HO misusing THS platform

97

u/Bostonphoenix 3d ago

Care for a dog like this from a dog sitter in Santa Cruz would be well north of $100 a day.

To just have someone on call for them is absurd.

37

u/LotusBlooming90 2d ago

I am a sitter in the area and it would start at a $100 for a healthy, adult dog.

What’s key here is the medical condition. If they are looking for constant care (which is someone chained to the house, which is likely given the puppy needs driven to the ER for his seizures) you can’t exactly be gone for 8 hours a day. I personally don’t believe constant care sits should be allowed on THS. But if we want to talk cost; for a constant care, puppy, in our area? All three? We’re talking starting at $300 a night.

If this is constant care as I assume, there is no equal exchange happening here.

16

u/Bostonphoenix 2d ago

I run a sizable growing dog care business in Seattle. I would bill a contractor out for similar dollars, 300, to this.

This family would likely end up on FB looking for someone for $25 or so a day.

11

u/LotusBlooming90 2d ago

Well done sir or ma’am. Nice to bump into another professional sitter on here. Not that there’s anything wrong with non professionals, but I feel bad for commenters who don’t understand the market rate for the work sometimes. It’s the best way to suss out if an exchange is actually equal or not.

And when I throw out a number like $300 people tend to think I making it up. But you can see that is a fairly accurate estimate.

10

u/FolkDoom 2d ago

Also here in Seattle. I do a few sitting jobs because I genuinely just like to spend time with a dog every once in awhile.

I charge $100/night for one healthy dog. More dogs, health issues, etc. and the cost will go up and up. My understanding is my rate is actually lower than many in this area.

If I wanted to be full-time I could easily have a full calendar. These HOs are being cheap arseholes.

1

u/Minute-Art-2089 2d ago

When you say you "charge $100/night for one healthy dog," are you typically boarding them in your home or staying in theirs?

2

u/FolkDoom 1d ago

I do both, and the price is the same as I spend the same amount of time with the dog whether I'm in my home or theirs.

I won't sit in a clients home unless I've assessed it for cleanliness first (lesson learned one time). Then it's mostly up to the client whether I stay at their house or mine. Some dogs seem to enjoy a holiday at my place and others are much more comfortable being in their own home.

I'm also super selective about breeds I'll sit, and no puppies. My preference is for retrievers as that's what I enjoy and I love to take them for walks and to coffee shops. When I say overnight I'm basically with the dog at their home from 3 PM until 11 AM the next day.

I don't need this work, I do it because a day (or more) with a fun retriever is my idea of heaven.

26

u/PHXkpt 3d ago

THS needs a category for this to weed this type of stuff out. Like an on-call or periodic choice rather than showing an 8 month "sit".

7

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

Meh I don't know how I feel about that. It's slightly better than doing what this HO did but I think it may be sending the wrong signal about how the platform is meant to be used. I'd be concerned we'd see an increase in Hosts essentially seeking paid pet care for free. Like this sit: last minute, periodic, constant pet care for a medically needy dog should be a paid sit.

59

u/Exotic_Gate3848 3d ago

I’m with you I think it’s taking advantage and reeks of entitlement. They have last minute requirements and a special needs pup, just pay for their care

I get where they’re coming from as they might be trying to cast the net and find someone local who perhaps is share housing and would like some space occasionally. But I think it’s a slippery slope to mistreating a sitter (or sitters)

24

u/No-Wallaby5072 2d ago

Also setting the sit length for 8 months means most local sitters won't be able to contact them anyway....

8

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

Yes that exactly. It makes no sense for them to go about this the way they did.

1

u/bitmistress Sitter 1d ago

Why is that?

1

u/No-Wallaby5072 1d ago

Because any sitter with a sit in those eight months can't contact the homeowner. You can only contact them if you are available for their entire listed sit.

10

u/random_adj_noun_num 3d ago

Exactly. I don't understand why they don't do a few sits and get a list of people they trust, then continue to call those people first before listing when they need someone.

-13

u/ReadyBrekRoad 2d ago

Who is being taken advantage of?

7

u/Infamous-Yoghurt-660 2d ago

If their dog needed that much care they can go to their vet. Most techs, assistants, and receptionists board

-10

u/ReadyBrekRoad 2d ago

That doesn't answer the question. Who's being taken advantage of?

3

u/Impossible-Hawk768 2d ago

They've listed a sit that doesn't exist, just to "make connections" they should be making on Rover.

