Pet Sitters International
Ellen K. Price
ellen@petsit.com
(336) 983-9222

Pet Sitters International has been successful in avoiding paying attrition by lowering the room blocks and working closely with the hotels they have been booked in each year.
In 2001, the Pet Sitters International annual convention was scheduled the week after September 11th. Based on feedback from exhibitors and attendees, the Association decided to go ahead with the convention. The hotel in San Diego agreed to delete the attrition clause. 250 rooms were blocked on peak night, and 210 actually picked up.

In 2002, the group was booked at a hotel in Nashville. The Association was able to lower their block a year in advance, based on members’ clients not traveling, and members themselves not traveling. The group was somewhat lucky that the hotel allowed the Pet Sitters International to lower their block rather than loose them altogether. Pet Sitters was proactive in sending their members promotional information through the bi-monthly magazine and e-mail newsletters. They have 5,500 members total.

In 2003, annual meeting is scheduled in Philadelphia and the group has some wiggle room in the contract. They will not pay a penalty unless they fall 90% below their pick up. The association has already cut the block with no penalty and feels their pick up will be close. The hotel has also agreed to take the smaller pets, as pet sitters don’t like to leave their own pets behind!

The reservation method is to call the hotel directly to book your sleeping room. They have found in the past that some members have gotten better rates booking through the internet. The association has been successful in negotiating with hotels to count those in their block. The association has not selected a hotel for 2004.

In conclusion, Pet Sitters International is a small group but has successfully not had to pay attrition to date because of lowering the blocks in advance and the fact that hotels seem to want the pet business.