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Jan 25, 2024: Edition 175
This post is from Central Oregon Pet Services on Facebook. Community members are welcome to join, in order to connect with pet providers, pet parents, etc. Sits & Wiggles doesn't respond to service requests within this platform, unless someone is having difficulty locating services. Hello pet loving community! If you're seeking services, we recommend interviewing several providers, & building relationships with a few. This will aid both parties in case of illness, injury or emergency. We recommend that handlers create a network of trustworthy providers, in order to ensure care for pets.
Please keep us updated on whether or not you've secured care. We don't need to know with whom; just that you're no longer in need; as you've located a provider who you feel safe with. If you have difficulty locating a pet sitter or dog walker who is available during your dates; or you are having trouble finding someone you feel comfortable with; we may be able to assist you. We are connected with providers who have earned a level of trust with our clients.
Should you ever need assistance, reach out to this community or to Sits & Wiggles Pet Services directly. Since day one, Keith & I have provided complimentary services to our community in order to minimize the risk of danger. We've joined pet parents on their interviews with pet professionals. We've also joined dog trainers, walkers & sitters on their initial meetings with their clientele. We offer phone interview guidance & well as entrepreneurial assistance. We have a resource page on our website bendpetsitter.com or sits-wiggles.com. You do not need to be a client of ours to receive assistance. Should you choose to enter into a contractual relationship with Sits & Wiggles or not, we want you & your pets to be safe.
Pet parents have contacted us when they discovered that their sitter never showed, & their pets had been locked up for 15 plus hours. Countless others reached out when their sitters or walkers canceled last minute. Although we cannot guarantee that we will be able to help, we always try. We cannot guarantee overnight availability (of our services or those we refer to). However, S&W has been able to accommodate almost all last minute daytime requests, as we leave a handler open for these scenarios.
In order to minimize the potential for problematic situations, we share interview advice. Ask for proof. You can view their background check, certifications, insurance, license, etc. They can always black out private data such as social security number. Ask to speak with or meet references.
Have a second set of eyes read over the service contract or have it checked by your lawyer. I offer a sampling of questions & potential scenarios to discuss. Yes, a person may be dishonest with their responses. However, body language often offers many more answers than verbiage may.
When meeting for the first time, listen to your pets. They will silently tell you how they feel about this new person. Did your pet warm up to the handler? If so, what was the time frame? This is all valuable information.
Many of the questions I suggest may be covered within the pet care contract. Have a second set of eyes read over the service contract or have it checked by your lawyer. Is their contract comprehensive? Are they willing to alter it should you not feel comfortable with a provision? I offer a sampling of questions & potential scenarios to discuss. Yes, a person may be dishonest with their responses. However, body language often offers many more answers than verbiage may.
Discuss emergency scenarios & how the provider would react to them. What have they experienced in the past & how were these instances resolved? Have they ever misplaced a client's key or lost a pet under their care? How do they feel about cameras? Do they carry pet specific first aid kits? Are they pet CPR & first aid certified? Do they have extra leashes, treats, etc in order to help when they come across lost pets? Are they kind to both animals & people? Do your values align? What does your gut tell you about them? Do they have experience training animals or working in the veterinary field? What volunteer experience do they have? What animals do they work with? Have they lived in Bend long enough to be comfortable navigating our roads during winter? What are their handling beliefs & philosophies? Do they use shock collars or are they fear free?
How do they prevent pets from escaping the home? How do they handle encounters with reactive or aggressive animals? What are their policies regarding extreme weather conditions or poor air quality? Are they familiar with creating mentally enriching activities for pets? Are they actively protecting your privacy & identity? Are their client keys labeled with pet or parent's names? Or do they utilize a code which is more difficult to decipher? Do the key chains have locking mechanisms? Do they share which client they're providing service for next, or saving these details until after the client has returned home? Are the client addresses, access codes, etc kept secure? Do they share private client info on social media? Do they seek written permission prior to sharing pet images on their website & social media platforms? Do they invite people to client homes without permission? Are they mindful of time changes? Are they respectful of neighbors? Do they advertise on their vehicles?
