Spring 2009 - National Association of Professional Pet Sitters

Table of Contents
ASSOCIATION NEWS
President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
NAPPS Member Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Committee Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Member Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Get to Know Your Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Youth Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Conference Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
INDUSTRY EDUCATION
Tips of the Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Workers’ Compensation Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Nutrition and Genes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Touching Lives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Sitter Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Legislative Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Online Certification Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Collecting Presents 4 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
NAPPS Network
Mission Statement
The mission of the NAPPS
Network is to provide tools for
members to enhance their
business, help them expand
their knowledge of professional
pet sitting, and communicate
association news and events.
NAPPS
Copyright 2009. The NAPPS Network is published four times a year in
March, June, September and December by NAPPS Headquarters:
15000 Commerce Parkway, Suite C, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054. Periodical
mailing privilege pending at Mt. Laurel, NJ and additional mailing
offices. Postmaster: send change of address to the NAPPS Network c/o
NAPPS Headquarters, 15000 Commerce Parkway, Suite C, Mt. Laurel,
NJ 08054. The NAPPS Network is free to National Association of
Professional Pet Sitters, Inc. members. No part of this publication may
be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.
Editorial offices: 15000 Commerce Parkway, Suite C.
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054.
National Association of
Professional Pet Sitters, Inc.
15000 Commerce Parkway
Suite C
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
Phone: (856) 439-0324
Fax: (856) 439-0525
Email: napps@ahint.com
www.petsitters.org
President’s Message
Monica Leighton, President
Hello invaluable NAPPS pet
sitters,
It was a pleasure to meet
many of you at our conference
in Long Beach. This
year’s conference was, in my opinion, the best
yet. The location alone was outstanding. I loved
getting up early and walking the ship, viewing
the historic ambiance and just taking in the
experience. The seminars and speakers were
outstanding. I always come home with so many
great ideas and I get so excited about implementing
all of them, but what I have found is
after the initial excitement wears down, and the
burnout from trying to do everything at once sets
in, I tend to forget or simply place some of the
items on the backburner. Two years ago, after
coming home from the NAPPS conference, I sat
down and wrote out all the programs and
changes I wanted to implement. Then I arranged
them by importance, what items I wanted to get
done right away. After that I made a goal-planning
calendar for the year, dividing all the tasks
up and assigning certain tasks to certain
months. This way I was able to sit down each
month and focus on each project individually. Not
only did it help me keep track of all my ideas, it
also improved my organization and solved the
issue of my first-quarter burnout, as I was trying
to get everything done all at once. Improving
NAPPS
Member
Benefit
NAPPS has partnered with US Merchant
Services to provide an outstanding credit card
processing program. Members who participate
in the program will have the ability to process
client credit card payments through an easy to
use online virtual terminal.
Member Pricing
Authorizations: $0.10 per Transaction
Processing Costs: 30 Basis Points Over
Visa/MasterCard Costs*
*Equivalent to $3.00
per $1000 Charged
Annual Fee: $25.00
“
This year’s conference was, in
my opinion, the best yet. The
location alone was outstanding.
I loved getting up
your services to your clients is a
”
early
and walking the ship, viewing
the historic ambiance and just
taking in the experience.
huge way to set
yourself apart from the competition and by making
an annual improvement plan you are proactively
contributing to the success and growth of
your business.
For those of you who did not make it to the
NAPPS Conference, I highly recommend you start
making arrangements now to attend next year’s
NAPPS annual conference in Orlando, FL. The
January 22-24, 2010, conference will give sitters
the education and tools to “Capture the Magic
within Your Business.” I wish you all a prosperous
and productive first quarter. ■
Credit Card
Processing Program
Program Benefits
• No start up cost
• Guaranteed rates
• No statement fees
• No batch fees
• No monthly minimum
• No contract
• No early termination fee
• No gateway fees
• Easy to read statements
• No hidden fees
• No monthly maintenance fees
• Check Guarantee
Enroll today at:
http://www.usmsllc.com/napps.asp
The NAPPS Network • 1