Housesitting/Petsitting payments?

[ducklite]

We've lived here seven years and don't even know more than the first names of most of them, and don't even know that about many. People around here are cordial but tend to keep to themselves. Most of our friends live anything from 20 minutes to an hour away, too far to come twice a day. So I pay a vet tech to come in, peace of mind for me, and she's excellent. I also think that by paying someone they take the responsibility more seriously. You've then created a contract.

Also, I wouldn't want a "neighborhood kid" in my house while I wasn't here, too many liability issues there.

Anne

 

[mja451]

Our problem on our street seems to be that everyone goes away at the same time! We have a neighbor we trade off with on this but for the past few years we go away at the same time. Also, our dog is relatively high maintenance, needs meds, and it's better to have someone stay here with her. Plus we are going for almost 3 weeks this year! We have usually been able to find a trustworthy college student or other person who needs a place for 2 or 3 weeks in August .

FW Cabins August 3 - August 17

 

[Sandi]

This has been so very helpful. I appreciate all the replies.

 

[DMRick]

Do any of you have someone trustworthy that you can do favors for each other like this?

We're gone way too often and would feel we were taking advantage. When I pay someone, it's (I feel) more of a commitment...a job, so to speak. If it were a once or twice a year thing, I might feel differently, but it's several weeks a year, as well as most weekends in warmer months. Plus a lot of the neighbors I would ask and trust, are also on the go.

 

[Tartan Tigger]

I'm really surprised that you pay people to pet/house sit. Where I live the neighbours would do that for you and most would be offended if your tried to pay them.

 

[Sandi]

I would ask a neighbor to do it for a day or two, but not for a week. That's an imposition that's not fair. My cat wants company or else she will take revenge on the house. So, I need someone who will hang out with her and clean up after her. If it was merely picking up the mail, that's different.

 

[mmiller711]

My MIL and FIL have always come to stay at our house and take care of the zoo while we were away. This year my "RESPONSIBLE" DD (age 20) will be staying alone. This is a first for a long vacation but we live on a road all her friends have nicknamed Relative Row. My aunt and uncle live next door, my BIL will be home next door to them (DS is joining us) and my neice is 4 houses down. She may have friends over but I'm sure it won't get too wild or someone in the neighborhood would come clear it out!

 

[Harambe]

Our "neighborhood kid" that took care of our cat is also our babysitter, so I felt comfortable giving her a key. She lives right across the street which worked out great, and we know her parents well.

We gave her 30.00 for the week and bought her a pooh t-shirt (her fav character).

I usually buy 2-3 disposable litter boxes and have her simply throw them out and replace, rather than scooping.

Alas - those days are gone as our cat now has diabetes shots, so will have to board at the doctor's office. She'll HATE that!

 

[ducklite]

sandi--You should look a tthe new viseos they ahve out for cats. i can't recall what the name of them are, but they are videos that are made expressly to entertain cats--they have birds chirping and fish swimming.

Of course it's not a complete substitute for her humans, but it might help "ease the pain" a little.

Anne

 

[GladysK]

Originally posted by ducklite
Gladys--Glad that your 18 year old can be left home alone. My 17 year old can not. .


And I certainly wouldn't expect him to take care of my animals on top of that.

Anne

I guess I'm missing something here. I guess your pets have a very complicated medical needs,but MOST 17 year olds are responsible enought to feed fido and pop a pill in his mouth.


WE also did the neighbor kid feeding fido-but he didn't need to enter the house.I'd usually give him $20 for feeding once a day for 5 days.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by GladysK
I guess I'm missing something here. I guess your pets have a very complicated medical needs,but MOST 17 year olds are responsible enought to feed fido and pop a pill in his mouth.


WE also did the neighbor kid feeding fido-but he didn't need to enter the house.I'd usually give him $20 for feeding once a day for 5 days.

I don't feel it's appropriate to leave a minor at home, alone, overnight. And like I said, my son has disabilities. I'd love to have an 18 year old that could be left home alone. But frankly, I'll be glad if my son will one day be able to live completely independently, which will probably not happen until he's well into his mid-20's.

My pets medical needs are very complicated, seven of the eleven get medications, some only get them in the morning, others in the evening, some only on odd days, there are currently four different meds that have to be distributed, that's down from eight as we've recently lost two of our old timers. We have to keep a list to keep track of them ourselves.

