Life can have surprising turns. Your partner can buy surprise holiday tickets for your birthday next week, or maybe your boss needs you to go on an unexpected trip far away from home for three weeks.
But, you are a proud pet parent and love your four-legged friend as part of your family. You are wondering, “Where am I going to find a pet sitter that I can trust? I can’t leave my pet with anyone. I want someone who can give their 100% attention to my best friend.”
You came to the right place!
As animal lovers and pet parents, we decided to review the best websites for finding pet sitting and house sitting for free to help you find someone you can trust.
The two most common solutions for pet sitting
Before we dive into reviewing the websites, it’s essential to differentiate between pet boarding and pet sitting.
- Pet boarding offers facility boarding and in-home boarding with other pets. Basically, you bring your pet to someone’s facilities or house, and professionals caretakers watch over your dog or cat while you’re away.
- Pet sitting is like having a nanny, but for your pet. A pet sitter looks after your furry friend in your own home, and you can book as many visits as you want or overnight stays.
How to choose between pet boarding and pet sitting
When choosing between pet boarding or a pet sitter, the goal is that your pet feels comfortable, and it’s well cared for. Here are a few factors to consider:
- Your pet’s personality: If you have a pet that enjoys socializing with other animals, pet boarding might be a good idea, but make sure to have all your cat’s or dog’s vaccinations up to date.
- Seek advice from your vet: Ask your vet before choosing which method is the best for the comfort of your pet and their individual needs.
- How many pets do you have?: If you have more than two furry friends, pet sitting may be a good option as they already have an extra companion to play with.
My preferred solution is a pet sitter or house sitter because I have two indoor rescue cats that thrive in their routine, love human interaction, full attention, and playtime. When I am traveling, I like to get updates from my furry babies and daily pictures of them, which gives me peace of mind as it’s hard enough for me to leave them!
Benefits of choosing a pet sitter
After talking with your vet and thinking about your pet’s personality, you are almost sure you need a pet sitter, but what are the advantages? Apart from getting love and cuddles, here are some benefits of choosing a pet sitter:
- Full attention from the sitter, which helps alleviate separation anxiety.
- They adapt to your pet’s routines and needs.
- Your pet has less risk of catching an illness.
- They can also look after your home, plants and belongings.
What if I tell you that you can find a pet sitter in a house sitting website that will look after not only your pet but also your home for FREE? Sounds pawsome, right?
According to House Sitting Magazine, house sitting is “a service where a homeowner entrusts their property, possessions, and pets, for a period of time, to one or more house sitters”.
How do house sitting sites work?
House sitting sites have become very popular, and they provide a platform to help homeowners find a trusted house and pet sitter who can care for their home and pets in exchange for free accommodation.
The first step is to make your homeowner profile and home listing. From there, the process may vary depending on the site.
Can you trust a pet sitter from a house sitting site?
As with any local pet sitter or pet sitting company, it’s crucial to have a genuine relationship with your pet sitter from the start so that you feel secure knowing that your best friend is in good hands. Here are some points to consider:
- Ensure that your pet sitter is verified.
- Read the sitter’s bio, which is a great way to find out about their personality, and it makes the filtering process easier.
- Meet and greet in person if possible (or video chat) and ask as many questions as you need.
- Ask for references!
But I have a bird, guinea pig, and rabbit. Can I find a pet sitter for them?
Yes, you can! There is a sitter for your beloved friend.
When you’re filling in your information on a house sitting site, confirm that you’re adding all your animals. If you get an application from someone who could be your potential sitter, remember to ask for any relevant experience and references with your type of pets.
What information should I give in my homeowner listing?
Make sure you’re giving the following information to determine if the person is the right fit:
- Your pet’s common behaviors.
- Diet and exercise requirements.
- Your pet’s overall health. If your pet is taking any medication, give precise information about dosage and times.
- Number and type of pets.
- Your pet’s routine.
- Photos of your pets.
A guide to the most popular house sitting websites
Housesitmatch.com
Founded on 2013
International house sitting with focus on Europe and the UK.
Pros
- They do an ID check on everyone and a background check on pet sitters.
- Personalized service. As soon as you click on their website, a chat box will pop up where you can chat with customer service, and they can walk you through the process of setting up your account. This might be a good option for pet parents who are using a house sitting site for the first time.
- Easy to use interface.
Cons
- Membership charges: £69 or £89 per year
Trustedhousesitters.com
Founded on 2010.
International house sitting with a focus on Australia, UK, Europe, and North America.
Pros
- Mobile App which might make life easier for busy pet parents on the go.
- Insurance guarantee for homeowners (available in the UK)
- 24/7 vet line advice for your pet.
- Largest house sitter website, which means there might be a good chance you will get a high amount of applicants (This could be a pro or con depending on your situation).
- User-friendly website.
Cons
- Most expensive membership site $119 per year.
- Not all pet sitters are verified, you need to check your applicants for the verified badge.
Trustmypetsitter.com
Trust My Pet Sitter is a Scottish based company.
International pet siting in UK, USA, Rome, Paris, Marid, Toronto, Sidney. However, this website list pet sitters who charge a fee for pet sitting. The good thing about it is that the pet sitters are verified.
Pros
- Mobile App which might make life easier for busy pet parents on the go.
- User-friendly website.
- You can earn some money as a pet sitter
Cons
- Not available worldwide, only in certain countries.
- It is not free to find a pet sitter.
It’s your choice!
When it comes to choosing which pet sitting side is right for you and your pet, think about:
- Your budget.
- Features.
- If a user-friendly site is important when searching for your sitter.
If after reading this article, you decided which website is best for your needs and you are ready to look for a sitter, remember to:
- Make a detailed home listing.
- Ask as many questions as you like to your potential sitter.
It’s essential to choose the right candidate for your furry friends!
Some links in this article are affiliate links which means a small commission may be earned if you decide to make a purchase. We only recommend tools/products/websites that we have found to be of high quality and
value.
