Here are the questions that he recommends asking:

 

1.)  Are you licensed, bonded and insured?  Do you belong to any professional pet sitting organizations?

 

2.)  Can you provide references?

 

3.)  Are they comfortable with your pet?  Can you handle emergencies (medical, situational, etc.)?

 

4.)  Can you provide updates?  Pictures, texts, videos, e-mail?

 

5.)  Do you have a contingency plan in place?

 

I'd go one step further and ask:

 

6.)  Are you running a legitimate business?  Is this a full-time job or a part-time endeavor?  (Do you pay taxes on your income?)  Ask for proof of organization(LLC, Corp, Sole Proprietorship, etc.), FID, Business License, etc.

 

7.)  Do you have a website?  (Not social media!)  There is no reason why any professional would not have a website.  A legitimate business will have a very basic website at the very least.  (There are many FREE/LOW COST sites available.) 

 

8.)  Do you have written policies and procedures in place?  Are your current rates and services clearly stated and available at all times?

 

9.)  What are your credentials and can you provide documentation? Not just in pet care, but in running a business, too. 

 

10.)  Are you certified in pet first-aid, CPR and care?  Have documentation?

 

11.)  Have you been background checked/verified by an objective third party?  Ask for documentation.

 

 

A true professional will always have DOCUMENTATION readily available.  Paperwork should be professional and presentable.  Anything with a lot of typos or that is illegible is probably not legitimate.

 

As a pet owner, it is up to you to do your homework.  Do NOT rely on third party websites (Rover, Care, Sitter City, etc.), as there is no way they can or will perform thorough background checks without meeting sitters in person!  If you read the fine print on their sites, they are NOT responsible for any listings, etc. 

 

Treat the initial consultation/meet and greet appointment as a job interview.  Yes, it is a two-way street.  The sitter will be observing how you interact with your pet and will ask you questions in an effort to determine whether or not they want to take on you/your pet as a client and the pet owner should also be doing the same thing.  If things just don't click, don't waste time.  Be truthful and move on.  When you find the "right" person, you will know it.

 

If you or your pet are nervous/anxious, you will not be able to get a true assessment at the initial consultation appointment.  Animals often mimic our feelings and always try to please their owner.  Don't be too quick to make judgements, either.  Many times, pets act totally different when their owner(s) are away.  Most owners are quite surprised to hear that their nervous/shy little Fluffy was actually very affectionate and playful with the new sitter!