@Marion Actually I really just meant there should be more equality of info shared. Pics and age do reveal a lot. I don’t mean anything discriminatory with this. I don’t care about age- its about the sit/the pets/the host/location - the whole package has to work. We’ve sat for people of all ages and backgrounds. Our first host was only 19! She gave us our lucky break because she felt more confident with older sitters (her parents age!) Many of our hosts are our age or older (late 50s/60s) as we sit a lot of larger homes. But sometimes we’ve had blind handovers with no video call and have no idea what the hosts look like yet our profile is full of pics of us! It just feels rather unbalanced and unequal.
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As a HO I absolutely agree with most everything you wrote. It does seem that whoever writes the review first is at a disadvantage. I read your complaints regarding HO but I doubt the ones who do such things are on this forum! On HO side, we are entrusting most everything that is precious to us–animals, home, belongings so there. For instance, I would LOVE if sitters took care of my plants and pets as I do but I know that is not possible, so I reduce expectations. But to not pick up a person from a station, forget another guest is coming early etc., is really disrespectful.
@EASTBAYCA
Could you clarify what you mean about picking someone up and having another guest? Does this concern a sitter or a host?
I have a combined membership. My age appears on my sitter profile but not my listing. I don’tfeel that putting it on my listing would make things okay or equal. Instead of seeking “equality” for things that feel discrimanitory, dehumanizing, and possibly illegal, they should just get rid of those things.
Was responding to sitter—HO was supposed to pick them up at the train station and then they had a guest come early, so ask the sitter to leave early last minute
The image thing has come up on other threads. I’m guessing the reluctance of THS to change this in any way has to do with the interface generally. Technical programming changes while entirely possible cost money and the company does not appear willing to make those changes even though they’d lead to more customer satisfaction and more memberships. The profile pick on my sitter profile page is the same one that is on my homeowner listing. I can’t control that. If you have a combined membership, that’s what you get. The difference is that in my homeowner profile it’s smaller. All they would need to do to solve the “blind” handover issue which also a security issue for both parties, would be to (1) make sure that the little circle shows a person and not a house, lawn, pet, etc, and (2) make it possible to click on the image and see an expanded view. The expanded view feature already exists on the homeowner listings for the circular thumbnail images of pets.
As someone who utilizes the platform on both sides, I completely agree with you and have experienced similar frustrations. Not leaving a review is so disrespectful after how much energy, expense and time most of us give to every pet sit. There is most definitely an imbalance.
When I pet sit via my own business, I charge $100 a day for an average type of pet sit. The homes are typically nicer and the owners are more generous than the majority of THS owners. Since I know first hand the value I am getting from pet sitters, I treat them like gold. I have paid for hotels the night before I need them, Uber’s to/from the airport, had meals delivered weekly for long sits and provide a car even though we no longer have pets.
We have also had very generous hosts and some wonderful homes in great locations, but all in all, few homeowners are as generous as we are with our pet sitters (which is ok). Some do not offer anything to express any type of gratitude. However, the relationships with like minded people and bonding with wonderful pets usually makes up for those who do not think about their pet sitters needs (bathroom/closet space etc…). More than anything, I appreciate when homeowners ask what we would like for groceries so we can land and not have to worry about finding a grocery store immediately. We also really appreciate being picked up and dropped off from trains, airports etc… to save time, money and stress on navigating local buses, taxis etc…Just today my pet owner drove me to my hotel in 5:00 traffic which roundtrip probably took her nearly two hours and saved me $40-$50. However, I provided her with a car for a month while she was at my home as a home sitter but I had zero expectation of her offering a ride. It never entered my mind. It is always nice to be surprised instead of disappointed. Limit your expectations and if you love what you are doing, the positive reviews will follow with more win/win experiences.
I have not seen where THS attempts to educate homeowners on the types of things that can make a huge difference to the energy and enthusiasm the pet sitters have upon arrival, especially when traveling internationally. Some just have no clue, especially if they live in an expensive city where hotels are expensive.
I have learned to be very honest with homeowners so they understand they are getting a professional pet/home sitter who will leave their house spotless, run errands, manage household tasks etc…without it costing them anything. We also work remotely so are home with the pets 85% of the time. Don’t hesitate to boast about what you bring to the table and what sets you apart from other sitters and your expectations from the owners. I have also learned the right questions to ask based on mistakes from past sits. I want to ensure mutual respect and a true win/win experience. Otherwise, someone will end up disappointed. I custom write every single application letter to connect with the homeowner and tell them what we need (car is our most common demand). I have declined pet sits after meeting with them virtually when my gut tells me they will be high maintenance and demonstrate little gratitude. I will not accept an invitation when someone presents an attitude that I am lucky to be considered to stay in their home. After a bad experience this summer, going forward I will cancel a pet sit if I learn information that is not acceptable to me after I have confirmed. I have learned THS is not looking out for my welfare so I am putting myself first. The hardest part is when you really want/need a pet sit for specific dates in a location. This is when I have ended up with pet sits I regret. I have finally learned not to force it. I either pay for a hotel or alter my plans.
