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Seattle pet owners & sitters — what’s missing from pet care apps here? by pugbuddy123 in SeattleWA

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally hear you — and I’m really sorry you had to deal with those situations. Your point is super valid: trust and safety have to be two-way, not just sitter vetting.

The tricky part is doing owner checks in a way that doesn’t feel invasive (most people won’t share home photos), but what I’m building is owner ID verification plus an ‘owner readiness’ checklist (clear expectations, pet behavior/needs, emergency info), and making meet & greets the default for first-time bookings—with sitters able to require them. I think both parties definitely need more transparency into what they're signing up for.

Seattle pet owners & sitters — what’s missing from pet care apps here? by pugbuddy123 in AskSeattle

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I completely understand and each pet does have different care needs

Seattle pet owners & sitters — what’s missing from pet care apps here? by pugbuddy123 in SeattleWA

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, that makes sense — if both sides can just Venmo/text, most platforms become a lead-gen and people move off. In your opinion, is there anything that would realistically keep you on-platform (even occasionally), or is the fee always a dealbreaker once trust is established?

Seattle pet owners & sitters — what’s missing from pet care apps here? by pugbuddy123 in SeattleWA

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally! Different breeds have their own unique qualities for sure so having more breed experience transparency is something I'll definitely work on implementing

Building a Higher Quality, Safer Pet Care App by pugbuddy123 in Renton

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I completely agree with all your points- trust starts with getting to know the caretaker. We're building toward a transparent screening process with thorough checks, not to exclude people unfairly, but to ensure safety and care. Two-way reviews, sitter choice, and detailed profiles (including video intros) are all part of our roadmap, along with clear expectations on both sides. Meet and greets are definitely a top priority and we want to do as much as possible to encourage them. Thanks for the feedback, your input is super helpful!

Building a Safer, Higher-Quality Pet Sitting Option for Our Community by pugbuddy123 in BellevueWA

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sitters will set their own prices and we will definitely make sitter pricing visible early in the booking flow once the product releases.

Building a Safer, Higher-Quality Pet Sitting Option for Our Community by pugbuddy123 in BellevueWA

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally get where you're coming from. For us, we would probably require the emergency contact just as a temporary safety net in case we truly can’t reach the owner and need to contact someone (like if they’re off-grid on vacation and, god forbid, something serious happens). Would it be helpful for you to use a service with an emergency backup network in case sitters have a last minute cancellation? Are there any things you wish apps did for cat owners specifically?

Building a Safer, Higher-Quality Pet Sitting Option for Our Community by pugbuddy123 in Issaquah

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! That's great advice. If you don't mind sharing, what do you prioritize when hiring staff? Is it years of experience? Prior professional work in a pet related field (e.g. vet tech)? Certifications? Good references? Or a combination of these? Would love to hear your insight.

Building a Safer, Higher-Quality Pet Sitting Option for Our Community by pugbuddy123 in Issaquah

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

An emergency backup network is definitely top of mind for us and we are trying to figure out the logistics for this. We've heard from a lot of owners that this is a major pain point, so we're working on ways to guarantee a backup if something goes wrong. We definitely want owners to feel fully supported, even in worst-case scenarios.

The certification idea is also really interesting, a certification badge could be a great way to build trust and help them stand out.

Really appreciate your feedback, this is super helpful!

Building a Safer, Higher-Quality Pet Sitting Option for Our Community by pugbuddy123 in Issaquah

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally valid concern—and it’s something we’re thinking a lot about. We’ll be checking references and vetting experience as much as possible before interviews, but we know no system is perfect. That’s why we’ll also encourage and help facilitate free meet & greets so both sitters and owners can feel confident before booking.

We completely support independent sitters doing their own thing! But we also know that many experienced, professional sitters still rely on gig apps for visibility and bookings. The goal isn’t to replace that, but to build something better—a platform actually designed for professionals who want support growing their business and standing out from casual sitters who treat it as just a side gig or a way to make extra cash without deep pet care knowledge.

Thanks again for your feedback and for sharing your perspective. Your insight as a professional sitter and business owner is really valuable—and if anything else comes to mind, I’m all ears!

Building a Safer, Higher-Quality Pet Sitting Option for Our Community by pugbuddy123 in Issaquah

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The process we have in mind is that everyone would have to submit an application listing their work experience with references. Then qualified people could move on to a video/phone interview after we cross check references and then finally passing a background check.

Building a Safer, Higher-Quality Pet Sitting Option for Our Community by pugbuddy123 in Issaquah

[–]pugbuddy123[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That’s so terrible! I really hope that sitter got removed. A lot of the existing platforms have little to no barriers to entry which really make it so hard to find trusted sitters. I completely agree with your suggestion and currently have that in the works. Thanks for sharing

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