Staying Safe, Secure, and Resilient in Pet Care

Pet care isn’t all wagging tails and purrs—sometimes it comes with unexpected risks and hard days. That’s why preparing for challenges is just as important as celebrating wins. At the PSI Conference, sessions focused on protecting your business from liability, setting healthy boundaries, and finding strength in community when things get tough.

This recap unpacks lessons on risk management, resilience, and building support systems that help pet care providers weather any storm.

“Wild Claims & Real-World Coverage”: Lessons from David Pearsall and Business Insurers of the Carolinas

Insurance might not be the flashiest topic, but for pet care professionals, it can make the difference between a minor hiccup and a business-ending disaster. At the 2025 PSI World Conference, David Pearsall from Business Insurers of the Carolinas brought insurance to life with stories that were equal parts shocking, funny, and sobering. His goal wasn’t to scare the audience—it was to show how small details, when overlooked, can grow into six-figure claims.

When “Unbelievable” Claims Become Reality

David has seen it all, and he shared some of the most unusual claims from his decades in the industry. Each story came with a lesson:

The $150,000 bathroom flood – Two young dogs were left in a bathroom where they turned on the faucet, flooding the home. The lesson: never improvise confinement. Discuss and document safe spaces with clients ahead of time.
Trapped in the pantry – A dog refused to let a sitter out of the kitchen pantry, leaving her stuck until help arrived. The lesson: plan not only for safe entry but also safe exits.
Two pitbulls, one sitter, and a bystander claim – A sitter sustained severe injuries after being attacked. Later, a passerby also sued, alleging harm. The lesson: temperament screening isn’t judgmental—it’s risk management.
The nanny-cam case – No one was bitten, nothing was broken, but footage created an Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) claim. The lesson: professionalism and awareness matter, even when no obvious damage occurs.
The day-two slip-and-fall – A brand-new employee slipped on stairs and broke both wrists, leading to a $200,000 workers’ comp case. The lesson: onboarding should include safety basics from day one.

Why Filing Small Claims Can Backfire

Not every claim involves big numbers. Sometimes it’s $200 for a chewed shoe or $400 for a dog who ate chocolate. But David cautioned that turning in small claims too often can jeopardize your coverage.

Insurance should be thought of as protection for catastrophic losses—the kind you can’t pay out of pocket. If you can reasonably cover the first $500–$1,000 yourself, you’re better off paying directly rather than risking higher premiums or cancellation down the line.

Still, he urged sitters to document and notify their broker about every incident, even if they don’t file a claim. Zero-dollar claims noted upfront are far easier to handle than disputes that surface years later with little documentation.

The Big Exposures Pet Care Providers Face

David broke down the key areas where sitters and businesses are most vulnerable:

Bodily injury or property damage to clients, neighbors, or bystanders.
Animal injury while in your care, custody, or control (CCC).
Auto accidents during client visits.
Employee or contractor injuries, which often fall under workers’ comp.
Employment practices liability (claims of harassment or discrimination).
Cyber liability if you accept payments or store client information digitally.

Each of these areas, he stressed, requires its own insurance strategy. For example, many generic policies cap CCC coverage at $1,000 or $2,500, which isn’t nearly enough when a pet needs emergency surgery. PSI’s program, by contrast, offers coverage regardless of fault—an important distinction when an accident occurs but negligence can’t be proven.

Common Misconceptions Around Coverage

David addressed some of the biggest myths he encounters in pet care businesses:

“My general liability covers car accidents.” Wrong—auto claims must go through auto insurance, not liability coverage. Make sure staff carry adequate liability, comprehensive, and ideally collision coverage.
“I use contractors, so I’m not responsible for their injuries.” Not true—state laws decide contractor vs. employee classification, not pay stubs. If a “contractor” is hurt, you may still be liable.
“All policies are the same.” Policies vary widely, especially in fine print. Some offer CCC coverage for only 30 days or cap pet medical at $100 per animal. Always read the details.

How to Protect Your Business: David’s Recommendations

So what can sitters and business owners do to protect themselves? David’s advice came down to three main practices:

Ask better questions up front. Intake forms should go beyond feeding schedules. Ask about doors, water access, confinement, triggers, reactivity, and medical history. Document everything.
Invest in training and onboarding. Day-one safety training—covering stairs, gates, footwear, leashes, and dog introductions—can prevent expensive accidents.
Insure for the unexpected. Carry the essentials: general liability with CCC, workers’ comp if you have staff, hired/non-owned auto coverage, EPLI, and cyber liability. For growing teams, consider an umbrella policy.

