Question regarding Pet Sitters

hissy

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Let's say you are going to have to go out of town for a week and you are considering a Pet Sitter. What would three questions be that you would ask the pet sitter? (this is hypothetical so you only get three questions)


Thanks, if you answer this, you are now part of my research group.
 

okeefecl

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1. Can I see three letters of reference?
2. Can you come over and spend an hour or two with me and my cat before I even decide to hire you (well an hour or two may be too long but I'd want to see how a pet sitter reacted to and interacted with Ivo before I even considered hiring them)?
3. What is your plan in case of an emergency (anywhere from fire in the building to Ivo getting deathly ill)?

Luckily, I have a neighbor who loves Ivo and whom Ivo loves-no problems finding a pet sitter here.
 

marge

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Now I generally have people I already know do it. Do you have a neighbor who would do it? I mean that is the best bet. But if you can't, I guess I would want to meet them first obviously and put out my inner radar. ASk them why they like to pet sit, what their own pets are. And go with my gut first and foremost.
 

valanhb

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1. Why did you get into Pet Sitting?
2. References?
3. The biggest thing for me wouldn't be what they said, but how they relate to my cats and how the cats react to them when they come over for the interview.

Earl's answers:

1. Experience?
2. What kind of pets do you have?
3. How long have you been a pet owner?
 

adymarie

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I use my cousins, but if I were hiring someone I didn't know (I probably wouldn't go anywhere then) I would ask:

1. Why have you choosen to be a pet sitter?

2. Experience with a reference check

3. Ask them to interact with cats.

I wouldn't ask emergency procedures because I would have that set out for them when I leave.
 

a_loveless_gem

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Three questions hissy? Just three, what about three and a half?


Ok ok, I'll be serious.

1) Three of your most recent references with contact numbers.

2) Ability to come over before the holiday for one to two hours to see the cats' reactions and interaction.

3) Will they be happy to follow the written instructions provided to the letter including emergencies.

I feel like I cheated in the last question since it does cover a lotn of areas.
 

princess purr

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1) How much experance do you have petsitting/ can I call past clients?

2) How often do you come by and how long do you stay?

3) What would you do if one of my animals got sick?
 

princess purr

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Rich said:

1. What would you do if one of the cats bit you?

2. How many pets do you have and what kind?

3. Why should we pick you to baby sit our pets?
 

mzjazz2u

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1. What made you decide on petsitting?

2. Do you have references I can call. (Letters can be written by anyone.

3. Would you submit to a background check. (this is to protect your pets as well as your home.)
 

nora

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Fortunately, I have one of my very best friends, Robyn, take care of Max. They have a mutual admiration of one another. But if I had to ask someone new....

1. References to call. (Tammie is right, anyone can write letters).

2. How long have they been cat sitting and how much experience have they had.

3. What back-up plan is in place, should they have an emergency. Who would take care of Max?

I would have a lot more questions to ask, but you limited it to three.
 

momofmany

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I use my vet tech as a sitter so never had to ask those questions. But if I had, I would be looking for resume type material (trying not to be redundant with previous answers):

1) Please give specific examples on how you handled an emergency situation with a cat or kitten (medical, behavioral or environment), stated in terms of condition, reaction and effect?

2) What experiences do you have with cats and kittens (your own and petsitting) - years and numbers?

3) Can I visit your home (assuming that they have pets)?
 

willowsmom

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This is a hard one for me since my Cousin is a Professional Pet sitter/Vet tech and I would obviously hire her
But I would ask..


1. Refrences. either letters or phone numbers so I can call them

2. How often and how long will she be with my animals

3. What would be done in case of emergancies?? such as injury, illness, missing.
 

ttmom

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I've always used friends whom the cats know and like, but once I had to put Toes in a cat hotel.

Here is what I checked:

I wanted to see the cat room (it was nice!).
I wanted to know what they did with the cats daily (they fed an watered daily and would follow veterinary diets if necessary and they'd play with them a couple times and even let them watch TV).
I wanted to know what I could bring for the cat and how they wanted him brought in (they prefer the owner holds the cat once they're in the building).

They ended up being a great place and they would let the cats out to roam the cat room when they had only a couple of cats there. Toes also seemed happy and didn't ignore me when I picked him up.
 
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