Vacation/Business Travel Care

I provide Loving Care for your precious pets when you are out of town on vacation or business travel. All Vacation/Travel Care visits include bringing in newspaper/mail, climate control, adjusting lights, watering indoor plants, premises security review.

Proudly providing pet sitting services to:

Audubon, Trooper, Collegeville, West Norriton, Eagleville, Oaks, Fairview Village, and Jeffersonville

Daily Dog Care: 30-minute visits for up to 2 dogs who walk well together.

Feeding: whatever your preferred diet is—kibble, organic, home-cooked, or raw
Refresh water
Walks and/or playtime
Brushing
Medications (injections are possible depending on the medication and the dog)
Additional charge for more than 2 dogs.

Daily Cat Care: 30-minute visit each day for up to 4 indoor cats

Feeding/Fresh water
Playtime
Brushing
Medications (injections are possible depending on the medication and the cat)
Litter scooping
Additional charge for more than 4 cats.

Daily Parrot Care: 30-minute visits each day for up to 2 parrots

Feeding/Fresh water
Basic cage maintenance (change paper, adjust toys, wipe off perches)
Playtime
Showering/Bathing/Misting
Medications
Additional charge for more than 2 parrots.

Exotic pets, breeders, farm animals: Care dependent on requirements.

Additional Vacation/Business Travel Services Offered:

Outdoor plant care: water gardens, fish ponds, potted plants.
Additional playtime: 15-minute increments.

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Boarding or a Pet Sitter?

In-home pet care is usually more costly than a kennel, especially for a single pet. Boarding at a kennel is charged at a per-pet daily rate, which includes feeding, nature calls, and possibly some exercise for your pet. Depending on the kennel, walking, playing, or TV / radio services could be offered at an additional charge.

Pet sitting in your home is a per-visit (and often per-pet) rate that requires someone to come in multiple times a day depending on the animals being cared for.

Benefits to in-home care include the security of a home that appears occupied, your pets' comfort in their own environment, and more personalized attention for your pet than most kennels can provide.

If your pet is in poor health, has seizures or other serious medical conditions, or is very young or very old, a boarding kennel, your veterinarian, or a full-time house sitter may be a safer option. Consult your veterinarian if you aren't sure.

Whether you choose boarding or a pet sitter, these people are going to be responsible for your babies while you are away. Investigate them thoroughly. Get multiple references, at least three. Ask for references who have pets similar to yours. Call the references and ask questions.

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What to look for in a pet sitter

If you choose to use a pet sitter, the individual you hire is going to have access to your home. Your pets' lives are in this person's hands. Interview prospects like you would anyone who you must trust implicitly. Ask questions. Does the sitter have pets of his or her own? What kind? You must be comfortable with the person and their capabilities.

On a separate note, many people feel bonding, insurance, and membership in professional organizations are indicators of trust. Bonding and insuring will assure that you will be monetarily compensated for damage or loss. But what's money if your precious baby is injured or neglected or if a family’s heirloom is destroyed? These are all important aspects of a professional pet sitter but have no relevance as to a person's reputation or reliability.

A sitter should provide a free introductory consultation to meet you and your animals, gather information on their needs, and spend time getting you know you, your pets, and your home. You should not feel rushed through this process.

Make sure the sitter is comfortable with ALL your pets. Equally, make sure your pets are comfortable with your sitter. Animals have good instincts. Listen to them.

A sitter should take a complete pet profile on each of the animals in his or her care. Information should include specifics like:
Species Breed Coloring	Sex (including spay/neuter status) Age Are cats declawed?
And also all information necessary to provide the care you expect:
Dietary requirements Feeding schedules Potty times Environmental requirements Favorite games, toys, treats	Medical conditions / medications Specific grooming needs Cage/crate locations An emergency local contact Your veterinarian
Your sitter should provide a written rate schedule and service contract. Find out exactly what is included in the service you are purchasing.
Does the litter box get scooped? How long is a visit? When does the sitter come? Is dog walking extra? Is there a charge for multiple pets?	Will the pets receive personal love and attention regardless of species? Will poops be picked up in the yard, on walks? Will in-house accidents be cleaned up? Are other services available—plant care, outdoor bird feeders, etc.? At what cost?

After 9/11 we unfortunately must consider; what if there's a national emergency? Will the sitter make every reasonable effort to get your pets out of harms way?

How are veterinary emergencies handled?

If you choose a company with multiple sitters on staff, make sure the same person is guaranteed to come to your home each visit. This is much less stressful on your pets. Also make sure this person is in attendance at your initial meeting.

A pet sitter should leave you a log of happenings at each visit.

Elderly, very young, medicated, or disabled animals require special care. Make sure your sitter is qualified to handle these situations. Also make sure that it is appropriate to leave these animals unattended for hours rather than boarding them.

No dog should ever be left crated all day and night. Dogs who must be crated should be in a kennel or left with a trusted relative or a house sitter who will stay in your home.

Exotic pets (birds, reptiles, small mammals) have different care requirements than dogs or cats. Make sure your sitter has experience with these types of animals.

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