Thank you all for your insight. We’ve confirmed a sitter!
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That’s wonderful news congratulations 
and thank you to everyone who helped support @bbrowne … have an amazing trip we’d love to hear all about it.
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Hi Therese. May I also get my New Orleans listing boosted? I had secured a sitter about 2 months ago, and they cancelled 2 days ago without too much detail or remorse. I have contacted every previous sitter who I thought might be available and sitters we previously had to say NO to. About 10 sitters in all…none can come as they already had plans.
We have a big family trip planned to Europe with my 91 year old father. It has been postponed for 2 years(due to Covid of course). My dad is feeling like time is slipping away for him to be able to go and enjoy this one last big adventure. So we were very happy to be going to travel with him. Then the sitters cancelled 
We’ve never had this happen to us before… and to have it happen for this trip is especially upsetting. SO, we are looking for pet sitters from Nov 22- Dec 11 in New Orleans, BUT the listing seems to be buried back where we listed it 2 months ago.
Thank you if it’s possible to boost it forward. This is really causing me a ton of stress
Melanie
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@Melanie - I suggest deleting the reference to wanting couples for your sit. That will broaden the pool of applicants.
I’m sure that you will find someone since NO is popular but if you don’t, can you pay to have a sitter stay in the house? I might need a paid cat-minder for my trip from Dallas in Nov-Dec. No applicants yet
Hi @NOmtnClowns I’m sorry you have this really unfortunate cancellation. As well as boosting your listing, we can share it across our social media channels for extra exposure, please let me know if that is something you would be happy doing and I will share tomorrow.
I Perhaps also make the “Use of car included” more prominent, include in the intro as this is really a bonus for many sitters, especially if a car is needed to get around and if not then do stress that a car is available but not essential.
You have amazing feedback from many past sitters, making available sitters aware of your opportunity is what is needed.
Did you connect with the Membership Services team about the sitter cancellation?
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Angela, thanks for your response. Yes, please do share our pet sitting needs across whatever social platforms you have. I will make the car included more prominent, as it isn’t strictly speaking essential, but it is certainly a big help in our area.
No, I didn’t connect with Membership Services directly, but sent a reply to Therese through this original topic thread. Should I contact her another way?
Thanks so much,
Melanie
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Hi Melanie … Therese will take care of this for you and I will post to Social for you …
@Lassie Thanks for the suggestion. If it were a shorter sit I would accept a single applicant, but 5 pets is a lot (even for me and they’re mine!). Also one of our first pet sitters was a single person who slipped and twisted her ankle soon after the sit started. She wasn’t able to walk the dogs or negotiate the stairs in our house very well after that. Fortunately she was okay, but when we returned home after just 6 days, our dogs were wound up from not being exercised and pretty wild. So we always look for couples or partners to sit when we are gone for more than 6-7 days.
Good luck finding a sitter for your trip!
Melanie
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Interesting that I received this as I am not the person that had commented on this subject!
But why do the two people need to be romantic partners?
@NOmtnClowns I have boosted it again … please keep in constant touch as we can keep helping you. You have a lovely listing that is very appealing. fingers crossed. Warm regards Therese
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Thank you Therese, for both the kind words about our profile and for boosting our listing. It has been surprising to not get any applicants as we’ve never had this problem before…but then it’s a different travel 
world now.
Melanie
Ha Katie, I can see we must be of different generations. I use the word “partner” in the older connotation…“a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor; sharer; associate”.
I forget that now days to many it has the more limited meaning of romantic companion or spouse. So, no, pet sitters for us most definitely don’t need to be romantic partners, just partners in a shared endeavor sense!
Melanie
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AKA friends.
Melanie: I am so sorry that this has happened to you just a few weeks away from your trip. I am from New Orleans and visit there frequently, but have already accepted a Thanksgiving sit near my husband’s family in MD this year. Your posting looks great, so hopefully, you will get some wonderful applicants soon. Have you contacted any of the applicants who you declined in the past who may still be interested? Have you thought about inviting local THS sitters who are either just starting out or may be looking for a change of scenery? You can see their availability in their calendars and send them private invites. Just note that not everyone keeps their calendar’s updated because it is a bit of a chore. There are also several housesitting Facebook groups that you can use. One is called Housesitting Cafe and lots of THS members are in that group. Since time is of essence, you also want to talk to neighbors and friends to see if anyone may have a solution for you. Good luck! Lynn
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Lynn,
Thanks so much for these helpful suggestions. I’ve already tried all previous sitters and ones we had to turn down. It’s just everyone already had committed to a sit, or they have Thanksgiving plans. The idea of contacting local sitters is a great one and I’ll get on that as some as I finish this reply! Thanks again and happy pet sitting to you.
Melanie
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Thank you Therese. Boosting the listing did the trick. We had two sitters apply and we picked one, did a Facetime chat, and confirmed the sit tonight! I’m so relieved. THANK YOU for all your help 
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Thank you Angela for all your concern and efforts to help us out. WE FOUND A SITTER! Boosting the listing did the trick. We had two sitters apply and we picked one, did a Facetime chat, and confirmed the sit tonight! I’m so relieved. THANK YOU for all your help. 
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Lynn, Just wanted to say that your idea to contact local sitters was a great one. I had been in discussions with a local sitter to help us out, when our newly reposted listing went live and we had two applicants…of which we chose and confirmed one tonight. However, if that hadn’t panned out your suggestion would have ultimately worked too. Thanks for the great feedback!
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