Choose Your Pet Sitter Carefully

PetSitterComparison.com

The company should be licensed, bonded, and insured.
The pet sitting company should be listed in the phone book, showing you they are a professionally operated business, and not just a single person working from home.
The pet sitting company should have a professional and attractive website that gives you their pricing and policies.
The people caring for your pets should be able to answer their phones consistently during business hours, rather than have their phones answered by voicemail.
The company walking your dog or caring for your pets should be able to provide references.
The dog walking company should be able to accept your credit card, proving they are creditworthy and have a good business banking relationship.

When they come to your home:

Your animals should be treated like royalty. The people caring for your pets should love what they do -- and their passion should show!
Your home should be cared for in the exact manner you prescribe. Your pet sitter/dog walker should leave your home cleaner than it was when he or she arrived!
Your home should always be left secure.
A detailed note should always be left behind telling you what time the sitter arrived, how your pets were doing, and what services were performed during the visit.
Your pet sitting company should immediately contact you if anything is out of the ordinary or their seems to be some problem with your pets or in your home.