When it’s time for a vacation or business trip, your first instinct might be to ask a friend or family member to watch your pet instead of hiring a professional pet sitter. This sounds like a great idea, but can sometimes backfire in the end.

As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. While a professional pet sitter might cost more, you receive several benefits that amateurs cannot provide.

Reliability

We often hear from clients who call us at the last minute in a panic because the friend or family member they lined up to watch their pet canceled on them. This usually happens right before a trip, but sometimes occurs once the trip has started.

Life happens, and it’s understandable that someone would need to cancel, but the situation creates stress and anxiety that’s just not needed. Going away from home can be stressful enough; your pet’s care is the last thing you should have to worry about.

When you hire a professional pet sitter, you can rest easy knowing that you are entering into a contract with someone who will always show up when they say they are going to.

Consistent Schedule

When you rely on friends or family for pet sitting, you are at the mercy of their schedules — which might not align with your pet’s routine. You don’t want to come back from your trip to a grumpy dog out of its routine.

With a professional pet sitter, you choose the schedule that works best for your pet, and we stick to it. We’ll also water your plants, take out the trash, and perform other light housekeeping upon request.

If something goes off course with a professional, you have your contract to fall back on. The same is not true for family and friends, which can lead to some awkward conversations when you return home.

Emergency Management

You hope that nothing goes wrong while you are away, but you never know what can happen. In the event of an emergency, a professional pet sitter can troubleshoot the situation and remain cool under pressure.

We have years of experience working with all types of emergencies and carry insurance that can protect your pet and your home in the event of an incident. Rather than receiving a frantic phone call from a friend or family member about what’s going on, you’ll hear from us about the problem and what we’re doing to solve it.

Avoid the Pitfalls

The next time you go away, consider calling a professional pet sitter like For Your Spot before you reach out to a friend or family member. You might find that your trip feels a little more relaxed and that your pet is happier when you return home.