The way the platform is functioning now I would not want to be petsitting without my own home. Until the new 5 cap rule, I felt very confident I could do it. I now look at it as a way to maybe travel for longer to a specific destinations. I no longer see it as a way to book back to back pet sits while traveling to multiple countries for several months unless you are willing to endure bad experiences.
We consider almost all of our pet sitters and home owners as friends and continue to communicate following our sits. I would feel comfortable asking almost all of them if I could stay at their house for a couple of days without petsitting (I have done it). Most of them extend the invitation and we always offer to share our home if they want to visit our area (just happened). The relationships with like minded people and the joy we experience with the pets really is what makes the THS experience so special for us. I think identifying what you want to get out of the experience can help with your applications and matching with good fits.
I have felt so disrespected from the few owners who have not left a review, I now tell them up front it is my number one request from them. Since learning THS will not protect us from retaliation reviews, I protect my reviews more than warning others. I no longer can encourage anyone to join THS because of my awareness of reviews not being 100% honest and reliable. I do not apply to pet sits where I see more than one pet sitter not leaving a review. Great pet sits are obvious from the outstanding reviews so those that are short and vague I do not apply. I seldom will apply for a pet sits with new owners unless something really stands out about the post. With new owners, I am very clear on my needs/expectations and ask a ton of questions about pet behavior and routines. I also ensure they understand no cameras, family/friends popping by etc…I make them show me the house so I can ensure it is clean and not cluttered. I have to feel a true connection
during a virtual meet to accept the sit if they do not have any reviews. If they tell me at the end of our meet they are interviewing someone else I immediately decline. If they are not transparent from the beginning of the process, it is a red flag for me. I have never interviewed more than one candidate at a time. I choose my number one candidate from applications and extend the invitation after the formality of confirming we are a good fit for each other.
I hope you find some of my comment validating and useful as you navigate the process.
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Excellent point. I never get chosen for cat sits in NY and I know they must be going with younger people. I’m invited to dog sits due to the added responsibilities and lack of qualified applicants (so I am told by pet owners).
I was shocked the first time I saw our ages but since we resonate with people similar to us it hasn’t been too much of a problem. The number one issue is homeowners thinking they have to choose between the 5 mediocre applications they receive. I have yet to speak to a homeowner that is aware of the 5 cap limit.
We just got lucky and caught a new post for a very desirable area with great reviews and cats. They’ve been with THS for several years and she had no idea of the change until I informed her. They are at a similar stage of life so our age was a benefit and they invited us during our virtual meet and without speaking to anyone else.
I do believe being a couple makes people feel more comfortable. If one of us gets sick, the other can still make the commitment. So I am guessing you are feeling discrimination for age and being a solo female sitter. Some people don’t know 65 is the new 50!
I 100% support your complaint and am glad you have brought it to the forum for greater awareness which will maybe lead to change.
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Exactly. Sitters are not having to pay for a hotel or air bnb at 100.00 dollars per night. More often much more. Both parties benefit equally.
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Thank you @claudinekent for taking the time to share your thoughts. So refreshing to read a well balanced and eloquent post and I am sure homeowners and sitters alike can take a lot from it.
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It’s strange. I’ve been lucky in getting sits, but I haven’t gotten every sit, so maybe age is a factor. And again, I don’t think eliminating age on the profile would eliminate bias. It just wouldn’t be a signal that THS thinks bias is fine.
I’m sorry you haven’t gotten a NY sit yet. I don’t think NYers as a group would be discriminatory. I’m in NY. I will say that I get more young applicants than older ones, especially recently. Not sure if it’s just based on who is on the site or if it’s the 5-application rule and young peope are just faster at clicking in and getting their application in. I’m very aware of the five application rule and always surprised when I hear that other HOs aren’t. I now decline and unpause until I can qualified applicants.
When I am in the sitter role applying I do try to subtly suggest in my profile and even application that I’m “active” – still working remotely, doing yoga, love to walk to explore, hike, etc. I would do this anyway even if age wasn’t written in the profile as clearly it’s not hidden: I’m not photoshopping my face! (Sometimes my spouse accompanies me and he is still working and presents as younger.) I really don’t feel that having age on the listing is going to change as I did write to support about it and they never even got back to me, and on a previous forum when I brought it up many people including sitters didn’t think it was a problem. Maybe I shoud start a poll? I know a lot of younger sitters – 20-somethings – feel like they face bias on the site and would probaby appreciate not having their age. I can even see it raising some safety concerns. But I certainly think among people from countries where age discrimination is illegal, this can’t be popular feature. But going back to the main topic of this forum, adding age to the HOs listing as some have suggested, would not be helpful or solve the problem.
Please read the full post. This whole discussion is NOT about whether both sides are benefiting from the arrangement. It’s much more complex for that.
The core idea of THS is that both sides benefit from the arrangement, but the process of getting there, pre-sit and post-sit, and people’s behaviour, is the issue.
If sitters can cancel just because they wanna, then homeowners won’t join because it’s not reliable. But if sitters are cancelling because they get a Welcome Guide that is suddenly listing duties and responsibilites not previously revealed and its too much – that’s a problem with a solution. The Welcome Guide – or at least the responsibilities and duties – needs to go out BEFORE the sitter confirms the sit. This could be set up in the tech. HO confirms sitter. Sitter recieves responsibilites and duties. Sitter has 24 hours to read the document and to accept the sit. HO cannot withdraw and pick another sitter during that 24 hour period. (Sitter can contact HO to try to negotiate/work things out if they wish.)
