Pet Sitter – A Great Alternative to Kenneling Your Pet

By Kathy Edstrom 

Have you ever rescheduled a trip because you didn’t want to kennel your pet and your friend wasn’t available to care for him? Do you worry about your pet AND your home when you’re away? Does your pet become stressed when she is in an unfamiliar environment? Are you searching for some “peace of mind” when leaving your pets? These questions might ring true for many pet owners.

Putting your pet in a kennel can be a very difficult decision for you, and a stressful time for your pet. If you are looking for an alternative to kennels, why not consider a pet sitter? Jeanee Kay, owner of the PET CARE COMPANY of Wisconsin, LLC, has been offering pet sitting and home care services since 1988. She serves Lake Country, Waukesha, and Milwaukee Suburbs.

Jeanee Kay’s PET CARE COMPANY and her associates specialize in midday dog walks, cat care, small animal care, vacation/holidays/business trips, overnights and home care. Home care? PET CARE COMPANY acts as a crime deterrent for your home giving it that “lived-in” look.

To provide security for the clients’ home, Jeanee and her associates provide extra courtesies such as opening/closing drapes and blinds; they will bring in mail and newspapers; turn lights on and off; set home security systems; turn on/off the radio or TV (which can be comforting to a pet and a deterrent to a would be burglary); place garbage cans out for pickup and return them after pickup; water and feed plants; provide complete house checks including utilities and basements; adjust indoor temperature to keep pets and plants comfortable and to prevent possible catastrophes such as frozen pipes.

Jeanee Kay has had pets her entire life: cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, gerbils, and hamsters just to name a few. She said she often felt uncertainty when she’d have to leave her pets. This “uncertainty” motivated Jeanee to start her own pet sitting business. Her intention was to alleviate the “uncertainty” for pet owners. Jeanee said she understands pet owners’ concerns when having to leave their pets and their homes, because she too experienced similar concerns.

I asked Jeanee what a pet owner should consider when looking for a pet sitter. She immediately rattled off five considerations: 1) Is the pet sitter professional? 2) Are they trustworthy? 3) Look at how long the pet sitter has been in business.  4) Be sure the pet sitter is insured and bonded. 5) Are they willing to provide referrals?

What is a typical day like for Jeanee Kay? Her first account of the day can be as early as six in the morning, and her last account of the day can be as late as eleven o’clock at night. This makes for a very long day, but Jeanee says she enjoys every moment of working with her clients’ pets. She noted that many of her clients request midday activities, commonly known as “midday dog walks”. This service entails providing a good walk/run and loads of playtime for dogs whose owners are gone for most of the day (typically at work). For added socialization (and with the owner’s permission) Jeanee quite often brings one or both of her own dogs along. She says her clients’ dogs enjoy the canine companionship. In addition, Jeanee will provide dog training services for an additional fee. She provides playtime, and brushing for friendly felines too.

PET CARE COMPANY offers services 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Holidays are the busiest for Jeanee Kay and her associates. She recommends booking holiday services as far in advance as possible. Non-holiday bookings can be booked a week or two in advance, although her regular clients often schedule with PET CARE COMPANY before making final vacation reservations. At that time, Jeanee says she is willing to accept last minute bookings depending on her and her associates’ schedules.

Jeanee Kay says there are many benefits of using a pet sitter: dogs and cats are more content in their own environment; dogs don’t generalize well, so having them stay at home keeps them in a calm, secure emotional state. Not only does Jeanee and her associates care for pets, but they also take care of the clients’ home; and the pet owner has peace of mind knowing their pet is at home, in a safe, nurturing environment. Jeanee noted she monitors the number of accounts she takes on so she can provide quality service to each pet under her and her associates’ care. She says she never takes on more accounts than she can handle. Jeanee stated she would not compromise the quality care she provides.

So, has pet sitting piqued your interest? Would you like to find out more about this alternative to kenneling your dog? Jeanee offered this explanation of how she works with new clients. During the initial telephone consultation, she asks the prospective client’s general location. If they are not in the area that she services, Jeanee refers them to another pet sitter in their area or refers them to the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters to help locate a pet sitter in their area. Jeanee asks the client what type of pet(s) they have, and the type of care needed for the pet(s). She says the majority of these questions are discussed by telephone.

If you would like to meet Jeanee prior to signing a service agreement, there is a consultation fee for a 30-60 minute in-home consult. If at that time you sign a service agreement with Jeanee Kay’s PET CARE COMPANY, the consultation fee is waved. There is a 10 to 12 visit minimum required as part of the service agreement. The service agreement is very detailed. It not only covers the complete care of pets, but also covers the care of the clients’ home. There is no expiration date on the pre-purchased visit agreement. The pet sitting visits can be used in one week, or one year. Jeanee says she honors those visits when they are requested.

PET CARE COMPANY’s fees are based on the number of pets in the household, where the client is located, and the types of services requested. At the time of the consultation, Jeanee provides documentation of her insurance and bonding, and she showcases her portfolio for an in-depth look at her services. As an added assurance, Jeanee provides a written report of the activities of the pet(s) while under her care so the owners are aware of what happened during their time away. She not only does this for her long-term clients, i.e. clients who are away for several days, but also for her midday clients.

An added touch that impressed me was the “In Case of Emergency” card Jeanee provides her clients. This is a wallet-size card that allows the pet owner to supply the pet’s name, the type of pet(s), emergency contact info such as a friend, or relative along with the phone number, and in case that contact is not available, Jeanee Kay’s PET CARE COMPANY of Wisconsin is listed. This insures that a pet will not be left uncared for in the event of an emergency. There is also a place for the owner’s name, veterinarian, and the clinic phone number.

It is evident from my interview with Jeanee Kay that she truly enjoys caring for animals, and provides quality care for her “furry” clients. However, she hasn’t just cared for furry critters. Jeanee said the most unusual service agreement she has had to date was caring for two twenty-five pound Yellow-Footed tortoises. These tortoises did not live in a person’s home, but in a local hotel. Was the hotel aware of these terrestrial turtles of the family Testudinidae? The twenty-five pounders’ owner said the hotel knew. Besides, what type of damage could two tortoises do anyway?

For more information on Jeanee Kay’s PET CARE COMPANY of Wisconsin, LLC, contact Jeanee Kay at (262) 646-4442 or by e-mail at jeaneekay@mac.com

ABOUT JEANEE KAY: For the past several years, Jeanee has been utilizing the training techniques of Chris Bach’s THE THIRD WAY method of dog training with her two Bernese Mountain dogs,

Boulder ‘n’ Stone. This effective method of training is based on positive reinforcement and appropriate management techniques resulting in a complete, trusting relationship between the owner and the dog.

Jeanee and her “boys” are currently involved in obedience, agility, tracking and draft work (carting) as well as enjoying wonderful pet behavior. Jeanee says she will happily share this knowledge and experience with all your pets.

She is a member and supporter of:

NAPPS – National Association of Professional Pet Sitters

APDT – Association of Pet Dog Trainers

ASPCA – American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

HAWS – Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County

EBHS – Elm brook Humane Society

WHS – Wisconsin Humane Society

DOW – Defenders of Wildlife

(Note: some of the biographical information provided in this article was reprinted from Jeanee Kay’s PET CARE COMPANY brochure with permission from Jeanee Kay.

Published February 2002