The Takeaway

The strangest claims often start with something ordinary: a faucet left running, a pet’s reaction to a door, or a sitter rushing down a flight of stairs. But as David made clear, those everyday moments are where businesses either succeed or stumble. With thoughtful intake processes, clear staff training, diligent documentation, and the right mix of insurance, sitters can turn “you won’t believe this” stories into learning moments—not financial nightmares.

Getting Through the Hard: Navigating Challenges in the Pet Care Industry with Jessica Milam PSI's Pet Sitter of the Year

Jessica Milam, Co-owner of Fur Services Fur Pets does it all and more. Jess shared her story of navigating the challenges of life and pet sitting with a candid walkthrough of what it actually takes to keep going when pet care gets messy—emotionally, operationally, and seasonally. Her core message: you don’t have to white-knuckle this alone. Build your village, define your boundaries, and design a business that fits your real life (even if your real life includes seven kids, Friday-night football, and emails at 2 a.m.).

The big ideas (at a glance)

Community is a moat. Partner with “competitors” to share referrals, safety intel, and backup when things go sideways.
Online groups shape the industry. Model generosity and set a constructive tone; the next generation learns from us.
Coaching ≠ only growth. Use coaching for culture, brand, operations, and even exit strategy—not just scaling.
Design your ideal business. Align offers, hours, and staffing with your life (not the other way around).
Radical transparency with your team. Share what’s happening, ask for help, and return the favor with flexibility.
Boundaries prevent burnout. Say no to non-ideal fits, and write policies that protect your energy and safety.
Make the next 30 days count. One relationship to nurture, one change to pricing or policy, one boundary to enforce, one way to contribute to community health.

Community over competition (and why it pays)

Jess runs with two local groups (FB + chat) of direct competitors who share daily: referrals, red-flag clients, tough pet notes, and “do not hire” heads-ups. When a dog bolted last August, five competing owners dropped everything to search in 110° heat. That’s not sentimental; that’s risk management and capacity insurance.

What this looks like in practice

Referral loops: If a partner is booked or off, they send clients to you—confident you’ll send them back when they return.
Fit-first mindset: A dog that clashed with one sitter became a top client for Jess’ team. Not every pet or person is a match—and that’s okay.
Emergency response: Pre-agreed text threads + who’s on call = faster lost-pet mobilization.

Try this: Start a private Signal/WhatsApp thread with 4–8 reputable local sitters. Agree on:

What qualifies as a red-flag alert (client safety, pet aggression, non-payment).
A basic mutual-referral ethic (we return clients; we don’t poach).
Emergency protocol (who posts; who prints flyers; who calls shelters).

Use online groups to lift the standard (not scorch the earth)

We all remember those pandemic months when forums kept our businesses alive. Jess’ ask: be the safe shoulder. Answer “newbie” questions with patience; publish standards generously; disagree without pile-ons. That’s how the in-home care standard inches up.

Contribute constructively

Post how-to threads: intake checklists, emergency scripts, medication tips.
Share policy language others can adapt (cancellation, weather, keys, safety).
Redirect dog-piles; invite facts, not flaming.

Coaching with purpose (not just “grow big”)

Jess has worked with coaches on culture, brand, values, and messaging, not just headcount. Coaching can also map exit strategy: restructure now so future-you can sell or step back.

When coaching helps most

You can’t see the operational bottleneck (you’re in it).
Your team is misaligned because your values aren’t documented.
You want an owner-independent business (vacations, caregiving, travel).

Build the ideal business for your actual life

Jess and her partner engineered their company around family realities: kids’ sports, travel, limited connectivity while camping, and (this year) a full-time job outside the business. The business still works because the model fits the life—and the team knows the truth.

How she makes it work

Transparent hiring: “My life is chaotic; here’s what that means for scheduling and communication.”
Defined flexibility: Team members cover meet-and-greets, onboarding, and training when life surges.
Client alignment: Some clients need “their one sitter” forever; others are fine with any trained pro. Jess keeps the latter.

Design prompts

What do you refuse to miss (family, faith, health)?
What hours/regions/services let you show up for those?
What team structure covers the gaps without you?

