touting pet sitting as an easy way to earn extra cash, more and more people are deciding to cash in on the growing need for pet care. News stories of tragedies caused by hobbyists calling themselves “pet sitters” have also become more common.
“Just because you’ve seen a pet sitter in an online directory—or even on a nationally-publicized site—doesn’t ensure they are a legitimate, qualified pet-sitting business,” explains PSI President Patti J. Moran. “Anyone can post a profile advertising pet-sitting services, so it’s important for pet owners to take a closer look to ensure they are hiring a ‘real pet sitter’ to care for their pets.”
Pet owners should schedule an initial consultation with a potential pet sitter prior to booking services, PSI advises.
PSI encourages pet owners to ask seven important questions when interviewing a potential pet sitter:
- Does the pet sitter have the proper business license for your city or state, if required?
- Is the pet sitter insured and bonded?
- Can the pet sitter provide proof of clear criminal history?
- Does the pet sitter provide client references?
- Will the pet sitter use a pet-sitting services agreement or contract?
- Is the pet sitter a Certified Professional Pet Sitter™ and/or has he or she participated in other pet-care training, such as pet first aid?
- Is the pet sitter a member of a professional and educational association, such as Pet Sitters International?
PSI provides pet owners with access to the largest online directory of professional pet sitters free-of-charge and offers a free Pet-Sitter Interview Checklist.
“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 check in on your pet—as a ‘pet sitter,’” Moran explains. “It is important that pet owners understand that pet sitting is a professional career and professional pet sitters offer peace of mind that other pet-care options cannot.”
By using professional pet sitters meeting the criteria outlined in PSI’s recommended questions, pet owners can have peace of mind that when they travel for work or pleasure—or when their schedules prevent them from regularly exercising their pets—their pets are being cared for by qualified professionals, helping them maintain a healthy routine.
To find a professional pet sitter in your area, search PSI’s Pet Sitter Locator free of charge at www.petsit.com/locate. To learn more about PSI and professional pet sitters, 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 20 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 Official 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.
