For someone who did not grow up with pets (Julius Augustus Caesar – our short lived parakeet, bought to fulfill a Girl Guide badge requirement – does not count), I sure do love my animals. I have: two horses, two donkeys, 1 beagle and 3 egg-laying hens. As my partner says, pets are life enhancers. Boy is that true. The never-ending love I receive from this motley crew 
constantly amazes me. And frankly, their love more than makes up for the hard work required to care for them. But don’t tell my partner that! I am forever complaining about said work and the fact that we can never get away for a much needed holiday because… the animals.
Here are the top four questions I ask to help my partner get comfortable enough with someone to leave our precious “children” in someone else’s hands:
Are you an animal Person?
What pets did you have growing up and what type of animals do you have now? Why do you love animals? This is a great way for you and your pet sitter to get to know and feel comfortable with each other quickly; people bond over their love of animals. And if your pet sitter does not seem to have a love of animals, that is a good indicator that he or she is not the pet sitter for you and your four-legged family members!
What are your experiences and your credentials?
What experience do you have a being a pet sitter? What type of animals have you cared for and for what period of time? What type of things did caring for them include? What did you like and what did you dislike? What did you learn from these experiences? Did you run into any trouble or emergencies and how did you handle them? Can you provide references?
What is your approach to pet sitting?
How do you go about making animals you are caring for comfortable with you? How much time can you give my pets each day? Will you play with them? Will you bring your animals over? How many other pets are currently caring for? What do you like being a pet sitter?
How will you keep us up to date on how things are going?
In today’s world, it is easy to be away but to keep up to date on how things are going at home. On a recent girls trip, my friend and a new mother, got texts and photos throughout the day from her Nanny with updates on how and what her baby was doing. Some of the girls on the trip initially rolled their eyes but we were all convinced by the end of the trip. The messages were short and the pictures cute and most of all, our friend was relaxed enough to get out onto the dance floor and boogie with the rest of us, knowing her baby was well. The same approach can be used to our furry and feathered babies!
If you are as crazy about your pets as I am, you will want to find a pet sitter you can trust. You have come to the right place. SOSgarde.ca is a Canadian portal designed to help you find local caregivers in your area, easily and quickly. The caregiver who is right for your family is only a click away.