yikes, I am getting the THS ad every day in my gmail inbox - same ad re the JOBS but using the large house pic this time
1 Like
@cat.tails you must be "the chosen one 
LOL - I have no idea why I keep getting them - I am already a member so in one sense they are preaching to the converted even if I disagree with the wording of their ads.
Every day there are two ads at the top of my gmail inbox, and THS keeps appearing there anew each day
I’m going to add to this because it’s relevant for our first international sit.
Most times when entering the USA I have no trouble because it’s for holiday.
However, US border guards are way over the top if they even image you might take a “job” from an American vs how relaxed literally any other country I’ve visited is.
I won’t detail all my negative experiences, just the relevant one.
For our very first sit with THS, we were crossing the border and I like to be honest so I told the guard we’re coming to house sit.
He asked if it was paid and I said no and it took 30 minutes to convince him, then 3 more hours to convince his superior officer that we weren’t getting compensated.
They couldn’t imagine that someone would do this for free.
We were forced to have them look through our emails and text messages, then walk them through every page on the THS site, including our logged in account to make sure.
Thankfully we were released and allowed to continue but we were told we need to make a file for all of our sits and keep that record with us to show to border guards next time because we’ve been flagged for future trips.
It was extra stressful because we had dinner plans with the HO and had to tell them there’s a chance we couldn’t come.
So in closing, THS CANNOT claim this is a “job” because first of all, it isn’t, and second, even if it was innocent, THS could end up stranding a HO and a sitter because of this language.
5 Likes
As someone who only joined a year ago, I feel sick.
1 Like
Perhaps we could start a counter advert
“HO’s do you have a house for a great sitter? They only need a bed, chuck anything at them and they’ll cope”
Before anyone asks, I’m an HO not a sitter, I do not expect to pay a sitter, nor do I charge my sitters rent, we like nice people and we like nice people to like us. I’ve said before, I need you lovely sitters to look after my pets and enjoy yourselves in the time that your here.
5 Likes
And “…but a third of listings are currently not looking for sitters or by the time you see them they’ve already had maximum 5 applications” 
2 Likes
@TomorrowTamara Way more than 1/3 of more popular destinations.
1 Like
Or: ‘Apply for hosting jobs’… ‘great home-letting jobs here’… etc
They likely changed the ads often and probably know about the negative response that was coming up here.
I agree with you, B1anca, this would definitely be another nail in the coffin, especially with United States Immigration. A couple of years ago, a THS Australian house sitter was flying from Australia to Canada to do a house sit, with a connecting flight going through Los Angeles, California, USA. When asked by US Immigration in Los Angeles about the purpose of her trip, she was honest and said “to pet and house sit”. US Immigration considered that a job and since she only had a tourist visa, they denied her entry and put her on the next flight back to Australia!
3 Likes
Being honest is also saying “vacation” since it’s not a job or business. That’s how we respond now after our last experience entering the US.
3 Likes
Well I’d say the word “job” is really inappropriate, so is the word “vacation”.
When you do petsitting and home sitting well, with high standards when you want everyone to be happy, it does feel like a job (a good one through!).
But it’s definitely NOT a vacation or holiday or job, more like an opportunity!
2 Likes
It likely depends on the person. I have only felt like sitting was a job when things went bad. For sure it’s an opportunity, but if you tell border guards coming into the US that your visit is an opportunity, they’re 100% going to turn you around and deny you entry.
2 Likes
Jobs at $50/day Daily fee from HO - #31 by Harris2
For the sitter to pay!
This should maybe solve the problems at the border? 
True, it’s a paid vacation with the added privilege of dog sitting.
This too, is a stock photo.
Well said cat tails. THS is no longer a community of people helping people its just got corporate. Where is Andy or maybe another Andy will start a new site. We can only hope.
3 Likes