The Pet Sitter, in Doggerel

 The pet sitter stands on the lowest rung of the servant ladder, the one that seems the least to matter

Often times it’s a neighbor or a kid, or a quirky vagabond named Sid

But this is not what pet sitting ought to be. Instead a profession, valued to the Nth degree

The pet sitter drives from home to home, up to 30 minutes all alone

The traffic is their nemesis, a rival since their genesis

Ever changing, always congested, it makes their schedule perpetually contested

They enter the home, check for notes. The owner wants the cat to wear a coat!

They follow instruction as a good sitter should but take initiative and mops where they stood

They are the help after all - they saw a sign for one at the mall

The pet sitter spends their time with your pet, forever happy that they’ve met

Thirty minutes or so is usually a session, the frequency determined by the owner’s commission

 But in thirty minutes a bond is made. Partners, friends, a foundation’s been laid   

The pet sitter has entered into an agreement, to be responsible, dependable, never expendable

 The pet sitter carries quite a burden. Guaranteed safety and security is a lot for a person

The law puts them in care, custody, and control - a lot of responsibility for a menial bankroll

For its not all fun and games. Many things can happen that can bring about blame

Illness and injury, through no fault of theirs, a bout of bad luck and voila - the absurd!

There’s the dog that swallowed the shoe, and the other whose paw closed the flue

The lab that chewed the piano leg and the Saint that tapped the barrel keg

There’s a cat hiding in the dryer and the parrot who’s decided “I’m a flyer!”  

Remember the snake that trained under Houdini and the cat who studied with Mussolini

They all come with notes and quirks and idiosyncrasies, but for a professional who’s been doing this long enough, it’s just the right amount of crazy

 That’s why the pet sitter is not just the help but a resource. A wealth of knowledge gained through training and experience of course

They know the pets, they know the vets, they know the trainers and they know the neighbors

They know the rescues, they know the groomers, they’re friends with the ACO and rivals of the high schoolers

They work every hour of every day, from sunrise to midnight visits are in play

They work seven days of the week, that’s weekends and snow days, New Year’s Eve and Spring Break

It’s a labor of love any sitter will tell ye. Their visits go for only a twenty

That’s a lot of dog walks that need to be booked and why so many are so quickly cooked

The pet sitter holds in your life in their hands. The security of your home and alike your pet

It’s not the landscaper, the housecleaner, the plow or the pool guy, but your pet sitter who upon you should place your bet  

 The pet sitter can identify injury and illness – it happens a lot. They must know how to prevent them and treat them when not

So the next time you consider your pet sitter does, consider not how much it is but how much it’s not

They love what they do but it’s got a shelf life. Keep your sitter in the game by tipping a lot!