Anyone familiar with these automatic feeders. It doesn’t appear that the camera can be turned off without disrupting the release of the food.
I really wish THS would implement a pop-up that HOs need to confirm when posting new listings or new dates. Some HOs seem unaware of the no camera policy and some seem to think pet cams or cameras on feeders are ok. With all the fees it would be easy to add and would be a step toward ensuring sitter safety and privacy.
Agreed. In the mean time a privacy solution would be to position the feeder facing into a corner of the room with enough space for the kitty to get to it.
Hi @systaran
We’ve found ourselves in this exact situation. When we reached out to the HO, they simply hadn’t realised the privacy concerns it raised for us and were happy to disable the camera for the duration of the sit.
According to PETKIT’s manual and FAQ, the camera can be switched off independently in the app without affecting scheduled feeding. As the camera settings are controlled through the HO’s app account, they’d need to make those changes.
The way the camera is facing it appears the most it would pick up would be the feet and ankles of the sitter.
And, since it has audio, our private conversations.
Perhaps they could employ that same advanced pop up technology they’ve used to collect their fees, to inform HO’s about cameras 
@systaran, encourage that you move/rotate feeder unit so that camera points to a blank wall or otherwise does not record you
That would not solve the sound recording issue.
I think it can only be controlled by the app. It also allows sound interaction.
I guess you’ll have to share your concerns with the owners. As @WeRPAWsome mentioned, they may have not even thought of it.
If you have or can find a post it / sticky note, that should fit nicely over the camera. I don’t know that brand so no idea if it has audio or can be turned off.
I write in both my application, profile, no internal petcams. On this feeder, you could go over that policy with the host and stick a postit note over the camera
Better yet, you could write “no pet cameras” on a post-it note and stick it on the wall next to the pet feeder and aim the camera at it.
Thanks for all the tips everyone. My main reason for posting this was really to raise awareness that cameras are becoming more and more common and many HOs are unaware of the policies. I think THS should take steps to ensure that HOs know that indoor cameras are not allowed. In my opinion, THS is not at all concerned about sitter safety or privacy. If they were they would do more to ensure that when dates are posted, HOs understand policies such as cameras and third parties since these are common issues. I won’t be renewing after this year. I’ve been on here for 4 years and have done about 75 sits, but THS has really changed over the past couple years. I’m planning to mostly stop housesitting, I’ll just be doing a few repeat sits that I enjoy each year.
We have also run into this awkward situation where the hosts tell us upon arrival that there is a pet cam but that we can “turn it off if we want” or “turn it facing the wall” or whatever but I feel that puts us in a very uncomfortable situation of insinuating we have something to hide from them while in their home.
We have the option of using a second language (assuming the hosts don’t speak our 2nd language which we’d usually know at this point) but it’s still just awkward - if hosts really are OK w us turning it off then they should do that for us and inform us it has been done and not put us in the position of doing it as if we have something to hide.
It’s just awkward.
As a result we have not turned them off and simply basically behave as if what we say and do can be viewed - I have to say sometimes is prevents us from getting into heated arguments (as most couples will have) bc we think we are being recorded. lol. Even with an Alexa or Google or whatever, we are aware we are being overheard.
So we just have learned to act this way. We don’t ever walk around half naked even in our own home so not a big adjustment - if the camera picked up areas where we could be seen coming out of a bathroom that would be a different issue. So far that has not happened.
We did sit several times where there is a patio camera that included the pool so if we didn’t want to be seen in our bathing suits then that’s a problem but we never used the pool (never hot enough). I wouldn’t have cared, though.
I do also wish THS would have a flag of some kind alerting hosts that “all cameras must be disclosed and all indoor cameras including pet cams must be turned off during the sit and sitter must be informed this has been done” - or something along those lines but…it’ll never happen.
@systaran, such a shame. But we similarly observe frequent breaches of terms by pet parents. Probably mostly accidental. Especially in regards cameras, recording devices and third party policy.
For example, many pet parents that retain cleaners, gardeners or other services do not disclose them until arrival at property. Given that majority of housesitters, per THS, are single females then this strikes us as potentially problematic & preventable. And definition of ‘recording device’ would avoid needless surprises.
@Mark_B, we support above suggestion (not first time) that pet parents must complete a simple tickbox agreement (with key terms) for key THS policies (including Cameras and Recording Devices, and Third Party).
I do think it would helpful if THS clarifies what cameras and recording devices are in terms of modern devices. Many people just forget about cameras on smaller feeders as to them is just a feeder. Also what their position is about Alexa, etc. I suspect many HO would not sign up if they had to disable every smart device in the home but either way they should clarify so everyone is on the same page.
I just got back from a Hawaii sit w a camera on the pool. I swam naked anyways (after asking them first if they’d be offended); they can see my skanky old butt and I don’t care. Have to agree that it’s not a great feeling to be observed… but I was determined to enjoy as much as I could the wonderful feeling of water on my skin like we used to do in the old days before it got too darn crowded and those blue travel guide books “revealed” Our “secret “ skinny dipping spots. On the other hand, there was a ring doorbell camera on the one miserable sit I had in Marlow where I was acutely aware the nasty homeowner was for sure monitoring me. Not ok. One of my trusty tried and true tricks is to disable the speaker on all of their devices like dot or echo… no thank you to being listened into, even if it’s an anonymous tech worker. I wouldn’t accept the pet cam device at all, same privacy issues. Thanks for this post, it’s eye opening.
But it should happen.
Why do I receive these messages telling me my sit is starting in two days so it’s time to inform HO about my arrival time? Or these messages telling me I should send an update to HO when I have long ago been sending daily updates and arrival times have been discussed and agreed at the video chat stage?
I am sure it’s much easier to forget that you have an active camera and recording device than to forget that you have a sit starting soon or HOs are expecting updates.
For what it’s worth, and it’s subjective given no definition in THS policy, we choose not to make a fuss over Alexa, google home & other recording devices. But unless such devices are integral to property maintenance then we disconnect their power supply during housesit. No pet parent has ever taken issue with this tactic.
I wouldn’t either. We just have a couple of them around anyway so we don’t care if they get unplugged. One is integrated to smart thermostat but we have it muted all the time anyway.
As similar seasoned sitters with all amazing reviews, we are doing the same. What a shame THS has become the company it has, we have lots of homeowners, who have become friends, contact us privately now, off site, because of it.
