Finding Pet Sitter
Globe & Mail - Life Section (December 2007)Sit, someone, please sit
Finding a pet sitter can be a challenge at the best of times but, as Lynn Crosbie discovered, when the holidays roll around even the sitters you've begged, bribed or menaced are nowhere to be found LYNN CROSBIE
'Oh, I'm sorry. The sitter you hired is, um. Dead."
This is one of the many deterrents I have experienced in trying to find pet care during the holidays, a process so arduous I am surprised the pet industry is largely caught up in the manufacturing of dog socks and cat singlets, instead of cornering this urgent niche market.
I have lived alone, or with various roommates, for six years now, and have only now begun to try to rectify the problem of regular, not-terrifying pet care, a concern that always spikes during the holiday season. That is, unless your family appreciates you visiting with a hairball-coughing cat and a neurasthenic, tree-peeing dog.
It is dogs that require the most concern, as cats (and most other pets) are okay on their own for 24 hours if they are furnished with water and food and you are willing to endure the snotty temper tantrum upon your return.
Lynn Crosbie investigated a slew of dog sitters before she found someone to look after her high-maintenance Jack Russell terrier, Frank. (J.P. Moczulski for The Globe and Mail)
For anyone who lives alone, the issue of dog care is three-pronged. There are long days or impromptu overnights, for one. Sitting through an end-of-day meeting at work is like bathing in the roiling waters of guilt when you know your dog is at home, crossing its legs into a caduceus and praying for the door to open.
Secondly, there are longer times away, which involve far more than a daily drop-in.
Finally, there are the holidays, possibly the worst time to consider leaving your pets.
It's when all the people you have begged, bribed or menaced into watching them at other times also have families to visit.
I have finally found a solution, which I wish to extend to all of you who have tried to dress your dog as a small, bearded Amish travelling companion on a plane, or have cancelled vacations to spots that do not feature a "Dog-Friendly Spa and Valet Walking!"