Many people have asked me why they should hire a pet sitter. They often tell me they can get the “kid next door” to come over and put food out for their 4-legged critters. They often tell me they only have to pay the neighbor kid $5.00 to care for their animals.

Believe it or not, pet sitting consists more than just coming in to feed your animals. We are also trained to be on the lookout for signs and symptoms that all is not well with your animal.

As an example, are you aware that if a cat goes 3 or more days without eating, they can develop a very serious illness commonly known as fatty liver disease? This is a very serious illness and can be fatal if not treated immediately. A professional pet sitter would be trained to be on the lookout for signs that kitty is not eating.

House security checks. At each visit, your sitter ensures all your windows and doors are locked. We make sure your packages, mail, newspapers and flyers are not left sitting in front of your home, alerting potential burglars you are out of town.

We once arrived at a client’s house to a sound of running water. Further investigation found the client’s water heater had leaked water onto the laundry room floor. Luckily we were able to stop further damage to the client’s floor.

We leave daily notes. We note if “Fido” or “Fluffy” went #1 or #2. Was there diarrhea? Is there  urine in the litter box? We make a note of these types of things. While one incident of diarrhea may not be problematic, we need to be aware of repeated bouts. No urine in the cat box often indicates a urinary blockage – something that needs to be treated by a vet immediately! We will contact the client or the client’s vet if we think there is something that requires further attention.

We once discovered a kitty that was drinking large quantities of water. The owner did not realize the excessive water intake could be a sign of a major health issue. It turned out this kitty was diabetic and needed insulin. Had your professional pet sitter not made note of the excessive water intake, this kitty could have gone much longer without a vet’s attention.

Your professional pet sitter is bonded and insured, offering you, the client, peace-of-mind.