Boundaries that save your energy (and your reputation)

Boundaries aren’t cold; they’re compassionate. They keep you safe, clear, and sustainable—so you can continue serving well.

Jess’ boundary themes

Client fit: If it’s not your ideal, refer it—happily and quickly.
Communication windows: Late-night admin works for her; she sets expectations so clients aren’t surprised.
Safety first: Use community intel to decline risky pets or unsafe homes.

Copy-ready boundary lines

“To give every pet our best, we only accept clients who fit our model (team-based care and flexible sitter assignments). Here are three great solo options if you prefer a single sitter.”
“We triage messages 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Urgent visit issues outside those hours? Text ‘URGENT’ and we’ll jump in.”
“For staff safety, we are unable to service pets with a known bite history without a trainer’s clearance.”

Lead with transparency—and receive it back

When family crises required weeks away, Jess told her team exactly what was happening and what she needed. They stepped up: meet-and-greets, training, onboarding. That reciprocity works because the culture was built on grace and clarity long before the emergency.

Team playbook snapshot

Share the “why” behind changes.
Name specific help needed and for how long.
Celebrate and reciprocate (PTO swaps, bonuses, schedule preferences).

The 30-Day “Get Through the Hard” Card

Jess ended with a simple assignment to keep momentum when days get rough. Fill this out and post it where you’ll see it.

One relationship to nurture: The colleague you’ll check in with (or the new owner you’ll mentor).
One change to implement: Pricing, minimums, service map, or policy you’ve been avoiding.
One boundary to enforce:The line that moves you closer to your ideal (and protects your team).
One way you’ll contribute to community health: A helpful post, a shared template, a lost-pet text tree, a coffee meetup.

Quick toolkits

Red-Flag & Lost-Pet Mini Protocol

Create a shared note with local sitters: owner contact, pet description, last seen, microchip, vet/shelter list.
Pre-format flyers (QR to owner’s number).
Assign roles: calls, social posts, on-foot grid, humane traps, vet alerts.

“Ideal Client” Checklist (share internally)

Okay with team-based care
Uses software + card on file
Home access is reliable (smart lock/lockbox)
Pets vetted/insured; no undisclosed bite history
Flexible windows; respects policies and people

Coaching Topics That Move the Needle

Values → behaviors → policies (alignment)
Service mix and stop-doing list
Team ladder (role clarity, pay bands, progression)
Owner-independence plan (vacation, medical, exit)

A closing note from Jess’ spirit of the talk

Hard days are part of the job. But they’re lighter when you’ve got a bench to text, policies that protect you, and a business built for your real life. Be the person who makes the industry kinder and stronger—and let your village do the same for you.

“Get It Done”: Time Management Advice Pet Care Professionals Actually Need with Collin Funkhouser

At PetPocketbook, we’re always looking for ways to help pet care professionals work smarter, not harder. So when someone like Collin Funkhouser—owner of Funky Bunch Pet Care and co-host of Pet Sitter Confessional—takes the stage to talk time management, we’re all ears.

His session, which kicked off this year’s PSI conference in San Antonio, offered a mix of practical tools, honest confessions, and heartfelt reminders about why we do what we do. And it started with a refreshingly real moment.

“I made an awful mistake,” he joked. “The title of this talk? Very bad. Should’ve just called it Get It Done. That’s what we’re here for, right?”

Exactly.

This wasn’t your typical productivity talk filled with hustle culture clichés. Instead, Collin gave us a framework for reclaiming time, energy, and purpose—tailored for the chaotic, emotionally demanding world of pet care.

🧠 First step: Clear your mental clutter

One of Collin’s biggest points: your brain isn’t a storage container—it’s a problem solver. So stop expecting it to remember everything and instead get into the habit of writing things down.

He showed us his own notebook (yes, physically showed it!), and encouraged everyone to write the phrase:

“Nothing doesn’t go in here.”

The grammar might be iffy, but the philosophy is sound. Any time a thought, task, or idea pops up—big or small—write it down. Notebooks, he reminded us, aren’t just for meetings or grocery lists. They’re a lifeline for mental clarity.

He even led the room through a mini brain sweep, asking questions like:

What are you worried about this week
What deadlines are looming—personally or professionally?
What projects have you been putting off?
What’s making you feel guilty or overwhelmed?

By externalizing those thoughts, you make space to focus on what matters most right now.

