posted on July 21, 2005 03:23:27 PM new
I would like your thoughts and advice on using a Pet Sitting Service.
I have 3 dogs all are old and all have health issues..not to mention all are spoiled rotten.
I have used a boarding kennel, the best one around here, to board them when I have to go away. But the last couple of times, I have returned to find the dogs dirty and in worse condition than when I boarded them..
The last time about a month ago, I left them for two weeks and one of my little yorkies was severely dehydrated when I picked her up. She had to have IV fluids . My vet said she could have been stressed and this caused her to be sick etc..but I have my doubts
Here's my dilemma.. I have to leave them again for another couple of weeks and I can't find a good kennel within 30 miles! So, I am considering hiring a Pet Sitting service.. They are bonded and are members of a National chain.. they would come to my home twice a day to feed and let the dogs out.. 30 minute visits..if it goes over 30 minutes.. they charge by 15 min increments.. They have a key to the house...and this is where I am having a problem.. even though they are bonded and registered.. and I can lock up anything that's valuable in a safety deposit box...my concern is that they would have access to my information.. checking acct numbers and all in files.. etc.. so what's to say that someone couldn't gather my information and use it sometime down the road to commit identity theft?? Am I being paranoid? And there is no way that I can remove all my files etc from the house..
Let me know your thoughts about this or any suggestions you may have.. thanks Maggie
posted on July 21, 2005 03:32:11 PM new
Can you confine the information to just one room?
Then, you can close and lock the door to that room. (stick a match between the doorframe and the door - you'll know if anyone was in the room while you were gone )
My sister has used pet sitters in the past with great success.
The furbabies are less stressed in their own home.
posted on July 21, 2005 04:26:51 PM new
The pet sitter idea would be great for your dogs! I think that they usually arrange a meeting at your home so that the sitters can get to know you and the dogs. After this meeting, you may feel better but I can understand your reservations.
posted on July 21, 2005 04:32:10 PM new
maggie, I have left my pets with a pet sitter several times. She gave references and was bonded of course. I checked the references and have not had any trouble at all, and have been pleased with the results. I will not leave my pets with a kennel from now on.
Ask for references from people in your area and check them out.
[ edited by etexbill on Jul 21, 2005 04:49 PM ]
posted on July 21, 2005 04:50:45 PM new
Thank you all for your input.
Yes, Helen, they said that there would be an initial meeting here at my home.. so the pet sitter can acquaint her/himself with the pets... It is not cheap and I will have to pay mileage as well, but you know, I think for the dogs comfort and my peace of mind it will be well worth it.
toollady, thank you for that suggestion. I could do that. Put the files etc in the spare bedroom and lock it..remove the connection wire to my computer etc. sheesh..I really do sound paranoid, don't I.
Tex..I will ask for references but I live in such a poor area.. most people leave their pets to fend for themselves when they go away...
Okay.. I will set up an interview and see how they handle the possibility of having a person in the house now and again.. my husband may be home now and again while I'm gone and although he won't interfere with their schedule.. they may not like the idea of someone being here when they show up...
I love these old critters dearly.. but after they go to doggy heaven, I will never get another pet..they are really babies that never grow up and at this stage of their life they need constant care and attention.. now I feel guilty having said that..
posted on July 21, 2005 04:58:47 PM new
maggie, I said that too. But a friend knows two elderly people who were forced to go to a nursing home by the state on Monday. They had a little Chihuahua who they fed nothing but sausage. It had nowhere to go, so, you guessed it, I took it in. The poor thing is so overweight that she can hardly walk and her nails were so long that they were curling back into her foot pads and causing sores. Yep, took her to the vet, she is on diet food and loves it, and she is walking better. We are hoping that she does not develop heart problems.
The elderly people just did not know how to take care of her and thought they were doing the right thing, I guess.
Yep, you guessed it. I'm an old softie when it comes to pets.
posted on July 21, 2005 05:18:15 PM new
Oh..I know what you mean..My catahoula is a rescue dog..I am a magnet for stray animals out here it seems.. they all find my door step..people just drop the poor dogs off in the country and don't look back..it's pitiful..
How could you not have taken pity on the poor little dickins.. bless it's heart.
My vet has told me the same thing.. he said I'll probably not last two weeks after these guys go before I find another.. and I probably would give in to temptation too.. except my husband has put his foot down and said "there will be NO MORE"..he's not into pets like I am...
Good luck with little Pepe..or mouse, or what ever he/she is named!
posted on July 21, 2005 06:29:20 PM new
maggie, thats awful that your one dog was dehydrated while at the kennel!
The pet sitter sounds like the way to go, unless you do have someone to come everyday and take care of them.
Like everyone says, check them out, but you said they are bonded, but still have a meeting so they get to know the dogs a little before you leave.
We always leave our dog and cat at the kennel, we've used the same kennel since our dog was little, about 7 years. Never had a problem. But the longest we've left her is a week.
Good idea to put any valuables and account numbers locked in one place.
If we go anywhere this summer (and I sure HOPE we do ) my daughter and her husband will stay here. They want to, since we had central air put in
posted on July 21, 2005 06:31:20 PM new
I don't have any friends Dave.. boy did I open the door on that one...waiting for the fall out.. LOL
It's getting that I feel guilty leaving them anymore at all.. I will check out references and will get a better sense of things once I've met the people..if I get bad vibes.. from the person..or the dogs will let me know..anyway, I think I'll give it a shot.
