It’s a given that pets of all kinds elicit a warm and fuzzy feeling in the hearts of their owners. It is for this very reason that having to leave them behind during travel, work, emergencies, and other daily commitments that can’t be wriggled out of, becomes an emotional task.
While most pet owners leave their pets alone during the day when they’re away at work or running errands, some pet parents choose to have a pet sitter, neighbour, friend, or family member come over just to check in on their pet and see what they’re up to.
Although physically away, pet owners everywhere will vouch for the fact that their mind still stays on whether their pets have eaten on time, and if their other care requirements are taken care of. To say the least, if you don’t leave your pet behind in the right hands, it’s nothing but an experience filled with anxiety and rumination.
Leaving your pet in reliable, safe, and trusted hands is one of the best ways to be at peace when away. While you may choose to have a family, friend, or neighbour check-in on your pet every now and then, it won’t guarantee that your pet will receive comprehensive care. This is because they’ll all have their own things to tend to. Moreover, it gets challenging to expect them to meet your exact expectations. More often than not, we tend to compromise.
To get your pet unwavering love, attention, and care at the hours they require it for, you can opt for top-notch services from a trusted pet sitting company. All of these companies have pet sitters associated with them and offer a multitude of customisable pet sitting service options such as live-in pet sitting, in-home pet boarding, and drop-in pet visits.
Most will even let you discuss with the pet sitters upfront through arranged video calls or meet & greet sessions to understand more on them and how they operate.
To find out more about How to Choose the Best Pet Sitter For Your Pet, check out our blog!
1. Live-In Pet Sitting:
With live-in pet sitting services, a professional pet sitter will come over to your residence and take care of your pet for the duration you are not there for. You can provide clear instructions and guidelines on how to take care of your pet, and pet sitters will follow through on each point to make sure everything is taken care of.
2. Drop-In Pet Visits:
Instead of having friends or family come over to check on your pet, drop-in pet visits will have a trained pet sitter come over to your house at defined times of the day or night. They’ll take care of the tasks you ask them to take care of such as feeding your pet on time, changing their litter, cleaning their area, and more. For instance, if you have a sudden meeting scheduled at work and need a pet sitter to feed your pet rabbit on time, you can avail drop-in pet visit services. This is a type of pet sitting service that can be availed for shorter durations of time.
3. In-Home Pet Boarding:
As implied by the name, in-home pet boarding involves leaving or ‘boarding’ your pet at a professional pet sitter’s residence to be taken care of while you’re away. Pet sitters will provide all the necessary care of your pet(s) from their house, and ensure they have a homely and safe setting to stay in for the duration you’re away.
4. Pet Boarding Facilities:
When you board your pet at a boarding facility, trained staff will tend to the needs of your pet and provide them with a place to stay for as long as you’re away.
Pet boarding facilities are a commonly availed service. In fact, they’ve been around for a while now. While it’s true that they do provide a place to stay for your pet, there are many downsides they come with such as:
- Lack of personalised and specialised care
- Confining pets to cages or crates for too long
- Lack of adherence to your pet’s unique schedule and routine
- Increased chances of spreading contagious illnesses or infections
- Hygiene is often not prioritised or maintained properly as staff do not have the time to sanitise and wipe down areas all the time
- Reduced quality of interaction between pets and staff at these facilities
- Relatively pricier to book during peak holiday times
- Pets may get overwhelmed from exposure to many unfamiliar faces
- Different odours, sights, and sounds can overwhelm and stress your pet out
- Pets are taken out of the comfort zones of their home
…and the list could go on…
Taking all of this into consideration, pet boarding facilities are definitely not an advised solution.
In actual fact, pet boarding facilities are a big ‘no go’ for sensitive animals like cats and are heavily frowned upon in the petcare industry. For more on this, check out our blog on the 6 Reasons to Choose Cat Sitting Over Cat Boarding Facilities.
In this blog, we’ll present you with the advantages and disadvantages of pet sitting services and in-home pet boarding services. We’ll also give you some pointers on what you have to consider when choosing the service that is right for your pet.
Pet Sitting Services Over In-Home Pet Boarding Services
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In-Home Pet Boarding Services Over Pet Sitting Services
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If you take a look at the pros and cons of each of these options, it’s obvious that pet sitting and in-home pet boarding services are the winners and have more advantages than disadvantages when compared to pet boarding facilities. This makes pet sitting services and in-home pet boarding services a much more feasible option.
There are now a profusion of different pet sitting companies available. When you find a pet sitting company, there are Things to Consider Before Choosing a Pet Sitter. Choosing the right pet sitting company to avail services from is one thing, but it’s the pet sitter that will be directly providing your pet with care.
