Why use a professional pet sitter?

Advantages for your Pet:

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Hiring A Pet Sitter

The steps in hiring a pet sitter are. Call the sitter and get answers to some basic questions. Set up an appointment to meet the pet sitter so you can learn more about them and they can meet your pets. Filling out a contract and scheduling the times you need the sitter.

When you first call a pet sitter there are some basic questions to ask first.

Does the sitter cover the area where you live.?
Does the sitter care for the type of pets you have?
Is the sitter available to sit at the time of day you need them and for the dates you need?

If the above are all answered yes most folks go into price. Some sitters charge by the visit and some charge per animal. Ask the how long each visit will be and what is included.

Set up a time for an interview.

You need to meet the pet sitter and they need to met you and your pets. When setting up the interview ask to have the person that will be doing the sitting to come to the interview. On long sits one sitter may not do all the sitting. Sitters need time off and days off

• References
  The most important part of the hiring process. If the sitter has not been referred to you by someone you know, ask for and check references. All sitters should be able to give you several names of people that you can call. Give a sitter time to give you this list. Even though a client has agreed to be used as a reference it is a courtesy to ask the client if they can give their number to you. also. If the interview goes well ask to meet the others that will be caring for your pets.
  
• Contract
  All contracts are different but the basics are the same. In some form the sitter should get information about you and your home. Emergency numbers where you can be reached or to someone to call if you can not be reached. Information about your pets in detail, feeding, exercise, things they don't like etc. The costs of the sits and the fine print will also be there. Most contracts allow for future sits to be arranged by just a phone call, without going though the interview.
  
• Membership in National Pet Sitting Groups:
  There are three national groups for pet sitters. National Association of Professional Pet sitters, Pet Sitters International and the newest Pet Sitters Associates. All these groups are set up to help sitters in their business, all have codes of conduct, but lack tools to enforce them.
  
• Registration with the State:
  In New Hampshire there is no requirement to be registered with the state unless you are doing business under a business name. If the sitter uses a business name the name must be registered with the state. This only concerns the name and has nothing to do with the operations of the business
  
• License
  There are no licensing requirements in New Hampshire for Pet sitters.
  
  
• Insurance:
  There are two types of insurance which you may wish your pet sitter to carry:
  Liability insurance. This insurance covers your property if it is damaged due to negligence of the pet sitter.
  Workers compensation or accident insurance: Insurance that covers the pet sitter if they are hurt on your property.
  The carrying of insurance is a business decision each pet sitting company makes With the exception of Workers Compensation which is required by law in most states if the company has employees.
  
• Bonding:
  Bonding is misunderstood by most people. There is no investergation done by the bonding company on the pet sitters they bond. The most common bond for a pet sitter to carry is a dishonesty bond which cover employers against dishonest acts of their employee's. This bond also requires a convection before it will pay the employer. Some pet sitters with out employee's carry a bond as a marketing tool.

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