Do you have an inclement weather policy?

You may or may not know that Power Pet Sitter is based out of Atlanta.  We aren’t known for having debilitating winter storms here in the South. However, this week Metro Atlanta found itself in a bit of a conundrum when a snow storm rolled in midday Tuesday.  I think our total accumulation was a little over 2 inches, but it paralyzed our city (pause here for laughter).  I read an article that best described why.  Contrary to belief, its not because of our driving skills or lack there of.  But more because we are a commuter city.  There was an attempted mass exodus from the city where millions of people were trying to get home all at once.  I heard stories of people spending 10-12 hours to travel 3-5 miles home.  Others just spent the night in their cars on the side of the road, as conditions worsened the later it got.

But what really got me thinking was about you, pet sitting business owners.  Do you have an inclement weather policy?  What does it say, and do you enact it?  Even if you don’t think you need one, maybe you do.  You never know what can happen.

I do see some PPS business owners that utilize Facebook to enact their inclement weather policy – one of the prominent ones being Isabel Alvarez’s, The Wag Pack.  Based out of DC Isabel is no stranger to a snow storm.  I also saw a lot this week from Jennifer Rust’s, Carolina’s Critter Sitters on social media.  Jennifer herself spent a couple of nights on a futon at her doggie daycare facility to ensure all her pups were cared for when snowed in this week.

If you don’t have a well thought out plan, now is the time to set it up.  Establish a policy for your business and talk to your clients about it.  It will not only benefit your business, but it will ensure safety for your pet sitters and clients.  If you aren’t sure how to get started – you can reach out to professional pet sitting organizations such as NAPPS or PSI – or talk to other pet sitting businesses about what they do!  Don’t wait on this, its always better to be PROactive than REactive.