Sitter Background Checks: What to know about Police Checks

When it comes to pet sitting, trust is, well... everything! Booking a new sitter online for the first time can be a daunting experience. Pet sitters and owners need to remember that trust is important for both parties, but pet parents will always have their furry friend's well-being in mind.

An up-to-date police check or background check can serve as a vital foundation for this trust. It provides peace of mind to pet owners that their furry family members are in safe and capable hands. At the same time, it gives an immediate advantage to sitters who have one. Many times, it is a requirement for owners before determining to hire or trust a pet sitter.

At Pawshake, we offer Pet Sitters the opportunity to obtain a police check through our partners at Intercheck. If our sitters complete a background check through Intercheck, it will show as a badge on their profile.

Sitters can also obtain background checks through different providers. We ask those sitters to mention their police check in their profile description, and to bring it along to the Meet & Greets for their clients.

What to Know for Pet Owners:

A police check is a check of a persons criminal records up until the date of issue. As a result, they do not have expiry dates.

Pawshake recommends our sitters to update their background checks every 12 months, so that they remain current.

When sighting your sitters Police Check, please ensure to check the date of issue. We remove Police Check badges from our sitter profiles after 12 months if they have not been renewed.

The Value of a Police Check for Sitters:

Building a Trusted Reputation:

• Immediate Trustworthiness: An up-to-date police check on your profile visibly enhances a pet sitter's trustworthiness. It assures pet owners that you are committed to safety, making you more trustworthy as a pet sitter.
• Stand out by having a police check. In a competitive market, this sets you apart from those who don't prioritise verification. It helps for owners to be able to answer the questions, "Is my pet sitter legit?" "Is my pet sitter safe?"

Boosting Business with Safety:

• Showing a police check badge can lead to 20% more bookings for pet sitters, building trust with customers.
• Getting a police check shows clients that you are committed to safety. This can lead to them hiring you again and recommending you as a reliable pet sitter. This can help build loyalty with your clients.

Peace of Mind for All:

• Confidence: Having a background check done reinforces your self-assurance in your reliability and integrity.
• Reassurance: It provides pet owners the reassurance needed to trust you with the care of their pets.

Best Practice:

New pet sitters should focus on two key things to succeed in their business: building trust and attracting more clients. Building trust with pet owners is important. Attracting more clients will help grow the business. Both of these are essential for success in pet sitting.

To fully capitalise on the benefits of maintaining an up-to-date police check, follow these strategies:

• Mention your police check in your profile description. Mention it when speaking with clients. This will demonstrate that you are a reliable pet sitter.
• Keep Your Credentials Current: Annually updating your police check confirms your ongoing commitment to safety.
• Educate Your Clients: Explain the significance of a police check and how and when you obtained it. Bringing it along to Meet & Greets can go a long way to assist in establishing trust.

In the pet sitting industry, building a foundation of trust and safety between owners and sitters is paramount. In obtaining a background check, you demonstrate that you care about transparency in pet care and that you are trustworthy.

This is an important step for new pet sitters and it will help set you up for success in a field where trust is key. It's an investment back in to your pet sitting business.

Do you need to a pet sitter? Find a police-checked Pet Sitter today!