When looking for help with your Pomeranian or other pets, you probably have a list of requirements that you would insist upon before you could hire dog sitters. Many of us wish that we could take our pets with us everywhere we go. Unfortunately, most of us can’t do that and we have to sometimes find reliable help. Even then, there is nothing wrong with being picky and wanting the perfect match for your Pomeranian or any of your fur kids!
Some of us only need a little help. If you work every day and sometimes need to be gone longer than you want, you may need some help with walking, toileting, mid-day feedings, medicating, special needs issues or other things. These can sometimes be remedied with the help of a friend, family member or neighbor.
Some of us need major help with our pets. You may have to travel for work, take a badly needed vacation where you can’t take pets, or be away a lot to help a friend or family member for a while. Some of us realize that we’ve been able to take our pets with us everywhere for years but we need a hospital stay or have to travel due to a family member’s serious illness or after the passing of a loved one.
It may not be your choice to be separated from your pet which results in anxiety, but there are some things we just can’t avoid. Sometimes you may even need to be away for weeks or months at a time. When it comes to this kind of issue, what can we do if we would otherwise never seek dog sitters? How can we find an affordable solution if we need to be away for a long period of time and want our pets cared for at home?
Thankfully there are ways to seek out the perfect dog sitters, house carer, dog walker, long-term caregiver or aid with solid credentials. One of these is to go through the excellent site known as House Carers. You can trust House Carers since they have a strong reputation and have matched thousands of members for more than seventeen years!
Ian White founded House Carers after working in corporate Marketing and IT for many years. Ian wanted to do something entirely different and he posted his own services in an expensive directory. It turned out to be a high risk without reward, so Ian went on to found the first global interactive house-sitting membership site. He also found the opportunity to match pet sitters with people who really needed trustworthy help, so the House Carers site became a service matching pet owners with both pet and house sitters.
Ian and his team understood that pet owners needed a safe way to located reliable dog sitters and house sitters. In addition, plenty of wonderful pet and house sitters were available but had no way to connect with clients. House Carers researched what people needed in dog sitters and what sitters should provide to get matched. Through this research, they established a standard that users could rely on. House Carers is based in Australia, but the fact that this service matches users worldwide sets it apart from other search methods. The site has been featured by the Washington Post, AARP Retirement magazine, the Boston Globe, The Guardian and more.
House Carers you can offer to be a sitter or to browse for a sitter. You can also do both!
What are the Expectations for Sitters?
House sitters live in client homes while the client is away. The sitter gets free accommodations and in exchange, they perform specific duties while caring for the home and the pets.
What Kind of Information Do Dog Sitters Provide?
Dog sitters can provide information such as: location/region available, lengths of time available from days to months, what types of animals the sitter is comfortable with (from small pets to livestock), smoking status, background check information, military clearances, types of house-related jobs the sitter can do, comfort level and experience with pet medical care, relationship status and more.
Some of these factors can really help with the sitter/client match-up. Some sitters may be willing to care for pets such as snakes or horses while others may stick to basic domestic small pets. Sitters can provide background information that may help with decisions about security. Some sitters will be willing to do basic housework and lawn care only while others may be able to perform repairs, pool maintenance and more. If a sitter plans to live in the home with another person, it can be helpful to know what type of relationship exists and whether or not the second person can offer additional help.
The sitter benefits from providing as much information as possible since a good match helps ensure a good experience for everyone. A sitter/client relationship may turn out to be long-term since reliable sitters are so valuable. The client also benefits by being able to search by the provided information and choose someone who can handle the pets and the duties that are necessary.
Other benefits that are great for both dog sitters and clients include financial ones. Dog sitters can gain more financial freedom by trading work for room and board. Clients don’t need to pay an hourly or weekly fee that may put excellent services out of reach under other conditions. In some cases there are portions of the arrangement that can be negotiated between dog sitter and client. In areas such as payment of bills or utilities, negotiations can be made depending on the needs of both parties, the length of the stay or other mitigating factors.
What Kind of Legal Contract is Signed?
Each dog house sitter and client will work out the terms and conditions for the time the sitter occupies the home and cares for home and pets. The contract should specify all the tasks that the sitter is expected to do and all of the responsibilities of the client as well. Tasks that should be considered always include any pet care arrangements but will also include instructions regarding lawn and houseplant care, guidelines for visitors, any billing arrangements, care of the home, responsibility for damages, requirements for mail or package receipt and any other special arrangements.
Do you need a dependable house carer for your Pomeranians? Contact House Carers today!
