What would you guys like when looking for a new pet sitter?

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PetSittersUnite

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Hey there!

Some friends and I are trying to make finding a pet sitter easier. We'd really like some help finding out what pet owners are looking for when looking for a pet sitter or what pet sitters would like so that we can create something with this in mind. Please help us out by taking one of these surveys and sharing them.

>SURVEY LINKS REMOVED by Miss M. See below.<

If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask!

Thanks!


*** Note from Miss M: The links in this post have been removed for the safety of our members. This is a first time poster, gathering information, some personal, for a purpose we cannot verify. It could be exactly what it says, or it could be for some other purpose. ***
 
I wouldn't use a "pet" sitter for my animals. Far too many people who love pets are antibreeding and I don't want to deal with that when I'm breeding 4 species. I would rather advertise to livestock owners and farmers.
 
good start,

lacking in options for more than one pet in a home or from a home.

wanted more options to say what would be good to take in or to be able differentiate what one would take into a home and what one wouldn't.

Pet Sitter is not a good label for people needing animal care who run herds of animals.

My personal animal care person is the best person EVER.
She does what i ask (even to medicating).
She tells what she can and cannot do and we problem solve solutions (she has a health issue).
She keeps my business private.
She is available whenever I need her.
I KNOW she needs the financial help that my hiring her provides.
She'll do short notice or extended care help if needed.
 
For the variety of animals I have, a pet sitter would require special training. :lol:

Not all animals are the same, and treating one species like another could be fatal.
 
ladysown":6f5q5ual said:
good start,

lacking in options for more than one pet in a home or from a home.

wanted more options to say what would be good to take in or to be able differentiate what one would take into a home and what one wouldn't.

Pet Sitter is not a good label for people needing animal care who run herds of animals.

My personal animal care person is the best person EVER.
She does what i ask (even to medicating).
She tells what she can and cannot do and we problem solve solutions (she has a health issue).
She keeps my business private.
She is available whenever I need her.
I KNOW she needs the financial help that my hiring her provides.
She'll do short notice or extended care help if needed.
Click to expand...

Can she come down here for a week or two? :D ;)
 
For us personally we have had issues in the past with people watching our animals. So now I'm a bit more strict now.

We usually have one of our trusted neighbors watch our chickens, and rabbits. The day before we leave I have them come over, and do a walk through with them coming over everything that needs done, and how to do it.

For the rabbits, they are in our garage, and I have a check list that sits on top of the hutch. I give our neighbor the garage door opener ONLY. There is a door that leads into the house inside the garage, and it IS locked while we are gone.

(We had a friend that used to watch the animals, and we did not lock the door, because we HAD trusted them at the time until they started stealing our food. Little things like some paper towels, or TP we had told was okay to borrow, but when we come home, and literally HALF of all the food we just bought was gone, that is not okay!)

Anyways. The check list includes:

Check that all rabbits have fresh water, and feeders are full.
Turn on fans at 8AM if it is a hot day.
Turn off fans at 8PM.
Check that all rabbits look in good health. *Getting up, and running around, breathing is normal.*
Sweep poo on floor every other day.
Make sure no poo is inside the cages.
Once you leave garage door MUST be shut!
Make sure lid on feed barrel is closed after feeding.

We're never gone for more than 2 days so usually the sitter doesn't have any issues keeping up with the list.

For the chickens. (Coop is in the backyard.)

Fill bucket with layer crumbles, and all flock feeder.
Fill all 4 buckets with fresh water daily.
Gather eggs, and put them in the garage fridge, or feel free to take them home with you. (Egg cartons are on top of the garage fridge.)
If weather is really hot fill kiddie pool in coop half way with cool water.

The chickens are pretty low maintenance, lol.

What we look for in a person who watches the animals is:

Someone who knows, and understands all the instructions. Someone how follows all the instructions, we ask that they call us before they make any decisions outside of what is on the list.
 
Mine aren't particularly difficult to take care of for basic daily stuff despite the variety. Dogs and cats I plan to board. Everything else: give food and water and check animals look healthy. Everyone gets the same pellets except hedgehogs eat cat food. Water is obvious. Hay need tossed to the guinea pigs because they are bottomless pits and will eat themselves to death and me to broke on pellets if they don't have cheaper food around to entertain them. That's all the required stuff. It's time consuming but simple. It would be good for the guinea pigs to get frequent water changes with their vit c supplement and everyone would appreciate weeds and vegetable from the garden but it's not necessary for a few days.
 
This has been a helpful thread - finding a rabbit caretaker for when I go out of town (can be up to a week) is something that I have worried about as I make my rabbity plans.

- Ant Farm
 
It is definitely something to consider. Thankfully, we have neighbors for whom we have animal-sat several times, and we know that -- as long as it is possible for them to do so -- they will care responsibly for our animals, as well.
 
Due to this issue, we had not left our house for more than one night in over four years until recently. A family gathering came up that we needed to attend, and we asked a friend if he would pet sit. He came over the day before we were to leave, and I gave him a checklist for each of the animal types. We went through the list, I showed him where all supplies were, and we went on our trip.

We came back to healthy animals, and the rabbit cages sparkling clean, even though I told him he didn't have to clean and empty the troughs. He did help himself to chicken eggs, which we of course told him he could do, but my hubby practically had to force money into his hand for his trouble. Morning and evening trips to our place, all the work involved with the dogs, chickens, and rabbits and he didn't want to be paid. He gets lots of rabbit meat these days. :)
 
What a great friend, Marinea! :)

When we've cared for our friends' animals, they have told us to keep the eggs and feel free to raid their garden (if it was in season). :p

We give them a rabbit or two now and again, and I know they would take good care of our rabbits and chickens if we needed them to.
 

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