With summer on the horizon, many friends and neighbors may be planning getaways to enjoy the good weather. Since not all accommodations are pet-friendly, this means Fido, Fifi and Nemo may be staying home alone and will be in need of supervision. I have always been a pet lover ready to assist friends and family in need of a sitter for their little creature, however different experiences over the years have made me think twice about pet sitting jobs. I have learned that watching someone’s pet is an enormous responsibility that entails more than just playing with a cute, cuddly pet. Taking on a pet sitting job means you hold your friend or families’ beloved creature’s life in your hands and if something happens to them, on your watch, it is your responsibility. Also, since most pets are domestic, they live in the house which also means your job may entail watching and caring for the owner’s home. Take these factors and the stories below into consideration when you sign up for a pet sitting assignment and be sure you are prepared for the job and ready for the responsibility.

When a friend or family member turns to you for help with their pet, remember it is alright to say no if you are uncomfortable with the situation. It is better to be realistic than to take on the responsibility and incur problems or worse – a fatality. For example, several years ago my sister’s boss asked her to watch his 14-year old twin Alaskan goldfish while he went away for a week. Although she did not know much about goldfish, let alone twin Alaskan goldfish, my sister agreed thinking it would not be difficult to stop in once per day to sprinkle a pinch of food into a bowl. After a couple of days, she stopped by and one fish had passed away! Two days later, the second fish was also found floating at the top of the bowl. Following this horrific incident, we spent several hours driving around town with two fish in a matchbox trying to find a match for the unique pair. We had no luck and my sister decided this was best as she needed to tell the owner the truth.

When I was in college, a neighbor called me to watch their cat while they were away. Although I was not comfortable with cats but was in need of money, I agreed. The job seemed easy enough, feed the cat in the morning and let it outside for the day then return at night to let it inside and feed it again. All went well for the first three days until the cat did not return…for two days! I was panicked but extremely relieved when I found the little critter in a flower bed one afternoon. I made sure to hang out with the cat for several hours before I fed it and returned home for the night. The next morning when I returned to let the cat out, it was very affectionate, ate well and went outside for the day. As I was leaving, I noticed a terrible smell in the house. Upon investigation, I found that the cat defiled the owner’s very white bed comforter to perhaps demonstrate its displeasure for being left outside and away from its owners for several days. I took the comforter to the drycleaner but at the end of the day, the job ended up costing me more than I received in payment.

This summer before you take on a pet sitting job, be sure you are ready for the commitment, responsibility and surprises. Keep things in perspective regarding the time you have or do not have to dedicate to the job and realize that your own daily routine may not leave you enough time to care for a creature in their loving owner’s absence. It is alright to state you are uncomfortable with taking care of a friend or family member’s pet. Sometimes these jobs are better left to those with more experience or to professionals.

By David Greenwood