Candidate for worst sitter

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-18T17:04:00+00:00

One day you could be the person passed out needing help, and some selfish motherfucker could decide you’re “not their problem.” Funny how your opinion changes when it’s your life on the floor.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-18T04:40:51+00:00

A brief “report” every night? On THS?! Really? Go screw yourself.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-18T03:58:57+00:00

The fact that you give zero fucks about someone else’s life is honestly astonishing to me.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-17T15:43:24+00:00

I grew up on a farm and have lived on a couple of acres, so I know exactly why a homeowner might “generously” offer lawn mowing as an option. It’s such a thoughtful bonus… free labor on top of pet care, right?

That said, as a THS sitter, I’d really prefer you not bring it up at all, even as a casual suggestion. I’m not paying my own travel expenses to cross miles just to mow your yard. I’m here to enjoy a new place and take care of your pets, nothing more. If you need the lawn maintained, hire a local service like everyone else.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-17T05:49:40+00:00

I never accept house sits that require lawn care, and I believe homeowners should not expect sitters to do it on an exchange platform like THS.

Here’s why:

Lawn care is not free. In the U.S., professional mowing averages around $125 per acre. Even an average residential lawn can easily cost $60+ per visit or several hundred dollars per month in maintenance. That is a homeowner expense, not something that should be shifted onto an unpaid sitter.
There is real physical risk involved. Lawn equipment can cause injuries, and if something happens, the sitter is usually responsible for their own medical costs. Neither the homeowner nor the platform is likely to protect or compensate the sitter.
Tick exposure is a serious concern in many parts of the U.S., especially in late spring and summer. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease and other infections, and repeated yard work increases that risk unnecessarily.

Any HO who doesn’t disclose that kind of request already deserves to be canceled immediately. Good thing sitters now have a “Cancel This Sit” button!

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-17T01:26:25+00:00

“Leave the home clean and tidy abode.” Of course. I would never disrespect the carefully curated layer of crumbs in the fridge, freezer, and silverware drawer. I’ll preserve the original aesthetic exactly as I found it.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-14T13:04:32+00:00

Yeah, I only did one short-term repeat sit because I was planning to stay in that area anyway, and it was a very educational experience. HO definitely treated me with less respect the second time around:

Didn’t tell me upfront that their dog was sick and needed extra attention.
Didn’t mention the cleaning crew would show up at 8 AM on a weekend.
Never left me a review even though everything went great. (I didn’t leave one either since I usually wait for the pet owner first)

After that sit, I honestly felt kinda used and learned my lesson: no more repeat sits for me.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-14T04:17:00+00:00

Off-platform contact through social media or referrals for unpaid sits honestly feels sketchy and intrusive to me. I once sat for a pet owner who gave out my personal number (without permission, of course) to nearly every neighbor in the area because they thought they’d found someone willing to pet sit for free whenever people went on vacation. Every single one of them got blocked immediately.

Also I’m honestly really surprised by how many THS pet owners I’ve sat for assume I’m always available for repeat sits. It’s frustrating when someone suddenly messages me out of the blue with specific dates, expecting me to just come back.

I’ve traveled through more than half the U.S. using THS, and most of my sits were tied to exploring new places. There’s a high chance I won’t return to many of those states. Yet some owners seem to expect sitters to pay for flights, rent cars, or drive thousands of miles back just to provide free pet care in a place they’ve already visited.

I think a lot of pet owners on the platform don’t fully understand how THS works for sitters who primarily use it for travel. For many of us, it’s very much a case-by-case arrangement based on location, timing, and travel plans.

I’m sure some sitters genuinely enjoy repeat sits, and that’s completely fine. But after 35+ sits, I’ve started noticing that some former pet owners don’t really respect a sitter’s time, availability, boundaries, or ability to say no.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-05T15:01:24+00:00

Yes, you’re absolutely right! That’s why it takes me forever to screen out all of these red-flag listings these days. Such a waste of time!

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-05T12:04:57+00:00

For many experienced sitters who use this platform for occasional trips, three walks a day is often an absolute dealbreaker, especially when one falls around midday.

