Pet Sitting Service. UPDATE LOCATIONS listed in post #1

[kuntrygirl]

UPDATE #1 - Page 6 #56 - Update about message from Pet Sitter #1 after trying to contact her for 3 days.
UPDATE #2 - Page 9 #85 - Update about pet sitter #2 visiting my farm
UPDATE #3 - Page 10 #98 - Update about call from local Future Farmers of America high school teacher

I saw a pet sitting services advertised on Craigslist in my area and I decided to email them. This is a list of questions that I emailed to them. Please look at the questions and let me know if I missed any important questions. I emailed them this morning but I have not heard back from them. I don't think that I will.


"I saw your pet sitting service advertised on Craigslist and I had a few questions. I hope that you don’t mind.

1. How long have you been in business?
2. Are you listed with the Better Business Bureau?
3. Are you licensed, insured and bonded?
4. Have your employees had criminal background checks performed? If so, can this information be provided in the event you are hired as my pet sitter?
5. Are you affiliated with professional pet-sitting organizations? If so, can you please provide their name?
6. What type of special training/experience do you have?
7. Can you submit a business resume of your experience?
8. Can you submit a list of references?
9. May I contact the vet that you use for a reference?
10. How many animals do you own?
11. May I visit your setup so that I can see how your animals are cared for?
12. Do you charge by the day or do you charge by the hour?
13. What services are considered “extra”?

I look forward to hearing back from you."


I would appreciate any input that you all may have.

 

[FireTigeris]

14. can you please send me aq copy of your contract
15. do you transport pets in case of emergency (evacuation or trauma)
15b. will you be using my vet for my animals in case of emergency
16. will you leave an emergency number incse we come early or will be late?
17. how much up front?
18. Do you have a list of references?
19. Do you medicate animals?
20. Are there animals you won't see/take care of- also chores that you will not do?
21. are you the person that is taking care of my house/pets?
22. How far in advance would you need to meet me and my animals?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Very good questions to add.

The person has not responded to my email yet but I noticed that they "re-posted" their ad in another section much later after I emailed them. I'm starting to wonder why haven't they responded yet but they posted another ad. Hmmmmmmmmm

Think they got scared with all of the questions?

 

[Tigerjane]

Quote:
Yes, though those were all perfectly legitimate questions to ask. They probably aren't a very big company, so I would doubt they're with the BBB, or have insurance or do background checks (which they couldnt show you, even if they did). Look them up on Yelp

 

[FireTigeris]

I know my petsitting was not BBB approved I was not big enough - we only had two people myself and the owner...

you might want to scratch that question, we were bonded and insured.

 

[Cetawin]

I like the questions and also the ones FireTigeris added. I think they are valid questions and any reputable sitter would have no trouble answering them or providing the information.

A new service may not have all the info you requested but they could certainly respond to most. I have seriously considered doing pet sitting because there is only one reputable service in our area.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

23. in case of fire or flooding what would you do with the my animals?
24. how often would you check on my animals during the day?
25 how often do you change the pet water? [during the day}
26.how often would u change the pet food?
27 how will you walk my dog or let them out during the day?

 

[kuntrygirl]

The posted has not responded back to my questions. Think he got scared?

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

I think your questions are great, but I think if someone answered all those questions, was licensed and insured etc., it would cost an arm and a leg to actually hire them! I would be happy to watch someone's animals, but depending on how well i knew them, would be reluctant to allow them to my house. Also, I would pass a criminal background check, but haven't been checked... I only use a vet for my mammals, not my poultry (there aren't aviary vets around), so I guess what I'm saying is, good luck finding someone who meets all your criteria!

 

[kuntrygirl]

chickensducks&agoose :

I think your questions are great, but I think if someone answered all those questions, was licensed and insured etc., it would cost an arm and a leg to actually hire them! I would be happy to watch someone's animals, but depending on how well i knew them, would be reluctant to allow them to my house. Also, I would pass a criminal background check, but haven't been checked... I only use a vet for my mammals, not my poultry (there aren't aviary vets around), so I guess what I'm saying is, good luck finding someone who meets all your criteria!

Well, I have still not heard back from the poster.

Chickensducks&agoose, you said that you would be reluctant to allow the person wanting your services at your house? Well that goes both ways. How can you expect to go to someone's house ALONE and pet sit (and they not know YOU well) when they are not there but you are "RELUCTANT" to let them visit your home to look at how you care for your animals and you are there? Doesn't make sense to me. You may have not read the thread about a BYC member who did not ask the same questions and who did not visit the pet sitters residence and when she got back after 2 or 3 days, her chickens had no food and water and that person was charged with animal neglect and had her OWN animals taken away form her. Someone else (not the BYC member) reported this pet sitter/friend/neighbor for another reason. I think that if the BYC member would have visited this person's property, that she would have seen this pet sitters' animals covered in feces, malnutritioned, poor living quarters and other problems.

I know that no one will meet the criteria. I just put those questions out to see what response I would get and I'm glad that I did because it has been 3 days and they have not responded. That makes me nervous. The poster has changed and created new ads on Craigslist 3 times since I emailed him the first time. I wonder why.

I think this person woke up one morning and said, "Hey, I know how I can make some extra cash. I'll post a pet sitting ad."

I have too many animals to not ask questions and to not wonder how a pet sitter cares for their own animals. Common sense tell me that if a person can't take care of their own animals, then they surely can't take care of someone else's animals. If I were a pet sitter, I would welcome a potential client (after careful screening) to come over to my property to see how I care for my animals.​