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TrustedHousesitters Overview: Finding a Reliable In-Home Pet Sitter

Article courtesy of our friends at Great Pet Care.

As much as we’d love for our pets to travel with us wherever we go, it’s not always practical, possible or safe. If you’re going on a trip without your pet, it can be stressful to find affordable, reliable, quality pet care. 

While you can ask a family member, friend or neighbor to care for your pet in their own home or make arrangements at a boarding kennel, these options may not always be ideal, especially if your dog gets anxious in unfamiliar environments. 

Thankfully, sites like TrustedHousesitters, a global house and pet sitting network that connects pet owners with verified sitters, are available to solve this problem for you.

The Pet Sitting Industry: By the Numbers

Since the majority of pet parents consider pets as family members, it comes as no surprise that people are spending more on their pets’ well-being. In fact, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), there has been an increase in health expenditure for pet care. In 2017, pet care was a $69.51 billion business, and it’s only expected to increase. This data includes spending on pets’ grooming, boarding, training, and pet sitting.

The pet sitting industry alone was valued at $2.6 billion in 2019, with an expected growth rate of 8.7 percent annually, APPA data shows. According to Google Trends, dog and cat sitting searches were up 40 percent and 30 percent respectively from 2014 to 2018. Pet sitting platforms like TrustedHousesitters are capitalizing on this demand.  

What Is TrustedHousesitters?

TrustedHousesitters, which launched in 2010, is a membership-based portal where travel-loving homeowners with pets and house sitters who love animals and traveling can connect. While TrustedHousesitters might seem like a version of Care.com, where users can find care for loved ones (in this case, their pets), it operates as a matching service more than it does as a monetary transactional job listing. Think of TrustedHousesitters as more of a community rather than a marketplace. 

Their mission is simple: TrustedHousesitters has created a global community based on trust, respect and sharing. They help facilitate genuine relationships between pet and travel lovers. They want to give people the freedom to see the world on both sides of the opportunities they offer. 

Owners can connect with trusted pet lovers who are offering in-home pet care, and sitters can connect with owners who are offering a place to stay in return for looking after their pets while they’re away. In both instances, no money is exchanged, allowing for both parties to make arrangements at no cost. It’s a win-win-win for owners, sitters, and furry family members. 

Benefits of In-Home Pet Sitting

For pets: While there is the option of boarding your pet, many vets support that in-home pet sitting is the ideal choice for your fur babies if you’re going to be out of town. Not only will your pet feel more comfortable in their own home, they also won’t have to deal with the anxiety of being in an unfamiliar environment. Depending on your pet’s individual personality, it may be less stressful for them to be introduced to a pet sitter than stay in a completely different space with other pets.

For pet owners: Now let’s talk about the benefits to pet owners. Not only will you not have to pack up your pet’s necessities and drop them off somewhere (which may be stressful for you during a time when you need to focus on your upcoming travel), you’ll also get a baked-in house sitter to look after your home.

For sitters: Simply put, house sitters who are also animal lovers have a place to stay while caring for someone’s beloved pet. You’ll get the opportunity to see the world without having to book and pay for a hotel. 

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