By Jen Flatt Osborn
In a perfect world, our pets would go everywhere with us, but it just doesn’t work that way. Sometimes we need someone to fill in the gap. Enter us – Stay at Home Pet Services. The pet services company that brings peace of mind sooner than you can say, “Stay.” We’re not messin’ around.
So why not hire a hobbyist? Don’t they love animals just as much? That’s a given, but there’s a lot more to it than that. We’ll talk about the differences between hiring a professional pet service and a hobbyist.
Admit it…If there were a job where the only thing you’d be doing is keeping your pet happy, you’d take it. We get it. It’s why we’re in business. So your pet can feel like he has someone around all the time who thinks he’s the cat’s meow. Pretty cool huh.
You could think of us as a favorite aunt who is certified in Pet First Aid and CPR. We show up to your home with the best vibes and the burning desire to make sure your furry, finned, or feathered friend isn’t alone.
And in the event of an emergency, we know how to handle it.
But this isn’t our grand opening by any stretch. The formidable and compassionate Bonnie Schantz started the company in 2003 and we’ve been in great hands ever since.
Drumroll please…
It IS our first blog though (Hooray!) so we thought it would be the perfect time to get deeper into one of our services – pet/house sitting.
Do you have a dog with a bit of separation anxiety? A cat who uses your curtains as a scratching post when left alone for too long? A hamster that definitely can’t miss a feeding?
When you might need a pet/house sitter –
If you’re…
> Going on a business trip
> Taking a vacation/holiday
> Dealing with an emergency
> Going on a day trip
> Hosting a party
> Needing to put in some overtime at work
> Out of sorts due to illness
…you might need a pet sitter. In fact, Felix would say you definitely do.
It’s not really fair to our unsuspecting loved ones to upend their routines when life happens to us. And taking pets to be boarded can be physically and mentally taxing, even traumatizing, for them.
So even if you’re not in the Cincinnati area, we encourage you to try a pet sitting service. It could be the difference between having a content, happy pet or a stressed-out one (or worse) when you return.
Choosing a pet-sitting company over a hobbyist –
Just like you want the best doctor or attorney representing you, you also want the absolute best care in a pet sitter. Choosing between a professional pet-sitting company and a hobbyist (“someone who pursues something to do outside their regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation”) should be a no-brainer.
The difference is like riding on a boat in the ocean with a life vest on or not wearing one at all. But let’s get into details…
Hiring a pet-sitting company (us) vs. hiring a hobbyist –
Hiring someone who just loves animals instead of hiring a professional pet-sitting company could bring you a world of trouble. We have the experience, we’ve done the legwork, and we’re completely prepared for whatever comes up.
We require:
– Employee background checks
– All team members to be certified in Pet First Aid/CPR.
– All team members to be covered by liability and bonding insurance (provided by SAHPS).
The icing on the cake:
– No pet is ever forgotten due to the database driven scheduling and reminder system in place.
– The excellent instant communication through our app that sends messages to our client’s phone or computer ensuring you’re always in the loop.
– Our app has all the client’s information right on the sitter’s phone. There’s even a timer and GPS so we know when the sitter is at the client’s home.
– Once the client’s dates are on the calendar, it will also be on the app on the sitter’s phone with all the instructions for the visit.
– We have A TEAM of 20+ sitters so 99.9% of the time someone is available to watch your little one. (In fact, we can’t remember a time when we weren’t available to help someone.)
– Team members sign and commit to our Stay At Home Pet Services Code of Ethics.
So as you can see, we have all the bases covered with our best hitter at bat at all times.
If/When an emergency happens –
Although pet or home emergencies are rare, they happen. Things like:
> Illness/Injury
> Death
> Escaping the home/yard
> Animal fights
> Burglary
> Fires/Floods
> Broken/Frozen pipes
If/When they happen, you can be assured we have everything under control.
Knowing exactly what to do and doing it efficiently takes a professional. We’re a company who knows when and how to step in and handle things.
Open and swift communication with you is our first priority when an emergency happens so you’ll be in the most capable hands.
And for the fireworks finale, when you support us, we pay it forward to two incredible, nonprofit, local animal charities:
Ohio Alley Cat Rescue (OAR) and Three Sisters Pet Rescue/Ohio Hound Rescue.
You’ll be caring for needy animals as you take care of your own. Talk about wins all around.
And finally –
Get ready for a blog about what we’re all nuts over…Our pets. We might cover how to prepare your cat for pet sitters in one blog, the best way to walk your dog in another, and then one on animal holidays for the month in the next!
Our articles will be informative, helpful, and always entertaining.
We promise to put your pet’s safety and happiness first. We promise to care for your animals as if they were our own. And we only make promises we can keep. Our “See What Sets Us Apart” page gives you exactly what we can provide for you and your sweet ones.
Whether it be overnight or for the day, we’ll step in to make sure everyone’s a happy camper. The one thing we can’t promise is that your pet will want us to leave when you get home.
References:
1. https://karlaspetcare.com/differences-between-a-professional-pet-sitter-and-a-hobby-pet-sitter/ – “Differences Between a Professional Pet-Sitter and a Hobby Pet-Sitter” by Jennifer Graddy – March, 2021