Red flags when hiring a pet sitter

Most problems with sitters are not dramatic. They are missed visits, a dog walked once instead of twice, a cat whose litter tray was never checked, a phone that goes unanswered. The early signs of those problems usually show before the booking: in how a sitter answers questions, whether they turn up on time to meet you, and how they treat your pet when you are watching.

The welfare charities' checks are designed to catch them. The RSPCA says to meet the sitter before hiring, ask for proof of a clean criminal record, check references and confirm cover for an emergency. Battersea says professional sitters should be happy to give references from existing clients. The American Kennel Club adds asking about a backup sitter, a written agreement and how they deal with emergencies. A sitter who resists any of these is telling you something.

Watch the updates. Missing updates, photos that could have been taken on any day, or messages that avoid your direct questions are worth a call. Ask for something specific: a photo of the water bowl, the litter tray after scooping, the dog on today's evening walk. A good sitter will not mind.

Listen to the people around your home. The security guard, a neighbour or your cook may mention a visit that did not happen, a dog barking for hours, or people you did not expect. Ask them, politely, if you are worried. Society gate logs and visitor apps can also show when the sitter came and went.

Check that the routine was followed. If the care sheet said two walks and the updates only ever show one, ask. If medicine doses were to be ticked off on a schedule, look at it when you return. Gaps are not always neglect, since a sitter may simply forget to log, but a pattern of gaps, or vague answers when you ask, is a red flag for next time.

Look at your pet when you get back. A cat or dog that has lost weight, has unexplained injuries, is badly matted, or is frightened of the sitter at the handover needs a vet check and an honest conversation. Some clinginess or tiredness after a stay is normal; real fear or injury is not.

Petym is not taking bookings yet. When a city opens, each sitter will have passed Petym's checks: identity verified with PAN, pet first-aid training before the first booking, and a named 24-hour vet within reach; sitters who host pets also need a video walk-through of the home by Petym, their housing society's permission and a set pet limit. Every first booking starts with a free meet and greet, you pay through Petym, the sitter sends a photo update every day and logs each feed, walk and medicine, and you can review the booking afterwards.

None of that replaces your own eyes at the meet and greet. If something feels wrong with any sitter, Petym's or not, trust it.

Be wary of a sitter who will not let you visit their home before the booking, or who meets you somewhere else instead. Look for the things the RSPCA asks boarders to provide: clean, dry, secure space with shade, exercise, and staff who spend time with the animals. Unsecured balconies on a high floor, too many pets for the space, or other dogs that are not introduced carefully are reasons to say no.

In a housing society, ask whether the society knows and allows paid pet sitting in the flat. A sitter who hosts pets without permission can be told to stop mid-booking, which leaves your pet with nowhere to go. Petym requires its hosting sitters to have the society's permission, a video walk-through of the home by Petym and a pet limit for the home before listing.