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Transcript: Therese Kopiwoda of PetSitUSA.com All About Pet Sitters February 8, 2009 PHAbymom: On behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us at PetHobbyist.com, I'm very pleased to welcome Theres Kopiwoda to our Eleventh Annual Chat Month. PHAbymom: Pet Sitter or Boarding Clinic? Is the Pet sitter bonded and insured? What does that even mean!? Choosing someone to care for our pets while we are away is one of the hardest choices we can make. How do you choose what to do? It is more than merely choosing a random name in the phone book. PHAbymom: Therese Kopiwoda of PetSitUSA.com will be joining us to help us learn how to choose a pet sitter, what to look for, what to expect starting your own pet sitting business. PHAbymom: Therese, when you have completed your answer, please type GA so we know to Go Ahead. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Therese Kopiwoda. Therese: Hi everybody. Thanks for coming! Therese: I'll tell you a little about my background then we'll get going.. Therese: I started out with my pet sitting business, LucyGirl Pet Sitting in 2001. In 2003 I launched PetsitUSA.com, a leading online directory of professional pet sitters, dog walkers, and dog daycares. Therese: In addition to connecting pet owners and pet sitters, it serves as a resource for people hiring a pet sitter, as well as for people looking to start a pet sitting business. Therese: Over the years I've mentored pet sitters here in Austin as well as other areas of the country. I worked as a full-time pet sitter until 2004, when I cut back to devote more time to the website. Therese: Although I do still do some pet sitting, most of my time is spent managing the website, web design for pet sitters, and social media consulting for pet care business owners. Therese: So that's a little about me....but what about your pets?! What's best for them? Therese: If you've never used a pet sitter before, it may be a little daunting at first, but if you know what to look for it'll go easier. Therese: You want to meet your pet sitter in your home first...watch how your pets react Therese: And get a good feel for the person yourself. Therese: Since it's a personalized service, your gut feeling (and your pets) should be taken into account Therese: Some of the questions you'll want to ask... Therese: Is the person insured? There are companies that provide insurance specifically for pet sitters. Therese: This will cover your costs if the pet sitter is negligent and causes some sort of damage to your property or pets Therese: You'll also want to find out about the person's experience...how long they've been pet sitting...if they've cared for your type of pet Therese: Find out about emergency procedures - if your pet gets ill what will they do? If they (the pet sitter) gets ill who will cover? Therese: This should all be spelled out in writing, in a contract. Therese: I don't like saying never...but... Therese: I would never hire a pet sitter without a written contract. Therese: The contract sets up expectations for both of you. Therese: Maybe we should do some questions? I don't want to bore everyone :) NYC_NYIfan: What do you require pet-sitters to provide (performance requirements) to their clients? Do you have specific standards, such as scooping boxes at least once a day? Therese: First I should point out that at PetsitUSA.com we don't hire pet sitters... Therese: It's a site where individual pet sitters advertise their services... Therese: But, to answer you question, each pet sitter sets up their own policies... Therese: Most pet sitters that I know of will scoop litter boxes once a day. Therese: Some set up requirements such as: Therese: They will not visit cats every other day. They want to see cats at least once a day while the owner is gone. Therese: Anyone with cats knows cats can become very ill very fast, which is one of the reasons they set this policy. Socialization is another reason. Therese: Most pet sitters will require at least 2 visits per day for indoor dogs. Some pet sitters require 3 visits. Therese: Ultimately though, the pet sitter is going to meet with the pet owner and work out a schedule that benefits them and their pets. PHKeeper: Where might you find a contract to get started and know what should be on it? Therese: Your pet sitter should have a contract of his or her own. If you're just starting out there are a number of places to get them though. Therese: At PetsitUSA.com, when someone advertises with us, we provide forms for them to use in their business - contract, vet release, dog walking form, and others. Therese: Many pet sitters also have their forms freely available on their site. If you want to see one, just do a search for pet sitter contract. PHKeeper: Then that would be the best place to start TU ga Therese: Keeper, if you're looking to get started, visit this page on my website: http://petsitusa.com/resources.htm PHCatitude: Are most sitters flexible about requirements that are not in the contract, such as scooping the litter box twice day instead of once or how many times a day the cats are fed? Therese: Yes, most pet sitters are going to work with you to ensure your pets are cared for in a way that's as close as what you would do as possible. Therese: The first thing your (potential) pet sitter will do is to meet you in your home. At that time, he/she will go over the general info and then more detailed info based on your needs PHKeeper: what do you think of pet sitters taken your animals in their home? ga Therese: Some people do care for pets in the sitters home but it's not as common. Therese: I've only done it for one client, so it's not something I really do Therese: If you were to have someone care for your pet in their own home I'd ask to do the initial interview in the pet sitter's home. Therese: That way you can see first hand where