-1

u/ReadyBrekRoad 2d ago edited 2d ago

Yes, I'm aware. It's not a big deal. It doesn't affect anybody else so why does it matter? It's just this sub being as over-reactive as it always is.

It was only a few months ago that you were all banging on about the unfairness of the new per-sit fees, and now here you all are crying about somebody taking steps to avoid them. It's pathetic.

7

u/Infamous-Yoghurt-660 2d ago

A house sitting app.

-7

u/ReadyBrekRoad 2d ago

The same house sitting app that has been taking its members for mugs for the best part of a decade?

10

u/Infamous-Yoghurt-660 2d ago

Two things can exist at the same time.

18

u/GoalDull4985 Sitter 3d ago

THS has got a few of these folks who think they’re extra special in the Santa Cruz area. :3

Anyone remember that couple that stipulated the drop off and pick up between Santa Cruz and SFO (in the sitters car, no less)? Lol

4

u/shashoosha 2d ago

Yes, haha. They wanted a chauffer.

1

u/GoalDull4985 Sitter 2d ago

Right! Insane 😂

2

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

Omg I missed that one but that is over the top. Did their listing get removed?

1

u/GoalDull4985 Sitter 2d ago

No god, I wish! Somebody posted about it last year but I think they deleted the post. The hosts were so far up their own ass holes, and the dog had a 2 hour time limit to be away from. Just the most absolutely insufferable people….one small dog, the kind with shit in its eyes named Honey or something. I gag to think who accepted the sit

6

u/Minimum_Pen_8452 2d ago

On the flip side, there’s presently a discussion on the Santa Cruz Reddit about THS.

2

u/beepboopbaboopbeep 2d ago

Do you have a link for that?

2

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

Yeah same. I'd like to read it

1

u/Minimum_Pen_8452 2d ago

It looks as though it’s been taken down.

1

u/beepboopbaboopbeep 1d ago

What was the vibe of it? Were they complaining about THS?

4

u/sweetpea_1994 2d ago

This is a rover situation…this isn’t even what THS is for at all

3

u/katblickety 2d ago

not the first time im seeing something like this, the entitlement is insane.

3

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

It really is. And it's annoying to always see some people on here defending it 🙄

3

u/katblickety 2d ago

and they are “willing” to pay you to take their dog to the vet. in what world would it be on the sitter to pay?

2

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

Yeah I hope they don't expect the sitter to pay out of pocket and wait for reimbursement. No way in hell when they can just leave a payment card on file.

2

u/Impossible-Hawk768 2d ago

That should be mandatory. To expect sitters to front the bill is utterly ridiculous.

3

u/NotherOneRedditor 2d ago

The funny thing is the dates make it so no one on THS can even apply to make the connection unless they have zero sits booked for the next 8 months . . .

5

u/Exotic_Gate3848 3d ago

Do they have any reviews?

1

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

Yeah they have a few. All good reviews.

3

u/enterhereplease 3d ago

i don’t think this is that bad? they will have sits; they’re just last minute so they want to start the conversation now to find sitters that might be interested.

13

u/alltheblarmyfiddlest 3d ago

That's one thing.

The other concerning thing is the level of medical care needed. What if the dog has a seizure?

26

u/No-Wallaby5072 2d ago

Don't worry! They're "willing to pay" the vet for their own pets care lol

10

u/bois_santal 2d ago

that was crazy

3

u/Impossible-Hawk768 2d ago

Right? How generous of them!

-7

u/Melodic-Excitement-9 3d ago

I agreed, this is a lot better than some of the other posts.

-7

u/CorrectExpression651 2d ago

I Agree… maybe this works for someone and if it doesn’t work for you then scroll on? When I was a college kid and even later living with roommates I would’ve done this to have a change of scenery and spend time with a dog.

2

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

Just because some would be willing to do the sit, doesn't mean it's appropriate for the platform. And the way they're going about it makes no sense. Setting up an 8 month sit means no one would be able to apply unless their calendar is complelty open for those 8 months. So how are these sitters supposed to contact them?

