Pet Sitting Service. UPDATE LOCATIONS listed in post #1

[chickensducks&agoose]

Oh, besides the dying duckling, somehow 7 of my hens were roosting in the trees by the time I got back (4 days).... which is very odd. I wonder if she left the run open at night or something, and a fox got in and scared everyone out of the coop.... she denies it... Once a few years back, DH and I housesat for his aunt, and took care of their pigs and sheep... well, due to THEIR negligence, (they hadn't wormed for both kinds of sheep worms?) their sheep got sick and one died.. it was acting funny, and I called and reported... they said "if it's still weird tomorrow, call the vet"... it was dead in the morning, and I had to drag it out of the field and dig a giant hole and bury it, and call the vet and get medicine and had to chase down, tackle and inject wormer... after all that, they were mad at me!!! And still say, in front of me "Oh, this is *****, she was taking care of our sheep when they all got sick and one died"... yeesh.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I like your idea. I will do that. Let's hope they answer the phone.

 

[kuntrygirl]

chickensducks&agoose :

Oh, besides the dying duckling, somehow 7 of my hens were roosting in the trees by the time I got back (4 days).... which is very odd. I wonder if she left the run open at night or something, and a fox got in and scared everyone out of the coop.... she denies it... Once a few years back, DH and I housesat for his aunt, and took care of their pigs and sheep... well, due to THEIR negligence, (they hadn't wormed for both kinds of sheep worms?) their sheep got sick and one died.. it was acting funny, and I called and reported... they said "if it's still weird tomorrow, call the vet"... it was dead in the morning, and I had to drag it out of the field and dig a giant hole and bury it, and call the vet and get medicine and had to chase down, tackle and inject wormer... after all that, they were mad at me!!! And still say, in front of me "Oh, this is *****, she was taking care of our sheep when they all got sick and one died"... yeesh.

Yea, that's scary. Sorry to hear that happened to you.​

 

[lishah2000]

They are all reasonable except the visiting the sitters home. If they did boarding, then it would be fine. I wouldn't want my potential clients visiting my home. I don't even use my home address for the business. Your home is your home, not your business.

Now several of my long time clients, I would have no problems with them visiting my home, just not a stranger asking for new service.

Most of your questions are going to exclude all but the professional sitters. With your amount of animals, you need a professional. Most of those questions are usually addressed at the initial meeting.

The initial meeting should include you going over all the things that need to be done. Maybe even do a trial for only one day/night. I had a client with a dog with aggression issues. We did a mock visit where the owners were actually still there, but the dogs thought they had left.

A lot of sitters are not bonded, they have an insurance policy that actually covers more than bonding. There is no license for pet sitting, so saying you are licensed isn't truthful. The only license is a typical business license.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I still don't get this "not visiting" to see how I care for my animals topic. I totally understand the biosecurity but if a person cannot produce pictures, etc. on their setup then red flags are going up.

If a pet sitters' dogs or cats or chickens are in the back barn in a 3x5 jail cell with no food and water with feces all over them, then I can understand a person not wanting another person to see that and I sure don't want you near any of my animals.

 

[lishah2000]

Quote:
Because the potential client is a stranger. My home is my home and I don't want strangers knowing where I live. I carry insurance to protect the client from me. Professional references (clients, vets, etc.) should be plenty. I have photos of my own pets on my web-site.

I have never been asked to see my own home or pets.

I also think in your situation, you need a "farm sitter" rather than a "pet sitter". Most pet sitters have no experience with farm animals and wouldn't be comfortable taking care of them.

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
I totally get it- You don't go visit your grade school kid's teacher's house to see how she disciplines her kids. You don't go to your baker's house to see how they store their flour. Seeing a picture of a person's cat on a couch doesn't prove they are an ethical caretaker. You have to take some things on faith and perception. You'll be able, upon meeting, to tell whether a person thinks animals should be kept in a cell or treated like humans or where in-between they stand.

I also build websites and do computer and network repair and installation. I won't let someone come to my house to look at the condition of my pc set-up, either. It's not relevant, and it's personal, which means it's not business.

Red flags should go up if a person DOES let you come over, because that means they haven't got a proper boundary between business and personal life, and they may expect a different relationship with you than a client should. They may start showing up to visit your pets after they're done serving your agreement. Likewise, if a client came to my home, I would be afraid the client/consultant relationship would be warped and they may show up whenever they felt like it. i.e. kids never visit a teacher's home.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I totally get it- You don't go visit your grade school kid's teacher's house to see how she disciplines her kids. You don't go to your baker's house to see how they store their flour. Seeing a picture of a person's cat on a couch doesn't prove they are an ethical caretaker. You have to take some things on faith and perception. You'll be able, upon meeting, to tell whether a person thinks animals should be kept in a cell or treated like humans or where in-between they stand.

I also build websites and do computer and network repair and installation. I won't let someone come to my house to look at the condition of my pc set-up, either. It's not relevant, and it's personal, which means it's not business.

Red flags should go up if a person DOES let you come over, because that means they haven't got a proper boundary between business and personal life, and they may expect a different relationship with you than a client should. They may start showing up to visit your pets after they're done serving your agreement. Likewise, if a client came to my home, I would be afraid the client/consultant relationship would be warped and they may show up whenever they felt like it. i.e. kids never visit a teacher's home.

Common sense tell me of course, I don't visit a school kid's teacher's house because the School Board has already checked references and completed a back ground check. I don't visit a baker's house because I have already asked about her services via references and references can vouch that she is a good baker. When I had a dog and had to place her in a kennel, all of the kennels that I called allowed me to check their facility for cleanliness and other things with no problems. That is how I chose a kennel and was VERY satisfied with them. I also chose my vet the same way. I think that I am a little too picky and perhaps care for the safety and health of my animals a little too much.

I don't think a pet sitter can handle what I need them to. This is way above their "pay grade". What was I thinking.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
Because the potential client is a stranger. My home is my home and I don't want strangers knowing where I live. I carry insurance to protect the client from me. Professional references (clients, vets, etc.) should be plenty. I have photos of my own pets on my web-site.

I have never been asked to see my own home or pets.

I also think in your situation, you need a "farm sitter" rather than a "pet sitter". Most pet sitters have no experience with farm animals and wouldn't be comfortable taking care of them.

You are exactly right. I need a "farm sitter" rather than a "pet sitter". Thank you!

 

[vfem]

I really think references are going to cover a lot of your worries. If someone uses them religiously and swears up and down for them, and 3 other people agree, its worth giving them a shot. If they make you uncomfortable on the phone or in person, you go with your gut. Get what you 'NEED' to have from them. License or insurance, which ever your state requires, get square footage the animals stay in, make sure its not cramped quarters. Ask about play time and what kind of food they get, when they are fed, ect. I think those things will cover everything that should make you comfortable. Seeing isn't always believing. I know several 'PETSMART' dog care centers that weren't up to par, no matter how nice they looked or what you saw. It wasn't enough to make me comfortable. I really do think talking to other people who've PAID is going to get you the most honest answers to your concerns.