your pet will be, how secure the yard might be, how he gets along with other pets if they have them. Therese: I'd still get a contract, and still want to know the person is insured, has a backup plan, vet info. etc. Therese: Does that answer it? PHKeeper: Do you think it makes a difference to the pet? ga Therese: It can. If the pet gets separation anxiety it might be better for him. If he's a loner though, being at home may be better. It depends on the pet I would think. Cory_nr: I was interested in starting doing some pet sitting... I already do it for friends and family. How should I go from there? GA Therese: Go here: http://petsitusa.com/resources.htm and look through the list of resources. Therese: I've got some articles from pet sitters there, as well as basic info to get you started. There are also links to some very good websites that'll help as well. Therese: The very best resource I can point you to is a Yahoo group. Hang on I'll get the link. Therese: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/AboutPetSitting/ Cory_nr: Thank you very much! Therese: You'll find more info there than you can imagine. And you'll learn from people in the business. So check out my site and APS. Therese: And if you have any specific questions, feel free to email me. Therese: petsitusa@gmail.com Cory_nr: Thank you! PHKeeper: I know this is a hard question but did you ever have a pet pass away while in your care? ga Therese: Yes, I have and it sucks! Therese: I had a cat that, when I showed up for the very first visit, she was dead. I had to call the owner and give her the news. Therese: Honestly though, I was more upset than she was! Therese: Worse than that one though was when a dog with CHF (congestive heart failure) started failing and i had to rush her to the vet. The owners came home late that night, thank goodness, so they were able to be with her when she passed a day later. PHKeeper: have you ever not taken a petsitting job because pet was not under control?ga Therese: No, but I did take a client who's pet went out of control after I started! Therese: It was a little Jack Russel Terrier that was as sweet as can be when I first met with them, but on the initial visit he let me know he'd rip my eyes out if I got close to him. Therese: His owners had taken their other two dogs to a kennel because that's what they were used to. The little guy i was caring for was left at home because he was recovering from HW Therese: The first day was brutal, but when I suggested that I pick up the other two and bring them home things changed. Therese: Once he had his buddies back home, he calmed down and let me (reluctantly) get a leash on him. Therese: nowadays, he's my best bud! lol Deerhounds: What is your normal procedure if an animal gets sick while you're taking care of him? Do you have the clients sign releases before they go, things like that? GA Therese: Absolutely! Therese: My standard line when I meet them initially, is that if I see something that doesn't look like an emergency I'm going to get in touch with them first. Therese: If it's a definite emergency, my first priority is getting the animal to the vet and then I'll contact them. Therese: Also, during the initial consult, we go over a vet release form. On that, they give me the name of their vet, any alternate contacts, how much they authorize me to spend on their behalf, and whatever else they may want if their pet is ill Therese: I also ask beforehand about any health issues. PHAbymom: Therese, ever had any escapees? Therese: escapees...lemme think.... Therese: No, I don't think I have (knock on wood) PHAbymom: LOL, my cat is a door darter Therese: I do know of pet sitters who have had that happen though and it's terribly painful for them. Therese: I have a door darter myself so I treat every pet as if they are! PHKeeper: What is the rule of thumb on charging for petsitting? By the hour, things you do, gasoline? GA Therese: It varies with the pet sitter. I charge a flat rate per half hour regardless of how many pets a client has or what I need to do for them. Therese: Others charge per pet. I'm not a fan of that method though. Therese: When I first started, I did the per pet charge but not too long after I switched over to the flat rate. Therese: this is because I found that people would tell me on the phone they had x number of pets. Therese: Then, when I got there they'd say, 'oh yea, I have a cat too but I don't want you to do anything for him. I'll just leave a big bowl of food and water" Therese: NOT! Therese: If I'm going into a house with pets, I want to know I'm taking care of all of them. I don't want to feel badly becasue a cat that I'm "not caring for" got sick because the owners didn't want to pay for him Therese: Not that I ever ignored any of the "dont worry about him" pets, but it just makes things go more smoothly knowing I'm caring for everybody Therese: As for gas, some pet sitters will charge a gas surcharge if they go over a certain distance from their office (aka home). Therese: Especially when gas was at a gazillion dollars a gallon! Therese: Some will also charge extra for medication admiistering (I don't) PHKeeper: Do you charge a minimum? ga Therese: Yes, I do. Right now it's $22 per visit and that's normally for a half hour NYC_NYIfan: Have you had to administer any oral medications or SQ fluids? Do you suggest to potential clients that some animals are better off being boarded at a vet hospital? Therese: I haven't done SQ fluids to any of my clients, but I have had to pill cats! You know that's always fun! Therese: I do suggest boarding if the pet has severe health problems or tricky meds. PHCatitude: Do you sit pets other than dogs or cats? Reptiles? Things like that? Therese: I've had a couple reptiles, some birds, gerbils. All I have these days though is cats and dogs. PHCatitude: Thank you. GA Therese: Catitude...love that name! You gotta see