pet sitting and dog walking services in omaha ne

Why Hire A Professional Pet Sitter/Dog Walker?

Some Benefits of In-Home Services:

Allows your pet to stay in their familiar and secure environment - Home!
Reduces stress and trauma from driving to and boarding at the kennel
Maintains your pet's customary diet and daily routine
Allows your pet to receive individual attention
Your pet will be looked after by someone who has your pet's best interests in mind
Saves you the cost of additional kennel vaccinations
Reduces exposure to illnesses and parasites from other pets
A pet sitter is available everyday of the year including holidays
Eliminates scheduling drop off and pick up time to and from the kennel
Among veterinarians, trainers, and animal specialists in-home pet care is the first choice

Quality Standards for Pet Sitting Excellence

The sitting service is insured and bonded
The sitter provides references
The sitter has experience in caring for pets and is clearly mindful of their safety and well-being
The sitter visits the client's home before the first pet sitting assignment to meet the pets and get detailed information about their care
The sitter provides written literature describing services and stating fees
The sitter wants to learn as much as possible about the animals in his/her care
The sitter provides a service contract which specifies service and fees
The sitter is courteous, interested and well informed
The sitter exhibits courtesy and professionalism in all dealings with staff, customers and industry colleagues, so as to present the pet sitter and pet-sitting industry positively
The sitter takes precautions to make sure the client's absence from home is not detected because of any careless actions or disclosures by the sitter
The sitter conducts business with honesty and integrity and observes all federal, state and local laws pertaining to business operations and animal care
The sitter has a veterinarian on call for emergency service
The sitter has a for pet care in case of inclement weather or personal illness
The sitting service provides initial and ongoing training for sitters
The sitting service carefully screens for
The sitter calls to confirm or has the client call to confirm the client has returned home as scheduled
The sitter keeps regular office hours and answers clients inquiries and complaints promptly
The sitter provides a service rating form for clients
The sitter refrains from criticizing competitors
The sitter is knowledgeable, responsive, caring, honest, responsible and strives for professional excellence within the pet care industry

Prepare for your Pet

Ensure that there is enough food, kitty litter, etc. for the time you will be away.
Notify your pet sitter about any medications that your pet is taking - leave written instructions on use and how to administer.
Show your sitter where the leashes and pet carriers are kept.
Make sure your pets have their ID tags on before you leave.
Make sure your veterinarian has your pet sitters information and leave a on file with the veterinarian in case your pet needs treatment.
OPSA sitters are required to have their clients a veterinary release form.

Prepare your home

Inform your sitter of anything that is out of the ordinary (sinks that don't drain properly, toilet that overflows, etc.)
Make sure the sitter knows where and how to operate your thermostat.
Set your thermostat on a comfortable temperature for your pets while you're gone.
Secure your yard and lock any gates.
Put dangerous items and items that can be broken out of your pets reach - even the best behaved pet might act differently in your absence.
Make sure are accessible.
Leave outside lights on if your sitter will be visiting your pet after dark.
If you rent, give your landlord your pet sitter's name in case of an emergency. Give your pet sitter the landlord's name also.

Contact Information

Prior to leaving your pet sitter your contact information, flight details, etc. If for some reason your pet sitter were unable to get into your home, leaving the information on the kitchen counter would be useless.
If you will not be able to be contacted while you're gone, be sure to provide the name and phone number of someone who will be able to make decisions on your behalf.

Benefits of Boarding your Pet at a Sitter's Home instead of a Kennel are:

Private home setting, not a kennel Company of others (dogs and/or humans)
24/7 Someone is with your pet in the middle of the night if it storms or sirens sound
Homey environment, not a cold-wire kennel Reduces Stress and exposure to illnesses

Disclaimer:

Omaha Pet Sitters Association (OPSA) provides a pet sitting locator service as a courtesy to the general public as well as a benefit for members. OPSA assumes no liability for any business practices of any of its' members.

OPSA does, however, require that all members be insured and adhere to the codes of ethics set out by the two national pet sitter associations, PSI and NAPPS. While we expect and encourage our members to provide excellent, caring, honest service that elevates the credibility of the pet sitting industry, OPSA has no authority or control over individual member companies. We do encourage each pet parent to carefully interview and check references of any prospective pet sitter and to make very clear to the sitter the pet parent's expectations.