How to find pet sitters

Most people who have pets are concerned about what to do when they go away on holiday. One solution is to use pet sitters - house sitters who will look after your cats and dogs as well as your home, often doing dog walking and similar chores too. This article looks at where and how you can find someone to do pet sitting.

Professional agencies

There are a number of professional agencies which do home sitting, and some which specialise in pet sitting - Animal Aunts is one. Many of these operate nationwide, and you should be able to find them by an Internet search. Most of these companies carefully vet their staff, who are often very experienced in looking after animals. However, these companies' services can be expensive.

Local advertising

Many people now do cat sitting, dog walking, or a number of pet services such as house sitting as a semi-professional job. They usually operate in their own areas, and some will also go further afield. Many of these advertise in local newspapers, and local vets, animal rescue organisations, and pet shops often have lists of the pet sitters in their areas. Personal recommendation You may well be able to get a personal recommendation too. This is a good idea as you will be entrusting your beloved cats and dogs to the care of a stranger. This is also not particularly cheap, but it is probably less expensive than using one of the pet sitting agencies. If you have a number of pets, it could be cheaper than putting them all in kennels or a cattery. Also, pets do prefer being in their own house.

Ask neighbours

Many people ask their neighbours to act as pet sitters, by simply dropping in twice a day in order to feed the cats and dogs, and check that everything is fine. Often, agreements like these are reciprocal - you look after your neighbours' pets when they go away, and they do the same for you. However, it might also be worth offering to pay. This is an option which could be particularly welcome if your neighbours are short of money, or if they have a student son or daughter who would like to pet sit, for instance. Regardless of what you choose, do make sure that your pets are well-cared for by a responsible poerson while you are away.