Doreen Bolognini and her husband Nate think of themselves as nannies for pets.

And as with those who care for children, the two active retirees know they need to make a potential client at ease with the idea of allowing strangers into their home to provide care. So, they come with references, proof of bonding, insurance and clear background checks.

And once they’ve decided a client is a good fit, they will literally get down on their hands and knees for the job. But this is not to beg for the business.

Their unique crawl-through inspection allows them to check out a home from a pet’s vantage point, identifying potential safety hazards.

“The more information we have, the better we are going to be able to serve the client and keep the pet at a very low anxiety or stress level,” Doreen Bolognini says. They even ask if the pet tends to prefer a male or female sitter — because they can offer either.

The Bologninis own the 5-year-old Hamilton pet sitting company Tailored Home Care. They are among a growing number of experienced pet-care providers who make a living by regularly visiting pets home alone.

“We all have the same philosophy,” Nate Bolognini says. “We’re there for your pets when you can’t be.”

While there, the sitter will manage food, water, exercise and medications as needed, basically ensuring the safety of four-legged or tank-dwelling family members. To sweeten the deal, most will also bring in your mail, water plants and turn on evening lights for a lived-in look while you’re away.

During peak vacation season, pet sitters are in greater demand as an alternative to boarding for pet owners who can’t take the dog along or who know that cats are probably better left at home, along with pets that live in cages or glass tanks.

Pet sitters say that keeping a pet in its familiar surroundings will reduce stress and the risk of illness that can be transmitted in a group setting. Adhering as closely as possible to a pet’s regular routine also can reduce separation anxiety, they say. This is especially important for cats, who tend to be more attached to the predictable than dogs.

“Cats want the same good day repeated over and over again,” explains veterinarian Peter Falk, a spokesman for the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association. But dogs, who are much more flexible, might not miss the family as much as the people imagine, Falk notes. “There are some boarding establishments where the dogs have so much fun that is it like the dogs are on vacation while the people are on vacation.” A decision to board pets at home should consider the pet’s temperament as well as the owner’s needs, he says.

“If a person has five or six cats, it may be easier for them to have someone come to their home than to try to board five or six cats,” says Falk, a managing partner at Ocean County Veterinary Hospital, which offers boarding services in Lakewood. But whether it’s a sitter for one cat or half a dozen, Falk says: “You have to have a very good pet sitter who will be able to know if something is not right.”

That was the case with Erika Groder-Gosnell who recalls sitting for a cat that had been misdiagnosed as being constipated before her owners left for their honeymoon.

“She would be not that interested in her food, and she seemed a little tired,” recalls Groder-Gosnell, owner of Erika’s Thoughtful Paws, a pet-sitting and dog-walking company she operates from her Fanwood home. Because of the diagnosis, she initially decided to simply observe the cat more closely on subsequent visits. “On the next visit, she was hiding in the closet. When cats are sick, they will hide like that.”

Groder-Gosnell, who was authorized to take the cat to the vet, would learn that the cat was very ill, in the final stages of renal failure. She needed to travel a significant distance to a veterinary hospital she knew would be open during the evening of a holiday weekend. “I knew already what was going on,” she said. “I had seen it before in other cats. My own cat had kidney disease,” she said. “That is how they go.”

The cat, Jada, lived long enough for her owners to return home and say good-bye. Groder-Gosnell recalls the events among her most challenging pet-sitting experiences. While she does have Red Cross training in CPR for animals, she has no other animal-related training. Like many professional pet sitters, Groder-Gosnell, 40, is simply an experienced pet owner who has a way with animals.

But she’s also a college graduate and trained chef who went to work for a medical office after the demands of restaurant work became too much. Groder-Gosnell is among those for whom pet-sitting is self-employment that offers more control over earnings and work life after retiring or getting laid off. But many acknowledge that pet-sitting means having very few days off.

Groder-Gosnell is among sitters who are members of both the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (PetSitters.org) and Pet Sitters International (PetSit.com). The organizations help members generate business with online referral listings by state that give pet sitter contact information with the pets they will handle.

Both organizations will certify members who have completed certain online training courses, and both encourage their members to become bonded and insured should a pet be injured or a client’s home be damaged. The organizations do not certify the skill level of every member or ensure that each has been bonded, had a background check or is properly insured. However, members of both groups pay an annual fee for access to benefits including bonding services, liability insurance, and educational and networking resources. That, the organizations say, demonstrates a more serious commitment to pet-sitting as a business, and to owners building their skills and business savvy through access to pet health and safety information and experienced guidance.

How to hire a pet sitter

Referrals from pet-owning friends and family are probably the best way to find a good pet sitter, but pet owners also can find experienced pet sitters offering their services on websites such as DogVacay and Rover. Those using these sites should be cautioned that they allow anyone to offer pet-watching services, and usually it’s at the sitter’s home instead of the pet owner’s.

And while a youngster offering to watch pets to earn money over the summer isn’t necessarily bad news, sitters such as the Bologninis note that there is a difference in hiring a professional.

And professional pet sitters will be evaluating the pet owner just as the owner evaluates them. A good match is important, they say.

Most professional pet sitters will have a business website that includes a roster of services and associated fees. Nationwide, pet sitting prices range from $13 to more than $50 per visit, with most services charging $15 to $20 per visit, according to a recent National Association of Professional Pet Sitters member survey.

Both the NAPPS and PSI recommend starting the search for a pet sitter as early as possible, interviewing the sitter in advance by phone, and setting up in-person meetings with promising candidates to see how they interact with your pet. Be sure to ask the following questions during an initial interview:

•  Is the pet sitter insured and bonded?

•  Can the pet sitter provide proof of clear criminal history?

•  Has the pet sitter provided client references?

•  How frequently will the sitter visit your pet, and what is the charge per visit and associated services?

•  Will the sitter be able to handle any special needs your pet may have?

•  Will the pet sitter agree to your requirements in a contract or services agreement?

•  Has the pet sitter had any special training, such as pet first aid?

•  Will the pet sitter be available for a phone interview and an in-person meeting to ensure compatibility with your pet?

•  Does the sitter have a backup in place in the event they become ill or otherwise unavailable?

•  Will the sitter have daily email, phone or text availability during reasonable hours?

Kimberly L. Jackson may be reached at kim_jackson @ starledger.com