Hey There, I’m Lesley, and I run VIPets here in Christchurch. It’s nice to virtually meet you!
When I started my pet care company 10 years ago, only a handful of providers offered pet care professionally. It was becoming more common for people to provide pet-sitting services in return for accommodation, but professional pet-sitting and dog-walking weren’t as common as now.
Since then, due to the low barrier to entry, there has been an explosion of uninsured, unregulated, and untrained pet care providers onto the scene. Many professionals believe the pet care industry (dog walking in particular) has become the “Wild West,” and desperately needs regulation to ensure dog walkers are not taking on more dogs than they can safely handle. Inexperienced dog walkers also need to understand the ramifications of failing to keep dogs in their care under control.
This sudden influx of new pet business owners means more options for pet parents, but finding the best choice and the right match can be challenging.
When I reached capacity in my business I wrote a guide to help pet parents choose a pet care provider:
Download the guide to choosing a dog walker and pet sitter here.
PetNet.nz builds on this guide to make it easier for pet parents to choose the best match to join their pet care team, and give them the peace of mind required when making such an important decision. PetNet.nz is a comprehensive directory showcasing the very best of the professional pet care providers in New Zealand. Our mission is to help increase pet owner’s awareness and knowledge of the minimum legal responsibilities a pet business requires to operate in New Zealand.
With PetNet.nz, pet parents can find independently verified pet care professionals In New Zealand who are insured, trained, experienced, and where necessary, hold appropriate qualifications and licenses.
Pet businesses invited to submit their listing to our directory are specifically selected for their representation of pet business excellence. They also have responsible animal welfare business policies and put the care and protection of pets above all else. At a bare minimum, they have submitted an insurance certificate that covers accidental harm to pets, and a current first aid certificate. We will check with the issuer if these are valid. They are then asked to go one step further and submit documents to verify any other qualifications and certifications they claim on their listing.
Each business that has submitted a current insurance and first aid certificate, proof of appropriate qualifications, and licenses will be awarded a blue checkmark. They will also granted a featured listing that appears above all other listings. Pet parents will be able to select in search whether or not a business has gone through our robust verification system. That way they will have complete peace of mind that the business has the appropriate qualifications, experience, licenses, and insurances required to operate in New Zealand.
PetNet.nz is passionately committed to helping pet parents find the perfect match to join their pet care team. If you are looking for a trusted pet business in New Zealand, PetNet.nz has you covered.