“My family and I are going away for a vacation and our neighbor’s kid is going to walk our dog. Are there any unexpected problems that might occur?”
Unfortunately, yes, there are always potential problems lurking when you leave your house, but have you thought about your pets safety?
I’m sure the neighbor’s kid will do an excellent job walking Fido.
But what if he loses your key, or accidentally locks himself out of your house. What’s the plan then?
If the pet sitter is locked out of your house, he’s going to need a locksmith to get back in.
Although a locksmith has the ability to open a lock and get a door open, we really can’t “break-in” to people’s homes just because someone says they’re pet sitting.
We have to think liability for ourselves and for the homeowner, but we really don’t want Tiger or Fido in there alone and hungry, so here’s your solution.
- Get a blank sheet of paper, photocopy your Driver’s License and the ID of the person pet sitting onto it. Together, side by side, so we can see that you did it on purpose.
- Write down the name & address of whoever is going to be watching Fido or Tiger, also write down that he or she has permission to be given access to your home should keys be lost, stolen or just accidentally locked inside.
- Dates that you as the home owner/pet owner will be away should also be included.
- Sign it; get it notarized if you can.
The locksmith that arrives at the scene will require proof of identification from the pet sitter, neighbor, etc., that holds this document from you before we let them into your house.
Take this one extra little step before leaving on that relaxing vacation, and you’ll avoid breaking out in a cold sweat worrying about your pets if your pet sitter locks themselves out of your house.
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