Matt Davies Harmony Communities Shares Methods for Finding Quality Pet Sitters

Introduction

According to Matt Davies Harmony Communities, it’s always a painful experience when you can’t bring your furry family members to travel along with you for work or vacation. That’s why it’s very important to find a quality pet sitter who would provide your pets with the love and care they need. Here’s how you can find one.

The Methods

1. Referrals – A cheap phone may seem very impressive on the spec sheet. However, when you use it, you understand where corners have been cut and compromises have been made. Similarly, anyone can make themselves look good on paper with impressive credentials and expertise. However, nothing beats first-hand personal experience. That’s why you should ask for pet sitter recommendations from people you trust. That includes your close friends, family members, your vet, and your pet groomer.
2. Build a questionnaire – The HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) and other such organizations have their own thorough list of qualifications and other requirements for screening out quality pet sitters. You can do your research and use those resources to build a questionnaire for screening potential pet sitters. Some of the most important questions include:

• Can you provide proof of liability insurance coverage to cover negligence and accidents?
• Are you bound to protect me against theft by your employees?

3. References – When you’re hunting for the perfect pet sitter, you’ll come across many through different sources. If the list includes pet sitters who didn’t come through direct referrals from your close contacts, ask them for a list of regular clients and pet services in their network that would vouch for them. This way you can eliminate a lot of unqualified amateurs. This is very important when you are paying top dollar for their services. When you get references, make sure to ask those contacts things regarding your expectations and the unique requirements of your pet.
4. Get certified pet sitters – If you can’t get good recommendations from your close contacts, you can also choose to hire certified pet sitters. In the US, there are two national agencies that train and certify pet sitters – PSI (Pet Sitters International) and NAPPS (National Association of Professional Pet Sitters). Reach out to them and ask for certified pet sitters near your location.
5. Affiliation with pet boarding facilities – An established and professional pet sitter wouldn’t just have a robust support network but would also be affiliated with a reputable pet boarding facility. This arms those pet sitters with a backup for housing your pets if they become unable to provide care due to medical or other emergencies. Moreover, reputed pet boarding facilities have very stringent standards about who they work with. An amateur or an unqualified pet sitter wouldn’t be able to get affiliated. That affiliation is like a stamp of quality.

Conclusion

Matt Davies Harmony Communities suggests that you use the above-mentioned tips to find a qualified and friendly pet sitter for your cat or dog. Professional pet sitters also have a support network of their own to handle special needs pets and medical emergencies.