Should owners contribute towards petrol for dog walks?

I think this is a THS issue. They need to tell HOs that if they expect sitters to use their car for pet transport, they need to be reimbursed for gas.

15 Likes

I wouldn’t accept a sit where it’s essential the dog/s need to be transported to be walked. We’ve done plenty of sits where WE’VE decided to take a dog out in our own car, but we’ve never had owners that have expected it of us.

If that were ever to happen, we’d expect to be reimbursed for the fuel, but our sits typically have off road walks nearby.

7 Likes

I wouldn’t expect that as a pet sitter and wouldn’t as a homeowner

2 Likes

Yes, it sounds like such a pain if you aren’t able to just open the door and start the walk. That would be a definite no from me.

As for the petrol compensation, that is disgusting that they didn’t offer to pay it.

4 Likes

One of our first THS sits did have countryside walks from the doorstep , however they were so muddy that it was completely impractical during the autumn when we were staying . So we ended up driving the small dog to a park with a paved path for walks -it was only a 5x mile round trip .. however it was a two month sit !!

Whenever possible we combined dog walks with trips to places of interest and shopping trips, but before long we started to resent having to put the dog in our car every day. :face_exhaling:

After that experience , we added this (deal breaker ) question to our video calls

ā€œ Can the dogs be walked from the doorstep ( and in all seasons ) ? ā€œ

We havewithdrawn our application when the answer was no .

16 Likes

We’ve never asked for petrol reimbursement but did end up spending over Ā£40 on a sit in Cornwall on car parking fess at the beach where we were asked to walk the dog. Older and wiser, I’d ask next time!

13 Likes

Yeah my two cents is it stinks. I’d go with the idea of leaving receipts and bank details for reimbursement.

6 Likes

The sit was 6 days, I finished this afternoon. It was more an expectation that I use my car. They told me after I’d arrived that the car they used to take the dog in was difficult to drive….

5 Likes

Well it was a bit late for me to pull out by the time I realised all that.

2 Likes

You’re right and you’d think after 104 sits I’d be more upfront. However, they were such a nice couple and there was always the chance they might have left me some money for petrol before they left….

2 Likes

It’s easy to say with hindsight and when you’re a couple.

1 Like

Well they must have known I had a car as their listing states not accessible by public transport….Trouble is, they are such a nice couple and if they hadn’t been it would have been easier to suggest they contribute towards the petrol

2 Likes

Thank you and I am an experienced sitter but sometimes backwards in coming forwards. Even if a car has been left for me to use I’ve never been given money for petrol. I’ve often taken dogs out in my own car but that has been my decision.

2 Likes

And I wouldn’t have accepted the sit either but I was told this last minute and of course they might have given me money for petrol

2 Likes

I’m still learning……

1 Like

Actually I could also have had to pay for parking at the beach but was told they’ve never seen parking attendants. I discovered from other people they had a parking permit but didn’t mention that to me.

5 Likes

Yes I really wish I had, but one against two can be difficult

2 Likes

I think you deserve double 5 stars :glowing_star: @Smiley - sometimes we can be so British in not saying what we actually mean. You could send them a friendly text (as they’re nice) saying, I reckon it was about Ā£20 on fuel over the 6 days for your dog walks. Shall I send you my account details? And see if that works but doesn’t make you squirm. We all learn something new every sit no question! #sendinghugsfromhk

11 Likes

@Smiley Awww! Hang in there. :heart_eyes:

2 Likes

You’ll ask next time @Smiley. Really sorry this happened to you. They’d also shortened the sit too, hadn’t they? I’d nicely do as @Cuttlefish suggests.

4 Likes