Dallas-based Park Cities Pet Sitter Advises: When Searching for a Pet Sitter to Care for Family Pets During the Holidays, Start the Search Early and Do Proper Research
Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) October 31, 2014 -- The Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s holidays are often the busiest travel times each year in America. As many families visit friends and relatives in other cities, pet sitters around the country begin their busiest time of year, caring for the pets that often stay behind while their human family members travel. Many people seek out a pet sitter for the first time when the holidays are approaching. They sometimes fail to realize that this timeframe can be the hardest time for them to find a quality pet sitter, as many pet sitters and pet sitting companies are booked months in advance for the holidays.
Joette White, President of Park Cities Pet Sitter, has led her team of pet sitters through fifteen busy holiday seasons, and has words of advice and caution for those who choose to hire a pet sitter for the first time just before the holiday season. “With people’s lives getting busier all of the time, many individuals forget that they really must plan ahead if they need pet care during the holidays. I would recommend that anyone that does not already have a professional pet sitter that they have used before, that they begin screening professional pet sitting companies in their area at least six weeks before the holiday for which they need service,” said Ms. White.
When asked what type of screening questions should be asked when hiring a professional pet sitter for the first time, Ms. White gave the following recommendations:
• Verify that the company is bonded and insured, and that all pet sitters on staff have undergone background checks.
• Ask how the pet sitting company handles emergencies such as: if their sitter’s vehicle breaks down; if the sitter is involved in an accident and is unable to complete their assigned pet sitting visits; or if the sitter accidentally locks themselves out of the client’s home.
• Confirm that a pet sitter would be available if personal travel circumstances changed, and the initial service dates needed to be extended.
• Ask how long the company has been in business to ascertain the amount of experience they have, particularly in managing extremely busy times like the major holidays.
• Ask if there are managers on duty to assist pet sitters in emergencies, and if a company representative can be reached any time day or night.
• Confirm that your pet sitter will be able to meet you and your pet(s) in advance of your departure date so that house keys can be provided and all important details about pet and home care can be documented.
According to Ms. White, using a professional pet sitting service is better than using a friend or neighbor to care for pets, simply because a pet sitting service has clear policies and procedures in place to handle just about any emergency that can occur. “Our pet sitters have extensive experience caring for pets, have undergone pet first aid training, and have clear processes to follow if something unexpected happens. No one expects weather to cause home damage, or pipes to freeze and burst, or to have a pet suddenly fall ill while they are away. But these things do happen, and they will likely happen to someone this holiday season. An experienced pet sitter and pet sitting company are trained to handle these emergencies, and are there to provide great service and peace of mind in case they do.”
About Park Cities Pet Sitter: PCPSI has served the Dallas area 7 days a week, 365 days a year since 1992. Pet sitting, daily dog walks, pet taxis, overnight sitting, pet supply shopping, litter box cleaning and dog training are all part of the services PCPSI offers. Park Cities Pet Sitter is bonded and insured, and all sitters are employees--not independent contractors. A manager is on-call 24 hours a day to handle any emergencies. Additional information about Park Cities Pet Sitter can be found on their website at http://www.pcpsi.com.
Joette White, Park Cities Pet Sitter, Inc, http://www.pcpsi.com, 214-828-0192, [email protected]
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