Professional Pet Sitters Week was introduced by Pet Sitters International (PSI) in 1995. PSI is the world's largest educational association for professional pet sitters. According to PSI, this week-long event “recognizes the many contributions of professional pet sitters nationwide for their commitment, hard work, and dedication”.

Approximately 63 percent of all American households have pets. The U.S. pet population includes approximately 73 million dogs, 90 million cats, and 16 million birds plus fish, hamsters and other animals, according to the America Pet Products Association. That’s a lot of pets, requiring a lot of care when owners travel on business or pleasure. Pet Sitting has grown tremendously as a profession in the last decade and there a lot of Pet Sitters out there to choose from.

Why hire a professional Pet Sitter? (Why not just ask my neighbors teen?)

A professional Pet Sitter is a qualified individual paid to care for your pet—offering both you and your pet many benefits, without the stress of a kennel environment.

Pet Sitters do much more than provide a pet with food and water while their owners are away from home. A good Pet Sitter will spend quality time with your pets, giving them attention, exercise, and monitoring their general health and well being. For pets cared for in their own home, they stay in the environment they know best and are most comfortable in. Pet Sitters generally offer additional “house sitting” services, such as bringing in mail and newspapers, watering plants, rotating lights etc. Owners can feel secure knowing that their pet is well taken care of without burdening neighbors and friends with the responsibility.

Choosing someone to watch your pet while you’re away can be stressful. There are many things to consider before you leave your beloved pet in someone else’s care.

A professional Pet Sitter should always offer to meet with you to provide a free consultation before agreeing to watch your pet. This is your chance to find out as much as possible about the person you are about to trust your pet to- here are some things to consider:

Bonding and Insurance
There are several organizations through which Pet Sitters can obtain professional liability insurance and bonding. This gives pet owners reassurance that the sitter is a professional that takes their business seriously, and also offers protection and peace of mind to the owner.

Experience and skills
An experienced Pet Sitter will interview you, just as you are interviewing them. They should ask lots of questions about your pet’s personality, habits, medical conditions temperament, feeding instructions, and more. Watch closely how they interact with your pet, and how your pet reacts to them. Ask about basic pet first aid training, and have what their plan is for covering any medical emergencies that may arise.

Backup Plan
Be sure to ask what the sitter’s backup plan is in the event that event that the primary sitter can't make it for some reason. Any number of things can go wrong, from weather to personal emergencies, and you want to be sure your pet is well taken care of, no matter what.

Referrals & References
Most established Pet Sitters gain new business through word-of mouth. Ask your friends and family who watches their pets. Your veterinarian may also have a Pet Sitter they can recommend.
Be sure to ask for references, and check them.

Trust your instincts
How do you feel about the person you are considering? A Pet Sitter should love animals, and show passion and enthusiasm for their work. Although it’s hard work, most Pet Sitters will tell you that they are getting paid to do something they love to do, and it doesn’t get much better than that.