From the very beginning, I wanted to make sure I could provide pet care services that would put all "paw-rents" and pet owners at ease, providing them with peace of mind while away. There is an extra comfort in knowing you can leave town and not have to worry about the house or animals because you can trust they are well-loved in your absence.
I have a business license with the City of Sonora, which consequently means I completed a fingerprinting & background check with the Sonora Police Department. To reinforce my level of professionalism, I have a very inclusive pet care liability insurance that covers household animals (dogs, cats, birds, etc.) and livestock pets as well.
I have a business license with the City of Sonora, which consequently means I completed a fingerprinting & background check with the Sonora Police Department. To reinforce my level of professionalism, I have a very inclusive pet care liability insurance that covers household animals (dogs, cats, birds, etc.) and livestock pets as well.
Liability Insurance Information
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As a PSI member, I have access to a pet care liability policy through Business Insurers of the Carolinas. Since 1992, BIC have offered "the broadest liability coverage for pets and property" in a professional's care. What I love most about BIC is their Association Plan; this means "as long as they are truly a pet and in your care, they are covered". Considering the wide array of beloved pets I've encountered in Tuolumne County, this was a must! Through BIC I have General Liability coverage, as well as a Care, Custody or Control policy. I can provide information regarding my insurance policy upon request.
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The Professional Step: Continuing Education
I have taken the time become a Certified Professional Pet Sitter (CPPS) through Pet Sitters International, a respected organization that is dedicated to educating pet care professionals worldwide.
To pass this exam, I spent months studying a multitude of topics relating to the professional pet care world. These topics included general pet care and "head to tail" examinations on dogs and cats, general avian care, animal first aid and health, parasites and proper sanitation, pet loss and disenfranchised grief, pet sitter health and safety, client interviews & customer service, disaster planning, ethics/legalities & pet sitter liability, and even more topics related to business management. Why do I share all of that, you may ask? Because I have never felt more prepared to care for your pets.
To pass this exam, I spent months studying a multitude of topics relating to the professional pet care world. These topics included general pet care and "head to tail" examinations on dogs and cats, general avian care, animal first aid and health, parasites and proper sanitation, pet loss and disenfranchised grief, pet sitter health and safety, client interviews & customer service, disaster planning, ethics/legalities & pet sitter liability, and even more topics related to business management. Why do I share all of that, you may ask? Because I have never felt more prepared to care for your pets.
For the record, I got 204/220 points on the exam - that's a 91%!
This COVID-19 Certification For Professional Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers was earned through an online course offered from Pet Sitters International. This course was created to assist pet sitters and dogs walkers as they update their business practices and policies in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This course enabled me to take extra steps to educate myself on the best practices for offering pet care services while taking COVID-19 safety precautions.
This certification for Health, Sanitation and Safety for Professional Pet Sitters was earned through an online course offered from Pet Sitters International. This course focuses exclusively on health, sanitation and safety concerns for professional pet sitters. It dives even deeper into a few topics covered in the CPPS exam, for a more comprehensive education.
This course covered specifics like common health concerns for pets and how to perform basic first aid tasks, how to identify common parasites for pets and the best methods of treatment, best methods for removing pet stains and preventing the spread of infection/disease, the stages of grief after losing a pet and how to best handle a pet's remains, and others relating more directly to my safety as a pet sitter.
This course covered specifics like common health concerns for pets and how to perform basic first aid tasks, how to identify common parasites for pets and the best methods of treatment, best methods for removing pet stains and preventing the spread of infection/disease, the stages of grief after losing a pet and how to best handle a pet's remains, and others relating more directly to my safety as a pet sitter.
This certification for Disaster Planning for Professional Pet Sitters was earned through an online course offered from Pet Sitters International, and designed by Pet Safety Crusader Denise Fleck. This certificate program focuses on disaster planning as it applies to professional pet sitter, mainly how to put a disaster plan into action. This course teaches topics including how to prepare a disaster plan, what supplies are needed for pets and people, how to put the disaster plan into action, first aid basics, and disaster specific tips for over 20 natural and man-made disasters (including avalanches, civil uprisings, wildfires, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, etc.).