BY ALBA MORA // Are you going away and cannot take your dog with you? Don’t put them in a kennel. I offer loving care in my home. Give your dog(s) the vacation they deserve while you are away on yours.
The Internet is flooded with ads like this, where pet-sitters and dog walkers offer their services to pet owners. When Thanksgiving approaches, pet-sitters get busy. But not this year.
“I had several cancellations,” said Christine Moore, 38. “There’re not so many people going on holidays.”
The economic meltdown, high travel expenses and consumer unease have impacted Thanksgiving holiday weekend for Californians. According to the most recent AAA Northern California travel survey there’s a 2.3 percent decrease in holiday travel from last year. And when people travel less, that means their pets need fewer services from people like Moore.
Moore is a veterinary technician who advertises on Craigslist. For $25 she’ll take a dog for a walk, and for $60 she’ll stay overnight, trim nails, give medicine, brush and play with a pet. She also waters plants, takes in the mail, and makes sure the pet’s home stays secure. Last year she had 13 animals to care for, but this Thanksgiving she only has three jobs booked. She is seriously considering about taking another job, since the last three months have been really difficult financially.
“A lot of people say: Sorry I just cannot afford you anymore,” she said. “They are either not going away or they find friends to do it.”
Frances Carty is a professional pet sitter, who says she frequently has visiting dogs in her home. The Emeryville resident has been boarding dogs for more than six years. During Thanksgiving the number of dogs she has at home usually doubles from four to eight.
“There’s a lot of people who have dogs in Emeryville,” she says. “When they leave they want the dog to have the same experience as being home.”
Her rates are $35 a day, yet holiday rates vary. “I like to meet first, to introduce my dog, Maxine to yours,” she writes in her ad on Craigslist. She lists several criteria for considering a dog before bringing it into her home: “Is house broken and housetrained. Not known to chew on household items. No excessive barking. Must be clean and well groomed for their stay.”
But it’s not just the freelance pet-sitters who are affected. The Emeryville-based dog day care Howdy, Pup is also impacted by the recession.
“We are noticing changes,” says Crystal Perra, a Howdy, Pup staff member, who said business is slowing down, but not dramatically. Some clients are not returning as frequently, she said. “Especially with people who have lost their jobs.”
