Internet Safety Reminders

Dec 10, 2024

I've shared some of our safety protocols in order to help pet parents & pet professionals .

I've consistently urged pet parents & care providers to be mindful of safety. I will continue to do so. I will always advocate for safety. There are times when our words & actions unintentionally reveal more details than we realize. 

Unfortunately, I can go onto Facebook & Nextdoor on any day to locate posts such as these. I'm going to be gone on these exact dates. I live in Awbrey Butte. My house is 5 bedrooms, etc. The amount of detail sounds like it's an advertisement for a real estate open house. 

Pet sitters share photos & names of the animals they're caring for, before & during the scheduled care time frame. They may excitedly state: look who I get to spend the weekend with! I've missed these critters, and I'll be loving on them for the next two weeks!

These details may place everyone involved in a precarious situation. The sitter has shared which pets they'll be with. Others may recognize the images & names of the pets. They may already know where these animals live. Now they have the exact dates when the home will be unattended. Pet sitters typically don't stay in a home 24/7.

When pet parents publicly announce their travel dates, they're also placing themselves at higher risk of crime. Their names are already shown. The only necessary piece of the puzzle is the home location. Unfortunately, this is rather simple to obtain. 

Sits & Wiggles recommends keeping your travel dates private. This can be discussed via phone, text, email, messenger or in person. Pet sitters shouldn't encourage potential clients to share their dates publicly. Sitters also shouldn't share the photos or names of their client pets UNTIL AFTER THE JOB HAS BEEN CONCLUDED. 

This same policy is good to follow, even if you don't have pets or utilize pet care services. Share your memories after the fact instead of advertising your upcoming travel dates. 

Who is at risk of crime in these scenarios? The pets, the homes, the sitters & the homeowner's privacy are all at risk.

People who watch homes seek patterns. They also look for changes to these patterns. Please discuss these concerns with your trusted inner circle.

How do we maintain privacy & safety for our clients? 

* There's a second person trained & available for client pets in case of an emergency. 

*We don't advertise our services on our vehicles. 

*We don't wear logo attire.

* We are background checked, licensed & insured. 

* Clients have access to GPS tracking while we're caring for their pets. They know when we arrive and depart their homes or offices, as well as where we walk or drive to. 

* We offer 3 phone numbers for clients to contact us on. 

* We don't share jobs. 

*We mix up the time when we visit pet homes. If we're being watched, the watcher will not be able to anticipate our departure & arrival times. We also vary the length of our visits. We may arrive a home at 7:12am and leave at 8:49 whereas on another day, we're present from 9:07am to 10:51.

*We never share pet images without advance written permission. 

*We only share client pet photos after the job has ended. 

*We discourage pet parents from sharing travel dates publicly.

*Client keys are on locking mechanisms. 

*Client keys are labeled with codes. They are never labeled with client or pet names, addresses, or other identifying details. 

*We don't share private client info, such as identities, careers, addresses or contact info. We would never disclose garage access codes. To me, this is common sense. However, a local sitter asked me to share one of our client's garage code. This person actually thought I would. Is this a common practice? I certainly hope not. 

*Contracts, invoices & newsletters are sent electronically, allotting less opportunity for them to become lost, or get into the wrong hands. Forms can be signed electronically. 

*We won't answer neighbor inquiries about whether the client is gone, where they went or the duration of their absence. Yes, neighbors will ask. I don't believe that they have ill intentions. Rather, they're being friendly & making small talk. Yet, I'd rather be safe than sorry. 

*We don't even share that we're pet sitters. Rather, we'll state that we're there to walk the dog, etc. In this circumstance, the client may very well be running errands, on a date night, etc.

*We won't agree to leaving client homes unsecured. A pet parent was adamant about this request. When we declined, they found a pet pro who would agree.

Sits & Wiggles VALUES YOUR SAFETY ABOVE OUR PROFITS. 

Please be mindful of safety. At all times.

Nalina Matthews

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