Pet Sitting business owners are using the internet more and more to book clients, advertise their business, find educational information, transmit messages to Association members etc.

Since pet sitting can be a solitary business,  many are seeking out other pet sitters to talk to after a long day of taking care of their furry charges, online.  By joining pet sitting "email lists" or "email groups" many sitters have found helpful information and sometimes a sympathetic ear. 

However with every good thing there can also be a darkside.

If you have school age children some of you may have now heard the term "cyber-bullying".  This is where other children use the internet by sending instant messages, email and even making web sites to harass other children.  Unfortunately this cyber-bullying is not only associated with children.  Adults can engage in this damaging behavior also.

Many email groups for pet sitters engage in postings that consist of half truths, postings without factual basis, outright lies and sometimes libel against an individual or a business in our industry or related industry.

There are currently no pet sitting industry controls of these email boards. Unfortunately this behavior has begun to flourish among a minority of pet sitters who may make up the majority of the postings on any given list. Sometimes crossing over and duplicating the behavior on multiple lists at the same time.

This behavior has caused many pet sitters to discontinue posting valuable information for the rest of us.

Since there are no regulations as of yet, and we may be losing valuable information due to these practices of a few, a proposed pledge for posting on the internet has been created below in an effort to improve the standards and practices of these email groups.

When posting to a pet sitting email board I pledge to..........

1.  Always sign my name, name of my business, area I live for proper identification of poster.

2.  Refrain from criticizing another posting members business or point of view.

3.  Refrain from the use of foul language in my posts.

4.  Refrain from the practice of holding another posters business up for ridicule or libel by other posters.

5.  Not post my political or religious beliefs.

6.  Keep my posts related to the topic of the Pet Sitting industry and related products and services.

article written by Pamela Begeal, Executive Director, Pet Services and Products Association

Please feel free to repost or link this page to your email group as there will be no copyright infringement asserted.