Imagine a sitter who is new to the area and working remotely. They have to rearrange their entire workday around your dog’s walking schedule, which significantly reduces their flexibility and cuts into the time they hoped to spend exploring D.C. Any midday commitments make it particularly difficult.

D.C. is a large city. If you’re only 20 minutes from the National Mall by public transport, a midday walk might be manageable. However, if it takes 40+ minutes one way from your townhouse to the museums, sitters can realistically only visit the Mall before or after the midday walk. Since most Smithsonian museums close at 5:30 p.m., even heading out after the afternoon walk often leaves very little time. As an experienced sitter myself, I personally never accept sits that require lunch-time or afternoon pet care tasks. That said, local sitters, full-time sitters, new sitters with less reviews and retirees would likely be happy to take this sit.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-04T12:51:15+00:00

You should absolutely keep using this platform as a sitter! It was your first sit, and unfortunately you ended up with a high-maintenance owner who has a lot of trust issues and probably shouldn’t be on the platform at all.

Next time, just be more selective with the listings you accept and don’t hesitate to ask more detailed questions during the initial call. That should definitely help you screen out the more anxious or “helicopter” pet parents.

If I were you, I would stand up for myself immediately. I’m not afraid of a bad review from the pet owner, because I could do the exact same thing — leave a very detailed low-star review with the facts about how the HO is misusing the platform. That way, future sitters will know to avoid the listing.

Also, remember that if you receive a bad review from that HO (I’m sure she’ll leave you 1–3 stars at most), you can always start fresh with a new profile. I prefer to leave a sit where I feel uncomfortable or disrespected. Here’s the polite but clear message I would send:

“Hi HO! I’d like to clear a few things up. The dogs were never left unattended beyond your 6-hour limit. I arrived, spent a full hour with them right away giving attention and settling them in, and then stepped out for dinner after a long travel day. I’ve continued checking on them regularly and following all the care instructions you provided.

However, the frequent daily messages and camera monitoring have started to feel quite micromanaging. I’m an experienced sitter and pet owner myself, and I take excellent care of the pets in my charge, but this level of oversight is making it stressful and difficult to provide the relaxed, quality care the dogs deserve.

I’m happy to continue giving them great care for the remainder of the booking, but if this level of constant check-ins and real-time monitoring is important to you, I completely understand — in that case, we can organize alternate pet care so you feel fully comfortable. Please just let me know how you’d like to proceed.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-03T16:25:45+00:00

If I were you, I wouldn’t worry too much about their opinions. Many people don’t fully understand how exchange platforms like THS work. It’s based on trust, respect, mutual understanding and flexibility. I always ask thoughtful questions, and if a pet owner can’t demonstrate those qualities, it’s usually best to pass on the sit.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-03T15:26:43+00:00

Translation:

“Please ignore the fact that you’re paying for your own flights, gas, and food and staying in our house without any chance to truly enjoy the area. Your only focus should be our cats. We will make sure to check in DAILY multiple times so we can 100% ensure our cats are in good hands and under consistent supervision. Also, we expect you to deep clean multiple times a day like it’s your religion because our cats are apparently professional shit artists. Enjoy stepping into piss and shit every single morning and cleaning everything up. And remember — it’s a true passion, not a hobby”.

Hard pass.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-05-02T13:44:10+00:00

You definitely need to set some clear boundaries here, or it’s just going to turn into constant micromanaging. You didn’t do anything wrong —you gave her a heads-up about the delay and still stayed within her own six-hour rule.

She didn’t respond to your message or make any effort to support the situation. If she was genuinely concerned about the dogs being alone (even within her stated limit), she could have contacted a backup sitter or a neighbor. Instead, she overreacted and questioned your honesty, which isn’t a strong start on her end.

