Happy holidays! You’re about to be very busy. Last year roughly 158 Million people traveled for the holidays between Thanksgiving and New Years Day. With both pet ownership and holiday travel on the rise, seasonal pet sitters are more in demand than ever.As your calendars start to fill up, it will be a mad dash to find qualified pet sitters. Finding people who are responsible and have the proper skill set is a real challenge. Here are 3 places you can look for help. Just make sure to start your search well before you need someone to start.
1. Shelters
Shelter staff and volunteers make great seasonal pet sitters. They are exposed to a lot of different behaviors and often receive professional instruction from the shelter. The downside is that the shelter can be busy during the holiday season. Their staff and volunteer network might be stretched a bit thin.
2. Community or Local Colleges
Responsible college students with nothing to do on a break can make great pet sitters. I’ve had a lot of success in working with college students. The key word is responsible. One thing I like to do is ask for a referral from a couple of professors.
3. Customers
Your customers can make great helpers. While your schedule is booking up with travelers, a lot of your regulars will also cancel because they are off from work and may be sticking around for a stay-cation. Put the word out to the ones you think would be a good fit. People are always looking for ways to make a little extra money during the holidays.Have you had good luck finding seasonal pet sitters? Let us know! Leave a comment or tag us @scoutforpets on social media and let us know what has worked for you. Meow.