There are several platforms to connect pet sitters to pet owners; however, I pet sit exclusively through Trusted House Sitters so I will only be sharing my experience with this platform.
What is a Pet Sitter?
A pet sitter is someone who often lives as a guest in the home owners house with their pets while the host family is out of town. Some home/pet owners prefer this arrangement because their pets can maintain their normal routine at home and the house is occupied and secure during their travels. Travelers like myself appreciate this arrangement as well because we have the comforts of home (wifi, washer/dryer, kitchen), free housing during our travels, and the company of furry friends during the day.
What is TrustedHousesitters
I first heard of TrustedHousesitters.com in 2019 and secured my first pet sit a few months later. Just this year, I’ve pet sat in four different states and will soon be headed to my first international pet sit!
TrustedHoustsitters (THS) is a paid platform that connects pet owners with pet sitters online. Both parties pay an annual fee to have their house or profile listed on the site and are reviewed and verified through the platform. Through THS, I have the opportunity to apply fir petsits worldwide.
The best analogy is this: TrustedHousesitters is a platform like AirBnB, but instead of paying for the room, you offer your time and care of their pets as compensation. They get free pet care, you get free lodging. It’s a win-win!
To be clear, THS is a platform for in-kind pet sitting services; you do not get paid to petsit on this site and travel to the sit location is covered by you. If you are looking to get paid as a petsitter, I’d recommend another platform like Wag or Rover. But if you are looking to cut out some expenses while you travel or is you work remotely and enjoy a change of scenery, then TrustedHousesitters would be a great fit!
How much does TrustedHousesitters Cost?
As mentioned above, both home owners and pet sitters pay to utilize the TrustedHousesitters website. There are three tiers for membership; I have just the basic plan and it is $126 per year. The homeowner membership starts at $126 per year and the combined membership starts at $189 annually (if you want to petsit and also list your pets/home).
Click here to use my 25% discount for any membership package.
Click thE link above
Where can I petsit with TrustedHousesitters?
TrustedHousesitters is available for homeowners worldwide so the opportunities are endless! However, the platform is most popular in the following areas. In parenthesis I’ve included the number of open house and petsitting gigs in each region at the time of this post so you can get a better idea of the opportunities. There are new listings daily!
- United states (886)
- United Kingdom (630)
- Western Europe (164)
- Australia (177)
- New Zealand (24)
- United Arab Emirates (22)
- Canada (21)
- Mexico (8)
There are always a handful of cool sits in other countries too like Thailand, Singapore, Japan, South Africa, the Caribbean, Panama, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, and Oman, just to name a few.
How long do I have to pet sit?
Each listing is different and the timeline and duties for each listing will vary. For example, you can currently stay one weekend in Santa Monica, California, one month in Perth, Australia or one year in Greece. You can search based on duration of sit on the site and apply to the opportunities that best fit your schedule.
What do I have to do as a petsitter?
It’s important to note that as a petsitter, your main responsibility is the care and safety of the animals so most duties relate to pet care: feeding, walking, cuddling, brushing etc. There are sometimes light household tasks as well including receiving packages, checking the mail, watering plants and skimming a pool.
Any extra duties beyond these should be outlined in the homeowners online request. Some homeowners may have a garden that needs to be tended, a lawn that may need mowing or a rainwater system that may need monitoring. From what I’ve seen on the site, additional requests are usually stated upfront and instructions are provided in the sitters welcome guide before the petsit begins or you will be walked through the tasks with the homeowner on a video call or at the house before their departure.
Recap: So you live in a stranger’s house for free?
Essentially yes … welcome to the internet! Haha. Remember the AirBnB analogy? Petsitting doesn’t seem so farfetched considering most of us have used AirBnB to live in a stranger’s home before. This way just includes furry friends to spend your time with!
Most times I have a video call with the home owner during the interview process before confirming the sit (this is highly recommended, especially for international sits). Additionally, if my travels allow, I try to meet with the homeowners before they depart so we can walk through the house and discuss the pet care needs and routine. These details are usually provided in the welcome guide (and if not, ask!) but I find it easier to sort out and remember while in person.
Interested in becoming a pet sitter? Let me know any additional questions you may have in the comments!
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