See Also: Our Services | How It Works | While You're Away | On-Call Service

How It Works

We here at Alitia's Animals understand that finding the perfect pet sitter is nothing short of finding the proper babysitter or nanny for your first born. (We certainly treat the process as such.) Allow us, please, to demystify the pet sitting process from start to finish:

It's simple really... The entire process begins the moment you contact us. We answer the phones all day and reply to your emails quickly.

1. PET PROFILE

Pet Profile We begin with a brief intake over the phone to learn all about you and your pet so we can best match them with their ideal pet sitter. We always aim for high compatibility. Here, we find out about your pet's personality, diet, special needs or instructions, whether they are spayed/neutered, etc. Since we never double up a pet sitter's home (unless from the same family, of course), we give you the option of placing your pet in a home with company, or allowing them to be the sole guest of honor -- always your choice at no additional fee. Before we hang up, you will be given a complete overview of your perfect pet sitter. We'll go over with you their name, personality, occupation and living environment. We absolutely love and adore each and every one of our sitters and we are sure you'll feel the same once you meet yours!

2. WE MATCH YOUR PET SITTER

We Match With pet profile in hand, we are on the phone with your ideal pet sitter minutes after the phone intake. We relay all that we've learned about your pet, and your pet sitter is on board ready to contact you. All of our pet sitters are professional, hard working individuals with college degrees, including many with their Master's degree and doctorates. We hire into our network only after a rigorous process that includes a background check and in-home interview to assure a pet safe and friendly environment. See also Insured and Bonded.

3. SET UP A TIME TO MEET

Your pet sitter picks up the phone and makes contact with you before days end (and more often than not, shortly after your initial contact with the company!). You get to know your pet sitter on the phone and set up a convenient time to meet face-to-face. For boarding jobs, this is your chance to head over to the sitter's home and check out the accommodations first hand. (Side Note: Part of our pet sitter interview process takes place in the sitter's home so we can properly screen the home for pet safety and friendliness.) It is completely up to you whether you want to bring your pet over to that first meet-n-greet. Dog owners most always opt to bring them along for the ride, while cat owners know that travel isn't top on a cat's list!

For sitting jobs, you'll set up a mutually convenient time for the sitter to stop by your home. This is also where you can give a tour of all the necessities; location of food, water, litter box, extra litter, scooper, can openers, paper towels, cleaning products, broom, vacuum, cat toys, favorite hiding spots... You may, at this point, hand the sitter a set of keys or find another time closer to your departure to do so.

4. RESERVE YOUR PET SITTER

Reserve Pet Sitter After the in-person meeting with your pet sitter, we send you out a confirmation email detailing your upcoming reservation, along with our standard service agreement attached for you to review and fill out. This is simply the place we gather all your contact, emergency and vet info, special instructions and anything else of value we will keep handy while you are away.

5. CONSTANT EMAIL UPDATES

Email Updates Every day or so that you are away, your pet sitter will check in with you in the form of an email update (or via text or phone, if you prefer). Our pet sitters love their job and it becomes evident in the communication they provide you. Please take a moment and read a recent email update sent by one of our pet sitters:

PS — Take a moment to read through more Email Updates and see how we shine While You're Away!

Hello Kathy,

I visited Jack yesterday, of course. I came in, said hello to him through the closet door, went into the kitchen and gave him his food serving. Then I sat down on the couch and read quietly with the intention of letting him get used to me being in his house.

This silent dance went on for 50 minutes. Just as I was thinking, 'well, I won't see him today I know he is a shy guy' , HE EMERGED FROM THE CLOSET AND WALKED TOWARD ME ON THE COUCH. Kathy, I looked up from my work and suddenly silently there he was, tail high in the air no less.

I started talking to him continuing to just sit where I was so as not to startle him. He circled around by the TV and then EVEN CAME OVER TO ME! Needless to say I was so pleased. He let me pet and stroke him on the head. He then proceeded to lay down in front of the TV and roll around like a kitten. He put his little paws up in curls (front paws) and just laid there for a moment. He repeated this routine in front of the TV. Then he walked into your office and did not come out again.

...I said goodbye and let him know I would be back today.

I knew you would want to know about this!!

Best,
Ingrid