Rates for Pet Sitting Services 

If you have done any comparison shopping for pet sitting services you will likely have noticed a wide range of prices for services. Why is that?

Well, price is actually arbitrary for this type of service, so comparison of each individual service is needed. While the adage, “You get what you pay for.” may be true for many types of services, pet care services are the exception.

When rates are very low, will that service provider be around tomorrow? Low rates usually mean many bookings a day to keep the business afloat, and that leads to burnout. Are corners being cut to keep rates extra low? As with any type of service, when someone is the cheapest, ask why.

On the other hand, when another service is more expensive, ask why are they so expensive. Do they, for sure, have liability insurance? Surprisingly, not all do. You may be asked to sign a waiver that the service provider will not be held accountable in the event of problems because they don’t have insurance. Or insurance may not even be mentioned, because there isn’t any.

Before comparing services, realize that operating a pet service can be expensive. The largest expense is in a vehicle, and that vehicle must be reliable. A car held together with hope, just won’t cut it when time is of the essence. Next, a liability insurance policy costs about $600 a year. That’s a lot of pet sits to cover the cost of that policy.

So what to do? Compare the service providers. Are they pleasant to deal with? After the initial contact, if you have more questions, how quickly do they respond? Do they have a contract? Do they have a contingency plan in the event of emergencies? Are they insured? Is the business registered or are they operating under the table? Are they organized? That point is very important. Missed visits, forgotten requests or carelessness, can all be avoided through effective scheduling, record keeping and time management.

Don’t base your decision on price alone. Make an informed decision.

———————
This guest blogger post was written by:
Karin Howland 
Pets Stay Home
Winnepeg, MB, Canada.

This issue includes feature articles on budgeting for travel, dealing with pet loss, and dog bloat as well as other tips and information for pet owners.

———————
The Arlington Pet Guru is written by Amanda Carlson, a professional dog walker, pet sitter, and pack leader of Amanda’s Pet Care in Arlington, VA. www.amandaspetcare.com