Hello
We were all lined up with a sitter to come to our home in the Alps to look after our dog in two week’s time and she has just cancelled due to a “personal issue”. Obviously this is very disappointing. We selected her over 5 other sitters (who are all now, understandably booked up). She also added in her message " don’t worry you will find someone else". Being so remote and so close to the sit date it isn’t going to be that easy. I understand most people from the UK would need to fly and flights would have gone up in price since we originally advertised 10 weeks ago. We would be very happy to contribute to flights/car hire but am I allowed to say this in my listing?
Thanks for any advice.
x
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Wow that really is unfortunate for you!
Two weeks to find a sitter for a more “ remote” home is not an enviable position to be in; but you might be surprised at the response you get.
I am not sure of the rules around whether you are “ allowed” to mention in the listing the offer of $$ but my fear is that that might result in sitters that might not be truly committed … I mean , available sitters did not apply for a reason.
My two cents: repost listing changing the subject heading to “ urgent “ and then reach out to those sitters who you turned down before.
See what response you get first, then in the interview if you feel so inclined offer to help..
You might be surprised at the response you get- sometimes people’s plans change and quality sitters who were not available before might be now.
Others might have a different opinion about advertising $$ help, and that’s fine; that’s just what occurred to me… I might be “ enticed” to go to a sit my heart really isn’t in.
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@luluJo
On THS sitters can’t request any money for their travel expenses, but there’s nothing that prevents a host from offering it .
How you would manage that ( book flights : offer to re-imburse or a state fixed amount that you would be willing to contribute ) that is up to you .
Some hosts work for airlines and have free passes so they can offer that to their sitter .
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@luluJo FWIW - I’ve not had folks offer share air fare but I have had and accepted offers to share rental car costs. This was in the UK when a car had been offered and then the HO found out how much it would cost to add me to their insurance. I was able to travel between sits and save train fares so splitting the cost worked well for all.
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I’d suggest mentioning in your listing that you’d be open to sharing travel costs, but leave it vague, so you can decide based on who applies.
A pair of hosts offered me roundtrip airfare to repeat sit. They made the offer unsolicited. If they hadn’t, I wouldn’t have done the sit on my own airfare, because though I like the city, there was no reason for me to return a month later.
They just texted me this morning, asking whether I want to repeat again, but unfortunately I have a conflict.
They’re open to airfare, because their indoor / outdoor cats often dislike strangers and they happened to take strongly to me. Those hosts initially saw that my reviews include repeated mentions of skittish cats warming to me. They worried that their cats might stay out overnight if they dislike the sitter.
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Thanks all - some really helpful suggestions…. and yes I would hate someone to come and look after my doggo just because of a cheap flight. I am going to re-word and see what happens. Maybe offer transport as we are so far from an airport. Hopefully someone will step in.
thanks x
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@luluJo, sorry to hear of your situation.
May we add another attribute that may attract a housesitter? … flexibility on dates. i.e. openly permit housesitter to arrive prior to sit (say a day or two) and/or to stay after sit (say a day or two).
We are full-time housesitters. Currently housesitting in France. Then multiple housesits in Alps. So we’re busy for your dates. But flexibility on dates is a ‘green flag’ (attractive listing feature) for us … as we can better plan travel logistics and maintain costs.
While we have never received air fare then many of our housesits have included use of vehicle and a few have openly offered financial contribution towards car rental.
I agree @Maggie8K advice to keep wording a bit vague in listing and then can flex your “offer” during video call depending on attractiveness of applicant.
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Took a look at your listing @luluJo
A major problem is the location and no amenities nearby. Help with flights will not fix that. In my opinion you are better served by offering a car (yours or a hire). Sitters expect to pay travel to sits, but many sitters do not travel by car and are not willing to pay a rental in addition to their travel cost - in particular if it is needed to do the sit. I can imagine a car would be needed also for emergencies with the pet which IMO is the responsibility of the host.
I think this will get you better quality sitters apply than offering help with flights, and it is normal for many hosts to offer a car in the listing, so you can surely say that.
Your listing could need some work, a few tweaks would make it better. Some vital things sitters look for are missing.
When less than 7 days to sit you can also post it here on forum in the Last minute section.
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How unfortunate your sitter has cancelled @luluJo. Have you thought about inviting your previous sitters and in a private message to them mentioning you may be able to offer some remuneration towards them returning? Or reaching out to available sitters who perhaps live a couple of hours away and are likely to drive? Don’t just assume sitters always fly to their sits! Assistance towards car rental would be of value as it certainly sounds remote for a sitter without transport. Should an emergency trip to the vet be needed, this would be invaluable.
There is never a guarantee for owners getting a sitter. That’s why it is so important to have a Plan B so I recommend you seriously look into this if you haven’t already.
Wishing you success.
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Unless you have frequent flyer miles, the money you would spend helping with flights and car rental would probably pay for a private sitter. You can do your own background check on them if they don’t work for a company that already does this. If you don’t have a plan B
time to be creative. Call a shelter. They have volunteers who work with dogs with an abused past just like your rescue dog. Go in person and talk to the head person at the shelter. A volunteer may want to earn some extra money and may have the time to spend the required amount of time with your dog that you seek. Call your vet who will most likely know paid sitters they can recommend. I would go in person and talk to the receptionist who may hear more from clients on who they use than the Vet. Maybe someone who works at the vet’s office would like this experience and some extra money.
Good Luck. I hope you find someone you are comfortable with soon.
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Your home and Josie look beautiful. I’d put in the listing something like ‘our booked sitter cancelled on us at short notice and, due to this, we’d be happy help a sitter with flight or car costs, collect from airport or train station and/or stock up on groceries ahead of this sit. Open to discussion about this’.
TBH, for just over a week I’d be happy to be collected from an airport and left with enough groceries for a comfortable stay. It might really work for someone who is working on a book or just wants some decompress time in nature.
I’m also very committed to rescue animals so would generally go out of my way to help someone who has adopted one, if I can, even if I’m not seeking a sit at the time. Unfortunately I’m in Asia atm but there will definitely be others of the same mindset.
Good luck.
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Are there any paid pet sitting companies locally that would cost the same as the flights? that could be more reliable
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My two cents, we live in a large metro area and don’t own a car. For remote sits, we wouldn’t apply to one without a car. So I think, mentioning that a car is available would entice a larger pool of sitters.
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Ah BJane thank you x
I am also a sitter and i always favour a rescue 
Hi temba
thank you for your ideas. thankfully yes we always have a plan B (and a plan c and d). It is just such a shame to have so many excellent sitters apply and end up in this situation. x
Thanks Garfield. A sit like ours does need a lot of planning and we always make sure our sitters either have transport or we arrange lifts for them as a lot of people don’t like driving in the mountains. Great idea to post on the last minute. Thank you 
We did get 13 applicants for the sit of which we chatted to 5 excellent and lovely sitters. But trying to do this last minute is tricky. It is so reassuring to be able to share my worries and ideas on here.
How did you manage that, as 5 is the max. no. of applicants at a time? Just curious.
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when you decline one another fills the space. There were a few that wanted to bring their own pets which we unfortunately can’t accommodate (and do say in the listing). We feel amazingly privileged to get so many great sitters apply.
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Have you found a sitter @luluJo as it’s saying “Currently no sitter needed”?
hi @temba
yes thank you. I have just confirmed with a lovely sitter.
thanks so much for your support x
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