New Orleans - 17 November, 2005 -

FETCH! Pet Care Issues Warning: Beware Bad Pet Care This Holiday Season::: BERKELEY, CA November 8, 2005 With holiday vacation season now upon us, many pet owners are opting to use a pet sitter rather than a kennel boarding facility when making plans for their four-legged family members. This in fear of the recent canine influenza outbreak, or just a general preference that pets receive the attention, affection and security needed while their owners are away. "Despite conventional thinking, however, all pet care services are not alike," notes FETCH! Pet Care's Paul Mann, founder of the nation's largest and most sophisticated pet care franchise offering professional pet sitting and dog walking services. For the throngs who do plan to use a pet sitter this season so their animals can maintain normal activities and be nurtured in familiar surroundings, or with the hope of avoiding serious health concerns associated with kennel boarding even beyond canine influenza - including depression and kennel cough, FETCH! Pet Care offers these "Top 10 Tips Assuring Pet Sitting Satisfaction": 1) Diligently check all of the company's references at least three should be voluntarily provided; 2) Ensure the company is fully licensed, bonded and insured; 3) Verify that the sitter can accommodate both your pet's daily feeding and walking schedule as well as your desired vacation schedule during busy holidays; 4) Ensure the company offers 7-day per week telephone and email availability; 5) Confirm that your sitter has undergone a criminal background check and has received proper training; 6) Pre-interview sitter with your pet(s) present to observe interactions and establish a "comfort level" for both you and the pet(s); 7) Clearly state how you would like the sitter to use his/her visit time in terms of walking, playing, feeding, cleaning, etc.; 8) Provide medical and behavioral history about your pet(s) as well as veterinary and other emergency contact information, and gather all necessary supplies, including food, vitamins, and treats in one central location; 9) Ensure company has "backup" measures in place should your sitter have an emergency that prevents them from completing your assignment; 10) Confirm the service is a current member of Pet Sitters International, the world's largest organization for professional pet sitters; "These tips are what we consider to be the cardinal rules of picking a professional pet sitting service, said Mann. "If a pet owner takes these ten relatively simple things into account before they entrust their pet to an animal sitting service, they can enjoy peace of mind that their pet - and their home - will be well cared for." "Selecting just the right sitter to care for both my pet and my home is not a decision I take lightly," notes Deanne Christopolus, a FETCH! Pet Care client in the San Francisco Bay Area. "Now, however, I no longer need to burden or impose on family members or friends, or worry that my beloved pet will be subjected to kennel boarding. FETCH! Pet Care's highly trained, reliable and well-screened sitters ensure my dog receives the love, attention and skilled treatment I expect of a professional caregiver, and that my home remains safe and secure while I'm away. That kind of peace of mind is priceless." About FETCH! Pet Care, Inc. Founded in 2002 and with over 300 service areas across the United States, FETCH! Pet Care is the pet sitting industry market leader - the new face of pet care in the 21st century. The company, which was featured among Entrepreneur magazine's list of franchises under $25,000 in October 2005, offers a humane alternative to kennel boarding by providing loving overnight and/or daily care to any kind of pet in the most professional and reliable manner possible. FETCH! Pet Care's carefully selected, screened and trained pet sitters and dog walkers, who are all pet owners themselves, have serviced over 2,000 clients this past year alone, and the company is a proud standing member of Pet Sitters International - the world's foremost organization for professional pet sitters. For franchise information or to find a location near you, visit the company's Web site at www.fetchpetcare.com or call the corporate office at 866-338-2463.

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