Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Services by Kat

What is pet care?
Professional pet care provider vs. kennel?  Which should I choose?
Why is pet-sitting so expensive?
Can I trust having a stranger in my home? Is it Safe?
What is the deal with insurance, licenses and bonding of pet sitters?
My dog suffers from separation anxiety.  Is there anything I can do?

What is pet sitting? What is in home pet boarding? What is dog walking?

Some of the advantages of pet care are:

• Reduced stress on pets, as pets are cared for in a private home setting.
• No “travel trauma” to pets because they do not need to be transported to unpleasant places. For boarding an added benefit is the PRACTICE (as discussed in the section about separation anxety) when learning to overcome anxieties as most boarding places are pleasant destinations.
• Exposure to illnesses and parasites of other animals is minimized. Each boarding place is different, if in home         environment always find out about the other pets in the home, if any.
• Required vaccinations are less restrictive than at a kennel.
• Pets stay on their regular schedules and do not need to adapt to new routines.
• Pets are free to play, sleep, eat, or walk whenever they want and are free to roam the premises. Outdoor time should be supervised for safety reasons.
• No inconveniencing neighbors, friends, or family members.
• No worrying if you remembered to close the garage door, turn off the coffee pot or turn off the lights.
• Pet Care Providers are experienced in care, custody and control of the pets in their care, usually having training, such as pet first aid, classes, pet-sitting association memberships or other licensing.
• Pet care providers are insured/bonded to protect you from liability.
• A wide variety of service options exist customized on an individual basis.
• Professional care is available to any client regardless of disability, work schedules or travel plans.
• Home security and household management services are included for clients requiring private access to the client’s property.
• Often Pet Care Providers are not licensed in Security but provide security services nonetheless.
• Your care provider will be there to notify you any possible problems with your home such as water leaks, weather related damages, or any other situation of this nature that would end up being costly to you.
• Discretion is used by not advertising you are not home.
• Pet Care Providers will never hit, kick or abuse your pet(s).
• Pet Care Providers know to use generally accepted training techniques to enforce obedience with pets to prevent unwanted behavior.
• A Professional Pet Care Provider is someone who follows the necessary codes of ethics and conduct as prescribed by professional pet-sitting associations.
• You are more freely able to travel on business or for pleasure with the confidence of knowing your beloved pet(s) are in the hands of a professional caregiver.
• A Professional Pet Care Provider provides peace of mind for everyone.

Professional pet care provider vs. kennel? Which should I choose?
There are many wonderful kennels, boarding facilities and pet “camps” in and around San Diego County.  I respect the work they do and the care and attention they provide animals. Pet sitting and In Home Pet Boarding are pet care alternatives allowing the pet(s) to remain in their own familiar surroundings, or as close to it as possible and without having to be in a socialized environment with the risk of disease or illness being spread. Each case is different and care is assessed on an individual basis. While a kennel can work out very well for some pets, other dogs and almost all cats and cage pets get stressed out when they are boarded in a kennel.

“Some pets think that kennels are a camp and you wouldn’t want to take that experience away from them,” says Kay Calzolari of Pet Care providers International (PSI). “While others are happiest and less stressed at home surrounded by their familiar sights, smells and sounds.” And, while most professional pet care providers serve as a crime deterrent by opening and closing drapes, turning on and off lights or retrieving the mail and newspaper, this may not be a plus for you. “It really depends on your comfort level with having someone in your home,” notes Ryan Dryden of the National Association of Professional Pet Care providers (NAPPS). Conversely, not every pet(s) thrives at a boarding kennel. “Some animals adapt better to a pet-sitting environment,” says Jim Krack of the American Boarding Kennels Association (ABKA).

Issues to consider when deciding on a pet care provider or facility:

• Facilities do not offer personalized home care services or personalized attention. Some facilities are caged facilities with limitations to how often pet(s) receive attention.
• Pets feel abandoned or miss their owners and the familiar sights, sounds and smells of their normal environment. They may be place in a prison like (as opposed a home like) environment.
• The loud barking of nearby dogs can overwhelm cats. Being left in a strange place can traumatize some pets, such as shy, nervous ones. Older pets can have a hard time adapting as they are so used to a home.
• Some pets get depressed and lose their appetites. Often it takes them time to adjust when they get back home.
• In some places, your beloved pets are kept in a cage or very small run and they are fed and taken out to relieve themselves but that is about it.
• If the kennels do offer playtime or walks, they usually charge additional fees for those “extra” services.
• The exposure to illnesses and parasites of other pets as some kennels accept reptiles and other small pets or birds is likely and facilities may not sanitize the facility multiple times a day as it would minimize their profit margins.
• Dogs would be required to get a dose of Bordetella to help prevent “kennel cough” yet there is still a risk of kennel cough regardless.
• Staff may not always be on call 24-7 or be certified to provide care to animals.
• Pet owner is responsible for picking up and dropping off the pets during kennel hours, providing less flexibility in scheduling or billing of additional charges.

Why does pet care seem so expensive?

