Can I get users’ feedback on my current situation?
I wanted to share a sit experience for anyone considering a similar assignment, because there were several significant contradictions between the listing and what I found on arrival.
The handover was not properly prepared at all: the beds were not made, there were no clean towels or bed sheets, and the house did not feel ready for a sitter to arrive.
The bins were also left overflowing, which added to the sense that basic arrival preparation had not been done.
More seriously, the rooster was genuinely dangerous — it has already injured me, and I was later told it had injured other people before as well. That is not a small inconvenience; it is a real safety issue that should have been made clear in advance.
There were also practical aspects of the sit, including the transport situation and the level of animal care required, that were materially different from what I had been led to expect.
I’m posting this anonymously so others can make informed decisions and so it’s clear how important accurate listings and proper handovers are.
“5.2.4. ensure that no pets to be left under the care of a Sitter have ever caused a person or animal any physical harm (no matter how minor the injury);”
Your options depend on whether you wish to leave the sit early or remain on the sit .
If you wish to leave you have valid reasons to do so - dangerous pet that has attacked you - Extra responsibilities not previously disclosed - not a clean and hygienic environment…
If that’s your choice to leave , you would need to give the host sufficient notice ( minimum 24 hours ) so that they can either return or arrange alternative care for the pets . Also advise THS member services of the reasons why you are leaving , ( photos of your injuries etc as evidence ) and a screenshot that shows you have given sufficient notice to the hosts .
In these type of situations it’s advisable to contacted THS via the emergency phone number .
In the meantime can you avoid the rooster or is interaction necessary/ inevitable when taking care of the other pets/ animals ?
Roosters can be aggressive and dominant especially if a threat to themselves or their flock is perceived by a newcomer to the property, especially one that displays fear or submissive behavior.
If you must continue to deal with this animal a few tips are to use an umbrella as a shield, a pool noodle or other long object to keep the rooster at bay and make it think twice about who is really in charge. Noise is another effective deterrent, a few cans filled with coins tossed in it’s general direction should cause it to back off. You can also use a hose with a sprayer and give it a few strong blasts.
Don’t act like a submissive victim and the rooster won’t see you as being one.
Your other complaints about the state of the house can be addressed in your review, that’s what it’s for.
ooooh this is awful, I’m so sorry you’re experiencing this. Great advice already in the responses above. If you do decide to stay, contact THS regardless so they know the situation - they will ban the listing hopefully - , and in case they don’t, list everything in your review so future sitters are aware of the situation & your experience. But stick to the facts as this makes a much more compelling review.
I don’t think the house owner’s realised. Apparently this was their first listing. They have said they would put the rooster in a separate pen but obviously that won’t happen till they get back so I will notify THS but I don’t think they need to ban. I think they just need to improve their listing and that they should tell people there’s a dangerous animal on the property and only experienced chicken handlers should apply. This is something they never clarified with me before. I have some experience with chickens but I’ve never faced a rooster this aggressive.
A workaround. I don’t go in the pen if the rooster is not safely in the coop. The coop closes when it gets dark so I do all the feeding, watering and putting the bantams in their separate coop then.
@jamesw I had a similar problem with a rooster last year. The difference to yours was the host knew this and had told me to change water, feed scraps etc before the coop automatically opened and after it had closed at night so I was in no danger as you have been.
Glad you have found a solution and host realises what needs to be done in future.
Most of the pet snakes, like corn, king, milk and other, are constrictors. Hognose are a poplular pet snake and they’re not constrictors, so I guess they’re ok.
Maybe they just mean boas and pythons. If that’s the case, then they should specifically say that.
@Silversitters interesting rule. We have experienced some cats who wanted to be stroked till they didn’t wanted anymore and then they give a clear biting. Not in a ‘let’s-kill-and-eat-the-mouse-way’, but still clear. We didn’t mind and during the sit we sort of figured out what worked. It was sometimes an expression of ‘now it is enough’. And it was ok.
The pet parents didn’t tell us upfront and we didn’t bother as I understand this is a way of communicating when you don’t have words and it was ‘within reason’ sort of.
Technically and strictly speaking this is not allowed.
Also sometimes the animals are not bad, but can be nervous around people who are nervous.
One cannot always prevent incidents - within reason - to happen.
@EmilyDickinson the Terms of Service have been carefully written to ensure that THS cannot be held responsible for any injury caused by a pet. As you point out, if applied rigidly, many pets could be considered to have caused a minor injury. Most sitters are very unlikely to report minor incidents that are just part of having or caring for a pet. However this term does allow significant incidents and genuinely dangerous animals to be reported.
I sat a cat like that, lovely would happily sit on me for ages, but a certain amount of stroking was enough and he would give me a little nip. I was shocked at first but learned to read him and just a few strokes until the first tail twich then I’d stop. I wouldn’t want him to be blocked due to overzealous adherence to the rules.