How to Select a Trustworthy Dog Sitter

Trusting your furry child with a stranger can be daunting knowing that a stranger has full access to your home while your away is another concern. Over the years several online networking sites have popped up connecting care providers with those in need of pet sitting services. Although these sites are a helpful platform bringing people together it does not offer a guarantee that the care provider is really interested in pets to begin with. In fact, one online care network even asks this question for potential care providers, “Does it matter if pet care provider is comfortable with pets?”  What does that mean? Why would anyone employ someone who is not comfortable with pets to look after their furry family member? Interesting to note that this same question is not directed toward child care providers. Hump. That is something to ponder. Should you decide to use these online resources, you will need to weed out individuals that merely view your dog as financial commodity. Importantly, finding someone who takes pet sitting seriously and WILL show up to feed and exercise your dog as agreed.

The following ideas offer a good place to start when seeking out reliable in home pet care.

1. Ask for references. Speaking with other clients will give a solid insight. People love to talk about their pets and are more than willing to offer assistance with finding a trustworthy sitter. Most veterinary offices and animal care rescue organizations can be reluctant to suggest one specific pet sitter but while offer a list of individuals to choose from. They will know of trustworthy care providers with a good track record. If you are given several individuals as pet sitter contacts, arrange to meet having your pet present and observe interaction between them.
2. Setup an interview. Be observant with your pets’ response to this individual. Does the pet care provider engage with your dog in a nonthreatening way, reaching out slowly, sitting on the floor in a nonthreatening way allowing your pet to draw near and investigate? Do they allow the pet to approach on its terms? Keep in mind. Anyone to assertive or forceful will be perceived as a threat to any animal. A good pet sitter will already understand this.
3. How does this person relate to your dog? First clues are evident by how your pet responds to an individual.  Does pet keep distance or shy away? You know your pet best. If they are not keen on this person perhaps there is a good reason and instinctively they understand more than the initial personality veneer. Perhaps this person views your pet as just a business opportunity and not a serious responsibility. Keep in mind that if you don’t feel right about a potential dog sitter, your pet most likely doesn’t either. With that said, you can rely on your own gut feeling to a point; however, it is good to speak directly with references.  

Finding a good pet sitter that understands the responsibility of caring for another life can be challenging but not impossible. There are people that see this as a serious role, not a money making proposition, and worth the effort to find.

Keeping Your Pet Family During Financial Hardship - Part II – Handling Pet Medical Care Costs

How does someone survive financial difficulties and keep the pet companion family together? Know the resources available to you. Keep a list of pet welfare organizations that can provide medical assistance for your pet should an emergency arise, be informed and understand what they offer. Nonprofit pet welfare organizations survive on donated funds. The bleak financial climate has hit the nonprofit industry hard. Donations have dwindled as people scramble to take care of themselves. Programs that could previously fund a good portion of costs can now only offer a small portion of support if that. Contact all potential resources for support. Even if each one offers to fund a small amount toward the medical procedure this can bring down the final costs substantially. Remember to reciprocate when possible and give a donation to those nonprofits organizations that provide assistance to your cause. Your gift will go toward helping someone else just as you have been helped. Be creative with raising additional funds by having a yard sale, sell things on an online auction site such as eBay. Consider getting a second part-time job. Work with the veterinarian and negotiate a payment plan, offer to perform a service working for the veterinarian in lieu of actual cash. Are you near a veterinary school? These schools often have lower cost care clinics and offer well trained doctors educated with the latest cutting edge technological advances in medicine. Lastly, when financial times are good perhaps preparing for the unexpected is the best method for handling pet medical care costs.

There are insurance plans available today which are directed toward keeping your pet healthy covering routine annual checkups to providing care for serious conditions. Even some auto insurance plans now offer coverage for pets travelling in automobiles. Pet insurance coverage has specific requirements to consider, just as human directed plans have restrictions, pet coverage has limitations too. Often requiring the pet is a young kitten or puppy. It is best to shop around and compare as each insurance providers plan is different. Find the one that would be the best fit. If you are struggle through the current financial climate having difficulty meeting the needs of your pet companion, please consider the following resources:

Carecredit.com

http://www.imom.org/

http://www.help-a-pet.org/

http://goodsamfund.org/

http://www.uan.org/ http://www.thepetfund.com/

http://angels4animals.org/

http://browndogfoundation.org/home

http://www.fveap.org/

http://www.felineoutreach.org/

http://www.perseusfoundation.org/

Keeping Your Pet Family During Financial Hardship

I'd do anything to keep my pet family intact, but honestly, right now is hell for me. Until recently I didn't have an income or support from EDD. I've gone through the retirement funds just trying to live and keep a bit of normalcy in my life. I finally got a part time job paying minimum wage and this will not come close to covering my rent (which I am already behind on) but thank God it is something coming. I share my tuna with the cat, Joey, and collect recyclable bottles to pay for litter. It is tough and I swear to God, I never want to go through this again. EVER! I've gone to every community assistance resource available to get me along. My working friends have been fabulous providing a few resources along the way to help me---toilet paper for one, such a silly thing to think about but without it or a way to purchase it. Damn! Then there is the wonderful friend that left a bottle of vodka on the door step. That was a sweet surprise. Sometimes a good drink is just what the doctor ordered during these stressful times.

I've cried my eyes out. I've sold off my valuables at shameful prices just to patch it along. It's a bloody fight to keep us together I've prayed and somehow I manage to make it another day, week, month and you know what, my kitty Joey has no idea how hard things have been.

Each day Joey wakes to go into the world with no expectations or disappointments, she eats the meal given and once outside goes to the sunny spot on the garden bench. She soaks up the sun and once warm Joey runs to the neighboring field to chase bugs in the wet grass. She has no understanding how poor and dismal things have been but knows that I love her and she receives the best that I have to offer at this time without question or concerned look. She feels safe and loved. To Joey, everything is right in the world and we are very rich. Joey doesn't know about the TARP bail-out funds for financial institutions that screwed the rest of us to the wall, or city managers in Bell CA that voted six figure incomes for themselves and a few subordinates. Joey only knows that the mouse she catches belongs solely to her, it is never taxed or divided among the other cats in the neighborhood, nor is it given to her on a variable rate costing her 5 times more than the day she caught it! Nope. Not Joey-kitty, she has the best of all things and each day is thankful for what she has, and I thank God that Joey chooses me to be her mom, she makes me feel like everything will be okay. and so each day I fight to keep us together until we get through these financial struggles and the economy moves forward at a better pace.

The Human Bond with Family Pet is a Good Ratio

The special bond between pet and owner is recorded throughout history. Today, that unique relationship is evident in the economy. The amount of money spent on merchandise for pet companions is estimated to be 47% in 2010; an estimated 63 million U.S. households own a pet. This is big business for the pet care industry as they adapted to the growing interest and needs of pet owners, even for other industries reaching out to capture new clients with pet friendly hotels and automobile insurance policy expanding coverage to pets are an example.



For many individuals, Pets are family too, and the benefits of pet families are a win-win situation as the pet receives love and care, in return the owner receives overall better health in comparison to those living alone without pets. Owners even have lower blood pressure, less doctor visits, and stress levels are reduced; pets even help prevent heart disease and alleviate depression.



Without a doubt the family relationship formed with a pet is special transcending all culture and time, and worth celebrating.