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Pet Sitter

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If you have the luxury of making the choice between a kennel and a pet sitter then a pet sitter is definitely the wiser choice. Finding propper care for your precious pet is really not that different from seeking care for a child. The same standards apply.

Familar is Better.
Your pet will be less apprehensive if he/she is surrounded by people they already are familiar with and so will you. Animals know when their masters are gone for extended periods of time and it can cause great stress for them that can be especially harmful to older animals.

Individualized Care.
Your pet is use to a comfortable home life (inside or out) and is use to interaction with people on a more one on one basis. In many kennels this individualized treatment is not available. They are kept penned most of the time in a (hopefully) sterile enclosure and interaction is limited to basic needs.

Abuse and Neglect.
People who already know your pet are less likely to abuse or neglect your critter. Having prior knowledge of how the animal is normally cared for and having a bond already established enables your pet sitter to not only properly provide care but to provide love and attention almost as well as you do. In kennels your pet tends to be cared for in a generalized manner and is often viewed as just another mouth to feed and cage to clean.

Liability.
Okay, Fluffy or Rufus may be the most gentle creature in the world at home but imagine what can happen when he/she is stressed, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, homesick, and generally frightened out of his/her fur. If an employee of a kennel gets bit or clawed seriously then you may come home to a muzzled or otherwise restrained pet and a heafty lawsuit. Yet another reason to cherish those familiar faces.

What if you have no choice.
If you have no choice but to leave your pet in the care of kennel make wise choices by doing thorough interviews, tour the facility, get references, and check into information databases such as the Better Business Bureau and state licensing boards. Make sure the people who are caring for your loved one are well trained and competent, leave detailed instructions for special care, ask friends, relatives, and coworkers for references, take your pet along when you tour the facility to familiarize them with the surroundings and gauge their reaction, and keep an eye out for anything that may seem unsanitary or dangersous.

There are some wonderful kennels in operation but finding the right one to suit you and your pet's needs can be difficult. Agian treat the situation as if you are searching for a child care center and most of all follow you and your pet's instincts. If something smells funny its probably not just poo poo.

Learn more about this author, Kat Stovall.
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