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Going On Vacation? Consider Pro Pet Sitter

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Pet owners should make sure their sitters are properly trained and background- and reference-checked, and bonded.

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By KRISTEN LEVINE

Tribune correspondent

Published: July 16, 2008

Updated: 07/16/2008 07:34 pm

Florida law requires pet owners to provide about as much care for their animals as they do for their house plants - food, water and shelter.

I could never get away with that with Buck.

Our 12-year-old Labrador-chow's basic needs include a prescription veterinary diet with an occasional burger or chicken from the grill, clean water with ice cubes, and cozy beds in three rooms of the house. Plush toys are mandatory, along with dental chews and satellite radio tunes when he's home alone.

And he's not even the high-maintenance one. That would be Tank, the cat.

My husband and I rarely vacation because we have separation anxiety when it comes to our "kids." We worry that no one on the planet will attend to our animals' needs as obsessively as we do.

Although many families take pets along on summer vacations, others leave them in the care of a professional pet service. Aging dogs and cats, ailing pets, anti-social pets and most cats may benefit from staying home with a sitter, rather than shipping out to a day-care - no matter how luxurious.

Enter one of America's fastest growing professions: the pet sitter.

And not just friends and family will do. Today's pet owners demand "a highly attentive, affectionate and nurturing approach to pet sitting," according to a statement by Fetch! Pet Care, the nation's largest pet care company.

"Many owners go to great lengths to assure their pet's happiness and emotional welfare," says Paul Mann, CEO of Fetch. "This is why so many pet owners now avoid using a friend or family member, or even kennel boarding and daycare facilities."

Other pet owners, though, believe their animal will be just fine, even for several days, as long as it has food, water and a place to relieve itself.

Nothing could be farther from the truth, Mann says. He offers these "myths" and "truths":

Myth: A dog or cat will be fine left home alone with a large bowl of food and water.

Truth: Pets can knock over their water bowl, putting them at risk of dehydration. They have been known to lock themselves into rooms, get their claws caught in soft materials, and choke on food or hairballs. If there's a fire, your pet may be trapped.

Although the risks aren't all life-threatening, others are just sad. Are you sure the pet you've left alone isn't lonely and depressed, cooped up with no companionship? Do you really want to deal with the compulsive or aggressive behavioral problems that can result?

Myth: All pet sitters are the same.

Truth: Pet owners should make sure their sitters are properly trained, background- and reference-checked, as well as bonded and insured. They should be available on demand, and in cases of emergency. Anything short of that may leave the pet owner home for the holidays or stuck with a bill for sub-standard services - or worse.

Myth: It's harmless to leave a dog in a backyard or with a neighbor's child.

Truth: Dogs left outdoors are often affected by unusual and expected weather conditions, and are particularly vulnerable to nighttime predators. They may escape through a weak point in the fence, or bark incessantly, causing neighbor frustration and, worse, impoundment by officials. In addition, children enlisted to care for a pet can be forgetful and may not live up to their responsibilities.

Need help finding a reputable pet sitter? Go to www.petsit.com and view the drop-down menu under "pet owners."

Fetch has a franchise location serving Northwest Hillsborough County. Go to www.fetchpetcare.com for details.

Write to pet-lifestyle expert Kristen Levine at Fetching Communications, P.O. Box 222, Tarpon Springs FL 34688; e-mail kristen@ fetchingcommunications.com.

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