We agreed a cat sit several weeks ago, did the video chat and all was well. We have only ever sought to care for cats as we are cat lovers and we have no experience of dogs. Tĥe sit is only a few weeks away, and today the home owner has messaged me to say she has been and got a puppy and we will now be expected to take care of that whilst she is away, as well as the cats (who don’t get on and need to be seperated!) Has anyone else experienced this, and is it reasonable? I am really upset that she feels it is acceptable just to tell us as if it doesn’t make a difference!
@Helencats No this is not acceptable .
Many sitters who love dogs also won’t sit puppies because of all the training required and lack of free time for the sitter .
THS Terms of service say Pet Parents
5.2.12. not have any pets which aren’t explicitly listed in the details of the Home Listing ;
Screenshot the listing - that shows no puppy - do this now as it can be edited by the hosts at any time .
You can tell the host that you won’t be doing the sit and they should cancel it .
You are well within your rights to advise the owner that you are cancelling the sit as caring for a dog was not in the original sit listing and was not discussed or agreed to. Only the owner or THS can cancel a confirmed sit. Make sure you take screen shots of everything before you contact the owner so you can send this to THS support@trustedhousesitters.com
It is not reasonable. She has substantially changed the sit. Let the homeowner know this not reasonable and she needs to unconfirm you and good-bye and good luck. Unless you love puppies and find it a joy to take of them.
If the homeowner gives you a difficult time, contact THS and let them know thatyou need to cancel.
Completely unreasonable. I did a sit where one cat had morphed into two cats plus three kittens by the time I arrived. There were so many other animals as well that a few extra cats didn’t really make a difference at the time, but it would definitely bother me now as I was really allergic to a cat at a more recent sit, so am currently avoiding sits with indoor cats that require lots of cuddles or are used to sleeping with their humans. For all the HO knows, you could be allergic to dogs, so it’s unreasonable to just spring it upon you…
Yes, she changed it immediately and cancelled the sit, I am really hurt that she has not considered me at all, and I am now stuck without a sit! I have only ever had positive experience & this has left a bitter taste. Thanks for your support.
Another wonderful cat is just now out there being described by a kind and thoughtful HO in a listing….. and you will apply and be perfect! Best wishes
That is inconsiderate also really bad planning to adopt a puppy when you are planning a trip in a few weeks! Sounds like you’ll have time to find something else.
It’s completely unacceptable to change a sit in this way. I once confirmed a sit for two cats and then they decided to foster a dog. However, they asked if I was ok with it and I told them I was not comfortable caring for the foster dog. They made other arrangements for the dog and we went forward with the cat sit. Sorry you had to deal with this inconsiderate HO and I hope you can find another sit.
Totally unacceptable and I feel bad for the puppy. I know suddenly being without a sit is an inconvenience, but probably much better than doing that sit!! Here’s hoping a nice cats-only sit will pop up for your available dates.
The terms of the sit have changed, so does she have to offer it to you again?
You can say no as this is different than what was listed and agreed upon
We had this happen to us once when we were new to the site. Never again. It’s totally irresponsible by the HO and says volumes of how much they (don’t) appreciate you.
No this is completely unacceptable and you’re within your rights to tell the owner you can’t now do the sit. She will have to cancel and repost
It seems that the host cancelled the sit in the course of this topic(?).
Apart from it being against the THS terms as said by others, apart from being a tremendous lot of work around the clock to have a puppy (if you mean «baby/ young» and not just «dog») - seriously - even for a experienced dog owner you will be sleep deprived! - it is very important for the pup and its training that it gets to bond with the owner in this crucial phase of its life. As a experienced dogowner (former breeder) I can’t stress enough how important it is to invest in this the first weeks and months.
So - I can se how this is unfair to the sitter. But I somehow hope that the host has realised this and spend time with her new pup…
Hi @Helencats
So sorry that this happened to you - I’ve marked your update as the “accepted solution” for this topic so that anyone reading can see your update about the sit being cancelled.
Jenny
To be honest, If they really did tell you rather than ask you as this quote implies, I am surprised that you have to ask the question. ‘Just say No!’
I had the opposite happen once. Two dogs were supposed to be there, and suddenly a friend was taking care of them and there were just 2 cats left. While I love cats, this was not what I agreed to do, so I asked them to unconfirm me, and they did so without any issue. Would not sit for them again (or ever, for that matter)
I have had extra animals added too without letting me know, which is not acceptable. Good to hear that you got out of this sit. Hope you find another one with more respectful owners.
Wow! While I love dogs for the walks, suddenly getting more time to go exploring would be a bonus for me! I’d have been well happy
Out you go ! They brome the rules and if you’re not ok you have every right to cancel.