2015 marks our 15th year in business. Over the years we’ve pretty much seen and heard it all. People often tell me I should write a book. Much of it is already included in this blog. Looking back, there are a few things we hear over and over that usually end up being myths.
1. You’ll Never See My Cat
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard this one! Very occasionally this does hold true, but we have found that often times once the cat realizes the person coming is their food source their curiosity gets the best of them and they come out.
I once had a person tell me I’d never, ever, EVER see their cat. To my surprise the cat started coming out and was rather friendly with me. I took a few photos and sent them to the client, thinking they’d be happy to see that, right? This person told me I was a liar, there was NO WAY their cat would come out and be friendly with me. How could I possibly fake a photo?
2. Our House Usually Isn’t This Messy
I’m happy to report that usually the client is correct, their houses usually aren’t that messy. But once again, every once in a while we run into one that really IS that messy or worse.
I once scheduled an appointment to meet with a new client and was confused when she said she would meet me in the driveway. When I drove up to the house (which was in a very nice neighborhood) I thought perhaps someone had played a joke on me. The house looked abandoned. The lawn hadn’t been mowed in months and there was no clear path to any door. Sure enough, the client appeared. I told her I needed to go inside to see the pet’s routine and where things were located and was told “Our house usually isn’t this messy”. Messy was an understatement. It was PACKED. I really liked their pets and they were well taken care of so I did the sit.
3. My Pet Probably Won’t Eat When I’m Gone
People want to believe that their pets will be forlorn while they gone. Sometimes that does happen, but more often than not it’s business as usual. They may be a little sad you’re gone, but they enjoy their visits from their pet sitters; their food source!
4. My Dog Won’t Stray Off Leash And/Or Unfenced
We hear this one a lot. Our pet sitting liability insurance covers us for “care, custody and control”. If we allow your pet outside, off leash, without a physical fence and something happens, our insurance won’t cover it as we weren’t in “control” of the dog. For liability reasons we must always have your dog on a leash or in a fenced in area.
As for invisible fence – well, sometimes they work great and sometimes not so much. I once had to chase a dog through the woods on Christmas morning because the owner hadn’t replaced the batteries in the collar as I had requested and the dog took off on me.
We use everything we’ve heard over the years as learning experiences. We want what is best for both your pet and you.
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