I have been on sits with pet parents who expect the world out of me for my unpaid services. Sometimes it feels like they are asking WAY too much and taking advantage of the free service we sitters provide. I dislike it when those expectations make the sit feel more like a job. I’m only one person, and I have a life outside of the sit that I’m on.
What are some examples of requests pet parents have made of you that felt unfair or unreasonable?
I read their profile and agree to their requests before I apply. I then read the welcome guide. It will provide additional information. If I feel the welcome guide is not a fair exchange I decline or withdraw with a note to the PP. Another reason for PP to get them out right away and for sitters to read right away. Once when I arrived at a sit there were things in their “private manual” they had at the sit and not in the TH welcome guide. I don’t feel obligated to do those tasks as they were not agreed to. Can you give specifics. Are you asking as a general questions regarding things you see on profiles or is this question something you encountered personally.
Hi boyrrito,
Like you I have at times felt like the unpaid slave, who has been taken advantage of, especially if they do have paid gardeners and cleaners. Most instances the extra things have only come to light after I have arrived. One being seeing a delivery of a new bathroom suite, and having to check not damaged, before delivery people left. Then putting up with builders in and out installoing it. Then, I believe |I mentioned before wanting me to go around squashing all the caterpillers on their cabbages etc. every day, despite they also had a gardener. He likey refused. Also Uni son turniong up for a couple of days with half a dozen friends, coming and going, helping themselves to my food in the fridge etc. (they assumed everything there was for the taking) as all getting ready to go away on a camping trip. And one I thought was really out of order was a mobile dog groomer coming, when I was only there for only a week. A spaniel who had to be clipped and shampoo’ed etc. I was simply told she didn’t like it but it had to be done. The poor dog was absolutely terrified and was shaking, when the dog groomer came in the house to take her into her van. I really was not happy and if my dog would not have allowed it. When all done, the dog groomer carried her in and she immediately jumped out of her arms and ran into the garden, hiding behond a huge flower pot. She stayed there shaking for over two hours. She went to move the moment I tried to get closer, even with titbits. In the end I simply had to sit in the garden readfing a book and just keeping an eye on her, When she eventually came out, it was a frantic rolling in the garden, attempting to get all the nasty treatments out. I should never have had to endure this. The owners should not have put me or their dog through this.
I have also had to take pets to vets, due to medication not quite clearing a problem up. And definitely a few occasions when adult children arriving to collect things, or even stay a night. And sometimes even the owners have not known the movements of their adult children. And sometimes owners have been really nice and friendly and apologetic, if leaky roof needing repairs for example. Other times, you do feel like just the unpaid skivvy, especially if a really ex;pensive house and they pay other staff, yet expect extra things from you but do not even leave you any milk or bread or an anything, to show any appreciation.
I’ve just seen a sit for 13 rescue cats in Spain but seems more like a job I’d say. I think other sits that require you to walk the dogs x3 or more times a day is akin to work and to be avoided. A HO listing that has more than 100 indoor plants- that feels like a housekeeping job…. and don’t start me on gardens and especially veggie gardens these I also avoid.
At the moment after just 6 sits I’ll probably only apply for 10% of those I could apply for and if chosen might only accept 25% of the time.
I got caught out on one sit where the HO had booked the Groomer despite knowing the dog was ‘reluctant’ and wouldn’t even enter the street where the groomer was, they’d also not arranged payment. I refused to pay but got the poor thing there ok. I’m reticent cautious risk averse and value my time in terms of quality of life. Any HO I agree to sit for has earnt it….
On 24 sits, I’ve not had any requests out of line. If I had, I’d let them know that X wasn’t something I’d agreed to do (or was beyond normal sitting). I’d say that unequivocally, without apology or room for negotiation, but I’d keep a conversational, friendly tone, like: “Oh, that’s an unexpected ask. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t have accepted a sit with such an unusual request.”
If the hosts insisted, I’d offer them the choice of my leaving, so they could find someone else. And I’d review them accordingly, mentioning that they surprised me with X.
I don’t accept sits without a backup plan, so I can’t be trapped or stranded by bad hosts or emergencies. For me, that’s part of self-care and agency.
Excellent strategy, Maggie8k. I need you as my manager! and I agree a back
up plan is vital.
One sit I did in Portugal the owners wanted me to pay the estate workers’ wages in cash,collect fruit each Thursday for staff to prepare food for the exotic birds in extensive cages, as well as feed and monitor, exercise 20 dogs!
Yes we had a pool and a nice villa with a cleaner once a week but it was in the middle of nowhere and we were the only ones on site at weekends so couldn’t go off exploring anywhere..
