The price of pet sitters!

I'm making arrangements for my cats while I'm in the hospital next month. Now that Chynna needs medication it's not as easy as someone coming in once per day to make sure there is dry food, water and scooped litter.

Since Chynna had her teeth extracted she only eats wet food now (2 or 3 times per day), plus she needs medications in the morning. My brother isn't able to come that many times, and certainly not in the morning.

I looked into a pet sitter to come to the house. But the pace didn't call me back so I ended up deciding to board her at a pet hotel. It's $21.00 per day and she gets a 4 x 8 foot space to herself, with a window and a cat tree and personal attention throughout the day for grooming and cuddles...which she will absolutely love. The price is actually $26.00 per day but because I'm a first time customer they give a 15% discount, and I plan on paying up front so I get an additional 5% discount.

Anyway, the company that comes to your home called me today.

I can't believe their rates!!!

$50 consultation fee where they come to my home and meet my cats and get instructions. She said it takes about 45 minutes.

Then if she was to come once per day it would be $25.00 and that includes giving Chynna her medication in the morning. If she came twice per day it's $20.00 per visit ($40.00 for the day).

I should go into the pet sitting business full time! They make more money than I do!

A co-workers daughter is going to come in once a day to look after Abby. I'm boarding Chynna. Abby will be happier with that because her and Chynna don't get along.

Yep, I think we are in the wrong line of business. But there is really a need out there and they know it.

I think you are wise to board her and give her bud a little break too.

Hope all goes well for you in the hospital.

That sounds a little high, though that's probably due to area. Was she even insured and bonded? Certified for pet CPR? That will usually increase the cost a little.

The state I live in, in the cities, pet sitters usually charge $12-14 per visit, a little more for extra animals, and will knock some off if you'll be using them more than once a day for several days opposed to just one or two days.

As for them making more than you... do you only work a couple days a week? Not all sitters have work every single day.

I know at least one user on here is a sitter, so if you need anything explain she probably could.

I pay my petsitter $21 per day ($18/2 cats + $3.00 for the third). I absolutely love her and don't have to worry about my kitties when I'm away. It's worth the money for the peace of mind.

I only need one visit, but I'm sure they offer a deal if you need more. This is who I use:

http://www.fetchpetcare.com/home/loc...etlocation.php

Yep, that is my problem too... I happily pay $20 per visit to my vet tech, to come once a day to take care of the three kitties, and give Bugsy his meds; plus my neighbor feeds them in the am for free...

I am on the same situation as you are, as Hope only eats wet food, and Bugsy needs daily meds for his stomatitis.

Since I have three cats, to minimize the stress of boarding, the solution for me was to get 2 different people to come in - one free, and one paid for. This way I save $$ over boarding, and they are much happier inside...

It is great to come home to well fed, unstressed kitties - they do great like this... I am going out next week again and I feel fine about it

I hope your way works well for you!!

It sounds like you've got everything worked out pretty well, which is very important because you certainly don't need the stress of worrying about your cats..

I've never used one, but do have some friends who have pet sitting businesses and they charge between $15-$20 per visit. (and include services like taking in the mail, turning lights on and off etc).

The consultation fee is outrageous, most give a free initial consultation.

As for how much they make, it is very hard to make a living this way. $40 a day for one client may sound like a lot, but once they pay for their insurance (liability I mean) taxes and other business expenses, that $40 has been cut down quite a bit. And their income is not at all regular.

But anyway it does sound like you have worked out the best situation to create the least amount of stress for everyone. That's no small feat so I hope you are feeling very good about yourself for working it all out.

That $50 consultation fee is absolutely laughable. I can't imagine a company getting any business around here! Everyone offers a free first meeting, and there's no obligation to the client. We have quite a few pet sitting companies here for some reason, and they charge around $12-$20 per visit.
You've made good arrangements by the sound of it, and hopefully Chynna will be well looked after and Abby can have a wee break in the apartment by herself.

Ive just hired a pet sitter for a very similar rate when Im away next week and am quite happy to pay it ($25 for an hour long visit per day). She is insured, bondable, licensed with the city, and trained in various animal first aid. I wasn't sure that Daisy would not need medication, and I wanted someone I can trust (ie: someone with certifications and insurance) to be responsible for that. I know my kitties do better (admittedly, they do fine ) if they are in their own home with the same routines when we are away. Ill be getting a daily update too which will help my piece of mind. My consult was free. She spent an hour with us, played with the kittes, traded all kinds of information etc. Thats ridiculous they would charge a fee for that appointment - I bet like yourself, they lose a lot of customers because of that.

I used to pet sit for between $15 and $20 a night, as in stay over at the owner's place pick up mail and watch the critter...

If they had cable TV, lived closer to town than my parents did, weren't too demanding I considered it a blessnig as it ususally shortened my commute.

I had one client stop asking me to sit after I suggested her cats might have mites. Something in their house was making me itch. It went way temporarilly after I threw the bedding in the hot dryer for 20minutes. I associate that feelng with mites as that happened with our cat who was a bird catcher. Took it personally and never called me again.

