Code of Ethics and Pledge of Professional Conduct

This first part is the Pledge of Professional Conduct, which we follow as members of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters.

Pledge of Professional Conduct - Please Read Carefully
The Pledge of Professional Conduct is designed to guide members in the conduct of business, which shall represent the highest standards of ethical behavior and humane attitudes towards animals and people.
As a member of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, I hereby pledge:

Conduct
• To respect my fellow professional pet sitters and to treat employees, customers, and competitors with honesty and integrity;
• To refrain from saying, writing, or doing anything which would defame my competitors or bring embarrassment or dishonor to the pet sitting industry;
• To operate my pet sitting business in a professional manner and to enhance the pet sitting industry within the community.

Service
• To deliver skillful, safe, compassionate care to all pets entrusted to my supervision;
• To keep all client information confidential;
• To safeguard the client's residence by taking all reasonable precautions.

Education
• To learn as much as possible about my career as a professional pet sitter so that I can provide superior service to each client;
• To support and encourage responsible pet ownership with my customers as well as my community;
• To continually improve my knowledge of the pet sitting profession by participating in educational opportunities.

Legal
• To comply with all local ordinances relating to the care and keeping of animals; and to obey all regulations, Federal, State, and local, which pertain to pet sitting businesses;
• Not to promote a product or service in connection with NAPPS without the written consent of the Board of Directors of the Association.

This second part is the Code of Ethics, which we follow as members of the Michigan Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers Association.

Michigan Pet Sitters Code of Ethics

All members of Michigan Pet Sitters & Dog Walkers have pledged to uphold these values

Reputation - I will work hard to build the good reputation of my business and the pet sitting industry by conducting my business with honesty, integrity and professionalism. I will comply with all Federal, State, and local laws in both business and in animal care.

Customer Protection - I will carry and renew pet sitting business insurance. I will carefully screen employees before hiring them, and I will be responsible for their conduct by insuring and bonding all employees. I will hire independent contractors carefully, by ensuring they are insured and adhere to other ethical practices in business and animal care.

Caring services - I will provide reliable and compassionate care to all pets entrusted to my services, and I will do my utmost to safeguard client's homes and pets. I have and will provide a contingency plan for pet care services in case of personal emergency or inclement weather.

Respect - I will be kind, respectful and accepting of other colleagues, staff, and clients. I will listen, be open minded, and will be respectfully tolerant of differences of opinions or beliefs. I promise to always deal peacefully with disagreements.

Outreach - I will support and help to better Michigan Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers and my local community. I will promote and encourage responsible pet ownership whenever possible. I will also help in promoting the Pet Sitting industry of caring professionals by supporting industry education.