Most owners consider pets their family and even leave millions of dollars to them in their wills.
But despite you wanting the best for your furball, there might come a time when you’ll have to leave your pet alone in the house.
Maybe you have to head out of town for a few weeks and can’t bring your cat. Or perhaps you’re dealing with an emergency, making it difficult to look after your dog.
Either way, you’re at a crossroads and need to decide quickly.
You could send your pet to daycare, but it’ll disrupt their routine and make them agitated. Not to forget, it’s not easy finding daycares that can keep pets overnight.
An excellent solution to this problem is hiring overnight pet sitters in Dallas.
They stay at your house and take care of your pets until you return.
Though that sounds simple enough on paper, there’s a lot more overnight pet sitters do.
Here we try to explain everything you need to know about them:
What Do Overnight Pet Sitters Do?
The duties of an overnight pet sitter vary, depending on the animal and its age, requirements, and health. However, usually, it entails the following:
- Providing meals at appropriate times (and treats, if allowed by the owner)
- Administering medicine (if required)
- Taking pets for a walk and playing with them
- Ensuring the pets defecate in the litter boxes and cleaning them
- Watering plants
- Looking after the overall well-being of pets
- Emptying the trash can
- Retrieving mail
How Long Do Overnight Pet Sitters Stay?
Pet sitters can be hired for:
- Standard duration – 8 hours
- Extended duration – 12 hours
Important: Pet sitters have other errands, so they can’t stay at your house for more than 12 hours. So, if you have a pet with a medical condition requiring 24/7 supervision, think of other options, like calling a friend or family to check up on them.
Where Would the Overnight Pet Sitter Sleep?
The answer to this question should be simple enough, but since some owners forget to make sleeping arrangements for sitters, we’ll answer it anyway.
When you hire an overnight sitter, it’s your responsibility to find a place for them to sleep. Ideally, it should be where your pet sleeps so the sitter can keep an eye on them.
But it depends on the owner, considering some people have rooms that are off-limits in their homes.
Pet owners should also keep fresh linens and towels to make it a pleasant stay for the sitter. Some prefer bringing their own bedding, so it’s better to work out the details with the sitter prior to their arrival.
Which Pets Require Overnight Sitting?
Pets are social creatures; they like spending time with humans who give them attention. Keeping that in mind, know that almost every pet requires overnight sitting. But the level of attention varies, which we’ve discussed below:
- Dogs
Dogs are playful and curious, fond of sniffing around and exploring areas.
If there’s no one to accompany them on their adventures, canines often get bored and exhibit unusual behavior, like barking excessively.
That’s why you can’t leave your four-legged friend alone and should consider hiring an overnight pet sitter.
In the presence of a sitter, your dog will feel comfortable and at home, despite you not being there.
- Cats
Cats are often portrayed as royalty who do not like to be disturbed by mere mortals. And to some extent, it’s true.
However, that doesn’t mean you should leave your kitty alone for the night.
A significant change you’ll notice in your cat’s behavior if you leave them alone is that they tend to get anxious when no one’s around.
It also depends on the cat’s temperament.
For instance, cats that spend most of their time outdoors will fend for themselves for a few hours. On the other hand, pampered felines will require an overnight sitter.
Moreover, kittens and cats with medical conditions require 24/7 supervision.
- Small Animals (Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, and Hamsters)
Rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters live in enclosed spaces. So, as long as there’s enough food and water for them to eat and drink, they can be left alone overnight.
Just leave the window open for better air circulation, but make sure it doesn’t give way for a bigger animal – like a cat or raccoon – to enter the room.
- Reptiles and Fish
Reptiles and fish make excellent pets who do not require constant attention. If you were to leave them alone overnight, it shouldn’t be a problem.
However, like small animals, reptiles and fish have certain needs you should take care of before leaving.
For reptiles like a leopard gecko or ball python, close the cage properly, so they don’t escape. And for fish, keep the aquarium water clean.
In Conclusion
Leaving your pets alone overnight can be difficult. On the one hand, it may be impossible for you to tag them along. And on the other, you fear how they might react in your absence.
At DTX Pets, we hear you loud and clear and offer a way around this problem: overnight pet sitters in Dallas.
Our experienced sitters will ease your burdens and send pictures whenever you want so you know your adorable furballs are properly taken care of.