I guess this fits the “random thoughts and questions” category, but I am curious if THS has collected, published or advertised any data on the diversity of its sitter base.
When a friend first told me about THS some months ago, I initially had a preconceived and frankly narrow (prejudiced?) idea of who sitters might be in terms of age, gender, profession, social status, relationship/family status, lifestyle, geography, etc. I didn’t see myself fitting that preconceived notion, so I wasn’t sure this was for me.
Having joined the community, done a few sits and booked many more, met a few sitters and spent some time on this forum, I’m convinced I was way off base with my initial thoughts and expectations on this subject, and this IS for me! And for almost anybody. It seems the only thing universal about THS sitters is that we all love animals.
I suspect the sitter base is far more diverse than many people outside the community would initially guess. Understanding the diversity could make potential sitters who might otherwise feel out of place join and could make potential HO members more comfortable as well. I’m curious to know if there are any available aggregated data on this. (I know, don’t say it, curiosity killed the…).
Hi @J0e
Great question and my curiosity has probably killed hundreds of cats by now
Some time ago I was interested to know how many single sitters there are, but didn’t ask THS just generally for sitters to post.
I should certainly like to know a breakdown of sitters re gender, age, nationality, single, couple, family and whatever else can be captured.
I think you’ve posted in the wrong category btw. Maybe THS can oblige?
@J0e Great question! I am curious to know, too. Kind of starting a miniature Who’s Who in THS? Yes, I agree! it would be instructive have that kind of information, in the sense that you imply, our pets unite us all.
However, as I was reading your reflection, I had a thought that took me rambling in a differnt direction as I noticed the high-brow words (tongue-in-cheek) in your comment, e.g. *"category, preconceived, notion , aggregated data, in terms of a, b, c, d,…*etc. This is not about the love pets, but about dry numbers and hard stats. and I wanted to shout out "Hey JOe (Not be confused with ‘Hey Jude’), Leave them pets alone! - to parody the Pink Floyd Whatever our backgrounds or biases or our bases or budgets, do our pets really care? Do they even realize? Whether you’re rich or poor? Armchair Biologist or grassroots zoologist? Black or white? Tall or short? Sorry, just me rambling… for the love of our pets!
and then you conclude, " I know, don’t say it, curiosity killed the…" Any evidence? Well, it never did! and that is a die-hard prejudice. Originally, it was "CARE that killed the cat". (read: concern, worry, sorrow ) " OK, JOe, Count me in and let’s invite all concerned satisfy your curiosity and ours, because, after all, in the words of Bryant H. McGill, " Curiosity is one of the greatest secrets of happiness.’
Cheer up! Be calm and stay curious? Let’s be happy… together with our pets!
Looking Forward…
Ali Bee
Hi @J0e It’s great to see your curiosity about sitter base demographics, a question that has been asked before in various forms however I’m curious to know what influenced your preconceived ideas.
While demographic data can provide valuable insights, it’s important to recognize that the motivation, expectations, and love for animals that sitters bring to the community are far more important factors than specific demographic information. Here’s why:
Motivation: What truly matters is the shared passion and motivation that sitters have for taking care of animals. Their dedication and willingness to provide excellent pet care are not determined by demographic characteristics but by their genuine love for animals combined with having unique and authentic travel and people experiences.
Expectations: Sitters’ expectations revolve around building trust, providing reliable care, and creating a positive experience for themselves, homeowners and pets. Regardless of their demographics, sitters’ commitment to fulfilling these expectations is what drives the success of the THS community.
Love for Animals: The cornerstone of THS is the unwavering love for animals that sitters possess. This shared bond transcends demographic boundaries and unites individuals from diverse backgrounds in their desire to provide the best care for pets.
While understanding the diversity within the THS sitter base can be insightful and contribute to a more inclusive community, it is essential to prioritize the core values that bring our community together. By focusing on the motivation, expectations, and love for animals that sitters bring, THS can continue to create a vibrant and inclusive community for both sitters and pet parents/home owners.
