It can be a daunting task when you first decide you need a pet care provider, be that a dog walker or someone to feed your cat while you are away on holiday. But following these simple points will help you determine the right fit for your precious furry family member.
Insurance
This goes without saying, but you would be surprised how many free meets and greets I have done where the owners were shocked that I had insurance. Not to mention the owner of a poor little puppy who had been upset by the behaviour of another dog at a day care facility who exclaimed her total shock that insurance even existed for the industry! It does! At Poppy and Pals, we carry full insurance including key holders insurance.
Experience
The industry is in its infancy, pet sitting and dog walking is sometimes seen as an easy job. You only need to check the free ads to find someone offering to walk your pup or feed your cat for an absolute bargain. But ask yourself, would you feel safe finding a childminder on price alone? Experience with their own pet should not be the deciding factor in choosing a reliable dog walker or pet sitter. Walking one dog that you know is very different from carefully evaluating the suitability of dogs on a group walk or sorting out a household issue while you are half way around the world enjoying your holiday. At Poppy and Pals, we have 12 years experience working with dogs and over 15 with small animals including rodents, reptiles, birds and even a racoon!
Ongoing education
Not the be all and end all but someone that is constantly keeping their education up to date with scientific training methods, CPR techniques and enrichment courses can’t be a bad thing. Can it? There aren’t many animal based courses running in Maidstone, believe us we have looked! This lack of local courses is why we either travel to courses across the country on our days off or research and educate ourselves, using online webinars and distance courses.
Maidstone based Poppy and Pals Pet Care may not be the right fit for everyone but why not message us and take us up on our free meet and greet offer, your pets will thank you for it.
