This appears to be very common on mainland Europe but there certainly doesn’t seem to be any problem getting sitters.
As a sitter I usually like to get booked for many months ahead but it looks like I’m going to have to hold back if I want the European ones.
As a sitter, I am more conscious of sits where the expectation is that you spend all your time with the pet(s), leaving you with little or no opportunity to explore the area. I tend to select sits by places I would like to visit. One major benefit to Sitters is touted as having lodging while you explore/enjoy places while ALSO sitting for HOs and caring for their homes and pets. Many of the expectations reference animals that can’t or shouldn’t be left alone for more than a couple hours, or at all. Or maybe they must be fed or walked every 3 hours. That’s hardly enough freedom to explore new surroundings. With that in mind, often travel costs don’t line up with the benefit to the Sitter. Transportation, transfers, grocery, car rental or public transportation, etc. For some, I have had to finish the sit then book and pay for a stay in order to tour or explore the area. That’s cost-prohibiting. The cost-benefit justification is critical to Sitters.
I think you are right there are def a lot less than I thought and looked at how many sitters were required now for our area , we have had no luck and worried as our holiday is getting close , have only just joined a few weeks ago
The question is also from where sitters might come. Two weeks notice for someone who might have to fly to a location, is within the period where airlines charge the most for fares, and planning is critical. If you’re in Europe, you might be able to plan a quick drive, get the train, or get somewhat local air service. However, if a sitter is coming from elsewhere, flights can get up into the thousands of dollars even with purchasing tickets before the two-week (last minute) flight bookings. Also, making connections, and additional arrangements taking more time to plan. You simply need to give people more time to arrange those long stays or to travel from further away.
…it’s in the case of emergencies: that you, as the owner of 4..or is it 5 animals, have taken the necessary precautions of providing your vet with your card or bank details before departure, so a stranger isn’t left with this.
Which should be easy for you, since your vet is literally 5 minutes away 
Yes @buttercup - I don’t agree with sitters having to pay upfront before the owner at all. We do have direct payments to our vet plus also we’ve subscribed to a vet ambulance service, so if our animals (3 plus a tortoise which won’t need veterinary care) could not be physically taken, our sitters wouldn’t have worries about that at all.
I think, @Stin-Bold, if someone is planning a long trip, the likelihood is that that person will be planning quite a long time in advance and so it’s less of an issue.
My point is, are other HO’s finding it more difficult than before to secure a sitter with 4-6 weeks’ notice for shorter stays of a week, ten days or two weeks?
With all due respect, this question is really more relevant in general terms to HO’s rather than sitters.
Yes so @Honeyb123 we have loved using THS for the last few years - our Sitters have been wonderful and they’ve all reported enjoying the local area (and in some cases, not so local 
) but I am getting the impression that there are way less sitters able to sit nowadays - someone has mentioned the visa regs being tightened up and I think this may well be a factor in the UK.
It’s possible that many of us HO’s will need to look at other housesitting/petsitting options in the future if this trend continues.
Yes @Stin-Bold that is definitely NOT the vibe that THS should be. People who need a lot of pet care and other things asked of them should be using paid-for services, it’s as simple as that. Dogs that can’t be left alone for more than 3 hours etc - it’s just too restraining on a housesitter but would be acceptable for people who primarily wish to care for animals and get paid for that.
In our case, our animals do not require anything like that level of engagement and we have a way of securing our property that allows the animals to come in and out of the garden as they please whilst you go out for a lot of the day. Also, we often provide a car for our Sitters if they want - one couple visited quite a few National Trust properties and castles whilst they’d stayed with us and even went as far as Stonehenge. I agree that this is what THS should be about.
However, this is not the subject of this thread. I’m just interested to know if experienced Housesitters like us who’ve had many people stay, repeat sits and so on, are experiencing far less in applications to sit than before.
It would seem an HO wondering about the Sitters as per the topic, would be interested in the perspective of the Sitter community. Assuming that is, the desire was true insight into the raised topic.
Seems what I shared would be taken into consideration to address the question. No disrespect, but I thought you were looking for potential reasons fewer sitters may not be responding to opportunities.
Many of us sitters have moved to other platforms due to THS not taking care of the fact that sitters are being grossly taken advantage of. I myself will not be renewing my membership this year. It’s sad because it used to be such a great platform for travel. Now it’s more like an unpaid job in filthy homes. But yeah I see sooooo many sits not being filled. That being said a lot of them are ridiculous in their expectations and total lacking in anything really valuable to offer a sitter. No, I do not want to take care of 3 dogs, 4 cats, a horse and some goats in exchange for a house in the middle of nowhere that is messy, packed with stuff and ugly to boot.
I have been on the site as an owner for several years, (9 I think) and have had some very successful sits but no replies for my ad for October this year apart from people who wish to bring their own dog which just would not work with ours. Beginning to panic - what do I do now to get a sit? We are near to Shrewsbury, lovely old Mill house in the countryside with two friendly dogs.
(Listing added to member’s Forum profile)
Same here , we have had 2 lined up and both pulled out one due to family and the other said she found a place nearer to her for the dates she wanted ,
We haven’t even used any sitters yet and no one is available that I have contacted on find a sitter , our girls are easy to be looked after but would prefer no more than 4/5 hours left alone as one is 8 months old ,
Wishing I’d not paid for premium now as it looks lke we will have to pay for kennels ,
So worried we will not get anyone or they will cancel at the last minute.
(Listing added to member’s Forum profile)
Hello @Honeyb123 & welcome 
Your sit and goldens look gorgeous but you have a few things missing that may be your blockers. How long can the pooches be left for? Where do they sleep? What can sitters do nearby? Can you lend them a car? If not, could they manage with grocery deliveries & the odd uber? Make the intro more about why sitter’s should come to you. “We’re Bob & Bob and live in a lovely house with our gorgeous easy dogs in a village near Huntingdon. Enjoy a comfy stay, nearby pubs, cuddly dogs and a welcoming home with us.” (I know THS say tell us about what you do and who you are but it’s honestly not relevant) Change cover photo to one of the two girls to grab attention. Change title to “chilled sit with happy goldens & plentiful walks” or similar. Every one knows you need a sitter so that’s a given and you only have minimal title characters. Maybe a better kitchen photo would help too. Add in your home details on who the sit would suit - WFHers, DNs, family friendly possibly, visitors to somewhere nearby. Pause, tweak, relist and you’ll go the top of new listings again. As a sidebar, any THS sitter who cancels a confirmed sit for a non exceptional circumstance can be reported to THS HQ as “finding a nearer sit” is absolutely not the deal. #wishingyouluck
Thank you , I thought I had changed it to the girls photo today , definitely take on board what you have said 
If a sit is for couples only (or for solo sitters only!) , and not accessible by public transport, it will get less applications.
MS? Please, use plain English..
Though your home looks lovely, as a sitter I would pass by this listing because it is impossible to get a feel for what it would be like to actually stay there. I cannot see the bed and can only see the bare minimum of the rest of the house. I recommend having more pictures of the house so the sitter can imagine themselves staying there for a week. And do you have to have a couple, or do you just prefer it? Insisting on a couple automatically reduces the number of applications you receive, particularly if they also need their own transport. Finally, it might make sense to address Spot’s age and veterinary arrangements. Many sitters are hesitant to sit for older dogs unless the owners are upfront about medical needs and expectations for any emergencies. The right sitter is out there - help them find you!
Sorry, state abbreviation - Mississippi