🧭 The “Inversion Method”: What not to do

In a clever twist, Collin borrowed an idea from Charlie Munger (Warren Buffet’s longtime business partner) called the Inversion Method. Instead of asking “How do I get more done?”, ask:

“If I wanted to waste as much time as possible, what would I do?”

The audience had fun rattling off answers—TV binges, social scrolling, overplanning—but Collin took it further with a tongue-in-cheek list of time-wasting habits we all fall into:

Multitasking: “The art of putting in as little effort across as many things as possible.”
Planning endlessly without acting: “Planning is comfortable—but it’s not execution.
Not taking breaks: “You’re not a machine. Breaks are not weakness. They’re fuel.”
Booking every second of the day: “Emergencies will happen. Leave some white space.”
Eating poorly, not sleeping, skipping exercise: “Energy is what fuels time management.”
Saying yes to everything: “Your calendar isn’t magic. You can’t say yes to everything and expect more time to show up.”

This section was equal parts hilarious and eye-opening. (The meme of a guy juggling flaming bowling pins in a cowboy hat? Iconic.)

⏳ Track your time—honestly

Before you can fix your schedule, you have to understand it. Collin recommends doing a full 7-day time audit, including:

What you worked on
Where interruptions came from
How your energy levels changed throughout the day

He showed his own iPhone screen time stats (brave!) and urged attendees to look not just at how much time they spend on their phones, but what’s pulling them in. Which app did you open first? How many times a day did you pick it up?

“This isn’t about guilt. It’s about clarity,” he said. “Busy isn’t the same as productive.”

⚙️ Match your energy to your tasks

Most of us assume we’ll wake up energized and slowly crash throughout the day. But Collin explained that energy actually comes in waves—and we need to sync our hardest work to when we feel most alert.

Are you a morning person? Block that time for strategic work
Feel more focused mid-afternoon? That’s your window for deep work.
Tired at night? Don’t try to crank out big projects then—use that time for easier tasks or rest.

By working with your natural rhythms, you stop fighting yourself and start making progress where it counts.

🗓️ Build a weekly reset ritual

One of the most practical takeaways was Collin’s Sunday Reset—just 30 to 60 minutes to reflect and plan for the week ahead.

Start with two questions:

What’s the one thing I have to get done next week?
Where is that time going to live on my calendar?

He and his wife Megan also practice No Meeting Mondays—a buffer at the start of the week to regroup and refocus, without outside commitments. For pet care providers juggling visits, admin, family, and client requests, this kind of protected time can be game-changing.

💬 Say no without guilt (or fumbling)

We loved this part: Collin encouraged us to prepare our “no” messages in advance. That way, when a client asks for every-other-day visits or last-minute holiday bookings, you’re not scrambling—or caving out of guilt.

Here are two real examples he shared:

“Hi! We require daily visits for cat sitting to ensure we’re keeping a close eye on things like litter box use, appetite, and behavior. We aren’t able to accommodate every-other-day visits.”

And:

“Thanks for reaching out! We’re currently booked for those dates. If I’m not able to take on any additional visits, I’d love to refer you to a colleague.”

Short. Clear. Kind. And most importantly—done.

🔧 A few favorite tools (but the mindset matters more)

While the session wasn’t tool-focused, Collin did mention three apps that help him stay organized:

Drafts – a lightweight writing app for quick notes, voice memos, and tagging ideas
Notion – a digital workspace for tracking goals, onboarding, and SOPs
Slack – internal communication tool that replaces messy texts with organized channels

But his reminder was clear: no app will save you if your priorities aren’t aligned. Focus first on what matters, then pick the tools that support that.

💛 Final reminders: Give yourself grace

Yes, we’re all busy. But if you walk away from a time management session feeling like a failure, something’s broken.

That’s why Collin closed with empathy and encouragement:

“It’s not about being perfect. It’s about doing worthwhile things consistently.”

He reminded us that regret might show up when we start looking at how we’ve spent our time—but that doesn’t mean we’ve failed. It just means we’re paying attention now.

And when you do that? You start to build a business—and a life—you’re proud of.

These stories and lessons are powerful reminders that pet care isn’t just a business—it’s a profession that demands preparation, compassion, and courage. By setting boundaries, leaning on community, and protecting ourselves with the right safety nets, we can face challenges head-on without losing sight of why we started in the first place.