When people aren’t planning to take their pets while going out of town, they need to find someone to take care of them. Asking friends to pet-sit can be a reliable and affordable option. However, not all of them are fit to handle such a task.
Like redditor NeedleworkerAway2189’s friend, who mistreated her ducks while looking after them, leading to their passing away. This completely put a wrench in their friendship, pushing the woman to consider cutting ties with him.
Scroll down to find the full story and a conversation with Julie and Jonathan, professional pet sitters from The Global Pet Sitters, who kindly agreed to tell us more about leaving your pets with friends.
Relying on friends to pet-sit can be a great option when going on vacation
Image credits: 卓浩 虞 / pexels (not the actual photo)
However, this woman who left her pets to a friend found out some of them passed away under their care
Image credits: Ivan Samkov / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Mikhail Nilov / pexels (not the actual photo)
Later, the author provided a clarification
Image credits: NeedleworkerAway2189
Before reaching out to a friend about pet sitting, the owner should consider if they’re suitable for such a responsibility
Relying on friends to pet-sit has quite a few advantages. The first one is them being an already familiar face. With them, the getting-to-know-each-other part can be skipped and the pet can feel comforted in staying with a known person while their owner is away. It’s also said that recognizable faces can significantly reduce the separation anxiety some pets feel when their owner isn’t at home.
Not hiring a professional sitter can additionally reduce costs that can be used later to make up for temporarily leaving them. You can expect to save anywhere from $25 for a brief visit to $300 per week. Some friends agree to keep an eye on pets for free or for the same favor in the future. However, some suggest still paying your friends for their time. Whatever agreement you both reach, you’re still going to cut expenses significantly.
Furthermore, the owner might feel more at ease leaving their pet with someone familiar. They may also be more comfortable asking their friend for 24/7 updates about their furry companion, like what they’ve been up to during the day or if they’ve experienced anxiety since they’ve been gone.
Julie and Jonathan, professional pet sitters from The Global Pet Sitters, agree that in some cases, leaving pets with your friends can be a good option. “We think pet owners may very well ask friends and family to care for their pets, either in-home at the pet owners or at their own home. It’s perhaps an easy option and could work out well. Perhaps they can help each other with kind for kind, they know their pets and their friends/neighbours well.”
However, it’s important to note that such a duty isn’t to be taken lightly. Before choosing a friend and confirming with them about pet sitting, the owner should consider if they’re suitable for such a responsibility. Some may not realize how much commitment and effort are involved in it. Therefore, people who work long or unpredictable hours, have busy schedules, or are generally unreliable aren’t fit to take care of other animals.
Image credits: cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo)
In some cases, it might be worth hiring a professional pet sitter
To avoid situations like redditor NeedleworkerAway2189 had to go through, it may be worth hiring a professional pet sitter. “Overall, while friends may have good intentions, a professional pet sitter offers a higher level of service and peace of mind, ensuring the pets receive the best possible care in the owner’s absence,” said Julie and Jonathan.
“Friends and family may have their own commitments whereas pet sitters have the time to follow the exercise/feeding/cleaning/playing/loving times that the pets are used to from their pet parents. The pets are the top priority for the pet sitters, we can give them all the time they need.”
They further note, “We, as traveling in-home Pet Sitters have no other commitments apart from the ‘job’ of caring for the pets and home. And what a lovely ‘job’ it is too. Visiting new locations, and meeting new people and pets as we go. Very often making lifelong friends with the Owners and there is never a dry eye when it is time to say bye-bye to the pets. They become just like our own, truly. We try to be exactly like the Pet Owners – we just don’t sound or look like them.”
Lack of professional training, reliability and commitment, handling emergencies, quality of care, health and safety issues, consistency in care, insurance and liability issues, and possibly potential strains on relationships are the main disadvantages the professionals see in leaving your animals with your friends.
Meanwhile, professionals offer all of this and more. “The main advantage we think of hiring a professional Pet Sitter would be to the pets,” said Julie and Jonathan. “They get to stay in the familiarity of their own home, sleeping in their own bed, having their own food bowl, their own toys, keeping to their routines. That must be so reassuring when strangers are suddenly looking after you and your owners are not there.
An experienced pet sitter offers expertise, reliability, and tailored care towards the pets. All of this is crucial for their well-being. Professional pet sitters are trained to handle a variety of pet care situations and behaviors, ensuring your pet’s health and safety. We feel we are equipped to recognize and respond to health emergencies or unusual behavior in pets.”
Often, professional sitters offer additional services such as watering plants, collecting mail, and maintaining the home. “We always want to give the owners peace of mind,” the couple told us. “Knowing that a trained professional is caring for your pet can provide just that, allowing the owners to focus on their trip or responsibilities without worrying about their pet’s well-being. It never ceases to thrill us when owners tell us they felt relaxed and happy about leaving their pet(s) and were able to enjoy their time away without any worries,” they share.
Image credits: Kampus Production / pexels (not the actual photo)
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