What to Pay a Pet Sitter
What do you do when you have no idea what to pay a pet sitter? The very first step is to figure out what services you actually need. By doing this, you can get a more realistic idea on what price you should be negotiating. Ask yourself the following questions:
- How many pets do you have? More pets will raise the fee.
- How far will your pet sitter need to travel to reach you? Are they local?
- Will your dogs require walks? Some pet sitters charge a separate fee for dog walking services.
- Are you wanting some extra services such as having the mail brought in, the plants watered, or medication administered to your pet? If your animal companion requires medication, is hiring someone who is experienced in the veterinary field or someone similarly experienced necessary?
- How many times a day will your pet sitter need to visit? Do you require them to stay overnight?
- How long do you need the visits to be? Will they just involve a simple food and water change or would you like the sitter to spend time playing with your animal companion?
- Will your pets require care during the holiday season such as Christmas or Thanksgiving? Such days may have an extra charge.
- Does the individual belong to a pet sitting organization/association?
- Is the pet sitter bonded and have liability insurance?
When interviewing, notice how your pets react to the person and make sure to pay close attention to the pet sitter's energy. If you are happy with one of the people who you interviewed, then discuss fees. If you are comfortable with their fee, hire them. If not, keep interviewing.
With a clear idea of what you require from your pet sitter, the next step is to find out what the current pet sitting rate is in your area. Ring up a few pet sitting services for quotes or ask around to find out how much others were charged when they had their pets looked after. Prices may vary but it’s not uncommon to be charged around $10-20 per visit or $60 to stay the night. Ask friends and family who have done this in the past how much they paid, and determine from there what you are comfortable paying.
Keeping all these things in mind, you can determine a fair price that both you and your pet sitter will be happy with. You will know you have arrived at a good price when you will feel you are getting good value for your money and the pet sitter feels they are valued for their work. Remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and you should never compromise the level of care your pet will receive to save a few bucks.
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