If sitters can cancel, what about in fairness to HOs showing the number of times a sitter has initiated the cancelation of a sit and the reasons. (Right now neither side can see how many cancellations of confirmed sits. Maybe this info needs to be up for both.)
Personally, I’d prefer a slightly more involved company, that offered a more reliable service for both sitters and pet parents.
Just to be clear here, in my own experience as a sitter and a pet parent, I don’t feel I’m treated unfairly in one role as opposed to the other – except for the age on profile which doesn’t belong in either the profile or the listing. But I think in both roles, there is room for improvement. My experiences have been great, but I think it’s because I’ve been very picky about both my sitters and my sits.
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I have done a bunch of pet sits in NY and they used to be all cats and a rabbit until the 5 cap. Now I am usually declined for cats (if I’m lucky enough to catch one) but every time I apply for a dog, I am picked. I have been told by dog owners that most of the applicants are very young and they want someone they feel confident are utilizing THS for the right reasons. I used to only apply for sits that seemed like a good match. Now I apply to any sit I happen to catch that is in a neighborhood convenient to where I can easily see my son at his home or work. I used to be able to book a trip and easily get a good pet sit for my dates. Last summer I had two cat sits that were a 5 minute walk from my sons apartment. This summer it was extremely challenging with the 5 cap and I took what I could get. It was very stressful and I had to bounce too much between short sits and had a couple of challenging dogs. I decided I will no longer plan trips based on good airfares. I will wait until I have a good pet sit and then buy my ticket. I was fortunate to do a home exchange for 5 weeks with someone who I cared for her dog and cat in June. Her dog is awesome but she took the dog with her to my home so I had 5 easy weeks with only the cat directly across from Prospect Park. I missed the dog but when it’s pouring rain, it’s nice to not have to walk a dog.
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I had a HO cancel on me for the same reason. Two weeks in advance. She’s doing well and I hope you are too!
My point was not it should not be on either, but it is an example of the imbalance. Listing age at all is discriminatory. And the reasons provided by THS had no foundation.
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@claudinekent
WOW!!
You sound like a total dream to sit for!
I love that you express all of this because you are both an owner AND sitter and can speak to the experiences of both, as well as a paid sitter -
I wish you would post this very articulate post on every thread where there is this sort of back-and-forth about sitters getting “free accommodations” or have “no rent to pay” and owners getting “free care for their home and pets”. Any time sitters bring up the point of how much professional sitters are paid (my sister also makes $100/day), how much kennels cost, etc, they get attacked for it.
You actually have the credentials to speak to both sides here.
I recently read a total rant bashing sitters who have any kinds of expectations (like a clean house) saying “maybe you shouldn’t be a pet sitter”.
I would love to cut and paste this so I can quote you every time someone is bashing the others.
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Great post @claudinekent. Good to read the balanced perspective of someone experienced in both sides of the process.
I love pet sitting (would not do a house sit without animals )
I neither need nor require free housing/accommodation.
The HOs need me to stay at their properties to look after the pets however!. And as such I want to choose nice surroundings - my own home is rather lovely and of a high standard - and I like things to be clean, tidy and well organised all round. Why should I rough it or struggle on sits when I don’t do so at my own home?
There are so many things that can make a sit so much better, or worse, by an HO.
It would be nice to get away from the ‘most sitters are sponging hobos attitude, who should be grateful for free accommodation’. Most HOs are not like that, thankfully, and are often pretty decent.
But the THS imbalance within the terms and cons overall does nothing to help. Much needs to change there. In the meantime there is both an overt and unconscious message that the sitter and their needs, is somehow on a lower footing
Neither does the lack of sufficient prompts to the HO for keeping decent standards or attending to things that make a big difference to the sitters, help. As you express so well too:
I am therefore as a sitter having to be more and more selective and careful. It’s taking far more work to avoid the many potential issues and pitfalls while at the same time the standards and appreciation from the HO side are not often there.
The result for me…? Well I’m sitting for less folk and repeat sitting (on the whole) for a select few.
I keep my standards very high and give a lot and really appreciate the same in return. It’s just how I wish to be and live. This is possible within THS, but it involves a lot of effort from the sitter in terms of screening and managing HOs closely, as the default set up and underlying message is not balanced nor fair.
Some members are simply more equal than others sadly. Not ideal for the good of the whole 
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@claudinekent Re- your longer post- referred to above by @Purdie and @carpediem16 FABULOUS post! 
You nailed it!! You have echoed our thoughts and actions re-sitting almost exactly. And by the sound if it you are very experienced, like us, and have learned from mistakes made and learned to trust your instincts. I hope as many newer members as possible will read your post and benefit from it! 
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@Purdie
Thank you for your articulate post. I agree! Sitters are not “freeloaders” and the suggestion is tiresome.
Thankfully, so far for the most part, we’ve had great experiences with HO’s.
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