This year I was so busy that I had to turn people away. That is why it is so important to book early with a pet-sitter so that you can get your preferred pet sitter and not have to worry while you are away.
There might be many pet-sitters out there, but how do you know whether they are legit or fly by night, who will take your money and clean you out, coming home to an empty home with nothing and your precious babies either gone or in distress is not something that us legit pet-sitters wants to even imagine.
Some tips to ensure your babies and possessions are safe while you are away: 1. Ask for references, people that you can phone and check up on FB - scammers can give fake references. 2. If they do this part time, get their work details and home address - how long have they worked/lived there? 3. Make sure that you meet with them first and let your babies meet them too (when you are looking last minute for a pet-sitter, there is very little time to do this) - your babies are the best judges of character. 4. Whenever possible, try and work through a referral system - if your friends/family have used someone before, then you can trust their recommendation. 5. If the rate they quote is less than around R100 per day, I'd be suspicious. I might seem 'expensive' - my fees start at around R150 per day - but believe me, I offer total value for money. There are so many scammers out there .... keep your pets and possessions safe, use a reliable service. This is the reason why I decided to call my sitting service Peace of Mind. You can ask any of the people who have reviewed or I can provide references of real people who will vouch for my service.