I am often asked what kind of notice do I need when hiring a pet sitter. If this is the first time you are hiring a pet sitter, call or email them with at least two weeks notice before your dates start. If your pet sitting request falls on a major holiday like Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s then contact the pet sitter with at least three to four weeks notice. If you book your trip months ahead, don’t wait around. Book your pet sitting reservation at the same time. Many pet sitters get fully booked for the holidays months in advance.
If you are in need of an overnight pet sitter, make the request as soon as you book your trip to help ensure the pet sitter of your liking has an opening. There are often less pet sitters available for overnight stays than for once, twice, or three daily visits. If you are unsure of whether overnight pet sitting or daily pet sitting visits are the right fit for you and your pets, you may find our article useful on 6 Questions To Ask Yourself To Help Determine Whether Overnight Pet Sitting Or Multiple Daily Pet Sitting Visits Is The Right Fit For Your And Your Pets.
You may ask why a pet sitter may need so much notice. First, professional pet sitters are in high demand and can only help so many clients at once. Second, when hiring a professional pet sitter there should be a thorough sign up process to ensure your pets and home will get the best care. For example, at Rufus and Delilah not only do we need to see if we have a sitter available for the request, we need each new client to complete a detailed online profile with details about caring for their pets and homes before we meet them. We also need to schedule a consultation on a day and time that works for all of us before the visits start. Rufus and Delilah will not offer care for a clients pet(s) without meeting them first for a consultation. We also cannot fully guarantee our services until the consultation is complete. It is just as important for your pet sitter to meet you and your pet(s) in person as it is for you to meet us in person to make sure we are the right fit.
There are times when a pet sitter may be able to sign up new clients with only a few days advance notice before the start date but we prefer when neither the new client nor the pet sitter has to rush through the sign up process to ensure your pets and your home will receive the best care in your absence.
The next time you need to hire a pet sitter for the first time, how much notice will you give?