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Sitters of those that don't talk back

But pets might growl, hiss, snarl or even turn colors. So sitters brush up on their skills.

By TERRI BRYCE REEVES
Published February 23, 2007

Imagine a job where you work from home, set your own hours, and interact with cuddly clients who sit on your lap and give you plenty of warm kisses.

Nah, not that one.

It's pet sitting - and it's not just for the neighbor down the street anymore.

According to officials from Pet Sitters International, pet sitting is one of the fastest growing home-based businesses in the world. The 12-year-old organization boasts 7,600 member businesses worldwide, about 600 in Florida.

Jenn Miler, owner of Doggone Purrfect Pet Care in St. Petersburg, said the industry is growing because pets are becoming, well, like furry offspring.

"I have a lot of clients who don't have children or their children have grown up and pets are their children. People are busier, travel more and have more disposable income. They want the peace of mind of knowing their pets are at home and well taken care of," she said.

Rates for pet care vary, and are likely to be customized to each visit, number and type of pets and work involved, she said.

Some might say many of today's pets live in the lap of luxury.

"I have a client who feeds his pets goose pate," said Jaime Petrosky, a pet sitter from Fort Lauderdale. "I have another who has me cook organic chicken and brown rice for her two dogs. She won't even let me cook it in the microwave - she thinks it destroys the nutrients."

Miler was one of the organizers of a PSI regional conference held Tuesday and Wednesday at the Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa in Belleair.

More than 70 novice and experienced pet sitters from around the nation came to brush up their skills in networking, marketing, legal issues and disaster preparation.

Some stayed to receive certification in pet first aid from Tom Somes, founder of Pet Tech in San Diego. He is known in the industry as "the pet safety guy." The sitters practiced their CPR skills on about 20 stuffed toy dogs. A pet can choke on tennis balls, string, pig ears and rawhide, Somes said.

Diannia Collopy worried about another possibility.

The sitter from Summerfield takes care of a 27-year-old white and gray shorthair cat when its owners are on vacation.

"My biggest fear is that when I unlock the door, she won't be alive," she said. She's not sure why the cat has lived so long.

"It eats like a pig," she said.

Sandra Ekland, 47, came all the way from Seattle. Her Yappy to Be Home Pet Services was the result of a midlife career change.

"I hated leaving Franklin (a black Lab) at home and I wanted to start my own business," she explained.

So far, she said, she hasn't received so much as a snarl from any of the dogs she sits.

"Just a cat that hisses at me," she said.

Pet sitting can involve a cast of interesting critters.

Al Criswell, 55, is a male pet sitter from Belleair Bluffs. He calls his business Wags to Whiskers and remembered the time he cared for a green iguana.

"It started to turn brown and had explosive diarrhea," he said. "At the time, I didn't have much experience, but I found out he was way too cold. I bought a heat lamp and he was okay. He started turning green again," Criswell said.

Jeanne Lambert, owner of Pets, Paws and Beyond, in Apollo Beach, said she not only sits for cats and dogs, but she counts donkeys, buffaloes and chickens among her responsibilities.

She took care of what she thought was a potbellied pig, until she learned it was part wild boar.

"It grew tusks," she said.

PSI recommends that people interested in hiring a pet sitter make sure the person is bonded and insured. The group also offers an accreditation program for members.

Jamie Petrosky, owner of Time 4 Paws in Fort Lauderdale, said that was her goal.

"I want to become accredited," she said.

"But I have to take this grueling test on pets and business law."

Fast Facts:

Tips for hiring professional pet sitters

PSI recommends pet sitters:

-Are insured and bonded

-Provide references

-Are willing to conduct an initial interview

-Furnish a written contract with fees

-Display competence in dealing with animals

-Ask questions about pets in their care

-Plan for bad weather and other emergencies

-Keep current with pet safety and animal welfare

-Pursue training to improve knowledge and skills

Source: PSI.

On the web: www.petsit.com/empowering_owners.asp

[Last modified February 22, 2007, 22:21:59]