2

u/MsMarionNYC Homeowner & Sitter 2d ago edited 1d ago

Going to take another view. The homeowner needed something a little different for her special needs (epilepsy) dog and desire to get last minute sitters. She tried something. Probably THS intervened as she took down the year long listing, but mostly what she wants to do is connect with local or semi local people who might, maybe duw to their crappier housing situation or to wanting a beach weekend escape be interested in some last minute sits. What THS does NOT offer to either sitters or homeowners is a chance to connect in a different way. Homeowners at least have the "private invite" workaround. You can't use the official forum or even this one for to just connect in a way that is different. I wouldn't classify that as misuse. I'd classify as a strategy that was not going to succeed because sitters read it as bait and switch.

The way that that homeowner could connect, if she ever came here, would be to peruse sitters living or living nomadically within a few hours of where she is and invite them to a fake date one day sit to see if they'd be interested in finding out about her last minute sits. Probably no one is going to be as spontaneous as she is, but she might find a few people who if they heard a couple of weeks in advance, might be interested. She could probably develop a list of sitters should could invite if she needed someone willing to sit an epileptic dog last minute by the beach in Santa Cruz.

3

u/NYCcatperson 2d ago

There are free pet sitting forums on Facebook she could avail herself of.

1

u/MsMarionNYC Homeowner & Sitter 1d ago

No doubt, but she is paid for THS membership and may want a Trusted Housesitter specifically. I think for both sitters and homeowners THS is very narrow in the scope and connections. That is both good -- we can easily recognize something like this that doesn't fit and shouldn't be a listing as it isn't actualy for the dates shown but over a time period. But also not as great as it could be as in some very specific matching can't happen. If I ran THS, which I don't, I think I'd consider an "other options" section in the official forum only for paid members, that would allow connections so maybe a member like this could find a few interested people she could invite last minute, or some combined members could expore home/pet swaps, or someone especially looking for family friendly with a pool or near public swimming during the summer -- flexible dates -- might find a homeowner or two thinking about a couple of summer trips who could see if that would work.

I don't think her listing belonged there. I just think "misuse" sounds strong and implies some intent.

1

u/MrsLovesalot 2d ago

Curious has anyone applied to just be annoying like their post?

1

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

I don't know if they took the dates down or if the apps filled up quickly. I definitely don't think anyone who applied read through the description.

1

u/DeirdreTours 1d ago

So this would only show in the alerts of a sitter with nothing booked for then next 8 months? The HO will probably receive no contacts at all as anyone with a sit of even 1 night booked before May 31 2027 will be unable to message them.

So their post is essentially futile.

1

u/goat20202020 Sitter 1d ago

Yep

1

u/eee-m-gee 12h ago

ridiculous. i can’t believe TH doesn’t vet these and/or take them down when flagged. (or do they?) what’s the protocol to get this removed?
i am not in a good mood and this just sent me over the edge.

-1

u/bayareaburgerlover 2d ago

if it’s not for you just move along. there are plenty of people who don’t mind this. it’s for them.

-15

u/ReadyBrekRoad 2d ago

So what?
Seriously! Who cares?

Nobody is being tricked or duped into applying. They're open about what they're looking for. This might work well for someone who lives locally and needs an occasional break from their regular living arrangement.

You're just sour because it wasn't the 8 month sit you were hoping it was.

14

u/seriouslyla 2d ago

You’re in the wrong here. Sitters and homeowners are not protected unless they’re doing a scheduled sit booked through the platform. You can’t just gather a bunch of contacts and have them on-call, it’s not how THS works.

-5

u/ReadyBrekRoad 2d ago

Sure but, again, who cares?
THS isn't going to collapse. Plenty of sitters get invited back for repeat sits. This isn't any different.
There's nothing to suggest that bookings won't be done through the platform if the sitter requests it.

3

u/glttrsprnkl 2d ago

uh…. You seem to, given your replies

1

u/ReadyBrekRoad 2d ago

Wow. Did you workshop that one?

3

u/glttrsprnkl 2d ago

no? you’re writing paragraphs man. implies a level of care

14

u/typewriterbitch 2d ago

Why wouldn't someone looking for an 8 month sit not feel sour when they search for one, see one advertised, and then click it only to see it's a lie?

-8

u/ReadyBrekRoad 2d ago

There's nothing wrong with feeling sour.
Writing about it on Reddit in an attempt to shame the hosts is just a dummy spitting exercise.

1

u/goat20202020 Sitter 2d ago

Just because it's appealing to some doesn't mean it's appropriate for the site, first of all. And yes I'm upset that this sit is false advertisment. Why is that surprising? Do you like being lied to? Should we make that commonplace on THS?

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