Hi, I’m planning to travel for 5 months so will need a sit to cover that time. i’ve had sits before but no longer than a month which means i could purchase all the foods and needed other items beforehand.
Now with this length of time i wont be able to purchase that amount of food or cleaning products etc. i could leave an agreed and estimated amount of cash or create a separate bank account and deposit funds in there as needed. That also gives me visibility on what has been spent but any advice on this would be welcome.
Cleaning products are easy, just stock up on extra to encourage your sitter to keep it clean, we’ve ended up buying our own washing up liquid or dishwasher tablets, washing powder, loo rolls when sitting for longer than usual, but not surface cleaner/floor cleaner, that usually gets provided.
We’ve had pet food delivered at intervals before, it’s not so easy for a pet sitter to buy pet food, as it’s heavy stuff and then there’s only certain shops that sell certain brands etc, so unless they’ve got a car, it’s a little trickier. So if you can pre-think that it helps.
I don’t know what type of pet you’ve got, but you also need to think of any regular medical jabs/flea treatments etc that need to take place while you’re gone.
Then, leave an envelope with a little cash for emergencies.
I’m with happy deb, if I were sitting for you for five months I would expect to buy my own dish/laundry/self cleaning products along with loo paper. These are consumables I’d be buying if I was at home.
Are you saying you can’t afford to buy 5 months dog food in advance or is there nowhere to store it? Delivery does seem like the best option but we don’t know where you are or if you have one tiny dog or four giant ones
I would leave a starter supply of cleaners/toilet paper, etc. If it runs out, sitters can replenish. I don’t think you need to supply everything for that length of time. I would make some provision for home repairs but not for everyday consumables.
Small cat owner (the cat’s small not me :)). Thanks guys. OK, I’ll leave (hopefully) enough cleaning stuffs to cover the time. I should be able to supply enough dry food too as 1 big bag lasts over a month so can purchase 5 or 6 of those. I’ll also buy a batch of wet food that should last a bit. luckily her favourite can be purchased in any local shop so any top ups can be done with usual shopping. Appreciate the advice guys.
Are you planning a split sit arrangement or just one sitter? You need to be clear in your mind that these are very different scenarios requiring different approaches. We’ve done a split sit 2/5/3 where we topped and tailed the sit and another couple did the middle section. Happy to offer tips.
I haven’t done a sit that long but have posted several 6-10 week sits. I recently started using my local/preferred pet shop’s delivery services for litter (no car, my shopping cart broke from hauling too many 40-lb bags of litter, oops!) and realized that I can order a delivery mid-sit if needed. I am still stocking way up prior to my upcoming sit, but as my trips get longer, it provided some peace of mind. I’d just discuss it with potential sitters during the pre-confirmation chat.
Cleaning supplies don’t take as much space and I’ve found it easy to stock up - I do hope for such a long sit that a sitter wouldn’t be fussed if they have to by the occasional roll of TP or hand soap, as usage seems to vary per person, but I always make sure there’s laundry and dish soap, 409, etc.
When I sat where additional pet supplies were needed, they ordered them in their dog’s name, so I would know which to open (and not open ones meant for the humans, which I put aside).
Also wondering when is the best time to start listing? Although its 2 months away (early Nov till end of March) because its so long it may be better to do now-ish.
Much prefer one sit. Easier for me and the cat. Of course it depends on the applicants but i will make it clear in the ad that 1 sit is what I’m looking for. I’m based in what seems to be a popular area for sits so i hope to get a decent amount of responses.
Great sitters tend to get booked up quickly, and giving them plenty of notice also helps them make their travel plans. It is can also be helpful to arrange things early, as travel costs can sometimes increase closer to the sit date.
Posting as early as possible is best for long sits. I did a three-month sit last summer and we confirmed it 7-months before the start date. Many sitters book far ahead (currently, the next time I have more than a few weeks open for sits would be starting in April).
In terms of supplies, the long sit I did had pet supplies on auto delivery. Cat litter, food, and treats were delivered regularly during the sit. They also left plenty of cleaning supplies to last the full sit.
Update - So i listed last night. Applications were paused after only 5 or so mins so sifting through the applicants now. Clapham, London still popular i guess.
