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Why Should I Hire a Professional When My Friend Will Do it For Free?

Written By: Caitlin Perna

“Why should I hire a professional pet sitter/dog walker if my friends or family will do it for free?”

It’s a great question! After all, they might already know your home and your pets. Maybe they will do it for free! Or maybe you want to help your friend’s kid who is home from college for the summer make a few “easy” bucks.

I love the idea of having family watch your pets, and I’m sure most of the time things work out great. But what about the times it doesn’t?

A few things to consider:

  • Do they know how to give pills when not taken easily?
  • Do they know first aid and CPR for cats and dogs?
  • What would they do if an aggressive off-leash dog approached them on a walk?
  • Do they have the patience to work with a pet when things don’t go smoothly?
  • Can they read behaviors of both cats and dogs?
  • Are they able to assess potential dangers for pets such and foods they shouldn’t eat or plants that are poisonous?

What makes us “professional”?

The Credentials:

-Registered with the Secretary of State as an LLC
-Comprehensive liability insurance
-Member of Professional Pet Sitters International
-Founding member of Texas Pet Sitters Association
-Attends yearly conferences to stay up to date on safe practices for pet care
-Is CPR/First Aid trained for dogs and cats

Texas Pet Sitters AssociationPSI Member Logo

The Commitment:

-For those that don’t know, Perna is my last name. So when I meet clients and promise I can help them, it’s personal! It’s literally my name on the line. I would never hire someone I wouldn’t trust with my own pets 110%

-We do it for our love of animals, but it is also our job. We will show up every day just as you would for any other

-This is not a hobby, we are not doing this “just for fun”. The safety of your pets is our #1 priority

-We are experienced and trained in many areas such as dog leash safety, reading animal behaviors, noting changes in weight/behavior/bowl movements, weather safety for dogs, giving pills and other medications

-We work as a team. If one of our sitters gets sick, injured or otherwise detained someone else is able to step in and ensure your pets are still cared for

-We use industry leading software to be able to track each visit and keep detailed notes of your pet and home needs each time we arrive so nothing is overlooked

Interested in learning more? We’d be happy to chat. Give us a call at 530-637-8702 or check our website for a full list of our services and rates.