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Client Testimonial
"Pet Sitters of America gives me peace of mind that my babies will be given the same attention and care that I provide for them myself. For someone who travels a lot, that assurance is priceless... Thanks!"
~ T.J., Lake Bluff, IL
Our Promise
"We never forget how important our clients are nor do we run out of love for the pets we are in charge of."
I have a dog. While I am away on vacation or business how many visits do you make to my home a day?
We require a minimum of three visits per day. The reason for this is because twice a day (every twelve hours) is simply not enough for any dog. The three visits can be morning, dinnertime and once more before your dog goes to sleep for the night.
Can you visit my dog more than three times in one day?
Of course, as often as you would like.
I have a cat or cats. How many visits would I need per day while I am out of town?
The minimum amount of visits we do for a cat is once every 24 hours. Many cat owners leave their cats for days at a time. It has been advised to us by area veterinarians that we visit cats a minimum of once per day. Why? Because a cat can become ill quickly and if more than 24 hours pass before they are checked on the cat could be seriously ill.
I have a small animal (bird, rabbit, guinea pig, etc.) how many visits do you require per day?
The same applies here as the answer for number 3.
How much time do you spend at each visit with my pet?
The standard amount of time is 20 minutes. But if you would like us to spend more time just ask us and we will do that. Keep in mind though, there would be an extra charge.
How much do you charge?
The price varies slightly depending on how many pets you have, what kind and how many visits per day. But figure that the cost will range from $18.00 and up per visit. But to get an accurate quote please Contact Us and be sure to tell us how many pets you have, how many visits you need, where you live and the dates you need service and we can quote you. Or call us at (847) 816-4744.
Wow, you are a few dollars higher than some of the other pet sitting services that I have checked out. What's the deal with that?
We try and stay competitive but we may be a few dollars higher than other services. There are numerous reasons for that. Most other pet sitting services are one or two people operations. They may be doing this as a part time job while holding down other jobs. We are a full time service. We fully screen and train our staff. We have back up pet sitters for your sitter should they have an emergency or should your regular sitter be unable to service you. We have a professional system we all follow. Lets face it, that all costs money. But our belief is you get what you pay for. And with us you get a quality, full time, professional, company.
But I still don't see the benefits in all you offer. I had my neighbor pet sit and everything was fine. Tell me more.
Having your neighbor or relative pet sit is a common practice. Unfortunately when a problem arises, even if it is an accident that occurs, or you were unsatisfied with their services, you have a problem. Further, what if they begin to feel taken advantage of? In any case mixing business with pleasure can open a can of worms. Imagine how uncomfortable it would be to have a problem with someone close to you. It could ruin a friendship. Further, they carry no insurance. So, if there were to be an accident you are on your own. And if you hire a child you are at huge risks. That child can be a great person but could they handle emergencies an adult could? Would they know how to make proper decisions? Also, remember if they have a family emergency and have to leave town while they are pet sitting your pet you are out of luck. Keeping business and personal separate could save you money and lots of anguish!
How do you handle emergencies?
Well, it depends on what kind. If you are out of town and cannot make it back home at the reserved time just call our office and let us know. If it is after hours or on the weekend we do check messages twice a day. If you have an emergency and are leaving town quickly just call us. We are used to handling that. Obviously if you are not a current client it is a little more complicated. But we will do our best to accommodate you. If we have an emergency with your house or pet while you are away our staff is trained to deal with them. Depending on the kind of emergency would depend on the action we took. But rest assured that a team of people would be handling it!
You just seem like too big of a company. I wanted the same person all the time, that's why I am leaning towards a small one-person business. Convince me otherwise. Why would I hire you?
The company is owned and operated by Sandy and Chuck Wisniewski. It is family owned and operated. What that means is that the owners aren't going anywhere and they are the hub of the business, no matter which pet sitter you get. They do try and get the same sitter to service you each time. By hiring a smaller company does not guarantee you the same pet sitter. Nine out of ten businesses fail the first five years. So even if you hire a one-person operation, whose to say they will stay in business to service you anyway? The Wisniewski's have been faithfully serving the area for over 25 years. They do this full time so it's unlikely they are going anywhere.
Things You Didn't Know To Ask
Did You Know...
- All of our pet sitters are required to take a First Aid For Pets class after they are hired. (The company's founder, Sandy Kamen Wisniewski was the creator of the local First Aid For Pets Classes. She designed and structured them. Area veterinarians volunteer their time to teach them to pet sitters and pet owners.)
- All of our pet sitters are over 21 years old. Most sitters are over 30 and most are female.
- It costs the company approximately $1,000.00 in time and money to hire one pet sitter! The reason is because of the advertising costs, screening and training necessary to meet the standards of the company.
- Our pet sitters work first and foremost because they love animals. The money is secondary. (The income they make in pet sitting would never support them fully in the suburbs they live in.)
- Tipping pet sitters is acceptable and a very nice gesture to show sitters how much you appreciate them.
- 50% of our pet sitters are full time moms.
- We have a four step process we follow each time you use our service that, when followed by everyone, insures no pet will be left unattended.
- We have meetings twice a year with our entire staff to go over company policies, share information and go over safety issues.
- All our pet sitters receive an Independent Contractor Guide that gives them guidance on all aspects of pet sitting.
