Hi everyone!
I’ve just started my first petsit yesterday and can’t express how excited I am!
After 20 years of owning pets,my cat passed away in April.
Currently started a full time wfh job so between not being owned by a pet and the remote job, I don’t need to rent an apartment.
Since I’m nowhere near ready to get a new pet but I really miss them, THS is perfect! I’m redirecting my love for animals to the wonderful pets of this community.
I’ve been VERY lucky and my first sit is a dream.
The dog is perfect, the house is great and I’m happy!!
Can’t wait to see where this takes me
Looking forward to connect with and learn from you guys!
Hi Morc, and welcome! Great to read your enthusiasm for your first sit. It is such a fantastic way to see more of the world and spend time with all sorts of furry friends! Where is your sit and what animals are you looking after?
Hi
I’m a seasoned THS but am cutting back on my sits because I find I seem to get taken advantage of! I’ve had several sits where I’ve ended up looking after not only the pets & house, but their rented cottage business or B&B too! You definitely need to be careful of what you agree to and not get carried away with trying too hard to please. The most important thing as far as I’m concerned is the pets, then the house. The sparkle of great sits does tend to wear off after a while I’m afraid.
I’m sorry to read this, but totally understand what you mean. I have just arrived at a sit and it is clear that no effort has been made to clean for my arrival, nor to get any supplies in that I might need. I do feel discouraged when I arrive at a sit and am having to clean out old mouldy fruit from the fridge! Low key disappointment perhaps, but still, I understand the feeling that you are being taken advantage of.
With regards to the rented cottage/ B+B that you mention, it is actually against THS policy to be asked to contribute to a third party business on a sit. I enquired about this recently when I was asked to cook for guests in a guest house. If you are asked to do this again, you could mention that.
Well it’s good to hear others have the same experience as I do - I have got wise as to what to look for in photos and what questions to ask before accepting a sit. I ask very specific questions regarding the health of elderly dogs - their hearing, sight, toilet habits etc. (Been caught out once, never again!) And I especially ask about sleeping arrangements - I’m prob one of the few people, so it seems, who won’t share my bed with a dog or cat!
Got to say tho, I really enjoy the time I spend with all the different animals, it’s the best fun!
hi @Morc83 and @Steffie. Welcome to the community forum and thanks for jumping into the conversations.
@morc83 I’m so glad to hear your first sit is going well. We on the forum love pet pics – could you share a pic of the pup with us?
@Steffie I’m sorry to hear you had a bad experience where you were asked to take on more than the standard pet sitting duties. It is so important for both parties to ask lots of questions in a phone or video chat prior to confirming a sit. Your note reminded me that we have a conversation on the forum about just that, what you should ask prior to confirming a sit as a sitter. There’s also one for owners that can be found using the magnifying/spy glass in the top right of this window.