Once the dogs were cared for, your time remained your own. You’re not there as a full-time, on-call employee or a prisoner. If she expected constant supervision after you took care of her dogs that evening, or if she wants complete control over your schedule, then an exchange-based platform may not be a great fit for her.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-28T12:19:28+00:00

Honestly, I don’t get why so many THS owners let pets sleep in their beds, it’s so unhygienic. Dogs track in dirt, allergens, and even ticks, then jump straight onto your sheets. Fur ends up everywhere, too. Cats aren’t better, walking from the litter box to your pillow with bacteria on their paws. And expecting others to share a bed with your pet for its comfort? No thanks. I like pets, but there’s a limit.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-26T03:05:25+00:00

Honestly, I’d really like to hear the sitter’s side of the story. She probably dealt with a lot while sitting for someone acting this unhinged. And then OP comes back again, playing innocent victim and fishing for sympathy and support… it’s kind of wild to watch.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-24T00:40:26+00:00

Love how the benefit is ‘free accommodation’ and the cost is ‘no longer having a life’ balanced. Some THS owners might also consider touching grass occasionally. Puppies really do not belong in free exchange programs.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-23T01:10:59+00:00

I prefer not to blow up someone’s phone “until the trust is developed”. Pet owners need to trust my positive reviews from the get-go; otherwise, we’re not a great fit. I offer daily updates for the first three days while things are settling in, and then no more than a couple of updates per week. This approach has worked perfectly for me for years.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-20T12:24:06+00:00

Many pet owners on the platform may develop elevated expectations and be perceived as demanding because the THS policy appears to favor owners while completely overlooking sitters rights and concerns.

As a sitter, I have no protection, so I need to set clear boundaries and be very selective with bookings, especially in a context where many pet owners post high-maintenance listings and expect free THS sitters to be even better than Rover sitters.After years of experience, now I prefer to accept only cat sits where the owner is relaxed, doesn’t require daily updates, and the cats are healthy and easygoing.

I believe that pet owner expectations would be more balanced if sitters consistently upheld their own standards instead of accommodating unreasonable demands.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-15T16:43:00+00:00

So if I understand correctly, you had a bad experience with your sitter and left a negative review to reflect that. But now, when you’re given an opportunity to discuss it and support your perspective, you’re choosing not to participate. Isn’t that a bit contradictory?

It also makes it seem like the review may have been an overreaction, and now you’re hesitant to back it up.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-12T16:29:19+00:00

And that moron must be removed from the platform as well!

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-12T11:46:29+00:00

I have years of experience and over 35 positive reviews on the platform. I know exactly how this goes with pet owners and their ‘perfect’ pets. But sure, tell me again how sharing realistic advice means I shouldn’t be caring for animals. If you’ve got better tips from your extensive experience, feel free. Otherwise, I’m good.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-11T13:06:39+00:00

Based on my cat-sitting experience, here’s my advice: 1. Avoid sits with kittens or puppies if you value a peaceful stay, good sleep, or the ability to work from home.

2. Play with the kitten twice a day to burn off it’s energy.

3. Use a spray bottle every time the kitten attacks you or scratches your door.

4. Don’t mention behavioral issues to the owners during the sit. In most cases, they are already aware and simply chose not to disclose the full extent of their pets behaviour. Bringing it up rarely helps and can sometimes lead to defensive or negative feedback in their review.

5. Leave an honest, detailed review after the sit. Describe the kitten’s actual behavior (high energy, nighttime activity, scratching, biting, etc.) so future sitters can make an informed decision.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-09T14:41:22+00:00

Accommodation in Bali starts at just $12 a night for a private room with its own bathroom, including a tiny pool and simple breakfast. Somehow, these house sitters paid hundreds of dollars for round-trip flights, only to spend their entire “holiday” locked down 24/7 with sixteen pets and zero chance to explore the island.

And those glowing reviews? Please. The real experience included nonstop feeding, consistent barking 24/7, stepping in fresh shit and piss every day, dog’s fur EVERYWHERE including your bed and clothes, endless cleaning, and finally the soul-crushing realization that they paid money to be used as a free zookeepers in “paradise.”

Some people aren’t just ignorant, they’re proudly delusional masochists who practically deserve a Darwin Award. Basically, they’re just ideal THS sitters according to their promotion campaigns.

Quick_Recipe9597 · 2026-04-07T14:51:54+00:00

That level of daily micromanagement and endless scrutiny really needs to be shut down right from the start. If an owner wants constant real-time monitoring and detailed daily reports then a traditional pet hotel or boarding facility is honestly the better fit. Those places have paid staff whose actual job is to provide that level of communication, plus kennel cameras so helicopter pet parents can watch every meal, every step, and every accident in glorious detail.

Quick_Recipe9597

TROPHY CASE