National Professional Pet Sitters Week

Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life.

James Cromwell

Owning pets can be some of the most rewarding experiences and can be life-changing. You love your pets, you care for them, but on days when you have to take a work-related trip or are going on a vacation, you need someone to be able to care for your pets while you’re gone. Pet sitters are people who can do that for you and National Professional Pet Sitters Week is a holiday all about learning what pet sitters do for your pets.

History of National Professional Pet Sitters Week

Founded in 1995 by Pet Sitters International, National Professional Pet Sitters Week honors pet care providers, teaching the public about the benefits of professional in-home pet care, and help those who love pets to seek a career in pet sitting. Pet sitting began when Patti J. Moran started own pet-sitting business in 1983. Back then, pet sitting was a career unheard of.

She then continued with this venture by developing the first organization, Pet Sitting International, in 1994. She, alongside many of her founding members, introduced National Professional Pet Sitters Week in 1995 to honor its pet-sitting members.

As time went on, pet-sitting became a viable option for those who love animals to start a new career and create some extra-cash with all the benefits of loving animals.

Pet sitting is the act of caring for a pet in its home while the owner is away. While it became its own definition in 1997, many who weren’t considered to be “professional pet sitters” took advantage of the career, resulting in accidents spreading out into the news.

Thus, National Professional Pet Sitters Week also aims to encourage people when searching for this option to only use professional pet sitters, making sure that they are authorized and trained to handle your pets. Pet sitters can offer superior care when it comes to your pet, hence why National Professional Pet Sitters Week is a time for those in the business to celebrate their accomplishments and for those interested to look into pet sitting as a viable option.

Pet Sitters International encourages its members during the week to join networking dinner, search for special offers, and make donations to their local pet organizations.

How to Celebrate National Professional Pet Sitters Week

Celebrate this holiday by researching to pet sitting as a career option by looking into the resources that Pet Sitters International has to offer. If you’re a pet owner who wants to hire a professional pet sitter, take the time to look at the qualifications of those applicants and make sure that they are qualified and certified for the position.

Learn about the benefits and if you’re a professional pet sitter, celebrate by joining a networking event or donating to your local pet organization.