Pet Sitter

About the role

When pet owners go out of town, a pet sitter cares for their pets while they're away (as well as their homes, to some extent). The days worked and number of visits per day will vary according to the client's needs. Visit times also vary, but typically occur between 7am and 9am for morning visits, between 10am and 3pm for mid-day visits, and between 6pm and 9pm for evening visits. The duration of each visit is usually 30 minutes, but can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as 60 minutes. Employees must be willing to work weekends, as well as most major holidays (which are peak periods in our industry).

Requirements

• A love of pets of all types, and the desire to spend time caring for them
• The strength, coordination, and range of motion necessary to walk multiple dogs simultaneously
• The willingness and endurance to walk dogs in hot, cold, or wet conditions
• The ability to pay careful attention while walking dogs, constantly scanning for potential dangers (much like defensive driving)
• The judgment, level-headedness, and confidence to be able to handle situations in a manner that would keep both yourself and the clients' pet(s) safe
• The ability to bend over to scoop litter boxes
• The ability to carry and move heavy items (litter bags/containers, packages, or even pets)
• The flexibility to accommodate an irregular schedule
• A level of comfort working with all sorts of animals (fish, birds, lizards, etc.)

Responsibilities

Example of a typical workday:

• Check your schedule in the app we use, and determine your next visit
• Review the details (visit time, duration, address, notes, etc.)
• Drive to the visit, and check in using the app
• Care for the pet(s), as per the client's instructions, to include:
  • Provide food and fresh water for all pets
  • Administer any medications, as needed
  • If applicable, scoop litter box(es) and dispose of used litter
  • If applicable, take dog(s) for a walk, or just outside for a potty break
  • Pick up dogs' waste during walks, using bags we provide
  • Look for and clean up any pet messes/accidents in the client's home
  • Bring in mail/newspaper, alternate lights/blinds, water plants, etc.
• Using the app, send an update to the client with pictures and relevant notes, and mark the visit as completed
• Repeat the above for all of that day's remaining visits