Pet Sitters Deserve Time Off Too!

When does a pet sitter get vacation time if they are caring for everybody else’s pets? I HATE not being available to my clients because I know how much they depend on me to care for their pets. But I just can not work 365 days a year. It was my choice to not hire pet sitters to work for me & to be a sole proprietor. Being a sole proprietor that’s one of the downsides of trying to take time off. You don’t have a “back up”. I’m fortunate enough to have my affiliate Sally who can cover for me most of the time. But she doesn’t cover all of my service area.
People tend to think that pet sitting is just a job & its easy to do. Pet Sitting is actually a way of life that isn’t always easy or fun. When bad weather hits we still have to get to the animals, we try to help out with last minute requests, we rearrange our routes, and deal with the dirty poop, urine & vomit messes that happen.
People who know my schedule wonder how I do it. I wonder too at times! LOL I work a full time insurance job during the day Monday through Friday from 7am – 4pm. So most of the time I’m up between 4-5:30am to start my day & do any visits prior to being at the office by 7am. Then from 4pm until sometimes between 8-10pm at night I’m on the road driving to take care of pets joined by the occasional co-pilot if I’m overnight sitting a dog that I’ll bring with me. So it not uncommon for me to put in a 14-16 hour day.
In that mix I still have to find time for my 3 cats, one of which needs medication on a daily basis, my friends & family! Try having a relationship added in as well. It take a REALLY understanding man to put up with and accept my schedule! LOL A lot of time pet sitters are putting their own lives on hold so pet owners can go live & enjoy theirs. We work holidays, weekends, late nights & Early mornings.
Finding somebody to care for your pets is your responsibility as pet owner. So when your regular pet sitter takes time off try not to make them feel guilty about it. Instead, tell them you hope they enjoy their well deserved time off! Just like anybody else, a pet sitter hits a point where they just have to take a break. We’ve all seen what stress can do to your health & body. Yes its an inconvenience to you as a pet owner but another way to try to look at the situation is when your pet sitter saying “No I’m not available” is that for their own health and well being they have to take time off in order to be able to care for your pet in the future.
Everybody needs time off to recharge their batteries, have personal time, or attend family events – Pet Sitters are no exception.

Shannon's Pet Sitting

"Quality Pet Care In The Comfort Of Their Own Home"

P.O. Box 755

Carpentersville, IL 60110

PHONE: (847) 987-4322

WEBSITE: http://www.shannonspetsitting.net