Pet sitting services: there’s more than one kind of pet sitter

Trying to find the ideal pet care for when you’re away from home is an important part of planning a trip. If like lots of other pet parents you’ve decided that Dolly the dog needs an alternative to dog boarding or your horses are more suited to a sitter, you may have started searching for a reliable pet sitting service. 

By choosing a pet sitter — particularly an in-home pet sitter — you can travel knowing your pet is safe and happy in a home environment. But there is still a big decision to make: whether you pay a pet sitting service or connect with a caring pet sitter from the community of TrustedHousesitters…

Paid for pet sitters vs. a pet sitting community: what's the best pet sitting service for you?

Paying for pet sitting services

Unsurprisingly, many pet sitters watch after four-legged friends for a living, normally specialising in dogs, cats or horses. These people are often part of professional house and pet sitting services, and will offer their pet care for an hourly rate. This rate will vary depending on when and where the pet sit will take place and the number of pets they’ll be caring for. For an idea of the average cost for pet sit services, take a look at our helpful article: What are normal pet sitting costs?

For the more unusual critters, such as farm animals, reptiles, and birds who need their share of TLC too, their pet owners may struggle to find a sitter. Unfortunately, this can lead to their owners never having a break — and this is one of the many examples of where TrustedHousesitters can come to the rescue...

Connecting with a caring pet sitter 

TrustedHousesitters is like a pet sitter service, but our members want to make memories, not money! They care for pets of all shapes and sizes, and every member goes pet sitting purely for the love of pets. Plus, all our sitters offer an in-home pet sitting service, meaning your furry friend gets to stay in the nest they love best - their own home.

How can you connect with these pet sitters? Simply pay an annual membership and open up the cat flap to a year of adventures and happy pets. This annual cost covers all the important bits to keep your pet sitting community safe and make sure we can provide you with the best platform possible. 

Why not watch our how it works video?

So much more than a pet sitting service

There’s no place like home 

While all dog sitting services are different, many invite their pet clientele into their home. Of course, this offers them care in a home environment, but nothing compares to a pet’s own home — which is where they’ll get to stay if they’re with a pet sitter from TrustedHousesitters. After all, this is where vets agree pets feel truly safe and happy. 

If you do choose a pet sitting service that offers boarding in a sitter’s home, we suggest taking the time to check the environment will be appropriate for your pet’s needs.

For example, if you’ve got a chinchilla that likes to chew, make sure all wires are out of harm’s way. Or think about the garden space they’ll need for your energetic Collie.

Attention please!

Your pet is bound to love their time in the limelight with their sitter; they’ll receive constant attention, cuddles, playtime and an extra treat here and there. Some pet sitters even give your furry companion more attention than you do. Don’t fret though — this only means that you get to arrive home to a happy pet and a smiling sitter, all due to their new-found friendship. 

Flexibility

With thousands of pet sitters in your area and beyond looking to spend time with a furry, feathered or scaled friend, it’s highly likely that there will be someone available for you at the time you need.

Many pet sitters are looking for adventures in pet sitting too, meaning they are willing to travel far to find the perfect scenario. Many also enjoy long-term stays, inviting the opportunity to immerse themselves in local life and, of course, soak up as much time with your pet as possible. 

Personalised for your pet

While many home and pet sitting services may need to cater to one, two, or more pets at a time, remember, your trusted pet sitter is there to care for your pet. This means they’ll adhere to your pet’s routine so that breakfast, dog walking, potty breaks and snoozing all come about at the right time. If they happen to need some extra medical attention too, your pet sitter will take on board what needs to happen and when. Communication is key here, so make sure you discuss everything with the owner prior to the sit starting.

Ready to find your ideal pet sitter?

Whether you decide to connect with a caring pet sitter from our community or look for professional cat or dog sitter services, we hope you travel with true peace of mind. 

Have more questions? Great! Our Membership Services team is on hand to answer any of your house sitting queries. And with a team of people who are all pet sitters themselves, there is no greater team for the job.