I’m just wrapping up a sit where the HO did not disclose their cat had recently had a flea issue. Because I travel full time I was devastated that I had become implicated the moment I stepped foot in that home. I stayed for a while to help move along an extermination in hopes that I reduced my chances of carrying the fleas with me.
We’ve finally ended the sit early (for another reason actually, maintenance people were entering the home unannounced!). But, I see there the HO has new dates up starting Aug 27.
I have put forward a claim labeled urgent with support, but I’m so worried another sitter with walk into the same predicament. The owner did not have a good understanding about how to prevent a flea reinfestation, refused to act on the advice of vets, and got very nasty at the end when she discovered THS was investigating. She also did not understand that the yard where her cat was hanging out needed to be treated as well.
My question is, how can I warn people to stay away from this sit? My review will likely not be up before that next sit starts in a week. I’m shocked that the sit is still allowed to be active, I’m guessing because the HO took action to exterminate. This is only half of the battle with fleas though.
Did you write the review right away? I’ve had reviews go up pretty quickly after I wrote them. Maybe you can’t ‘save’ the very next sitter, but perhaps future ones. The next one may also write the HO a bad review about the fleas.
To be clear, are you warning future sitters about fleas in the outside environment? That seems a bit out of their control. Fleas are everywhere in the environment, and year round in hot climates.
You mention the home was exterminated. Has the animal been treated?
Sorry it isn’t under better circumstances and you had to go through a flea infested home.
Even though your review will likely not post before the HO’s next sit, your honest and factual review will be helpful to future sitters. You had to deal with extermination. Did exterminators arrive to provide flea treatment? You also had unannounced maintenance people enter the home. The HO would have had to give you notice of third parties prior to your arrival per THS Third party policy:
According to THS third party policy:
If they have arrangements in place for people such as cleaners, gardeners and maybe even maintenance people to come in periodically to complete tasks or help maintain the home, then this is allowed. If there are any arrangements in place, this must be shared with a sitter (for example, “gardener comes in once a week for 2 hours”) before confirming the sit. The pet parent should stipulate the potential for any third parties to be present during a sit by putting that information in their listing.
In your review, in addition to the flea infestation, please ensure you mention that the HO did not inform you about the 3rd parties before confirming the sit.
This thread, along with others, I have read where sitters have mentioned HOs not disclosing that their cats having fleas. HOs who know that their cats have fleas and not do anything about it, is irresponsible. Not only is it irresponsible of not informing the sitters, it is irresponsible of not having the home treated for fleas prior to the sitters’ arrival.
If cats are outside cats and knowing the potential for them to get fleas, how hard is it to have preventive flea treatment in place?
You can try calling the Urgent phone line and speak with THS to file a dispute (to our understanding this is the only way that they will ‘suspend’ or make the listing inactive until they investigate). This is the fastest way we have found that helps when trying to speak with THS ASAP. They will note your allegations, send you some questions and ask for photo/video evidence. Do you know how long the cat had been dealing with fleas? If this is something that came up last minute and the HO failed to tell you, than that is neglect and something to file right away with THS. As long as their ad is ‘true to the best of their knowledge at the time of writing in’ THS will probably approve of the listing.
Definitely write your review right away. Chances are, especially if the owner got nasty that you are speaking with THS, they will ding you on your review. Make sure it is 100% factual and not emotional when you write your review and explain the whole story…and make sure you respond to their review the same way. Chalk it up as an error on their part and then move on. The only way you can help other sitters at this point is to write your review as soon as you can.
Please see and follow the procedure for a member dispute…
THS don’t investigate unless you use the words “member dispute “ and follow the procedure.
If you call it a “ Complaint” or a “claim” they don’t investigate .
The Member Dispute process includes submitting evidence ( screenshots of messages with you and owner / photos of the flea infestation etc )
As @Couple_travels_fulltime has said the hosts may also raise a dispute against you .
Especially as you are leaving the sit early ( due to third parties issues ) It’s best to report the issues to THS asap and present all of your evidence for leaving early .
There is a yard that is frequented, a grassy area. And the animal often spends time in another home where the person living there had confirmed flea bites.
Thanks for the info! Yes the maintenance was only disclosed after confirming. I was also expected to clear the maintenance area for the HO.
The cat was on preventative treatment and still had fleas. They were aggressive. When I asked that we visit the vet, the HO said that was unnecessary. I did give them another prescription flea medication which worked for a few days but they are itching again.
I’m heading out anyway, but I’m hoping someone will compel the HO to take responsible action here and that she won’t put another sitter in a similar situation.
To me the most difficult to handle part for you is the HO not wanting the cats to see the vet despite there being obvious problems.
It might well be they underestimate(d) the whole thing and thought it was over, that’s why they might not have disclosed it to you. But when an experienced sitter raises a medical issue, I would want them to take my babies to the vet to have things checked out. What kind of HO is that?
Why? You said the fleas were outside, how is this urgent?
Is that because you’ve left and didn’t finish the sit?
What exactly are you talking about here? This is not clear. What type of maintenance? What exactly did the homeowner ask if you could do?
If it was a flea exterminator for the back yard and they needed lawn furniture moved, would you have stayed and honoured your obligations to the cats and hosts as their house sitter, or would that have caused you to leave early too?
**edit
apologies - I didnt fully understand the severity of the situation @DianaTheArtemisian peppermint essential oil can help sooth the bites and ward fleas on yourself if you find it happens again. Which I hope not.
Did the veterinarian provide flea medication? Unfortunately, in hot climates fleas are prominent and can only really be controlled with flea medication, especially if animals frequent dog parks, beaches, and outdoor areas. Same applies for cats.
Agree. I live in an area with fleas but I’ve never heard of anybody treating the outdoors for them. Often those type of insecticides kill a lot of beneficial insects and it’s very difficult to prevent cats from wandering into other, untreated, areas.
The prescription flea medication works to prevent fleas on my cats. Anything with selamectin is my preferred treatment. I’m in the US, but I actually buy it in bulk from Australia where I don’t need a prescription and it is much less expensive.
The vet professionals I spoke to recommended “treating” any areas the cats frequent. In this case there was a grassy patch where one cat like to sleep. They suggested flooding the area as a treatment (not necessarily spraying). And then the same car had been spending time in another home, which they recommend be treated as well. I asked HO to make a plan or consult with her vet and she did neither. I later learned one of her cats was not even in her vets system.
Vet professionals without actual in the weeds experience will recommend all possible treatments and more. Experience speaks volumes in these situations. Did you ever consider that the HO wants to mitigate cost while treating the immediate surroundings? Financial strain is an issue in this economy and trying to save the cost of yet another costly vet visit if the animals are healthy, active and eating is not neglect. HO couldn’t have gotten a prescription medication without consulting with them or having an established relationship.
If there’s a flea problem that’s ongoing or recurring, sitters shouldn’t be surprised by that by hosts, regardless of their financial circumstances. Take care of the problem or don’t travel. It shouldn’t become someone else’s problem.