Whether you travel for business or pleasure, you delegate the care of your pets to someone else when you are away. More and more people are turning to a pet sitting service to do the job. Caring pet owners know that most pets adjust better to their owner’s absence and experience less anxiety and stress when they can stay in their home situation.

Pet sitters make this feasible with regular visits to your home. In addition to meals, exercise, playtime and cleaning litter trays or bird cages, rabbit hutches, etc, pet sitters may also administer medications, walk dogs and perform other pet care duties.

In-home pet care is a good choice for responsible pet owners as it provides peace of mind for everyone involved. Pet sitters also offer vital home care services while you are away that may include:

• Mail/newspaper pick-up
• Plant care and watering
• Rotating lights and opening/closing blinds or curtains to make your home look lived in.
• Placing rubbish out for collection

Many pet sitters also offer transport to and from places like the vet clinic or groomers. This is especially handy for the elderly or infirm who can no longer drive their pets to appointments themselves.

So how do you hire a pet sitter? Your ideal place to start your search is to use the pet sitting area of a review-based directory like Pet Guide. Pick out the ones you like the look of and arrange a meeting with any prospective pet sitter. The introductory interview is vital for both you and the pet sitter and be aware that some pet sitting services will charge a one-off fee for this introductory meeting.

At the meeting the pet sitter has the chance to meet you and your pets in home surroundings. They should explain to you their terms of service, the fees they charge — which can vary widely — specific business policies and, most importantly, intermingle with you and your pets.

Use this time to ask any questions you may have about pet sitting in general or the pet sitter in particular. Do they have references? Have they had a police background check performed? Do they hold public liability insurance? Do they have a back-up in place if they fall ill while you are away?

Be sure you know all the services offered, as well as fees charged as this can vary widely. For instance, don’t expect your pet sitter to water plants if it isn’t part of the arrangement you have.

Take the time to make the right section with the assistance of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and your first pet sitting experience will be a positive one that can become a long-lasting relationship!