my cafe press shop ;) http://www.cafepress.com/petsitusa/2399540 PHCatitude: Thank you. I will. Cory_nr: What should I look for in a good pet sitter? Other than just going through your site, LOL... how do I know that someone is trustworthy and good at that they do? GA Therese: Ask for recommendations, and call them. Therese: You'll also want to ask if they're insured, and you can even ask to see proof of that. Therese: Find out how long they've been caring for pets, and even ask if they've taken a pet first aid class or other classes about pets Therese: The industry is growing, and because of that it's getting more and more competitive. Therese: Pet sitters are educating themselves more and upping the standards. Therese: talk to a few pet sitters over the phone and then plan to meet with the ones you like best Cory_nr: Thank you! Therese: You're welcome Therese: ahh there's one! lol PHKeeper: Have you ever had a request that you could not do? ga Therese: One that comes to mind. Therese: I had a guy call me to care for his 3 staffies Therese: They were absolutely sweet dogs, and it wasn't their breed that was the problem. Therese: The owner was the problem. He kept the dogs in runs outside all the time Therese: I'm in TX where it gets way too hot in the summer. Therese: These dogs only got out of their runs for a few minutes each day - and only one at a time. Their runs were next to each other- one to a run. No shade, no toys, just a bowl for water and one for food. Therese: It tore my heart out to think these dogs never got any attention, and decided not to take the job. Later I found out that he had gone through many pet sitters before he called me, and a few after me. PHCatitude: Are there currently any requirements for pet sitters? Certificates, special training? Therese: Nope Therese: The only think you may need to find out, in your area if there is a business license required. Therese: That's a license that any business must have...not pet sitter specifid. Therese: specific. PHCatitude: Thank you. GA Therese: And this actually brings me to one of my pet peeves. Therese: On many pet sitters websites, you'll see "licensed pet sitter" Therese: which leads people to think they've gone through some sort of training and passed a test to become a pet sitter. Not so. PHTessie: what is the strangest situation you have found yourself in while sitting? Therese: The strangest...well I have one strange BAD and one strange funny. PHTessie: either or both? Therese: The bad was when I went into an apartment which turned out to be the wrong apartment - the key worked though. Therese: When I walked in I was greeted with a VERY ANGRY Texan. Not a pretty sight Therese: He told me to get out and then asked me who I was....told me to get out...asked who I was. I didn't know what to do. I'm just glad he didn't have gun or I may not be talking tonight! I managed to back out and high-tail it to my car ! Therese: The funny one was when I was caring for some labs and we went out back. As I closed the sliding glass door the bar that locks the door fell and locked me out Therese: A key wouldn't have helped. My cell phone was on the table, inside of course, and the fence is an 8 foot fence, which I can't climb. Therese: So I stood at the fence yelling at people walking by to help Therese: Most kept walking, but after about an hour a woman came to my rescue! Therese: lol, the moral of the story...ALWAYS keep the cell phone in my pocket when I'm pet sitting Therese: GA PHTessie: MOL, always nice to know what could happen PHTessie: ty NYC_NYIfan: Did anyone ever report the 3-staffies owner to the local SPCA? Therese: I did but they wouldn't do anything. The kennels were clean and the dogs were fed and healthy so they wouldn't do anything. Therese: I believe a few other sitters reported him too. PHAbymom: Beside the guy with the staffies, are there people you decide not to work for after the initial visit? Therese: I tend to weed most of them out over the phone, but generally I won't care for dogs that are outside all the time, people that only want every other day visits for cats, or people with inside dogs who only want 1 visit per day. Therese: I also won't negotiate on price. PHKeeper: Comment got locked out once also had to squeeeeeze through the doggie door:) ga Therese: LOL Therese: That time I got locked out I thought I was going to spend the night in the pool so I could avoid the mosquitos. PHAbymom: Therese, thank you so much for chatting with us tonite! Therese: Thanks for having me. I had fun! PHKeeper: Thank you for the valueable information and some personal stories. Therese: You're welcome. I do have a few stories. lol PHTessie: thanks, interesting MaryNY: thank you! PHritters: Do you put a limit on how many animals per household that you will take care of? Therese: YW Deerhounds Therese: No, I don't. THe only time I had a ton was when I cared for a bunch of feral cats for a woman. Therese: They didn't get much attention, but then again, they didn't really want it. They just wanted the food. PHritters: well i dont have a ton but maybe a half ton lol Therese: lol PHAbymom: Mary, your question MaryNY: do you do small, urban farms? Therese: I don't, but mainly because there aren't any where I live. I'm in the city. MaryNY: that's where I am Therese: There are quite a few people who specialize in farms though Therese: Where are you? MaryNY: and our city allows a wide variety of animals. Rochester, ny Therese: I don't have any in that area, but there are some around there I'm sure MaryNY: thank you PHAbymom: On behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us here at Pethobbyist.com communities, we want to thank you for taking your time to chat with us. Transcripts will be posted with in a few days. Once again, Thank you Therese!
Please visit Therese's website at www.petsitusa.com.
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