As summer draws nearer and those family vacation plans start to take shape, don’t forget one of the most important things: making sure you are ready for your pet-sitter! As much as we’d love to bring our pet with us everywhere, sometimes it simply isn’t practical and other arrangements must be made to guarantee the safety and comfort of our beloved little friends!
To help you get organized, we’ve gone ahead and assembled this handy check-list to assist you in getting together everything your pet-sitter could possibly need. Being prepared and making sure your pet-sitter has all the essentials will guarantee that your pet’s vacation (or stay-cation) will be stress free and leave you without worry!
Notes Of Schedule & Routine: Our furry (or scaly, or hairy!) friends like routine, so be sure to make clear notes of your pet’s schedule so that your pet-sitter can as best stick to your pet’s usual routine as possible. Don’t forget to include all the important details, such as the time your dog generally goes out for a walk, or if there’s a specific time your cat usually gets fed. It can also be helpful to include special “behavior” notes if there are any specific things you would like your pet-sitter to know about your pet’s personality, or notes about “Restricted” things that your pet individually might have a sensitivity or aversion to. Ideally, you can provide your pet-sitter with a notebook if you are leaving your pet with them on-site, or leave post-it notes around your home if they will be coming to your residence.
Food and Medicine: Be sure to provide your pet-sitter with an ample quantity of your pet’s preferred food, along with specific instructions regarding feeding. If there are any medications or prescriptions your pet requires, be sure to also provide your pet-sitter with these as well, along with clear instructions for how they should be given.
Accessories and Toys: Does your pet have a favorite toy, or a beloved plushy bed? Pack a bag with these special items so that your pet-sitter can provide familiar comfort to your pet in your absence. Animals are sensitive creatures, and a certain degree of stress is to be expected during a break from routine-allowing your pet-sitter the opportunity to provide your pet with something they like will make your pet all that much more comfortable, and make your pet-sitter’s job all that much easier.
Emergency Contact Information: Be sure to provide your pet-sitter with how to reach you in the case of an emergency, and also the contact information for your Veterinarian and/or Veterinary Hospital. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and making sure your pet-sitter is properly prepared can make all the difference in the event that something should happen while you’re gone.. Additionally, while running out of your fur-baby’s favorite kibble would be considered a “lesser emergency,” be sure to let your pet-sitter know where more of your pet’s favorite food and/or treats can be purchased just in case!
Still need help finding the perfect pet-sitter to watch YOUR little friend? Take advantage of our search function to find the pet-sitter just right for you!