If you have pets, you've probably had occasion to make arrangements for their care during your absence. Whether you place them in the hands of a professional pet sitter or the next door neighbor, you should always make sure you leave the caretaker with enough information for proper care or what to do in case of an emergency.
Travel Information
No one ever plans on an accident or emergency. But, if one occurs, you want to make sure your pet's caregiver knows where you are and how to get in touch with you. If possible, give them a copy of your travel itinerary with travel times, carriers as well as contact names and telephone numbers for the places you'll be staying. In an emergency situation, the time it takes to contact you may be critical and you don't want the sitter to be without this important information.
Home Information
Don't assume your pet sitter knows all your home information. Leaving the physical address, nearest intersection and location of utility access points is more important than you think. In addition, if you're comfortable with it, a short sentence that gives your caretaker permission to take care of emergency work to prevent damage during your absence could also be a good practice.
Feeding and Care Instructions
It's always nice to have a face-to-face conversation to tell a pet sitter all about how and when to feed your pets or about their walking schedule and medications. But, just because you know these things by heart doesn't mean they'll remember everything you ramble off in a one-time conversation. Written notes are best for everyone involved.
Veterinary Information
Leaving the name, address and telephone number of your pet's veterinarian is a must. But, you should really take it a step further and provide the name of a local emergency vet - just in case there's a problem after hours.
Emergency Authorizations
Permission to treat your pet in an emergency could actually be a life-saver. You can write a short statement that gives your pet sitter the ability to make certain decisions - with or without a call to you first.
In short, giving your pet sitter the information they'll need for proper care in any situation is an act of responsible pet ownership. Check out Microsoft.com for a terrific "Pet Care Instructions" form you can download for free. Create your information sheet one time; then just change the contact information from trip to trip. It's worth the small investment in time for the peace of mind it will bring you when you're away from home.
