A Petsit Guide For The Unexpected Petsitter

You have two options really - their place or yours. Naturally, if it is a roommate who is asking the favor, this will not mean much of a change. However, if you do not already live with the pet(s), figuring out how to handle the question of where to care for them is a vital first step.

Here is a list of things to consider when deciding. The list organizes potential benefits of both options.

Moving into their place:

- Aside from missing his/her family, the pet will remain very comfortable since, afterall, there's no place like home
- You avoid having pet hair in your place (depending on the type of pet, of course). On a similar note, if someone you live with is allergic, you will also avoid triggering an allergic reaction
- Moving the pet to your place would mean also bringing along their necessities, toys and other unexpected things (creature comforts basically). Taking care of the pet at their place removes that need. For instance, if it is a cat, you will not have to worry about having a litterbox in your bathroom.

Moving the pet to your place:

- You can hold onto your own comfort of being at home. This is an important note since, as I was saying earlier, there's no place like home :). It would make sense that you may just plain feel better being in your own kitchen, sitting at your own computer desk setup, etc.
- You get to stay in your normal routine. Moving into their place for the time or regularly checking in at their place may add complications to your daily schedule. Perhaps moving to the friend or family's house means a longer commute to work.

Be sure to find out the pet's preferences for things and how the owner(s) react to those preferences. This applies particularly to food flavors, toys, and habits such as knowing which doors they are used to entering and exiting from (if that applies at all).

It also applies to safety things. I mean, look at this cat, sitting happily and playing on its favorite window sill. Maybe the owners, aware that Fluffy likes to sit in that window sill, usually leave this particular window closed for her safety. Knowing that will help keep her safe while letting her play.

FURminator deShedding Tool for Cats, 1.75-Inch Edge

Amazon Price: $18.49   


By the way, a pet's "preference" may be to roam wherever they may. And, unless the spots they are headed to are dangerous for them, why not let them roam?

The downside is that pet hair may leave a Hansel and Gretel-like trail of their path. If the pet is a cat, here is a tool that will help to keep that trail to a minimum without spoiling her/his fun.

Depending on how long the family will be away for, it may be a good idea to get the contact details of the pet's vet, the supplier of the pet's special shampoo, a finicky pet's snack supplier, etc.

This tip is especially useful in the case of exotic pets. If the pet is a reptile, rodent, exotic fish, or anything else that may not be the target group of most pet stores, it is worthwhile to make sure you have an idea of where to go for it's special needs or where to call if something out of the ordinary happens.

Owners tend to be particularly diligent about filling a petsitter in on these sorts of things, but it helps with peace of mind to bring up any possible concerns about what to do while they are still around to answer.

You can do something sweet for the owners too! Okay, there are some who feel "it's sweet enough that I'm petsitting in the first place", but if you want to be extra sweet to your friends/family/strange person who left you in charge of their pet, there are simple things that you can do to put the icing on the cake.

If they are easily reachable, it is quite a nice gesture to keep the family updated on things back at home. Pets are an integral part of a home. Though the family may be away physically, their thoughts are likely still at home with the pet for a chunk of time. Sending updates ever so often will help them feel more connected. The last time I was in a petsit situation, to help shorten the distance, I snapped a few shots and loaded them to my friends' facebook walls. They liked that. You could even send an mms or load brief updates (or pictures too) through their twitterstream.

But, since the reality is that vacations are taken to get away, often folks are doing just that - getting away. And in the process of doing so, aren't very keen on making sure they're regularly in touch via the internet or even by phone (this is where you're supposed to picture people on holiday in the alps or hiking through glaciers, etc.). So, A low tech, no-phone version of these things would be to keep a brief pet journal.

Write short little notes about how their pet was adjusting while they were away. Capturing short pet memories is not the same as keeping them updated while they're away, but it saves on long distance phone charges, is a solution for folks who aren't tech-savvy, and is even more personal (due to the fact that things are hand written). Also, since these are things that you'll probably forget at the point they come back and ask "so how was everything?", having a few sentences will help trigger your memory and contribute to the "awwwwww" moments particularly endear a pet to it's owners heart.

With the pet having missed the vacation, these things allow for a parallel memory experience that can be looked back on later. Isn't that a nice thing to do? Yeah, I think so too. And here's a side note - when they get in touch with you, try not to take it personal if the first thing they ask about is their pet and pet-related topics. Happy petsitting! :)

Spider: EMiN OZKAN on SXC   |   Fish: John Lee on SXC   |   Kitty: Stella Levi on SXC   |   Cute yorkie: Alaina Cherup on SXC   |   Lizard: lease roe on SXC   |   Turtle: Marin Myftiu on SXC   |   Snake: Phy Phy on SXC