"Travel with Peace of Mind" From Walks to Training... Do You Know About Petsitters? [Kim Suwan's Animal Report]

Pet Sitting Care Services Like Feeding and Walking Gain Spotlight
Providing Detailed Services Upon Owner Requests
Qualification Verification Controversy... Safety Assurance Insufficient
Experts: "Policy Improvement Needed for Proper Establishment of Pet Sitter Industry"

Dog. Photo by Pixabay

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] # Kim Mo (26), an office worker who owns a pet dog, recently went on a trip. The reason she could travel without her dog was thanks to the pet care service. Kim said, "Although it was a nearby place, I couldn't bring my dog due to circumstances, so I was very worried, but thanks to the caregiver program, I was able to relax and enjoy my trip," adding, "I found out that there are various curriculums such as walking and training, not just watching at home. I'm glad I learned about such a good service even now. I think I will use it often during holidays or business trips."

As the pet market rapidly grows to about 6 trillion won, related industries are also expanding, and the 'pet sitter' service, which takes care of pets, is emerging as a new profession. However, problems related to pet sitters are arising as fast as the growth. Some point out that verification of pet sitter qualifications and responses to accidents during care are still insufficient. Experts have noted that there is no clear legal system to resolve accidents such as pets getting injured or dying during pet sitting.

'Pet sitter' is a compound word combining 'pet,' meaning companion animal, and 'sitter,' referring to a caregiving profession. It is a specialized job that involves visiting the pet owner's home or bringing the pet to their own home to take care of them.

Especially when owners have to leave home due to travel, business trips, or holidays, one-on-one care is possible, making pet sitters popular among pet owners. Pet sitters not only walk dogs but also feed and care for them, with care periods ranging from a day to several months.

Moreover, they provide detailed services such as administering medication or sending photos upon the owner's request.

The reason pet sitters are preferred over pet hotels is due to advantages in cost and the emotional well-being of the pets.

Pet sitter services are broadly divided into three types: boarding care, visit care, and walking care. Boarding care involves the pet staying at the pet sitter's home for a certain period, visit care involves the pet sitter visiting the owner's home to provide care, and walking care is focused on walking the pet. Costs vary depending on boarding, visits, and duration, ranging from a minimum of around 10,000 won to a maximum of 100,000 won.

Currently, major domestic pet sitting brokerage companies include Dogmate, Woopu, Petner, Petplanet, and Pepem. Some of these companies require certain qualifications. According to these, requirements may include △residing in the metropolitan area △having lived with a dog for over five years △being at least 28 years old.

Using brokerage companies has the advantage of being introduced to verified pet sitters and receiving safety guarantees against unexpected accidents.

Photo by Yonhap News

The problem is that there are no specific qualifications required to become a pet sitter. Without legally verified qualifications, even people without knowledge about pets can become pet sitters.

In fact, there are quite a few problems arising from non-professionals providing pet sitter services. On 'GangsaMo' (Gangajireul Saranghaneun Moim, a cafe boasting the largest number of pet-related members) and various online boards, posts complaining about damages such as "I left my dog with a pet sitter in OO-dong and haven't gotten it back," and "I used a pet sitter, but my pet came back injured" have been posted.

One member said, "I packed food, pads, and snacks and agreed to leave my dog with a pet sitter for a week at 10,000 won per day. I trusted the person because I had met them a few times in the cafe. But then I got a message that my dog had bitten an iron cord. When I said I would come to pick up my dog, they demanded 100% compensation for the iron I bought earlier this year," adding, "I found it strange that they placed an appliance where the dog could reach it, so I offered 50% compensation for the purchase price, but they refused to compromise and insisted on not returning the dog."

They continued, "I was so frustrated that I reported it to 112 (police). However, since the dog is considered property, the pet sitter could be charged with embezzlement, but the iron compensation case is a civil lawsuit, so the police said they could not intervene," adding, "I was worried they might harm my dog while keeping it. Eventually, I was able to bring my dog back only after reaching about 70% of the compensation agreement."

As such, it is difficult to verify not only the professional knowledge but also the aptitude of pet sitters. Especially, the problem of difficulty in receiving compensation even when pets are injured or die remains.

Therefore, pet owners unanimously agree that verification procedures for pet sitters and compensation measures in case of accidents must be established. A pet owner in their 20s, A, said, "I think policy efforts are necessary to create an environment where anyone can trust and leave their pets. Private companies are making efforts such as training with trainers, but these are only a few," adding, "There should also be legal remedies to resolve problems smoothly when they occur. Because animals can get hurt, and pet sitters can get hurt too," raising their voice.

Photo by Yonhap News

On the other hand, in countries with mature pet cultures such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, pet sitters have already become a common profession, and systems are in place.

Like in Korea, pet sitter brokerage sites that alleviate pet owners' anxieties about pet sitters are popular in the U.S.

'Rover.com' and 'Dogvacay' are representative brokerage companies. Their popularity stems from connecting users only with pet sitters who have been verified according to criteria such as animal care experience, and providing detailed information to users about pet sitter training completion, possession of specialized skills like emergency care and oral care, and the ability to care for senior dogs.

Also, before booking, pet owners can meet pet sitters in person to ask questions, and there is a 24-hour standby team for pet owners and pet sitters to request help, forming a systematic system.

A notable feature of these brokerage sites is that they have well-established compensation systems in case of unforeseen accidents. If unavoidable accidents occur during care services, they compensate up to $25,000 (about 30 million won) for the pet's medical expenses.

Additionally, if the pet injures a third party or if the pet sitter damages the owner's property during a home visit, compensation can be up to $2 million (about 2.42 billion won).

Experts suggest that related policies need to be organized for the proper establishment of the pet sitter industry.

Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Alliance, said regarding the pet sitter industry, "The reality is that many pet owners still worry whether they can safely entrust their pets to care services," but analyzed, "The pet sitter industry is expected to grow further."

Lee said, "I think more detailed caution is necessary. The issue of caregiver qualifications has been a constant concern," adding, "Official institutional arrangements are needed. Even if there are certificates, they are issued by private companies, so the reliability is low. A system such as creating nationally recognized qualifications is necessary." He continued, "Legal remedies are also needed in case of disputes," and added, "In such cases, introducing insurance to guarantee this could be one method."