I’m due to start a sit today, it’s 6 hours at least from home but I travelled yesterday and stayed in a hotel just over an hour away.
Sit is until 7th sept.
I got a call this morning that my brother, who was unwell and having some tests, has been found to have advanced cancer and been given 2 weeks to live. So I need to get home fairly soon
I have called HO and let them know the situation and that I can sit for a few days but not the whole sit. I have suggested they contact ths- what help can they provide with finding a replacement sitter? I have called the emergency line but noone was available - left a message.
What happens if another sitter isn’t found? I’ve never left a sit before. Obviously the animals are important and I wouldn’t just leave them, but at the same time I need to be with my brother and family.
My head’s all over the place, sorry if this doesn’t make complete sense.
I just checked and can see an open ticket with the team from when you tried to use the chatbot, so I’m going to pass it over to the team, and explain what’s happening.
I’ll make sure someone can get in touch with you and with the HO to provide support.
Could the HO join the Forum and post in Last Minute Sits?
I am so sorry to hear about your brother…that must be a terrible shock. These sorts of things can happen and ultimately, the host would be the one responsible for sorting this out–there is always the risk a sitter can cancel or may need to leave a sit early and it is important for them to think about what they would do in that event.
THS isn’t directly facilitating these matches so it isn’t like they can dispatch another sitter should one cancel or leave early. They aren’t directly providing house and pet sitting services, just a platform to connect people seeking that service with those willing to offer it. They aren’t a direct party to these arrangements. So I really don’t think there is much they can do.
A host is always free to raise a dispute against a sitter–which could put their membership in jeopardy if THS finds them ‘guilty’– if they felt their reasons for leaving early were not legitimate but I can’t imagine this happening in your situation.
Again so sorry about your brother and these things happen. Hopefully the hosts will be able to sort something out.
Under THS terms, both host and sitter can cancel for legit serious reasons. Yours sounds unequivocally like such an emergency.
In your place, I would leave the hosts and THS to deal with finding another sitter for the whole sit, instead of trying to do a few days, which makes the sit less appealing lengthwise for most sitters, as well as creates the unnecessary risks of a split sit for the hosts.
What happens in worst case – if no alternative sitter is found – is the host has to figure out a non-THS solution, including potentially paying to kennel their pets or the host has to rearrange or cancel their trip. (If the host has premium membership, they’d potentially get covered by THS’s insurance-like coverage for paid care for their pets.)
You certainly didn’t choose these circumstances and it’s a serious emergency. And to put it bluntly, the host’s problems aren’t your responsibility to solve in such circumstances.
So sorry to hear about your brother! A shock for all of you.
I’m with Maggie8K. Go home now, and don’t start the sit at all. This is a voluntary matching platform. All members need to have a plan B. I would say you need to go home now. No time to do favors to strangers. You can do that at some other time. They will manage. (Just as most hosts would not give accommodation to sitters if they cancel last minute for health reasons).
You need to take care of yourself and your family now, and no one could reasonably think any different.
I’m so sorry to hear about you brother. This is one of those occasions when your own priorities are way more important than somebody else’s holiday!
This is why HO’s need a back up plan. On this occasion, don’t start the sit, go and spend time with your family. The HO needs to find their own solution given the scenario.
We’ve never cancelled a sit… but this is the sort of scenario in which we would.
They are just going on holiday remember, so right now, you, your brother, and your family are more important.