Tips for finding a reliable pet sitter in Plano, TX
We understand problems can arise when hiring a pet sitter in Plano. After all, it can be a challenging task. How do you know if your pet and your home are in good hands? Working with a professional, reliable pet sitter can give you total peace of mind while you’re away, but when problems develop with pet sitter, it can be very distressing for you and your pet.
We have all heard the different -yet similar- horror stories before…A poor pet dies because her reckless pet sitter fails to administer medication. A dog walker negligently leaves six dogs to die in the back of his truck.
When you are surrounded by so much uncertainty, it is pretty easy to fall prey to the fear of making the wrong decision, leaving you paralyzed and unable to act.
Here are three main problems you might encounter when you are looking to hire a pet sitter in Plano, and what we believe is the best way to solve these issues.
-Problem #1 with Plano Pet Sitters: There are too many choices!
You can check this one out for yourself. Do a quick Google search using the words “Plano pet sitters”. The list is endless!
When you are living in a large suburban city like Plano, you are bound to live within a huge percentage of pet owners. And that’s not bad, it’s great that people choose to live with a pet! But, the problem lies in long work hours and holidays. That’s when your pet might end up alone for extended periods of time. Lots of people feel guilty about this and look to a pet sitter to remedy it.
That’s how the pet sitting industry was born. The problem with this scenario is that everybody feels like they can work as pet sitters. And it’s not for everybody!
You will find a lot of pet lovers trying to break into the pet sitting industry. It can get confusing to make the right choice. How can you tell who is a trained professional and who is a hobbyist? Is it possible to ensure a quality service for the pet that you love?
-Solutions:
- If you do a Google search for pet sitting in Plano, you might want to narrow the search down to your neighborhood. This will make it easier to pick the right one and most convenient as well.
- After you think you’ve found the right one, be sure and do some research. Look for online reviews, read their website, find out why they started their business and how they did it.
- Use social media! Join Facebook groups or use Nextdoor to get recommendations from people who have used pet sitting services before. But remember, sometimes you will get someone related to a pet sitting business or a rival business trying to slander the competition. Take everything you hear with a grain of salt.
- By going through this process, you will easily be able to compile a list of five or ten places that seem trustworthy. So, get in touch with them! How they respond is always very telling about how they run their business and treat the pets.
-Problem #2 with Plano Pet Sitters: There are no rules or regulations
If you decide to hire a pet sitter, you are going to give a lot of vital information to a total stranger. Your contact information, your work or holiday schedules, your home address, and even your house keys! It is completely normal to worry about this scenario.
It is always wrong to assume bad things. But how do you tell if a total stranger isn’t a criminal or has hidden intentions when dealing with your pet? You can’t tell if someone will use your house to throw a party when you are away. Or if they are careless and leave your door open when the pet sitter leaves. If they don’t care enough to close the doors, neither will they care to look for your pet if it runs away!
Pet sitting is completely unregulated in Plano. That means anyone can quickly build a website, maybe print some business cards and call themselves a pet sitter.
It’s up to each pet sitting business to set their own standard. At least that will be the case until Plano decides to set rules and regulations as most industries have.
That means it’s up to you and you alone -the pet owner- to ensure you are choosing the right pet sitting business to keep your house and pet safe.
Remember: Anyone can set up a pet sitting business overnight. That doesn’t make them the right choice. Or even qualified.
-Solutions:
You are going to have to ask questions to the potential pet sitter. Don’t be afraid to ask. This is for your house and pet safety. It is worth the trouble. A good pet sitting business will have no problem showing their documentation and any proof you may need. They will be happy to do so! Here are a couple of questions you might want to ask:
- Do you have insurance? What does it cover?
- What steps do you take to make sure my keys are safe? What happens if you lose them?
- How can I know you will keep my personal information safe? (Home address, work schedule, alarm code, etc.)
- Do you do background checks on your sitters? (To check for criminal records)
- What emergency plans do you have? What happens if my pet is lost or injured? What happens if there is something wrong with my house? (A fire, a robbery, etc.)
- Is there a backup plan in place if the pet sitter doesn’t show up?
- Are the sitters carrying a first aid kid for pets when they perform their visits?
-Problem #3 with Plano Pet Sitters: There are no guarantees of availability.
As I have told you, there are more pet owners in Plano than we can count. Which means pet sitters have no trouble getting new clients. Especially during holiday seasons. If you are looking for a high-quality pet sitter, they will be fully booked ridiculously fast.
-Solutions:
Make booking a pet sitter part of your holiday arrangements. Don’t wait until you are finished packing to do it! Once you have the tickets, book the right pet sitter for your little friend.
- Bear in mind high-quality pet sitters might take a while to process new clients’ information. They may even have to arrange a consultation before they take your pet.
- It’s always a great idea to look for a pet sitter even if you are not going to travel. That way, when you have to leave your house for a holiday, you won’t have to go through this process because you have done it already.
- If you ask your neighbor to take care of your pet during the holiday seasons, he might cancel on short notice. Avoid this terrible emergency scenario with a good pet sitting business who has backup plans for any emergency.
We hope we have raised good points for you to consider if you are looking for the right pet sitter. As the owner of VIP Pet Services with over 18 years’ worth of experience in the pet sitting business right here in Plano, my goal is to be your trusted source for all things pets.
We’re Here to Help!
If you are looking for a pet sitter and you feel overwhelmed by this confusing process, feel free to contact us via e-mail or phone. Learn more about our pet sitting and dog walking services in Plano by clicking here. Even if you are outside of our service area, we find joy in helping people with one of the most important things in their life, their pets. Please, if you need help, do not hesitate to call! We are here for you if you need us.