"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur" - Red Adair.
As the holidays are fast approaching (where did 2024 go?!), many people are trying to figure out their pet care plans, and it’s around this time we start seeing familiar posts on social media: parents offering their teenagers as potential pet sitters, when friends and neighbors ask for recommendations.
We’ve written about this topic before, and despite our best efforts to raise awareness over the years, the same pattern emerges every holiday season.
Did you know that most of the people who frantically contact us a week before Christmas do it for the same, exact reason?
The desperate message is that the "pet sitter" they lined up had a last minute change of plans and can no longer help. Upon further investigation, it’s almost always a teenager, or a neighbor who decided to enjoy their time off instead of following through on their commitment.
In more than a decade of professional service, we’ve never been contacted by someone who was canceled on by a professional, long-term pet sitter.
This brings us to an important point: reliability and accountability are key when choosing and hiring a pet sitter.
Now, don't get us wrong — we ❤️ teenagers (the owner of Paskapoo Pet Services has a 15-year-old daughter herself). But the reality is that your pets, and the safety of your home, are not a teen's top priorities over the holidays. Their priorities are their friends, their phone, and their family commitments, often in that order. If the family decides to visit Grandma or take a last-minute vacation to a resort in Mexico over the Christmas break, your "pet sitter" might disappear in the blink of an eye, with nothing more than "sorry, our plans have changed!" as an apology. Unfortunately, you will be left scrambling for a backup plan. Nobody needs that kind of stress a few days before Christmas!
Yes, there are responsible teenagers who take their jobs seriously, and many will successfully complete pet sitting assignments without issues. However, speaking from a lifetime of experience in the pet care industry, and what we hear from clients coming to us after a bad experience, even we wouldn't trust our own children to care for a neighbor's precious pets on their own, let alone take responsibility for the safety of their million-dollar home. There is just too much liability and risk for all parties involved.
Teenagers often lack the life experience and the attention to detail needed to spot potential problems, like a leaky water heater or blood in your pet’s urine. Even if they notice, they might not mention it, fearing they’ll disrupt your vacation, or get into trouble. And if your pet needs a trip to the vet over Christmas or in the middle of the night, it adds a layer of complexity that they never would have planned for.
Unlike professional pet sitters, teenagers and their families don’t have liability insurance or workers' compensation. So what happens if they leave the door unlocked and your house gets broken into? If they skip several visits while your cat is trapped in a closet? Or if your they slip and fall on your property? Dealing with a young neighbor instead of a professional service when things go wrong can lead to significant legal and financial headaches - and heartbreak.
We’ve had many clients come to us after disappointing experiences with teenagers or well-meaning neighbors.
The most common complaints?
They didn’t show up every day.
"What’s the harm in skipping a day or two, right?"
We came back to a disgusting litter box.
"I didn’t know I had to clean it!"
They left the house unsecured, with doors unlocked.
"I forgot to lock the door."
They invited friends over!
"I didn't know it was wrong..."
Missing items, spoiled food and dirty pet dishes are also frequently reported issues. In the most extreme cases, some pets escaped and/or ended up requiring veterinary care upon their owner's return.
Another important consideration when looking for a pet sitter: pets live long lives nowaday, with many dogs and cats now reaching 15 to 20 years, and some birds and reptiles even longer! Teenagers rarely "stick around" long enough to pet sit over several months or years. This means you’ll have to find a new sitter every time you leave town — someone who doesn’t know your pets, their habits, quirks, or medical needs.
But you do have other options!
Professional pet sitters and pet sitting companies, like Paskapoo Pet Services, are here to build long-term relationships with you and your pets. We provide peace of mind because we know what we’re doing, and you can trust that your home and pets are in good, reliable hands. If anything seems off at home, you’ll hear from us well in advance. Would you rather hire a pet sitter whose priority is your pets and your home, or someone who only wants to sleep in on Christmas day?
When you’re looking for a pet sitter, seek out an experienced adult — preferably from a professional company — with proper insurance, certifications, and credentials (and no, Rover doesn’t count). The risk of a last-minute cancellation will be drastically reduced (professional pet sitters wouldn’t stay in business if they constantly canceled), and your pets will receive the quality care they deserve.
Cheers and Happy Holidays from Paskapoo Pet Services! 🍾
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