Thank you for asking the question and I will put this in front of the Product Team when they are back on line.
Congratulations on your sitter story so far, we look forward to sharing in more of this amazing journey.
Hey Angela. I may need to ponder that more, but when I heard “house sitter”, it sounded boring. Perhaps it’s the word “sit” that put me off, as it connotes a passive role. I thought of a retired couple living just down the road who meander over to quietly and passively occupy a space for a bit of time. (I’ve already admitted my prejudice here, so…). I had an image of me being a couch potato in an unfamiliar house. But, anyone who has done this knows that isn’t the case.
It took me a bit to realize sitting can be active, exciting and social. Of course there are responsibilities and duties to be taken seriously, but on balance it is mostly fun.
I’m a single male in my early 50s, a fully nomadic, mostly-remote attorney who loves the outdoors, traveling and meeting new animals and people. Turns out this gig is perfect for me! And while I have to spend a few hours on my laptop most days, I haven’t even turned on a television during a sit. I’ve had some stunning hikes and the opportunity to be accompanied by one or more dogs on those hikes. I’ve been to new places and made friends.
Sitting can be fit almost any lifestyle of a responsible person who loves animals. The trick is to seek out the sit opportunities that fit you best. I see sitters who are couples, single men, single women, single moms, families, people from their 20’s to their 70’s+, retired, working remotely, living locally, traveling occasionally, traveling in RVs or vans and living completely nomadically. I’m just curious what the balance is among groups like that.
Very interesting question. My two cents don’t touch on demographics, but personality traits:
I would say:
Love of pets
Being flexible/adaptable
It takes a flexible/adaptable person to move into a different home each few weeks and convince the pets you’re their new ‘person’ and convince yourself you can cook a glorious meal as soon as you find all the right utensils! I’ve met many people (family included) who swore they could never do what we do…
We are a family of 5. We have been living nomadically for 2+ years, first travelling by motorhome and this summer by THS. My hubby is a software engineer working remotely and I’ve been a realtor/landlord for 20+ years. I guess I’m on a bit of a career break while being a homeschool mom and family travel agent. We’re in our upper 40s and we have a 16 and 14 year old twins. We can’t believe we are still traveling. When we first started we estimated for 3 to 4 months but then loved it and kept going. After our last sit this August we are flying to do our 4 months Asia trip. Not sure what we will do after getting back from Asia. Maybe more THS or settling back down and getting kids back into traditional activities
@Smiley that’s true but I don’t love all pets😱
I have a phobia of snakes - I unticked reptiles on my profile until I realised by chance that I was excluding sits with tortoise which I would be very happy to do
That’s interesting. I too had a preconceived notion of house-sitters, but I’m guessing it’s way different from yours!
Around 30 years ago, I went to a huge party with a friend, whose friends knew some friends house-sitting a huge mansion in Surrey somewhere. There was loud music, a lot of drinking and drug-taking, people sleeping on floors, furniture getting broken, etc. I don’t recall the sitters and have no idea whether they were from an agency, or knew the home owners… or whether they cleaned up and made good (we left at crack of dawn, having cleaned up our own little patch).
It was the first time I’d come across house-sitting as a ‘thing’. I assumed they were doing it for a living, and that they were probably trendy, feckless, party-head drifters. That association stayed with me subconsciously for a long time, till I sat for a couple of friends, enjoyed it, googled, and joined TH - and the rest is six years of happy history!
Whatever our backgrounds or biases or our bases or budgets, do our pets really care? Do they even realize? Whether you’re rich or poor? Armchair Biologist or grassroots zoologist? Black or white? Tall or short? Sorry, just me rambling… for the love of our pets!
and convince yourself you can cook a glorious meal as soon as you find all the right utensils! I’ve met many people (family included) who swore they could never do what we do…
