4 Ways to Find an “In-Apartment” Pet Sitter
Leaving your pup or kitty behind when you go on vacay is hard enough without having to listen to her whimper while you walk out of the kennel. If you have a particularly skittish furry friend, just getting him into the cat carrier can be an hour-long ordeal. That’s why hiring an in-apartment pet sitter instead might be an easier option. There’s only one problem: you have to actually find a pet sitter you trust in the first place. Here are four ways to do it.
- Use the internet to outsource. You can find a babysitter online, so why not a pet sitter? The internet is a huge, magical place where you can find everything from self-scooping litter boxes to trustworthy people who want to cuddle your puppy while you’re gone. So before you go into pet-sitting panic mode, poke around on the interwebs to find a sitter who suits you—and passes any and all background checks. Sites like com, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, and Pet Sitters International can all help in your quest. When all else fails, you can always turn to Yelp to find a local pet-sitting agency.
- Post a plea online. Sometimes, word of mouth is the best way to find the perfect pet sitter. So post an informal call for a pet sitter on your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and see who turns up. Even if you don’t have any pro pet sitters or animal lovers in your immediate circle of friends, someone might be able to refer you to a pet sitter they’ve used before or a local agency with a good reputation.
- Ask a trusted friend or family member. Of course, if you have someone in your immediate squad who already has a good rapport with your pooch or kitty, they’re the first person you should ask to help out. Your pet will be happy to see them—and maybe a little less distraught about watching you go—and an in-family or in-squad pet sitter already knows his way around your apartment. Then there’s the added bonus of actually trusting them around your stuff, since you presumably know where they live and can wreak havoc on their stuff if anything is amiss when you get home.
- Set up a swapsies situation with a neighbor. If you’re one of those people who ignores eye contact with neighbors when you pass them in the hall, it’s time to take a more friendly approach to cohabitating in the same building. If you get to know your neighbors, they can be your go-to for help when you go out of town. From grabbing your mail to staying overnight with your pet bestie, neighbor-friends are handy to have. And then, when the neighbors go out of town, you can pay back the favor by watching their place and their pet for a few days. This type of bartering situation might also mean you don’t have to actually shell out any money for a reliable pet sitter, which only serves to sweeten the deal.
Top Ten Tips on Finding a Qualified and Professional Pet Sitter [Pet MD]
9 Tips for Choosing a Pet Sitter [Veterinary Pet Insurance]
Choosing a Pet Sitter [The Humane Society of the United States]