Many people are new to the pet care experience, and when they think of a pet care provider or care provider, they may automatically make comparisons to baby care providers, house care providers, the next door neighbor and boarding facilities.  There is an enormous difference between professional pet care providers than to others watching your home and pet(s).  In fact, more than half of the clients I have spoken to have unfortunate stories of previous non-professional pet-sitting experiences as well as over crowded prison-like environments at kennels and other facilities.  If you have multiple pets, pet sitting often is more affordable than kenneling.  Plus, I offer extra home care and security services that is included automatically such as plant care, mail/newspaper retrieval, general property security, and more that you won’t receive if your pets are simply boarded, your home has just a house care provider or security company caring for your home. You will not have to hire three separate companies to take care of what pet care providers include in their services. In addition, 24 hour care at the care provider’s home is often more affordable than any other option as the pet care provider will not have to accommodate expenses for travel, time or commute in relation to caring for you pets.

Professional pet and home sitting is not an economy care option and I realize it may not be in everyone’s budget. However, it is a BARGAIN considering the peace of mind, convenience and home security provided by an experienced, licensed, responsible, reliable and dedicated pet care and security professionals. You would actually end up paying more to get the same exact services pet care providers provide and you may end up duplicating services rendered in he process. Professional private security for your home, renting the boarding facility out and its employees to just you and your pets for the time you are gone, and a house care provider for just two weeks – it can cost in the thousands for all these services combined. And what happens if a water main breaks and your house gets flooded because no one was there to prevent further damage to your home, how much would that cost to repair? In reality, pet sitting is an affordable solution that will assist in preventing excessive costly repairs or deterring your belongings from theft. As your pet care provider, I will be your eyes and ears at home to help prevent or handle emergency security problems that will end up costly if unattended.

Can I trust having a stranger in my home? Is it Safe?

No, of course not!  As a licensed security professional, I strive to be honest, reliable, trustworthy and careful.  However, I know that having a stranger come into your home for the first time is nerve-racking, as it should be!  To put your mind at ease, I welcome you to ask questions at the initial consultation and I offer pet care in my home as an alternative. I would like to build a trusting long lasting relationship with you and your pets.  I follow a Code of Ethics that represents the highest standards of ethical behavior and humane attitudes towards animals. Not to mention the fact that I am a pet owner and animal lover myself!

What is the deal with insurance, licenses and bonding of pet care providers?
I am bonded and insured. I am happy to provide you a copy of my policy upon request should you desire. Since there is no contractor’s license for this industry I am not licensed, however I do possess a professional security license where I have been trained and fingerprinted since 1999 to care for properties and persons under my care in a security capacity. I can also provide you a copy of that as well.

Refer to my PET CARE NEWS AND UPDATES BLOG (link the words PET CARE NEWS AND UPDATES BLOG to http://www.petsitdogwalkbykat.blogspot.com) with great articles and information regarding what these things are. But here are some excerpts that sum up of the article:
“”This has become a pet peeve of mine”, Patti J. Moran, president and founder of Pet Sitters International, writes in her book, Pet Sitting for Profit. The pet-sitting industry is self-regulated, so a “pet care provider’s license” doesn’t exist as does a contractor’s license, restaurant’s license, etc.  However, many cities require a license to do business as a company or by certain operational conditions of business within their borders and usually is only issued to companies that qualify in that capacity. Service providers may not qualify as a business if they are sole operators. She further states that it is misleading to the public to list this business license as a credential. This is based on the fact that there isn’t a state exam or course of study required prior to obtaining a business license.”
“A dishonesty or fidelity bond claim generally applies when a pet care provider is convicted in criminal court of theft from a client home. When the pet care provider is convicted, the bond will reimburse the client for the loss, and then seek reimbursement from the pet care provider.”
“Professionally, pet sitting has been around for more than 25 years, insurance policies are available specifically for this type of business. This applies to businesses and their owners and may cover independent contractors. Pet care provider insurance provides protection in many different areas to the business, client’s home and the pet(s).  Liability coverage is “negligence insurance” and covers expenses should the caregiver have an accident and damage the client’s property or do something that results in harm to the pets. Although it is extremely wise to have any pet care provider service companies who employees who service your home have insurance, but it is not required for independent contractors as they act as the client’s employee directly.”

My pet suffers from separation anxiety.  Is there anything I can do?
I enjoy working with pets that have separation issues.  In fact, I may be able to help. It is important for many reasons to teach your pets to be home alone as well as to be comfortable driving in the car.  Start teaching them when they are still young to spend time without you as well as taking trips to positive locations so the pet(s) understands that not every car trip will produce unpleasant results. The only way pets will acclimate is by PRACTICE. The old adage – Practice makes Perfect is true in this case. Just by taking random trips to happy places and practicing car rides and friendly boarding stays will help your pet get used to being in the car and prepare you for those emergency situations in which there is no choice much better and much safer. There is a very good two-part article written by Lynn Roberts DVM on separation anxiety on the Pet Care providers International website. The article suggests ways in how to introduce this.  My own pets recognize the signals of when I am going out and they know they will not be going too.  When they see these signs they understand that this time is theirs without me and are comfortable every time I go out since they know I will be back. They also know that even though the car may be scary they know the destination will not always be an unpleasant one.