Are their rates in line with their skills & experience? What sets them apart from other providers? Do they give back to their community? Is this a side gig or a full time passion? Can you reach them in case of emergency? What procedures are in place to minimize the spread of human & animal illness? Have they transported a pet to emergency veterinary services? Were they able to stay calm & collected? Will they front for medical expenses & seek client reimbursement, or will the client keep a credit card on file with their vet & emergency vet? Are they experienced in working with elderly, deaf, blind or medically fragile pets? What about young, reactive, agressive, fearful or anxious pets? Can they accommodate care past the end service date, in case of flight delay or cancellation? Do they have a backup person or people to tend to your pets & home in case of emergency? If so, can you & your pets meet & get to know them prior to the start of service? Are all parties background checked & insured, at a minimum? How are their driving records? Will they transport your pets? Will the pets be secured in a crate or pet specific seat belt during transport? Are they physically & mentally able to perform the tasks needed? Do they charge late fees? Last minute scheduling fees? Cancellation fees? Additional pet fees? Travel or mileage fees?
Are they transparent? Are their fees confusing or clear & concise? Are their rates clearly shared on their website, social media platforms & contract? Do they welcome cameras & offer GPS tracking? Will they communicate with you enough but not too much? What method of communication will they utilize? During which time parameters? What is the expected response time? Will they send photographs, videos & written updates? If so, how often? Will they remember to calculate time differences & be respectful of your sleeping hours? Are they respectful of both people & animals? Are they enmeshed in a network of local pet care providers? Are you able to contact their current or former clients via phone? Why have clients stopped using their services? Has their business license or insurance ever lapsed? Have they filed pet business insurance claims? Have they canceled overnight jobs? If so, what was the reason? Is their business model set up to expect the unexpected? Do they permit the use of cameras? Do they offer GPS tracking of handlers?
Will they: Ensure that pets receive physical & mental stimulus even when they're unable to go outdoors? Share jobs? Enter homes with unattended minors? Smoke or drink in your home? Be diligent in securing your home? Clean the linens they used? Leave your home dirty? Consume your food? Use your hygiene items? Will they follow your pet's routine? Will they continue using any training cues you've established? Do they administer medication? Will they inquire about pet food allergies?
At what point would they need to end service & refer to another professional? If your pet's health declines, will they still be able to provide care? Inject medicine? Tend to incontinence? If so, will they be additional charges? If not, who would they refer you to. Have they been bitten? If so, was the animal's body language read? Are they trained to read animal body language? What were the factors that led up to the bite? Do they inject medication? What are the policies for euthanasia? How do they handle pet emergencies that run into another pet's service time frame? Can they physically maneuver your pet in case of emergency? Or will they need to contact assistance?
What communication parameters have been established? What boundaries have been set? How will dilemmas be resolved? When are payments due & what payment forms are accepted? How many staff members are there? Will you be able to meet them prior to the start of service? What additional fees are there? Can you get a sense of who they are through their website or social media postings? Do they respect & support other small businesses? Which jobs will they decline & why? How often do they communicate with their clients? If they have staff members, are they bonded? What is the procedure for remedying damage to a client's property? Has anything ever been stolen? How do they carry themselves? There are so many more questions.
A handler should ask for information from the pet parent as well. These may include; but are not limited to; emergency pet procedures / emergency contacts / who has access to your home / is there a plan in place in case you predecease your pets or are unable to provide care for them / has your pet ever shown signs of aggression or reactivity / is there a bite history / what training has taken place / which training philosophy is adhered to / where is your pet first aid kit / where is your fire extinguisher / have your smoke & carbon monoxide detector batteries been changed within 6 months / where should the sitter sleep / are pets allowed on furniture / how do the pets get along / are there ever physical fights / how have you separated them when fighting / how have you responded to their fighting / do pets travel well / do you prefer use of a crate or pet specific seat belt while in a vehicle / will the pets chase deer, squirrels, etc. / what's the pet's typical routine / have they used pet sitters in the past / do they experience separation anxiety / what are their policies on euthanasia / what age was your pet when you first became family / are they traveling out of the country / is their emergency contact local / are there food allergies / are medications required / do the pets have noise aversions / are they fully stocked with food, litter, waste bags & medications / do they have snow removal arranged / is their ice melt pet safe / do pets need to be separated at feeding time / do pets roam freely or stay in crates while unattended / are pets anxious or fearful / do they have an evacuation plan / are the pets up to date on immunizations / do they take flea & tick preventative medicine / have you shared the pet sitter's contact info with your veterinarian & emergency contact, & so many more questions.
Since day one, Keith & I have provided complimentary services to our community in order to minimize the risk of danger. We've joined pet parents on their interviews with pet professionals. We've also joined dog trainers, walkers & sitters on their initial meetings with their clientele. We offer phone interview guidance & well as entrepreneurial assistance. You do not need to be our client in order to receive our assistance. Should you choose to enter into a contractual relationship with Sits & Wiggles or not, we want you & your pets to be safe.
Nalina Matthews
541-4CANINE
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