Scottsdale Dog Walker | Scottsdale Pet Sitter | Scottsdale, AZ

We often receive great questions from pet parents.  Therefore, I have decided to do a blog series of questions and answers so that we can help educate many pet owners at once.  As opposed to only helping the person with the question. 

Our first topic is ‘Vacationing Pet Parents.’ 

Many of you reading this may already be clients of Absolute Pet Care LLC.  Therefore you know how this works.  But a refresher can always help. 

Now… 

If you are a pet parent who is considering a vacation, there are a few things you want to do in order to secure peace of mind.  This will help make your vacation as enjoyable as possible. 

First…

When you are considering planning a vacation, the very first thing you should do is contact your pet sitting company.  Call or email us with the dates you are considering for you vacation.  You want to make certain we have the availability to accommodate your pet sitting schedule.  This is one of the most important steps.  We do book up for all major holidays and much of the vacation season.  Once we have the dates you will be out of town, then you can book the travel arrangements for your vacation.  After your travel has been booked, then you want to call your pet sitting company again to finalize your pet sitting schedule.  Most pet sitting companies book a good two weeks out.  So remember to always book your schedule as far in advance as possible.  I actually took a reservation this morning for 8 days of overnights during the week of Christmas IN 2014!  Yes, that is 19 months away!  But that is how it works here in the pet sitting industry.  We will always be in high demand, and we can only help you if you book your reservation in time. 

Secondly…

Make sure you are prepared for your trip.

Always remember to have extra supplies.  You should have at least an extra week of food, treats, potty bags, medications and any additional supplies for your kiddos.  You do not want to have to worry about them while you are away.  That is OUR job.  Just make certain they will not run out of anything while you are gone.  

Third…

Remember, your home is our responsibility as well.  Don’t forget, pet sitters are responsible for TWO of the most important things in your life…  Your pets… and your HOME.  That is why our insurance covers both while we are on duty.  

We are the only ones allowed to actually be in the home while you are away.  No friends, neighbors, relatives, housekeepers, maintenance men, landscapers, contractors, etc., are allowed in the home while we are responsible.  You never know when a maid will accidentally leave a door open for a dog to get out, or when someone unknowingly feeds forbidden food to a dog with food allergies and we walk into a complete mess (this has happened to me).  So do us a favor and cancel the maid service while you are away. 

Fourth…

Don’t forget about home security. 

WE are the home security while you are away.  We here at Absolute Pet Care LLC work closely with the Scottsdale Police Department.  They have always been really good to us when it comes to sharing information and providing helpful tips.  The last thing we want is to show up to your home and find it broken into and your pets stolen.  So PLEASE DO NOT advertise that you will be going out of town.  Do not share this information on Facebook or Twitter.  Do not brag about ‘hitting the beach in Jamaica in 2 days’ while using social media.  Save that for after you have returned home from your trip.  

Fifth…

Make sure all of your information is updated.

Veterinarian Authorization forms and Pet Guardianship forms are a MUST for all pet care companies.  Make sure the information listed on those forms is up to date. 

We require all pet parents to complete a Pet Guardianship form just in case we need it.  Remember, in the eyes of the law, pets are considered personal property.  If something should happen to you on your trip, we are required to have legal authorization stating who we are allowed to leave your pet(s) with.  Legally, no person is allowed to simply come into your home and take your pet.  Even if you are in the hospital, or even dead.  That is the exact same thing as someone coming in and taking your television.  By law, we have to leave your pet with someone.  That is why we have the Pet Guardianship forms.  If something were to happen to you, without these forms, depending on the state you live in, your pets could end up in shelters or even animal testing labs.  If the current pet care company you use doesn’t have pet guardianship forms…  Find a new pet sitting company.  Because they aren’t thinking about what is best for your pets.

These are just a few guidelines you want to make sure to obey if you are planning a vacation.  As always, please feel free to add any others in the comment section.  Please let me know your thoughts or suggestions.  Remember, we are all in this to help increase the quality of life for our pets.  So we should stick together and help each other out. 

Let me know of any questions you may have for the next blog post. 

Thanks for caring!

Tim Heise, your Scottsdale Pet Sitter, Dog Walker
– Certified Pet Care Specialist
Absolute Pet Care, LLC
Scottsdale, AZ
AbsolutePetCareAZ.com