A western Pennsylvania woman has been charged with identity theft – but she’s a great pet sitter.
Forty-seven-year-old Mary Kay DeLost is free on bond but staying at a woman’s shelter after being arrested and charged with stealing the identity of clients and using it to obtain credit cards.
A man in North Strabane hired DeLost to watch his pets during a summer vacation and returned to find that she had opened fraudulent credit cards in both his name and the name of his fiancee. But he told investigators that DeLost, who is formerly of South Strabane Township, did a good job otherwise.
When you go out of town and need someone to look after your pets, be sure you only hire a sitter who is bonded and insured. The bonding covers theft of property while under the sitter’s care, and the insurance covers pet and home liability. You may find one through Pet Sitters International or the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters.
After finding sitters in your area, call and interview them by phone. Ask what they charge, how long the visits are, if they are bonded and insured, and if they have special skills, like caring for birds and reptiles or veterinary experience. Find out about their operation, and ask how many pets they employ and what their days of operation are. Ask about extra charges during holidays. Be sure to get references.
Most professional pet sitters will not sign you up without a visit with your pet first. Make sure they come to your house so you can evaluate them in person and watch their interaction with your pet. Be sure to tell the pet sitter about any special needs your pet has, like medications, illnesses or conditions, or special dietary requirements.
Once you have selected your sitter, it is likely you will be asked to sign a contract. Be sure to look it over carefully and ask questions about anything you don’t understand. Make sure you understand the rate schedule, how many visits you can expect during your absence and what provisions they have in place if there is an emergency with your pet. Be sure to give them a phone number for emergency purposes, your vet’s number, and a local friend or family member who could also help in the event of an emergency.
Be sure to secure any items in your home bearing personal or sensitive information. Don’t leave bills, or bank or credit card statements lying around. Although you may have selected a bonded and insured pet sitter, you want to also be sure that pet sitting is all that will going on while you’re gone. You want to hire a good pet sitter – not a good thief – and there’s no need to make it easy for them to steal your identity.
