What does a pet sitter do?
A pet-sitter is a professional who takes care of animals during the absence of their master. His mission is to feed the animal, to walk it, to change its litter or its cage, to play with it. If the animal needs to go to the veterinarian, the pet sitter takes care of it. But that's not all, this professional is also there to bring affection and companionship to the animal. The pet-sitter can keep the animal at home or move to the owner's home during his absence. It can keep different animals: dogs, cats, rodents, birds, reptiles, rabbits
What are the qualities to become a pet sitter?
To be a pet-sitter, several qualities are necessary. The first is obviously to love animals. Some professionals decide to specialize in the care of dogs or cats because they have a preference for these animals. A pet-sitter must also be attentive and available. The pet-sitter must make up for the absence of the animal's master, so he must caress him, cuddle him, meet his different needs. He must also show great patience and an ability to adapt. Each animal is different and it is up to the pet-sitter to adapt and modify their behavior if necessary. Finally, a pet-sitter must be responsible because he may have to make decisions concerning the animal when his master is absent.
How to become a pet sitter?
Even with all these qualities, you can't improvise as a pet-sitter! Certain rules must be respected to exercise this profession legally.It is mandatory to hold a Certificate of Knowledge for Pets of Domestic Species. This document proves that its holder has all the knowledge necessary to meet the needs of the animals. To obtain this certificate, an application must be made to the department where the activity is carried out at the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations. The holder of the certificate must update his knowledge, every 10 years at the most, by following a training course or an internship. If this is not the case, his certificate may be suspended or even deleted.
To keep dogs classified in category 1 or 2, additional authorizations are required.
What are the rates for a pet sitter?
The rates for a pet-sitter will depend on different criteria. The price will be different depending on the type of animal. If it is a dog or a cat, it is necessary to count ten euros per day.For a larger dog, the price asked by the pet-sitter can double or triple. For a rodent, rabbit or birds, the rates are slightly lower. In general, the prices are decreasing. The longer the absence, the lower the prices. Many pet-sitters want to retain their customers by offering lower rates if they have already been approached.