That's nothing my son could do--he's doing great when he can keep track of his own med schedule. And I would never impose on a friend or neighbor to manage this either. In my case, a professional is the only way to go.

Anne

 

[GladysK]

Well, I guess your situation IS special and explains the reasoning behind hiring two people when you are away and leave your son.

But when I leave my 18 year old,who has been driving his own vehicle since aged 16,home alone, he has to feed Fido,the aquarium fish and the outdoor pond fishes.

 

[peachgirl]

Oh my gosh! I'd be rich if I charged my neighbor for watching his house and taking care of his dog. I bring in the mail and the newspapers and have taken out trash for him as well. We must have a really friendly street because we do this sort of thing for each other and don't expect to be paid.

I guess we're lucky too because we do this as well.

Between the neighbors across the street and those on either side, someone is always home when another is away. So, we trade out with each other and no one would allow anyone to pay them. A nice gift is traditional, but a cash payment would be an insult.

One neighbor has a high school age son who stays at our house at night when we're gone, but that's because he wants to. I think he'd pay us just to let him. He's done this since he was 14 and it would never occur to us to worry about his behavior or if they'd sue us if something happened.



As I said, we're very lucky.

 

[>>^..^<<]

This reminds me of something funny my DD9 said.

Besides the cats & dog, frog & fish we have a new little hamster named Halo.

I suggested to my DD that her little friend Krystal might want to look after Halo while we are on our trip for $20.00.

My DD said she thought that was a great idea except she was sure Krystal would be willing to pay more than $20.00

Then I explained "no, we pay her... she doesn't pay us"


>>^..^<<

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Harambe
Alas - those days are gone as our cat now has diabetes shots, so will have to board at the doctor's office. She'll HATE that!

Harambe-

Check at your vets office. It's possible you can get one of the tech's to come to your house every day for the shots. If they all live too far or don't want to, ask them if they can suggest anyone. Lots of vet tech's know lots of others. Most do petsitting for extra cash and will have good references.

I would suggest doing this PLUS having the familiar neighbor come in. It won't cost you that much more, it will give the cat the company of the familiar neighbor, and also make sure her health needs are taken care of.

I hate the idea of boarding animals at the vet. Why? because what's at the vet? Sick animals! I don't want to expose my managerie to any more bugs than I have to. Plus they'll never get out of the cage for playtime.

Also the stress of boarding at the vet eill not be a healthy thing for a diabetic cat. I would truly look into other options.

Anne

 

[PatriciaH]

Originally posted by ducklite
So I pay a vet tech to come in, peace of mind for me, and she's excellent. I also think that by paying someone they take the responsibility more seriously. You've then created a contract.

Also, I wouldn't want a "neighborhood kid" in my house while I wasn't here, too many liability issues there.

Anne

I agree strongly Anne. DH and I are pet-sitters (part time) and we start at $15 a visit. We also take in the mail, water plants, fill bird feeders, etc.. We take the job seriously and treat the animals like our own. We are insured and have taken care of animals that need medication, farms and more. I do not even want to think of what would happen if a neighborhood kid got into you liquor and then drove home or slipped and broke something in your house. I hope anyone that is doing this is well insured! You never know who will sue you-it has happened.

 

[PamNC]

because we have several pets. 4 cats, 2 dogs, 4 horses, 3 chickens. I have someone stay at our house for our vacation which is usually 7 nights. We pay her $250.00.

PamNC

 

[ducklite]

Pam--I think you win the "menagerie" award

Anne

 

[Jen D]

We're lucky too. We've have friends across the street, and we both have cats, so they do it for us and we do it for them. Overall it's about the same amount of time for each every year. Generally the payment is a bottle or two of wine.

Before I made friends with my neighbors I had another cat friend we traded these services with-- and she and I rarely have lived in the same neighborhood! Its just one of those things-- I do it for her, she returns the favor.

 

[taylor1293]

How do you find a good pet sitter?

Also, how much should I be expected to pay for watching 2 cats/2 dogs?

Currently, my dad comes over once a day to feed and spend time with the cats. However, we board the dogs because my dad lives 10 miles from us, and I don't feel it's fair to him to drive over our house 3 times a day. He would do it if we asked, but I don't want to burden him.

I LOVE the place we board the dogs at. It is a kennel only (no sick animals!). They have huge indoor/outdoor kennels and they have playtime out in the yard everyday. However, it is really expensive and I'd prefer my dogs be able to stay in their home while we are gone.

Teresa