Friends & Neighbors VS a Pet Sitter - My Personal Experiences

Why should you spend good money to have a professional pet sitter when a friend or neighbor is willing to do it for free? I'll tell you.

Here are some things I've experienced through-out the years, having a friend or neighbor watch my cats for me.

- A friend/neighbor (f/n) once watched my cats for me. Before leaving I really pressed upon him how important it was to make sure one of the cats didn't get out. I told him this particular cat knows when it's not me, that he has a better chance of getting by the unsuspecting individual. My f/n told me not to worry, he'd pay attention. Well, when I got home, I found out the cat did indeed did get out. My f/n said he didn't see it coming.

- A friend of mine once watched my cats and tended to my two salt water fish tanks while I was out of town. When I got home, the smaller fish tank's water temperature was in the mid eighties. All but one of my fish died, and the last remaining one never swam straight again. He was aware of this, but didn't know what to do.

- Another friend/neighbor watched my cats for me on a regular basis. While I knew that the cats were well fed and kept inside, my f/n would continuously ignore my other instructions. I would come home and find my window blinds wide open, and my lights turned on. I didn't live in the safest of neighborhoods, and this really bothered me. I would leave very detailed instructions, specifically about the windows even, and she would still ignore them.

While none of these scenarios ended horribly, with exception of the dying fish, they all went against my wishes and instructions. These were all people I trusted and cared for, but their mindset just wasn't in the right place for caring for someone else's animals, and the way they do things.

A good pet sitter will be mindful of these and many other scenarios. They will be on alert for things to go wrong, and will know how to handle situations. They will be consistent in following your instructions, how you want things done, and to the routine the animal(s) is used to. You can count on an experienced professional to do things the way you want, and to come home with everything in order, and happy furry family members. Really, the peace of mind alone is well worth the spent money!