Hi @Desi Welcome to the forum and thank you for being a member for many years. We are happy to have you join us from the Upper Pacific Northwest …
Please don’t be saddened or disheartened, while the ability to travel and see different places is part of being a TrustedHousesitters pets are at the heart of who we are and why we do what we do, and they always will be.
Anyone looking to join purely for travel or to be a tourist will understand this is not for them through all of our messaging and any member purely focussed on travel will fall short on their expectations.
We care for so many rescue pets and make certain they carry on living their best lives in their human family’s absence. Pets are all different regardless of where they came from and for rescues enabling them to stay in their own safe and secure environment is SO important, they have no voice or choice and we need to make the right ones for them. Returning them to a shelter or kennel where they came from is not the right choice and our members who have and do care for rescues will continue to feel privileged to do so.
You are absolutely right with your impressions and to this point I have included a reply I posted on another conversation about why sitters would take local sits …
I hope you will stay with us on the forum while we may not all agree we do need the perspective of all members from both sides of our community by exchanging views we learn from each other and it helps our community do what we do even better.
But please be in no doubt animals … all creatures great and small will always be at the heart of TrustedHousesitters, travel experiences and locations will be the icing on the cake.
Re. Rescue dogs. I made it clear I try to avoid looking after rescue dogs because some of the problems we have had in the past. But I also said I understand these dogs need extra attention and care because of things that have happened in their pasts. When we apply for a sit I make it crystal clear that the animals are our number one priority. We even bought an old estate car so dogs can go exploring with us when we sit in the UK. Pet companions have the right to pick and choose whom they wish to look after their animals. Pet sitters also have chose of what animals they are comfortable looking after. I also do not share my bed with pets in any circumstances so I don’t bother to apply for these sits either.
I’m sorry you feel the need to disengage with the forum because you disagree with some comments. It’s a great place and I have learnt lots on here. If I don’t like a comment or topic I ignore it and move onto something more my taste.
I’m very picky about which sits I apply for. I’m picky about the pets as well as the home. A posting that doesn’t include interior shots of the home is a red flag for me.