Pet sitters did cross my mind but as with anything, some good and some bad. I actually run an animal collection and had some pet sitters in for a husbandry session, we did reptiles, rodents, fish, livestock, ferrrets etc etc. These people were clueless I shit you not and would have made a tamagatchi extinct in doublequick time. Plus I don't want strange people in my house looking for my "magazine" collection..........(Ideal home and Gardeners world). I tried my sister but she had them all nearly a month when we went to Australia and its put her off dogs for life