With that being said, it’s clear – with live-in pet sitting and in-home pet boarding services, you’ll never have to reach out to a pet boarding facility again.
When pet boarding facilities are out of the equation, we’re left with live-in pet sitting services and in-home pet boarding services.
Deciding what’s right for your pet: pet sitting or in-home pet boarding?
Now…Do you leave your pet with a live-in pet sitter, or do you go for in-home pet boarding services? Here are 5 factors that you should consider when making this decision:
1. The duration of your time away.
If you’re away for just a few days, then pet sitting services should be fine. However, in-home pet boarding services may be more feasible for longer durations away. This is because your pet sitter will take care of your pet at their home, and handle any other regular tasks/chores that come with daily living. For instance, paying electricity, maintaining the home, and daily chores such as watering plants or collecting mail. While live-in pet sitters may also take care of this, it is likely to be done on a chargeable basis. You may have to pay extra for maintaining the home for the duration you’re away.
2. The type of pet you have.
If you have a pet that can easily be shifted to other locations without experiencing anxiety, stress, or other forms of discomfort, then you can safely opt for in-home pet boarding services. However, if your pet has to stay at their own home for any specific reason such as fixtures that they need to access, then you may want to opt for live-in pet sitting services. Regardless of the option you choose, pet sitters from an established pet sitting company will have your pet taken care of just how you want them to be.
3. Whether your pet has any special needs.
Oftentimes, your pet may have special needs or medical conditions that require them to be near their vet’s clinic close to your home. Or, they may have requirements at home that are necessary for their daily routine. In such cases, pet owners may choose to go for live-in pet sitting services. Another alternative would be finding an in-home pet boarding solution that is near your residence.
4. The number of pets you have.
If you’re a pet owner with many pets residing under one roof, then live-in pet sitting services may be the right option for you. With this option, you won’t have to worry about shifting all your pets to the pet sitter’s residence. Doing so may cause anxiety for them, as well as increase the cost of the overall service.
5. The amount of space your pet(s) require.
If you have a big pet like large sized dog breeds or cats, you may be seeking pet sitters that have more space. If you can’t find one, then it would be a better option to keep them back at your own residence where they have all the space to run around in. In-home pet boarding services can be availed without a second thought if you have small animals that don’t require as much space.
All in all, the option you choose depends on your pet and what’s easier for you.
Pawland has all kinds of pet sitting and in-home pet boarding services that you can avail for any type of pet. Our pet sitters are trained to handle it all. If you’re still unsure of the service to go for, you can reach out to our team and they’ll help you understand what’s best for you and your pet.
If you want to learn more about Pawland, visit www.mypawland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
The booked service will last for the duration that you specify when booking. If you need to extend the duration of your service, most pet sitting companies will accommodate your request and be prompt in ensuring this is done properly.
To understand how far in advance a service has to be booked, you can reach out to the pet sitting company from which you want to avail services from. Different pet sitting companies have different requirements. To make sure you get the best pet sitter, it is always advised to book a good amount of time in advance.
The answer to this will always be from a proper and trusted pet sitting company. Although freelance pet sitters are common and may even be more readily available, finding one through a trusted company will ensure maximum safety for your pet and you. They will also be insured and covered by the company, as well as comply with the standards set by the company.
Pet sitting companies will generally be able to care for the pets they specialise in caring for. There are pet sitting companies that may only offer services for dogs or cats, in which case only services for dogs and cats can be booked. Other pet sitting companies will however be able to take care of a variety of pets. Make sure you contact the pet sitting company beforehand and check on the type of pets they will be able to provide services for. This is important because different pet sitters will vary in their specialisation and expertise of handling different pets. For instance, one pet sitter may be more experienced in handling dogs than another pet sitter.
Yes! Most pet sitting companies will let you avail services for as many of your pets as you require. You just need to inform them beforehand and they’ll be prompt in finding all your pets the right service.
The cost of pet sitting services will vary depending on the type of service you avail, the duration of the service, how many pets you will be availing the service for, your location, any additional add-ons you may go for such as dog walks, grooming, and more. You can connect with the pet sitting company to specify your requirements and get a quote.
Pet sitters from trusted pet sitting companies that have the required training and expertise will generally take care of everything you want them to take care of. They will even be trained to handle emergency situations if your pet experiences any while you’re out and about.
Pet sitters will adhere to the instructions and guidelines you give them when it comes to caring for your pet. Trained pet sitters will closely follow it and discuss with you on any other specific requirements that need to be taken care of.
Pet sitters employed under a pet sitting company will have to adhere to community guidelines and terms there, so it’s a safe option.
