10 MUST ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE HIRING A PET SITTER/ DOG WALKER

Category: Pets | Tags:

Date: October 23rd, 2012

1. Do they have liability insurance and bonding, and how much insurance?  Accidents can happen, so you want to make sure they are professional and has proper coverage.
2. Are their pet sitters actual employees or independent contractors (meaning do they get paid by a 1099 or W-2)?  This is important for control and liability reasons, and if a company hires actual employees you know they are a company that is going to be around for a while!  In addition, you know they are a legitimate company and they value their sitters if they are paying payroll taxes, disability, workman’s compensation, etc.!
3. Do they background check their sitters?  If an independent pet sitter, and not a company, have they run a background check on themselves?  Some pet sitters/dog walkers may seem great when you meet them and say all the right things, but you are entrusting them with your pets and sometimes access to your home!
4. Are they a member of any professional pet sitting organizations?
5. How do their dog walkers/sitters keep track of their schedules?
6. Will they give you the same walker/sitter each day, or each time you call?  If not, how does the interview process work with each sitter that will come into your home?
7. What methods of payment do they accept?
8. For dog walking, how many dogs do they walk at once?  In addition, are there certain types of collars/harnesses/leashes that they use or do not like to use?  Many pet sitters/dog walkers will not use certain types of collars and leashes for safety reasons and they limit the number of dogs they will walk at one time.  This assures the safety and well being of the animals they are responsible for!
9. What are the company’s mission, values and ethics?  Check the company’s website and marketing literature.  What is their reputation in the community?  You can ask around at vets, groomers, pet stores etc. to see if they know anything about that company.  Do they work and/or donate their time with local rescues? In addition, search engines such as Yahoo, Google, and local search engines (kannekt.org, silive.com) are great places to check the reviews about the company.  Be wary of a company that doesn’t have an online presence!
10. Lastly, Ask them for at least 2 references of current clients that use their services!  This is very important to see if they have happy clients!