The Pet Care Specialist

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I use a Professional Pet Sitter?
-- There are many benefits to you and your pet when you use a professional pet sitter, as listed on the home page, but the most important one is that you will be using someone who has specific experience caring for pets. There is no substitue for experience, as a seasoned pet sitter can easily spot any behavior or physical abnormalities with your pet, and quickly act to remedy the situation.

Does the pet sitter meet the pet before starting to visit?
-- Yes, there is a free initial interview that is done before the client leaves the pet. At this interview all of the specific details of pet and house care are recorded on a contract form, and the pet sitter gets to meet the pet and his family.

How long does each visit last?
-- Each visit lasts a minimum of 30 minutes, except on extremely busy holidays, where they may need to be a little bit shorter. However, many visits last longer than 30 minutes, especially when the pet's guardians are gone for an extended period of time and we want to just "hang out" with the pets to keep them from getting too lonely. There is no extra charge for extra time, unless there are more than 3 pets to be cared for and the fees have been established at the initial interview.

What are the pet sitter's duties on each visit?
-- During each visit the pet sitter will take care of the pets as specified in the contract, including exercising, feeding and medicating the pets as needed. Also, on each visit other duties are performed, such as bringing in the mail and newspapers, watering plants, curbing garbage, cleaning litter, alternating lights, opening or closing shades, and anything else the client specifies.

What happens if the sitter is not able to make a visit?
-- In the unlikely event that the pet sitter is unable to make a visit, there is a back-up sitter available.

What if my pet becomes ill while I am away?
-- Melissa and Deborah are both familiar with all of the local area veterinarians, and can readily transport a pet to any vet. If it is after regular business hours or during a holiday, the pet will be taken to Anne Arundel Emergency Vet Clinic in Annapolis.

What about the event of bad weather, such as a snowstorm?
-- In all of our years of pet sitting, neither rain nor snow nor ice nor hurricane has kept us from making our scheduled visits. If it is a severe storm such as ice or snow, the sitter may decide to postpone the visit for a short time to wait for driving conditions to improve, since it is better to arrive a little late than not at all.