Have you ever wanted to travel or had to take a business trip but the first thing you think of is “What about my pets?” I have, and statistics show the numbers of people in similar situations are growing. Traveling with pets can be a challenge, and sometimes no matter how badly you want to take them with you, it’s not always possible. Finding a pet sitter used to mean we’d rely on family and friends to step up, but now with America Loves Pets trusted housesitters available, we can travel without worry!
Visit the Trusted Housesitters page for further info, but I learned a few things from the America Loves Pet page. Did you know that the most popular talked about pets on social media for California are chihuahuas (will Bulldogs coming in second), Persian cats, rabbits, lizards (accounting for over 52% of reptile discussions) and birds? And even further, while Persians are popular on social media all throughout the United States, California mentions account for about half in total! We Californians appear to love our Persian cats.
Using the website, you can click Browse Local Sitters to help find someone to watch your precious baby. If you’re a member of Trusted Housesitters, you can get a pet sitter for free! You’re providing somewhere for the sitter to stay for free in exchange for caring for your pet(s) and watching your home. Pretty affordable, right? Trusted Housesitters put all sitters through a three-step verification process, including global identity checks, ID verification and background checks. This type of system ensures that the pet sitters are care-oriented rather than money oriented and you can trust them to keep your beloved animals and home safe. If you’re worried and need more reassurance, read through the reviews and star system to get an idea of what others feel about any particular candidate. The insight there is incredible and I am a convert to using this system now.
After you input your city and state, you’ll see photos of your potential house and pet sitters. Click on those that interest you and read about their motivation for being a sitter, their experience with animals and which kinds, their education related to pets (if any) and their sitting history. The first one I clicked on for local care was a physician’s assistant student with lots of experience in both home and pet care. What a cool option for a student, right? Free housing and doing something they love.
One additional and surprising bonus is free, unlimited access to the 24/7 emergency vet advice line. It’s all pretty simple. List your house/pet needs, then review and choose your sitter. Before you know it, you’re set to travel, knowing that your home and your pets are in good hands. After you visit the website, head over to Facebook and Twitter for more information and to find other pet-loving fans of Trusted Housesitters. Finding a pet sitter has never been easier than now!
Studies show that pets are happier at home, and I know for sure mine would be. My little precious Yorkie is blind, and she’s finally learning to really navigate around the house, both upstairs and down, without running into things as often. She gets really anxious when she gets in the car, so any time that I can avoid that, I do. My son’s service dog is used to being a support animal, and he’s got his own routines that can be hard when kept in a boarding at a vet. He wants to go out the door before you, and in the door after you; his training requires him to make sure his loved one is in/out safely. The Yorkie and Lab were raised together, so if they can still cuddle together in their own familiar environment, at their senior age of 10.5 years, we worry less and they are happier all the way around. Finding a pet sitter who can keep them in their own routine, with their own gear, food, toys and scents, is critical to us not worrying nearly as much should we have to leave. When I travel next, I know where to look first!
Leave a Reply