I am having a similar issue. My sitter arrived and said it smells like urine. I dog sit, and not all the dogs are prefect. I have carpet in one room. I shampoo it about weekly. There’s pee pads down.
She left me high and dry with 2 days to my departure. The story actually gets worse. I was able to find last minute replacement. I thought they’d be fine. Nope they picked my home apart. They said my home was unsanitary. He was afraid his husband and himself would get sick. Upon landing in London, I was told they wanted to leave. They did without adequate care in place for my pets. I am halfway around the world looking for a sitter. There’s a paid sitter, but I can’t pay $900 a month. I am on a very nice sit in Cornwall. I have HO counting on me for the next 5 months.
@pashirley - were the pee pads and your dogs incontinence fully disclosed in your listing ? It seems unusual that two sets of sitters would both pull out of a confirmed sit at short notice - if this was fully disclosed before the sit was agreed . Reading between the lines it’s your own dog that is incontinent or not house trained if pee pads are required?
Without knowing more about the circumstances, two sitters stating that conditions are unsanitary indicates that this is a real problem especially if they have travelled from overseas to sit for you . Were these also confirmed for a 5 month sit ?
If you have found a paid sitter willing to house sit for you that sounds like your only option at this stage . Premium sit plan only covers 30 days of alternate pet care and doesn’t cover if the sitter abandon the sit because the home is “unliveable.”
THS have a definition of “unliveable” =
“Unliveable” this means a pet parents premise that fails to meet the requirements outlined in Our Terms of Service. These requirements include but are not limited to, a clean and hygienic living space….
If it’s as you say “a very nice sit in Cornwall” then I am sure the owner will be able to find a replacement sitter , as long as you give them sufficient notice and enough time to do so .
Alternatively could you put your dog in kennels temporarily and pay for someone to do a deep clean of your home including soft furnishings and then re- list ?
@pashirley or could you get your own dog to Cornwall and would the owner you’re sitting for allow you to bring your dog there?
Sorry, I don’t know more about your situation, but I’m tending to agree with @Silversitters, especially as we don’t have more details.
Urine that has soaked into floorboards or is sitting in a puddle on a concrete floor won’t be eliminated by cleaning the carpet once a week. The carpet needs lifting, and a urine proof floor fitted that can be mopped. This is your responsibility.
Interesting comments. If I had wanted to put my pets through the trauma of an overseas flight, I would have done to start with. As to disclosing the fact they are pee pad trained it’s in Welcome Guide. If they had read it wouldn’t be a surprise. I am a Rover sitter and I get many pad trained dogs. I am also limited in my mobility. This works for my family. I have a sitter I got from another source that is grateful to have a free home for 6 months. He isn’t running away.