I did stop sitting for one client who had a very cluttered house. Books stacked everywhere, etc... that seemed to aggravate my allergies.

Originally Posted by otto

As for how much they make, it is very hard to make a living this way. $40 a day for one client may sound like a lot, but once they pay for their insurance (liability I mean) taxes and other business expenses, that $40 has been cut down quite a bit. And their income is not at all regular.

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Exactly what I was thinking, auto expenses also since they can drive quite a distance between jobs.

$25 a visit sounds reasonable to me, or $40 for 2 visits.

I have been lucky since I have family members who have taken care of my kitty whenever I needed to be away. Do you have a neighbor that you can trust to come into your home and take care of your kits? You can offer to pay them.

We paid a professional pet sitter $30 a visit (2 visits per day) to feed and take care of our only kitty at the time, Oberon, and to let our 3 pet chickens out into the run in the morning and close them up in the coop at night.

The first night under her so-called "care" she didn't want to wait for the chickens to go into the coop that night, so she asked a neighbor to close them up. He closed only one door and a raccoon killed our pet chickens that first night, so so horrible. Ruined our entire trip, as you can imagine, and we came home to a very sad place. She had tons of references, too, and we got her card from our vet. Anybody who wants to know her name (to avoid her in the Victoria area) PM me and I'll gladly send it.

I'm NEVER hiring a professional pet sitter again, I'd have to be completely desperate. Now I only trust people I know for the care of our pets.

I live in NYC, the home of Why Pay Less I pay $22/visit for two cats. This includes feeding, scooping, medicating if needed and about 30-45 mins of play per visit. She did come in advance of the first 'job' to meet me and the cats, but she didn;t charge for the meeting. I filled out a rather extensive questionaire and almost felt like I was being interviewed for worthiness It's all worked great and I have been using her for 2 years. One thing I have read repeatedly is that if it can be arranged, cats would rather be at home then boarded elsewhere.

I am a pet sitter , I charge by job.. If you are just needing me to feed , clean and play 2 times a day for two animals ... I would charge you 15-20 a day( 7.50-10 a visit) .... I do Not charge by the number of pets ( for me 6 cats and 2 cats are the same work) but I do charge extra for a third trip or extra requests like walk the iguana ...

In my area there are folks charging 80$ for a 12 hour overnight visit ( I charge between 20-35 a night depending on needs and what I will have to do outside pet care)

I do have a interview set up with paperwork for the parents to fill out but I would Never charge for it .. It is a get to know you and make sure the cute mid size dog is not a attack trained 130lb er

I think to charge for the meeting is ridiculous.

My sitter (whom I love) charges $18 a visit and $20 on the weekends. I have three cats but no meds needed. She is licensed and insured. She plays with them and I come home to happy cats. She spends about 20 minutes each visit and will take in mail and water plants if asked. She even offered to move my car when it was parked on the street to different places every other day so people wouldn't think it was left there and steal it.

She has papers for everyday that tell me if they ate and how their bathroom habits were. What their general well being was like. If they played etc. What the weather was like. She also leaves me messages on my cell phone (I am usual at sea) of how they are doing. She knows by day 3-4 of my trip I start to panic a little.

I really found a gem. I met her at a weight watchers meeting. Not needing a sitter at the time. I then needed one and ran into her at the pharmacy and told her it was fated! She gave me her card and the rest is history!

Originally Posted by KyleW

I live in NYC, the home of Why Pay Less

I pay $22/visit for two cats. This includes feeding, scooping, medicating if needed and about 30-45 mins of play per visit. She did come in advance of the first 'job' to meet me and the cats, but she didn;t charge for the meeting. I filled out a rather extensive questionaire and almost felt like I was being interviewed for worthiness

It's all worked great and I have been using her for 2 years. One thing I have read repeatedly is that if it can be arranged, cats would rather be at home then boarded elsewhere.

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I need that service! Can I private message you? LOL @ Why Pay Less

c1atsite - I just sent you the info via PM.

Kyle

Thanks Kyle

I think charging for the consult is very silly. Our pet sitter is awesome, and the consult is free.

She does charge in the vicinity of $25 per visit, but she's quite thorough (she's also licensed, bonded, and insured). It saves us money over boarding since we have so many animals. We have 4 cats, a turtle, and a crab. She does extra things like brush the cats. When we come home, our they're all so relaxed- as if we didn't leave at all. Nova especially loves her, so much that I'm a little bit jealous.

Originally Posted by Going Nova

When we come home, our they're all so relaxed- as if we didn't leave at all. Nova especially loves her, so much that I'm a little bit jealous.

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That is the same thing with mine... She is a kitty lover big time, and for me that is priceless! I come home and it is as though I never left - they are so relaxed well fed, well taken care of! She sends me daily pictures from her cell phone, calls me to tell me how they are... And she is my vet tech so if something is wrong she knows to just take them in. I rather have that anytime than boarding... They are way calmer thins way...