Pet Sitters Start Arkansas Pet Sitters Network

The business of pet sitting is growing rapidly in Arkansas and in particular, Northwest Arkansas. More and more caring pet owners are looking to in-home care when they leave a pet behind to go on vacation or just have to work long hours.

Leslie Ray, of Angel Pet Sitters, Inc. has founded an Arkansas pet sitting network, the League of Arkansas Professional Pet Sitters (LAPPS). She hopes to build a pet sitting network to provide business-related support to all members; to build an awareness of the pet sitting industry in our communities; to help the public find qualified, reliable pet sitters; and to support local pet-related charities.

For pet owners, in-home pet sitting provides a unique alternative to boarding facilities--or relying on family or neighbors to check on pets. Pet sitters come to the home daily and animals are able to keep their regular routines of feeding, walks, medication and one-on-one care and attention. Owners report that their pets experience less stress and adjust better to their owners' absence when they can remain in their normal environment. Most pet sitters also offer the bonus of home security measures by bringing in the mail and newspapers, rotating lighted areas, opening and closing draperies and other touches that make the house appear occupied while the owner is away.

The demand for these professionals is due to the fact that today's pet owners consider their "fur children" part of the family and are taking better care of them than ever in history. In a 1999 survey of pet owners, the American Animal Hospital Association determined that 87 percent of pet owners include their pet in holiday celebrations, 94 percent have photos of their pets on display and 84 percent refer to themselves as their pet's "Mom" or "Dad." America's first professional pet sitters began their businesses more than 20 years ago. Today's pet sitters are knowledeable professionals who visit approximately 10 million homes annually.

Through membership in national pet sitting organizations like Pet Sitters International (PSI), National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS), and Pet Sitters Association LLC (PSA), members of the League of Arkansas Professional Pet Sitters have access to business-related benefits such as liability insurance, fidelity bonding, professional accreditation and more. Most LAPPS members are also certified in Pet First Aid by the American Red Cross.

LAPPS invites Arkansas professional pet sitters to join its ranks in providing the public with the very best in pet sitting services. We also invite the public to learn more about pet sitting as a profession. Check our site for a list of professional pet sitters in your area, or contact us for more information.