Let's chat about holidays.
They're the best, aren't they?
We spend so much time planning and plotting, and we get more and more excited the closer they get.
You get everything organised – accommodation, airfares (sometimes!) booked, time off work and your animal's care entrusted to your family members, a local shelter or your favourite pet sitter.
But what happens if one tiny part of your plan fails?
I don't mean getting to the airport late and missing your plane (although that is bad!). I'm talking about the carer for your fur baby suddenly being unavailable.
Why would my pet sitter cancel my appointment?
Trust me, cancelling your pet-sitting arrangement wouldn't be something most pet sitters do on a whim!
But as you know, life happens – to all of us.
Your pet sitter may have had an unexpected family situation arise, they may have fallen ill, or they may have had an accident which prevents them from working.
As a pet sitter entrusted with caring for multiple fur babies around Glen Iris, I have formed strong bonds with families and their animals. Cancelling an appointment isn't something I'd take lightly, and I'm sure many other pet sitters are the same.
So, what do you do if you find yourself in this situation?
What should you do if your pet sitter cancels your arrangement?
Firstly, don't panic!
No one wants to ruin your holiday plans, and pet sitters genuinely care about your pets as much as you do. They don't want to see you or your furbaby stressed out.
Most pet sitters will have a backup in place and offer you suggestions:
Pet-sitting organisations
If you've booked a pet sitter through an organisation, they will find you another pet sitter for the period you've booked. Most have multiple sitters on hand, so finding a new sitter shouldn't be an issue. You may wish to meet them first and ensure your pet is comfortable with someone new.
Solo pet sitters
If your pet sitter works for themselves and needs to cancel, they'll do what they can to help you find a new sitter. Many local pet sitters bond over their love of animals and their jobs so they can call on each other to help out when in need. Some may even have family members willing to care for your pet while you're away.
Family pet sitters
There's not a great deal of backup if a family member lets you down! You could do a quick ring around of other family members or contact a local, professional pet sitter to see if they can care for your pets.
Give your pet sitter a backup plan too!
Touch wood so that nothing happens to your pet sitter while you're away, but it could happen. It's essential to:
Leave your pet sitter your emergency contact details so they can contact you and let you know what's happening
Have a pre-planned backup in place:
Would you like them to find another agency sitter?
Should they call on their friends/family/colleagues to help?
Do they call one of your relatives?
Ultimately, you want to go on holidays with peace of mind, knowing that your furbaby is in good, kind and caring hands no matter what happens.
Do you have an upcoming holiday and need a pet sitter?
As a qualified pet minder with many years of experience, I take my role as a caregiver very seriously. I've seen firsthand how stressed animals can become when their owner is away, and it's part of my role to provide comfort, feed and care for your pets in your absence.
More than just a pet sitter, I can also help take care of your home, watering plants, bringing in the mail, etc. No matter what care you need for your animals, ask me –
I'm here to help!
You can see all of my services here.
Booking pet sitting is easy using my online booking form.
And here are a couple of my other blogs you may be interested in reading:
Does your dog need a coat for winter?
Top health benefits of walking your dog (for you and them)
Until next time, pat your fur babies for me!
PS – Have you ever had to change your furbaby's care at the last minute? I'd love for you to share your story and how you overcame it below in the comments.
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