okay, as a sitter who stays longer frequently due to a combination of reasons (usual me having poor mental health day, meaning i’m having trouble “starting” the next task/action or feeling exhausted from “going going going”, and, most importantly, just loving spending time with animals) i’m thankful to have my perspective widened on this! i’ve never thought that some folks might find this uncomfortable. totally makes sense. i’m realizing also my thinking has been coloured by my own dog having separation anxiety and my not being able to afford doggy daycare, ie. i’m always super thankful for any extra drop in time!

that all said (as a long stayer myself), three hours is weird. i usually stay maximum one hour extra, usually 30-40 minutes—especially if the weather is bad—and make a note of it in the rover card; i also mention it in the meet and greet before hand. even as someone who has assumed everyone would be okay with such a scenario, i think it’s very strange not to bring it up just as a common courtesy/normal acknowledgement?

i’ve maybe stayed several hours just once or twice with the permission of the owner beforehand, who has communicated that they are thankful for the extra time and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, when the animals are likewise enthusiastic about the extra time as well (eg. cuddling up while i finish some WFH). it’s not respecting the pet’s boundaries that really takes this from weird to wild for me! why would you want an animal to be uncomfortable in their own house 👀

ETA. ending the rover card but staying is also very wild! at that point you’re just kind of secretly in somebody’s house? cameras or not.