Pet Sitters International celebrates 23rd annual Professional Pet Sitters Week™

KING, N.C. - March 6, 2017 - PRLog -- When Patti J. Moran, author of Pet Sitting for Profit, started her own pet-sitting business in 1983 following a corporate layoff, she was forging a new path. Then, pet-sitting businesses were virtually unheard of, unlike today, as Pet Sitters International (PSI)—the world's leading educational association for pet sitters that Moran founded in 1994—celebrates the 23rd annual Professional Pet Sitters Week™, March 5-11.

"PSI introduced Professional Pet Sitters Week in 1995 to honor its professional pet-sitting members, who offer quality, dependable care to clients' pets year round," explains Moran. "This annual observance is also a time for us to highlight the viability of pet sitting as a rewarding—and profitable—career option."

"The demand for pet-care services shows no signs of slowing in the near future, so it's the perfect time for pet lovers interested in a career change or new business opportunity to enter the industry," adds Moran.

The pet-sitting industry has much to celebrate this year, with a recent report leading news organizations to predict that the service would be "more in demand than teachers in the next decade (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-17/dog-wa...)."

But even though the pet-care industry is booming, Moran still sees a need to educate the public about the importance of selecting a professional pet sitter.

With the influx of pet-care directory sites in the last few years and news stories touting pet sitting as an easy way to earn extra cash, more and more people are deciding to cash in on the growing need for pet care.

News stories of tragedies caused by hobbyists calling themselves "pet sitters" have also become more common.

PSI has always used Professional Pet Sitters Week as a time to stress to pet owners the importance of using only professional pet sitters, and Moran feels this message is even more vital this year.

"Just because you've seen pet sitters in an online directory—or even on a nationally-publicized site—doesn't ensure they are legitimate, qualified pet-sitting businesses," Moran explains. "Anyone can post a profile advertising pet-sitting services, so it's important for pet owners to take a closer look to ensure they are hiring 'real pet sitters' to care for their pets."

Moran adds that professional pet sitters' commitment to excellent pet care includes maintaining pet-sitter insurance and bonding, having any necessary local business licenses or permits, using a pet-sitting service contract, offering proof of clear criminal history and staying up to date on the latest pet-care information through continuing education like PSI's Certification Program.

"An ongoing commitment to continuing education enables professional pet sitters to offer superior care, and is also a way to stand out in the industry and attract discriminating pet owners seeking the most qualified providers," Moran explains in PSI's 2017-2018 Pet-Sitting Industry Forecast.

PSI encourages its nearly 7,000 member businesses to celebrate PPSW with activities such as pet-sitter networking dinners, special offers for clients, donations to local pet organizations and local media promotions. The association will announce PSI's 2016 Pet Sitter of the Year™ award winner during PPSW.

Pet owners can download a free pet-sitter interview checklist from the PSI website, which lists seven important questions pet owners should ask any potential pet sitter or dog walker.  The site also offers a free ZIP/postal code search for U.S. and Canadian pet sitters, as well as an international pet sitter search, at http://www.petsit.com/locate (https://www.petsit.com/locate).

To learn more about PPSW, pet sitting as a career or to locate a professional pet sitter in your area, visit http://www.petsit.com.

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About Pet Sitters International
Founded in 1994 by Patti J. Moran, author of Pet Sitting for Profit, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the world's largest educational association for professional pet sitters, with member pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and more than 20 other countries. PSI members have access to the widest array of business services and educational resources available in the professional pet-sitting industry. PSI's Official Pet Sitter Locator is the largest online directory of professional pet sitters, and pet owners can visit petsit.com/locate to find local professional pet sitters.