Pet Sitter Education Month is observed in September every year. The month-long event was created by Pet Sitters International (P.S.I.), an educational association for professional pet-sitters, in 2016. The objective is to highlight the continuous effort pet sitters exert to educate themselves. The organization offers pet sitters a wide array of educational material in the form of webinars, magazines, and toolkits, among other things, and certification opportunities to help separate the professional pet sitter from the idea of the ‘kid-next-door’ pet sitter.
History of Pet Sitter Education Month
Pet sitting is a reasonably recent profession that began when Patti J. Moran founded her pet sitting business in 1987. Pet sitting before that was majorly unorganized, and often seen as a way to make extra money instead of being its own independent profession. The success of Moran’s business prompted her to pen down her advice in “Pet Sitting for Profit,” which was published the same year. The subsequent flood of requests for her pet sitting business forms led her to establish Patti Moran’s Products for Professional Pet Sitters. As pet sitting gained momentum as a profession, Moran founded the National Association of Pet Sitters in 1989 and Pet Sitters International in 1994.
Since its inception, Pet Sitters International has been a trusted source of educational material within the world of pet sitting — for both pet sitters and pet owners. The organization has since become the most trusted authority on pet sitting. It offers its members access to a myriad of educational resources and certification programs. It has also led the movement to establish pet sitting as an organized profession, eligible for insurance, and worthy of an established calendar of events.
The organization also established Pet Sitter Education Month in 2016 to highlight the efforts made by pet sitters to continue educating themselves about their profession and to promote resources that will make the job easier for them. Pet Sitter Education Month has been celebrated for just under a decade now and aims to improve the state of the profession as well as the quality of service provided by pet sitters in general.
Pet Sitter Education Month timeline
Patti J. Moran establishes her own pet sitting business
Moran publishes “Pet Sitting for Profit.”
Moran establishes P.S.I.
P.S.I. celebrates the first Pet Sitter Education Month.
Pet Sitter Education Month FAQs
What are the responsibilities of a pet sitter?
A Pet Sitter’s responsibilities include cooking meals for pets, monitoring and reporting behavioral issues, and playing with pets.
What qualifications does a pet sitter need?
There are no specific qualifications required to become a pet sitter.
How many times per day should a dog sitter visit?
For most dogs, two visits per day are the minimum. Three visits are recommended.
How to Observe Pet Sitter Education Month
Watch a P.S.I. Facebook live
P.S.I. regularly organizes Facebook lives for pet sitters. If you’re so inclined, watch one.
Talk about it on social media
Talk about Pet Sitter Education Month on social media. It might help someone access resources they weren’t previously aware of.
Research pet sitting
One aim of Pet Sitter Education Month is to highlight pet sitting as a viable profession. Read up about it if you’re interested.
5 Interesting Facts About Pets
A cat’s whiskers
Cats have four rows of whiskers.
Dalmatian spots
Dalmatians are actually born without spots, and only develop them when they're about a week old.
Canine vocal sounds
Dogs have about 10 vocal sounds.
Cats don’t sweat
Cats do not have sweat glands.
Hamsters blinking
Hamsters often blink one eye at a time.
Why Pet Sitter Education Month is Important
Pet sitting is a viable career
Pet sitting may not be viewed as a viable career option by many. Pet Sitter Education Month moves to change this view.
It makes resources more available
P.S.I., over the years, has created a catalog of resources for pet sitters. Pet Sitter Education Month serves to raise awareness and make those resources available to more and more people.
It’s a standard by which to evaluate pet sitters
Pet Sitter Education Month also makes pet owners aware of these resources. They can ensure that the care being given to their pets is in accordance with a certain level of competency.
Pet Sitter Education Month dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | September 1 | Sunday |
| 2025 | September 1 | Monday |
| 2026 | September 1 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | September 1 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | September 1 | Friday |
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