Sitters Let Pets Stay Home as Owners Roam

Taking care of the family pet while the family is on vacation can be a problem for the family and the pet.

A kennel is a good answer, but no matter how well-maintained or roomy it is, the thought of Fido or Fluffy away from both the family and his regular surroundings is sometimes too much to contemplate.

“Our dogs, Baxter and Bear, break out in hives every time they hear the word ‘kennel,’ ” said Danny Geren, 36, of Lancaster. “And when we did board them, they wouldn’t eat or go to the bathroom. It was tough going on vacation knowing they were miserable.”

The alternative for the Gerens and many other pet owners is a licensed, bonded, house- and pet-sitting service that will visit the animal every day to ensure that it is properly fed, has plenty of fresh water, is walked, and, if applicable, is given medication. Most services will also pick up the mail, water the plants and haul out the trash on collection day.

“Our clients are anyone who wants to make sure their pet is taken care of when they’re not around to do it themselves,” said Linda Stern, 29, of Reliable Housesitting Service in Woodland Hills. Customers have included a variety of people--musicians, photographers, attorneys, teachers, bartenders and pilots, among them--she said, adding that many of her regular clients are “mom and dad whose kids have grown and they need someone to take care of the pets when they travel.”

The fee averages $10 per day per visit per animal, although it can be more, depending on what the homeowner wants done. Rattlesnakes, because of potential danger, might be $15 or $20 a day. Multiple daily visits--and multiple animals--usually cost more as well.

“There are some wonderful kennels around, but kennels are not for every pet,” said Patty J. Moran, owner of Crazy About Critters, a pet-sitting service in Winston-Salem, N.C., and author of a number of articles on pet-sitting. Moran said that many animals have trouble adjusting when they are away from home.

“Being in a strange environment can be very tough on them, not to mention traumatic for the driver taking the pet. Besides, a lot of people just like the convenience of having their animal at home.”

“The pet is usually better off in its own environment,” said Bernie Carreon, 29, co-owner of Ace House Sitting Service in Reseda.

“Pet-sitting versus kennel depends on the animal and the owner,” said Dr. Larry Zahoreca of Double R Veterinary Center in Calabasas.

“Some pets become extremely stressed in a kennel situation,” he said. “Those that do well are usually well-adjusted, friendly dogs that are not the nervous type. Also, a dog that tends to be destructive when the owner’s gone is better off away from home. The temperament of the animal is very important.”

“It’s less stressful on Charlie,” said Mark Watters of Canoga Park about his 5-year-old German shorthaired pointer. “Dogs are very used to having a routine and become stressed out when you change it.”

Stern of Reliable Housesitting noted that some animals don’t like being around other pets. “Cats, for example, are shy and sometimes don’t like being in the same room with other felines.”

“Many people are worried about fleas,” said Mary Higgins, 32, of the Van Nuys-based Animal Lovers. “Personalized attention is important to a lot of people.”

“A pet-sitter is more personable,” said Dorothy King of Bell Canyon. “I feel happier my animals are in their own environment and knowing that someone is going in and out of my house.”

For some people, cost is a factor.

“A kennel is cheaper for one pet,” said Lynda Miller, 28, of Kennel Alternative Pet Sitting, “but we’re cheaper for several pets. Besides, we can check up on the house. One time I went in the first day and found the owners had left the stove on.”

Most pet-sitters charge $10 to $12 to visit one animal daily, said Stern, with a price of $12 to $14 for two pets and about $15 for three. Six Valley kennels surveyed said their fees were $9 to $10 per animal per day.

“The difference,” said Stern, “is we usually charge per visit, not per animal. More animals mean more work, hence a slightly higher charge.”

Kennels aren’t available to every creature.

Although 90% of Stern’s business is dogs and cats, her client list has included people with goats, sheep, horses, iguanas and turtles. Carreon said he has been hired to care for rats and snakes. Higgins said she has tended children’s crickets, and Lynda Miller has found herself checking in on lizards.

“One client had a rattlesnake,” said Carreon. “We just had to change the water and push the food through the gate.”

Then there are pet owners with personal whims.

“I had one West Valley client who owned an elderly cat,” said Stern. “When I was being interviewed for the job, I was asked if I would sing a certain song to it. I explained I didn’t sing, so the customer called and left singing messages on the answering machine every day.” Stern made sure the cat heard them.

And like choosing the right doctor or attorney, selecting the right pet- and house-sitter is important.

If you haven’t used a particular service before, most operators require a meeting four to six days in advance to discuss exactly what services are to be done, a chance to get familiar with the animal and find out things like medications dosages, animal peculiarities and what veterinarian is preferred in case of an emergency.

“I prefer up to 10 days’ advance booking notice for first-timers,” said Stern, “so we can have plenty of time to play phone tag and to get to meet the people and establish a routine.”

Win Harris of Puppy Love in Canoga Park prefers to meet clients to discuss details of the job. “And I want to meet the animal. Sometimes they don’t take to you.”

Repeat customers, explained house-sitters, are a different story, with most being able to take jobs with as little as 24 to 48 hours notice.

And besides the basic dog and cat in-house care, different sitters specialize in different services.

Some offer overnight house-sitting. Linda Stern owns a horse and feels very comfortable taking care of one for a client. Lynda Miller and Mary Higgins have no problem with iguanas.

The police like the idea of a pet- and house-sitter too.

“The idea of a house-sitter is a positive one,” said Los Angeles police Sgt. Bob Shallenberger of the Van Nuys Division. “It keeps the house looking lived in, the lights changed, the radio and TV on.”

Pet owners like the service too.

“My animals are spoiled,” said Herb Goldberg of Simi Valley. “The dogs and cat think they’re people and the rabbit thinks he’s a dog. They want to eat people food and drive with me to the bank. When I’m gone I want a pet-sitter to take care of them so they get the personal attention they need.”