Starting today I’ll be doing interviews with some of the pet industry professionals I’ve met along the way. I’ll mostly be posing questions to pet sitters, dog walkers, and dog daycares but will talk with others as well. Whether you’re a pet owner who just needs someone to care for your pet or are looking to get into the pet business, they have a lot of expertise to share. I hope you’ll enjoy the reading!
My first interview is with Jordan Kaplan, of Petaholics in New York City. His company offers pet sitting, dog walking, overnight pet sitting, hotel sitting.
What prompted you to start a pet sitting business?
My love of animals and entrepreneurial spirit.
What do you enjoy the most about being a pet sitter?
Helping people.
How do you screen potential sitters to ensure your clients get the best care for their pets?
We do criminal background checks, check references, google search, as well as gauge their passion for animals. After a while you know what to look for. Reliability and ability to follow instructions is crucial.
What advice do you have for pet owners who are using a pet sitter for the first time?
Get references, get a referral from somone you know/trust. Make sure they are insured and bonded, meet the person beforehand and see how your pet reacts to them.
Do you require your pet sitters to go through any type of training? This might include pet first aid, dog training, etc?
Our sitters take a pet first aid course at the Red Cross, visit a dog training class and volunteer at an animal shelter.
What are some of the challenges you face in operating a pet sitting business?
No margin for error, peoples’ emotions are involved in their pets care. More of the time you are taking care of the owner and their feelings on top of the pet’s care. Managing people!
What do you expect to see in the future for the pet sitting industry?
More products and services that are available for humans being available for pets.
A lot of people who decide to start a pet sitting business think it’s going to be a fun,easy way to make a living. What would you say to people with this mindset?
Easy no, fun yes. It all depends on how you run your business. You can burnout easily doing this kind of work.
Is there a funny or strange pet sitting experience that happened to you that you can share?
We took care of a coatimundi, a racoon like carnivore.
Thank you, Jordan!
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