Why lock your best friend in a cage when you leave town? Most of us consider our pets our furry children and do not want them to experience being stuffed into a kennel, isolated and lonely. It must seem like a prison to them. If not a kennel, what? Have a neighbor or neighborhood youth drop in to feed?
Pet care has risen to a new level, fostering in a business of professionals. This new breed of pet sitter can be hired to stay with them at their home until the owners return. The sitter can observe the pet’s schedule, give it special care in areas needed, and be a constant presence to keep the pet comfortable, all at reasonable prices.
It is become big business.
The pet-sitting industry has grown rapidly in recent years. The market value is estimated to have risen from $17 billion in 1994 to $58.51 billion in 2014. One of the reasons for the increase is that more people have pets. In the United States, 67 percent of households have pets.
The job of pet sitting is no longer a chore for a neighborhood youth; it has turned into a professional career for many.
Take, for instance, David Seaton.
His day job with FedEx Office keeps him inside all day, so he looks forward to having a change of scenery and care of pets.
At first, he cared for dogs, but has cared for cats, turtles and fish.
“I have not had reptiles yet, no snakes or iguanas yet.”
His business has grown.
About eight years ago, he started his business In Your Shoes Home and Pet Care, caring for pets of friends and neighbors.
He has always had a love for animals and took in stray dogs on the reservation while he was growing up.
His business became well known through word-of-mouth.
He says he tries to keep growing his skills by reading books on animal behavior and watching how professionals handle dogs.
The increased need for pet sitters has fostered many support businesses like rover.com, one of the largest pet-sitting organizations, which can match a pet with a sitter just about anywhere in the United States.
“This is a peer-to-peer service that is strengthening community, saving people money and providing jobs throughout [Northern Arizona]. Rover.com, the largest network of dog lovers for hire, is connecting pet parents with locals that are willing to provide in-home care for pups, while their owners are away,” said Pete Bahrenburg, spokesman for rover.com.
“Rather than dropping beloved pets off at crowded kennels, people are instead turning to their neighbors for assistance. Pet parents get better service at about half the price of traditional boarding businesses and Rover sitters make supplemental income playing with dogs – right from their own home and on their own schedule.”
Jenna Martin, who also lives in Flagstaff, joined rover.com about a year ago.
“I joined rover.com mainly because of my strong love for dogs,” she said.
She says she has had more than 20 clients and many she sits for regularly.
“I treat your dog like my own and I am always sure to send plenty of pictures,” she said.
Martin said she is also currently working at a local veterinary clinic while she works taking online classes to become a certified veterinary technician.
She says she appreciates the fact that rover.com us available to help with their 24/7 emergency telephone customer support, premium pet insurances and reservation guarantee.
According to the National Pet Products Association survey, 93 percent of pet care businesses are owned by women. About 95 percent carry insurance or are bonded.
Fees vary depending on how many pets need care, if they have special needs. FBN