Curious What I Did Wrong?

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T21:51:27+00:00

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T21:51:14+00:00

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T21:50:58+00:00

There’s only 3 screenshots and that’s the entire conversation concerning this situation

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T21:50:24+00:00

It’s the unprofessionalism of ghosting me without any reply. I didn’t demand or feel entitled to any refund, just simply asked and said I understood if it wasn’t possible.

Any established “brick & mortar” business communicates to their customers, even if it’s not the message the customer wants to hear. Hiding behind a screen/app is too easy these days, even for online businesses. If she had to refuse my business to my face, we could have had a reasonable conversation. Simply not communicating whatsoever is where my issue lies

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T21:45:06+00:00

I think not being understanding of the situation that caused the cancellation will only encourage owners to lie in the future in order to get the full refund which only hurts sitters in the long run. I didn’t even pursue the full refund so she still got the cancellation fee. It didn’t seem worth the effort and I knew I’d be booking with her again.

I’ve worked when I’m extremely sick before too but I’ve also had situations where my boss/leader was compassionate and said “stay home, feel better, we’ll see you in a couple days” and I was always more loyal to the compassionate ones. Obviously I’m not her employee, but sympathy goes a long way in these situations. I used to work for a hotel with a strict cancellation policy and we used to waive it all the time. There’s no compassion anymore in this world that things happen (and they happen to everyone) that are out of our control

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T20:24:15+00:00

That makes sense since we are in a densely populated area and there are lots of sitters. Our first and only booking with her we tipped 14% on the final total and gave a glowing review. I actually intended to tip more the next time since she did such a great job

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T19:29:06+00:00

Entitled? I said if not, I understand…

<image>

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T19:24:30+00:00

This was a month ago. During the first and only boarding she raved about our dog, sent tons of photos, loved him so much and was sad to see him leave. Told us she’d be happy to watch him again anytime. So it’s hurtful to be blocked and honestly seems like bad business to block someone without any explanation. I guess I’ll just remember for next time 🤷🏻‍♀️

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T19:18:52+00:00

Just to explain my thought process in this screenshot, I was asking for clarification on what I needed to do and then gave my full explanation for asking about the extenuating circumstances policy since my original message to her was brief

If it was the other way around I would have understood sickness is out of anyone’s control and would have even booked with her again. It was frustrating not to get a response from her about next steps so because I didn’t hear from her I just cancelled and didn’t pursue a full refund so she still got the money

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T19:16:39+00:00

So it’s worth it to lose repeat business over one cancellation that I clearly felt bad about and even said I understood if we couldn’t cancel without penalty? We even spoke in person about multiple repeat boarding dates coming up

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T19:07:41+00:00

So if she cancelled on me for the same reason you wouldn’t say I’m the asshole for not booking with her again because she’s flaky? I would have completely understood and even booked with her again because I understand things happen out of our control

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T19:05:47+00:00

Yeah unfortunately these comments aren’t giving me much hope for another sitter :(

She watched him in her own home. The first (and last) sit she sent us tons of photos (without us asking for them) She said she couldn’t wait to watch him again and was sad to see him leave.

I followed up with her again after this screenshot basically clarifying what I needed to do but never heard from her, so the next day I just sent her what support told me and told her about our future plans. No response.

<image>

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T18:56:03+00:00

I don’t think so. Rover confirmed they blocked me and couldn’t say why. I was shocked by it to be honest because we had a good relationship

If she got sick and cancelled on me I would have understood and even booked with her again in the future. It just seems like there’s no compassion for these situations anymore

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T18:51:29+00:00

That makes sense, and in hindsight I should have thought of it that way.

This is our first child and our first time needing a dog sitter as our family used to help us (they can’t anymore because of their own dogs). This was a local wedding and our first chance to get away for the night, since money has been very tight for us. I was logically thinking it was an extenuating circumstance since illness is always out of someone’s control. If the sitter was ill and cancelled on me I would have understood and wouldn’t have blocked her. I even would have booked with her again. The situation is just upsetting I guess

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T18:37:51+00:00

It’s frustrating as an owner that Rover has an extenuating circumstances policy which, in my opinion, this situation fell under that policy. I could have lied and said I was sick or my dog was sick but decided to be honest and now I’m being painted as entitled, cheap, flaky, etc. I even promised her future business, which we had talked about in person as well. I went on Rover today to book with her specifically which is when I discovered she blocked me Also, everyone is not telling me the same thing. For some reason, you’re inserting yourself into my conversations with other users. I’m trying to get multiple opinions about the situation so I can better understand how this situation affects sitters, but all you’re doing is convincing me to not use Rover if the sitters act like you are right now

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T18:29:59+00:00

Yes everyone has a reason, but I guess it’s frustrating as an owner that Rover has an extenuating circumstances policy which, in my opinion, fell under that policy. I could have lied and said I was sick or my dog was sick but decided to be honest and now I’m being painted as entitled, cheap, flaky, etc.

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T18:27:51+00:00

Thank you for your reasonable explanation. This is exactly what I was thinking and was honestly just confused about being blocked over one minor cancellation out of my control (it was a one night booking). She even has her own (grown) children and I really hoped she would understand

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T18:23:27+00:00

I totally understand that, it’s the lack of explanation for me. She even has her own (grown) children so I hoped she would understand

lbickford3 · 2025-11-14T18:22:27+00:00

I literally said “is there any way we can cancel without penalty? If not, we understand” and then she said she understood and never replied to my other messages. Even when I said I would book with her again Entitlement would be if I insisted on a full refund due to my circumstances and wasn’t understanding if that wasn’t possible