Anyone else pet sit?

[craftyfarmgirl]

I recently became a professionally insured pet sitter. I work with both domestic and livestock in the towns surrounding my own. I have a few clients and hoping once the spring comes to get more leads. I would love to do this as my career. I also work at a school full time and paint home grown gourds. So many passions to try and keep up with! Anyone else?

[Kwings]

If i drove i would do this. It sounds like fun. do you get paid well? how do you become insured?

[pamda]

I feed horses and cattle for the neighbors. I am trying to decide if I want to get the insurance and do more. How well is it paying where you are. It only takes me about 30 minutes a day for the neighbors and he pays me 10.00 a day. I really like to have a few minutes with the horses so spend more than that on my own time. Those furries with the big brown eyes sort of suck me in..lol.

[frogmammy]

I'm not a pet sitter but a semi-friend is. We belonged to a dog club and were training our dogs when I first met her and she was starting her business then.

I say "semi-friend" because I haven't actuallly SEEN her for a good 10 years! She still sits my dogs though when I go somewhere. I will either email her or call her cell and tell her what I need. She confirms and I leave the blank signed check on the kitchen table, plus a care release and list anything she should know.

As of now, Cinder has been a "pro" pet sitter for over 15 years and it is her ONLY job....and she supports three kids on it! I've learned a couple things from her that you might find helpful.

ALWAYS have backup help. And then, have backup for your backup! Accidents happen, but the pets you're responsible for STILL need their care! Keep a file on the animals you care for so that someone unfamiliar will know the animals' personality, quirks and likes.

Make SURE the person you are sitting for gets home when they say they will! Things happen, like side trips, breakdowns and accidents, and sometimes, it just takes longer than a person thinks to get home.

I always leave a signed and dated document that says Cinder has my authorization to order any and all necessary medical care for my pets in my absence, for which I bear FULL financial responsibility. You never know what might happen to an animal and it makes me feel better to know that in an emergency when I'm not here, they will be taken care of.

So, I guess that isn't THAT much info, but I hope you find it helpful. Oh, and be sure to advertise!

Mon

[happychick]

I thought about being a pet sitter for dogs...But the whole insurance thing kind of scared me off, as I wasn't sure how to go about it! Good for you though, doing something you love and plan on making your career!

[craftyfarmgirl]

Hi again all! Thanks for the replies! I started afew months ago, it has been slow but had my first non family sit over this Holiday. My friends dog, $20 a day, my rate is $30 a day in this area but I give discounts. Livestock is more. I found a wonderful client whom hopefully will have a network of breeders. I do advertise online, with bulletins, facebook and word of mouth. Great tip to have back up. I have my Mom who will help if needed. I got insured through Pet Sitters Associates LLC, if you look online they are easy on google search. It was a one time fee for the year but you are insured the day you send payment and my kids areall covered under my policy without additional cost. Which is great because my boys who are 12-15yrs old will be helping me with livestock sitting. I hope to accomplish a full time business in a year or two. That is my long term goal. I have always loved animals and would probably be rescuing every kind possible if it wasn't for my hubby who keeps me grounded This is a great way for me to spend time with various animals and do what I love. We live in an expensivestate, research your locals rates before setting your fees to low. You will end up not making much once you figure in gas, supplies and time expense. I keep all my records for my taxes as well.

[ldc]

cfg, I did this years ago for an agency in NJ called "Beck & Call". I had a garden business and I mostly pet sat in the winter when I couldn't do any of my own work. I was bonded thru the agency. I always became fond of the animals, and as it was a wealthy community, there were always exotics besides cats, dogs, gerbils. The downside was that people were often not correct in their estimated needs for their pets, and neither was the (experienced) agency. I used to sit thru the holiday season when the clients often left for 10 days somewhere sunnier and warmer. As someone noted above, due to weather conditions the clients were rarely back at home when they had said, tho thru no fault of theirs, just inclement weather for flying. OK, the exotic Macaws ate the interior of one house, not just their feed; 2 dogs ate a sofa, a horse went down w something but also had inadequate housing, and on and on. As soon as I could, I stopped doing this. In general the long-term away families grossly underestimated their house pets loneliness, which also caused problems upon the families' return. Before this, I used to farm sit, and it always went more smoothly, and the owners were more pro-active in arranging back-up before they left. Despite all of my stories, it sounds as if you had had a great start! Just really double-check things before folks go out of town, (I had lists of vets who were out of business when I had to call, for example). And the best of luck! ldc