Spare Yourself The Headaches

Did you know that when you go away for a vacation that there is another option to taking your pet to a boarding kennels, hiring a company to mow your grass or shovel your snow, and asking your neighbor to collect the junk mail from your front steps while you are gone? There is!

Boarding kennels cost a lot of money. Landscaping/snow removal companies cost a lot of money. Wouldn’t it be nice to find a way to avoid paying all that money? There is!

Your Pet is Happier at Home

Wouldn’t your pet really be happier staying at home in familiar surroundings? You bet! Sure, there are companies that you can hire that will send one of their employees to visit your home and feed your cat and scoop the litter box. Or, they will feed your dog and take it for a walk. But, you have to pay for all that. There is another option, and it is free!

Many House Sitters Are FREE!

There are many people who are house sitters/pet sitters and they will do these things for FREE!

“Really?”, you say. “What’s the catch?”

Let me explain. It’s an exchange of services. They do these things in exchange for living in your home while you are away.

They have joined house sitting websites, just as I have, and registered as house/pet sitters. Their sitter profile can be viewed on such sites. You can join such sites as well and register FOR FREE.

You can then look at house sitter profiles and contact only the one you like the best, or you can advertise your needs. You post a description on the site describing what you need.

For example: “I need someone to live in my 2 bedroom condo in Edmonton, Alberta from May 01 - May 21, 2024 in exchange for caring for my poodle (needs to be fed and walked twice a day), and to water some houseplants once a week, and collecting my mail. I offer parking in the condos’ underground parkade. A farmers’ market, walking trails, and a couple of antique malls are all nearby.”

When House Sitters Apply

Potential house sitters then send you their applications through the house sitting site. They describe themselves and their previous sitting experience. This first contact lacks any personal information. Only first names are given, and a vague location of your condo is given, such as NW Edmonton.

You then choose a few finalists for further questioning. These finalists will want to see some photos of the interior of your condo and of your pet. Neither of you are divulging any identifiable or personal information yet.

Once you have a finalist determined, then you need to share identifying information such as your email address or phone number so that you can start communicating off the house sitting website.

Now, you are asking for the sitters’ surname, phone number, reviews from previous homeowners, letters of reference, Criminal Record Check, etc.

Now, the sitter is asking for your surname, actual street address, email address, and photos of the exterior of your condo. She needs to check you out as well.

When I, as a house sitter, get to this point, I look at the condos’ address on Google Maps and Google street view. That way I can really see what the neighborhood looks like and what shops and attractions are nearby. I also Google the condo owners’ name to see what information I can find there regarding them.

Meeting With a Potential House Sitter

If the sitter lives nearby, an appointment for an in-person tour of your condo is a good idea before your departure date. If she lives far away, a Zoom call is a good idea.

If all goes well, an agreement to “commit to sit” is clicked on the house sitting website to seal the deal. You then send off a “Thank you for your applications, but I am no longer seeking a sitter.” letter on the house sitting website to all of the other applicants.

It’s as simple as that, and it doesn’t cost you anything. Your sitter shows up before you leave for a final briefing, question/answer tour. Then, you leave for your trip knowing that everything is in good hands. If you wish to have the sitter send you an email and a photo of your pet once a week, that is pretty standard procedure and it is reassuring.

A Small Gift

When you return home, it is proper etiquette to bring your sitter a small gift.

It is also proper etiquette for your sitter to leave you a small gift and a Thank You card upon your return.

Leaving Reviews

A few days later be sure to write up a “sitter review” on the house sitting website for your sitter. This will help her to acquire future house and pet sits.

She will also write up a “review” about her experience sitting for you on the site. This will help you acquire sitters in the future, should you require another one the next time you go away.

Escaping The Blizzards of Alberta

Some seniors who are thinking of retiring in Victoria want to try living there first for 2 months before actually purchasing a home. Some people, like me, just want to escape the blizzards of Alberta for the entire winter by going to Vancouver Island for 6 months while the homeowner snowbirds down south. (Or, alternatively, find two or three consecutive sits there that add up to the entire winter.)

A Win-Win Situation

It’s a win-win situation. Check out my sitter profile on House Sitters Canada and Trusted House Sitters yourself the next time you need to go away. The links to my profiles can be found at GailHouseAndPetSits.ca