I got out of the paying of wages and the weekly collection of fruit. He basically wanted a relief manager/ caretaker whilst away, for peanuts. I walked the estate to check on garages filled with expensive cars, cages with expensive birds, and several homes on the extensive estate. There were also fish to feed and heron to fend off!
Oh we also covered another home owners’ property nearby with two dogs and a cat as that couple were driving the other couple over to UK..
We got a great review but then did repeated sits so no reviews and more jobs piled on till we called a halt to the manipulation. The animals were delightful which is what drew me back.. older and wiser!
I am not Dr Doeverything!
Slavery is dead.
No kidding… I’m pretty sure we sat those cats last year! It was just for a few days in our case, and we had a great time.
They’re actually surprisingly easy to care for, it’s just a case of feeding them, and that’s all, because they poop in the surrounding fields, they don’t have ‘beds’ because they roam freely outdoors, and most of them just keep themselves to themselves.
The owner bought the house and the cats came with it (sort-of), so she’s doing a beautiful thing, just feeding them and making sure they can’t reproduce 
.
Her own pets are really easy to care for too, they usually poop elsewhere too, and her adorable little dog has little legs, and Spain gets hot, so just gets very very short walks.
Weirdly it was much easier effort-wise than a lot of sits we’ve done. We’d sit there again, our dates just haven’t matched up.
Saw that sit being advertised for ages ! Thought there’s someone who can’t say no to rescue and thought it would be loads of work and very tying.. just goes to show.. you never know ! Unless you consult forum!
Yes, this is an excellent strategy. “That task is not something I can agree to; however, if it is important to you I"m happy to work together with THS to cancel me as the sitter so you can find someone else”.
I’ve used this in other, non-THS situations and never, not once, has the person insisted on moving forward with the unreasonable request. Quite empowering.
To strip the bedding from their Airbnb twice, wash and dry and have ready for ironing. This is not actually allowed but I was asked to do it on arrival, 30 minutes before the family left. They had mentioned in their listing that they had an Airbnb but that the sitter wouldn’t have to be involved! I put the owner straight so I doubt it will be asked in the future.
Yup, I’d call that a job. Personally, I have an actual job and am not looking for another. But you’ll sometimes see sitters comment that they do all sorts of labor for hosts. Maybe they’ll find a match.
Unfortunately, there are exploiters and bullies in the world, whether on THS or beyond, so we have to uphold boundaries and stand up for ourselves.
I don’t even let bosses take advantage or overstep, and they pay me good money.
As far as I’m concerned, there’s no chance that I’d let a host take advantage, especially when I pay a membership fee and my own travel costs and am voluntarily doing sits. I’d rather not sit at all if being exploited were part of the equation.
@BonnyinBrighton I saw that Spanish listing… Someone may feel happy to do 13 cats to be able to be in Spain… Wouldn’t be me !
There is a listing for Croatia 6 dogs & 4 Cats.
I really think THS should be looking at this and possibly introduce an upper limit on the number of animals.
Just my humble opinion, there maybe folks out there that would happily do the sit.
Be interesting to watch and if there are applicants.
One sit I did the photos were all of adorable puppy stage .. not current and far fewer than the pack I had to sit.. this was when people wrote lovely reviews far from reality!
I prefer how things are.. but one rescued dog can be a handful and well trained ones a delight. I saw a sit for 6 Border Collies but they were highly trained and probably lots of fun !
I’ve got to admit I was sorely tempted!
That actually wouldn’t bother me if it was disclosed upfront. It would be the airbnb itself that I’d have more questions about…who am I sharing a yard/driveway/wall with, and are they going to be knocking on my door at 2am because the toilet’s leaking?
Standard sack of feed grain weighs 50 pounds. 10# grain per day for 8 horses is 560 pounds of grain per week. So eleven 50# sacks per week need to be unloaded from that pickup truck and stacked somewhere.
We’ve done about 25 sits and none asked me to do anything out of line. I ask about any other responsibilities that will be required that was not posted on their listing. I ask every single host this question before confirming. I also state in my application that I will need the welcome guide well ahead of the sit so that I can review and compare it to the notes from our call during the application process. If I see something out of line in the future or something that doesn’t match up, I’m not afraid to cancel.
We dont accept if we arent ok with their requests. Therefore, we havent had anything unreasonable yet.
@Ckone2541 I saw that listing too!
Their expectations are outrageous! And pretty cheeky to suggest this sit is perfect for those who want to work a full time day job!! The sit itself sounds like a full time job!!
Read, 
, move on!!
