Jessica
- updated: 19/05/2020 Pet sitting is quiet. What is happening??
As you know, life has turned upside down since the arrival of coronavirus (COVID-19). Many of the changes just seem bizarre (such as disappearing toilet paper!), but a lot of these changes explain what is happening to the pet sitting industry.
Pet sitting relies on pet owners being away from home and, therefore, in need of your help. So as you can imagine, the worldwide ‘stay at home’ order doesn’t go hand in hand with pet sitting. Think of cancelled weddings, trips postponed, working from home...you might have experienced some of these reasons in booking cancellations after March.
To show what we mean, here is a Google Trends graph from May 6 showing how the search term ‘flights’ has dropped recently. The travel industry has essentially been put on pause.
Having said that, it doesn’t mean pet owners still don’t need you. Many community members still need pet sitting (such as essential workers and those who are sick). It’s just a little on the quiet side: and only for now.
The good news: pet ownership is rising
Not only is pet adoption going through the roof: pet owners have been constantly at home, bonding with their pets more than ever before.
Who could just return to work now without thinking twice about their poor dog alone all day? And after being stuck inside for so long, we all now appreciate why our dogs need a daily walk!
So what does this all mean for you as a pet sitter?
Pet sitting will be in demand when things open up. And with more people now working, shopping and communicating via the net, online pet sitting will make more sense than ever before.
Restrictions are gradually lifting
The curve continues to flatten in Australia and restrictions are lifting around the country. It might be slow going, but we will get there sooner or later.
And this will mean a lot of people will slowly be returning to work, or going to visit their families, or rescheduling events, or just jumping in the car to get ANYWHERE that isn’t home! Which means a lot of pets will need you to care for them.
What can pet sitters do now?
Now is a great time to prepare for when things get busy again. It might seem like it will never change, but we promise that day will come.
You could:
- Upskill or do some online training in pet care.
- Spend some time researching pet care by reading veterinary articles or watching dog training videos.
- Foster a pet if you have the time and space.
- Do a big tidy of your profile so that you’re ready to hit the ground running when restrictions lift. Think new pictures, great text, and prices that reflect the current demand in your area. Be sure to review your cancellation policy too.
Here are some more sitter resources for getting through the crisis.
We will continue to keep you updated in the coming weeks. Stay safe everyone and don't hesitate to reach out to us anytime!
