What is House Sitting?
Pets are most comfortable in their own home.
We recognize that not every pet is able to be boarded, and sometimes drop-in visits just are not enough. This can be for many reasons. Your pet may genuinely need 24 hr care because of a medical condition or through post-operative recovery. You may have a farm, which requires almost constant care. You may also be interested in having someone care for your pets or just be watching over your house more than is possible with drop-ins. Whatever the reason, house sitting may be the solution you need. House sitting is when the pet sitter comes to your home and stays overnight with your pet. Many sitters will still leave during the day, just as you would while going to work, and return in the evening. This helps keep the routine of your pet intact while you’re away.
House sitting is not an easy job, and a big responsibility for the sitter. Both you and your sitter should come prepared with questions and information to share, to make sure everything goes smoothly.
Here are some things to consider when hiring someone to care for your pet and home:
Will you let them eat your food? It’s perfectly fine to say no, and have them provide their own. Conversely, if you have things that will spoil while you’re away, you may consider it.
Where will you have them sleep? If you have a guest bed, this is fairly simple. However, your pet may be used to sleeping in your room. Whatever you are most comfortable with, definitely talk about it with your house sitter before they arrive.
Will you need them to garden, mow, or retrieve mail? Definitely don’t forget about those houseplants! Again, this will be between your house sitter and you to determine what work you’d like done.
Will you let them adjust the AC/heat? Let them know what you’re ok with them changing/altering while you’re away so you don’t come home to a surprise electric/gas bill.
Do they have insurance/bonding? Who will be responsible if something happens to your home while they are present? Ask for proof of business insurance and make sure it covers them being in someone else's home.
Who are your emergency contacts for house care? Do you have a handyman/repair company you prefer to work with? Leave this contact information for your house sitter, as well the locations of all emergency shut offs for water, electric, and gas. You know where these are, but someone else may not.
How long do they need to be there? Be aware that the longer you require your sitter to be in the house, the more they will charge. If you’re ok with them coming and going throughout the day, let them know. They will want to make sure they’re meeting your expectations and your pet's care needs.
Will you leave written instructions? This can be especially helpful if you have extensive care needs for your home. Include things like when to have the trash taken out, gate codes, wifi passwords, pet care instructions, and any relevant neighborhood information.
Will there be anyone else in the house during the time? Let your sitter know if you have a house cleaner, lawn service, or other repairmen you expect to be around. That way they can be double checking doors, gates, and won’t be frightened when someone else walks in.
Are you ok with them having friends over during the visit? Be very explicit about who can/cannot come over while they are caring for your home and pets.
We know letting someone else care for both your pet and home is a big decision. If you have questions about what our process is, or want to book a house sit, send us an email: hello@funkybunchpetcare.com.