That way I can cook all their meals and refrigerate them and they can just pop them into the microwave and warm them up.. they can sleep in their own beds etc.. and will probably not even miss me..
Tex...how precious is that.. just tell everybody that she's not fat she just has a small head for her body..
posted on July 21, 2005 09:03:18 PM new
Pet sitter sounds like a great idea as my use of a kennel left me a little sour on that idea.
I would look at the same as when someone comes in to clean, you have to have a little trust there especially where your babies are concerned. Check references and go with the peace of mind you did your best.
posted on July 21, 2005 09:18:19 PM new
Maggie, check them out with your local BBB too. They can give you all the good references you want, but would never give you a reference from someone that had a problem with their service.
A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones that need the advice."
- Bill Cosby
I have a co-worker that had a similiar experience when he placed his dogs with a kennel while he went on vacation. When he picked up the dogs he had mentioned they were sick and dehydrated.
I would not recommned the use of the kennels. Do you have a friend/family that you can leave the dogs with while you are on vacation? Perhaps they would not mind coming to your place to watch them?
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
----------------------------------
President George Bush: "Over time the truth will come out."
President George Bush: "Our people are going to find out the truth, and the truth will say that this intelligence was good intelligence. There's no doubt in my mind."
Bush was right. The truth did come out and the facts are he misled Congress and the American people about the reasons we should go to war in Iraq.
posted on July 22, 2005 02:22:16 PM new
When we put Chris down, and then Lovey passed, we swore we would never get another animal. But when Popeye (the one-eyed cat) showed up, we (meaning I) relented. But it took almost a year. Then Pita came. I can't imagine my life without Popeye. (Pita is just so BAD....but we love her too!) You will know when you're ready....
I'm also not a big fan of kennels. Some are a huge source of diseases and parasites. They are as good as the help they hire.
I would also check references and the BBB before allowing any business to have the keys to my babies and my "life". It's just the intelligent thing to do.
posted on July 22, 2005 02:59:52 PM new
The day I can't be surrounded by my beasts is the day I check out for good. Hire the sitters, or some sitter, and secure all your precious stuff and information..How stressed would you be if you found yourself inexplicably caged and fed strange food by strangers?
____________________________________________
Fue por lana y salió trasquilado...
posted on July 22, 2005 07:42:36 PM new
Thanks everybody for the good advice.
I must tell you, for the first 10 years of the dogs lives I had the most wonderful place to board them.. This woman and her husband were retired and owned a beautiful home and large property not far from us and they boarded dogs..only a few at a time, and they kept the dogs in their home with them and pampered them. The house was immaculate and the dogs were always happy to go there. The old gentleman took a liking to my male Yorkie,[the one who thinks he is really a pit bull) and he named him "The Colonel". And he would rock him in his arms in his rocking chair.. I would return to find the dogs clean, healthy, and not in any great hurry to leave the place.. His wife would decorate the sleeping quarters for the dogs at Christmas with stockings with each dog's name and a tree etc.. I mean this was the nicest place you could ever hope to find for your dogs to stay.
Sadly they closed their boarding business to take time to travel and enjoy their senior years.
I travel several weeks out of the year and I have no choice but to leave the dogs. Over the past 3 years, I have used 3 different boarding facilities and even the vets boarding facilities.. all were horribly unsatisfactory.
So, I'll check out the pet sitting services and I will check them out with the BBB.. thanks for that suggestion.. and I'll interview the sitter and have them over to meet the dogs.. but I know that I will still worry myself sick wondering if they are actually making the required visits and providing the care..while I'm gone...god I really hate this.. Maggie
posted on July 23, 2005 06:09:12 PM new
A few years ago I sent my three cats and dog to a pet hotel. The hotel was run by my vet and I felt comfortable leaving them there. My house was having the "big tent" of poison put on so leaving them home was not an option. I was gone for three days. It cost me $90 for the cats and $45 for a dog.
Since that time my uncle will stay with the pets. They love him.
A friend of mine use to have a pet sitting business. She loved her job. She was bonded and licensed. She didn't have any problems until one old lady accused her of stealing her jewels. Luckily for my friend her children didn't believe their mothers story and the matter was closed. After that incident my friend quit the business.
If I were going to use a service, to be on the safe side I would lock up my valuables.
posted on July 23, 2005 08:43:28 PM newwhats the BBB??
Bush's
Baked
Beans
Better
Business
Bureau
Barney's
Bicycle
Business
Bertha's
Big
Bra
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
----------------------------------
President George Bush: "Over time the truth will come out."
President George Bush: "Our people are going to find out the truth, and the truth will say that this intelligence was good intelligence. There's no doubt in my mind."
Bush was right. The truth did come out and the facts are he misled Congress and the American people about the reasons we should go to war in Iraq.
posted on July 25, 2005 03:52:55 AM new
LOL-thanks dad
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baseball season has started,but they have it all wrong.3 strikes and you're out,4 balls you walk.I can tell you right now a man with 4 balls could not possibly walk
)
) my daughter and her husband will stay here. They want to, since we had central air put in 
boy did I open the door on that one...waiting for the fall out.. LOL
