• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Free Pet Sitting

C

chloaster

Warren Veteran
Has anyone else seen or used this site?

http://petsitterswap.com/Welcome.asp?g_t=04&a=0&gclid=CIaX8dvU64kCFSdXMAod7G9YGw

Hubby and I have been thinking of going away on holiday later in the year so have been looking for someone to come to mine and take on the challenge of 13 rabbits and I came across this site.

I was wondering if maybe we could start something similar - at least then we'd know our buns were being looked after by someone we could trust and we'd help each other out and save a few £ at the same time - just an idea ......
 
A similar kind of thing i think would be a good idea - at least we would know then someone who knows what they are doing is looking after thier rabbit!! We could produce a kind of database of peoples info as to where they live etc and then match people up when they need help.

Sue
xx
 
I think the idea in principal is great, hubby & i no longer go away as we just have too many pets to reasonably expect someone else to take care of them & definately couldn`t afford the boarding fees for all of them!!!!!
It would be lovely if we could have the odd break away but is there really someone who would be prepared to care for 12 rabbits, 2 guineas, 2 degus, 8 cats & 1 dog?!
Also I fear i would worry that a `stranger` wouldn`t pick up on an illness in my furries as quickly as i would or am i just paranoid?! :?

Just my opinion,
Su.x
 
cannonwoman said:
Also I fear i would worry that a `stranger` wouldn`t pick up on an illness in my furries as quickly as i would or am i just paranoid?! :?

Just my opinion,
Su.x
Click to expand...

That's always my biggest worry.
My mate Steph looked after mine when i went to turkey & she's doing it again when i go to New York - but i also arranged for my local vets to send a nurse out twice during the week :oops:
 
Kathryn & I already do this for each other, I've no idea what I'd do if I hadn't got to know her, not sure I could ask my father-in-law to look after quite so many guinea pigs :lol: !
 
Hiya, I just wanted to say that free pet sitting may sound like a good idea, but there can be a lot of drawbacks from using friends, especially if things go wrong.
Properly run pet hotels and rabbit rescues who provide a pet boarding service are insured, have expertise if a bunny becomes ill.
Having run a rabbit hotel, believe you me, it is a huge responsibility, especially when bunnies become ill (which can and does happen).
Even with people considered to be friends can get (understandably) upset when bunnies become ill, and a boarding contract is essential so everyone knows where they stand.
FREE does not necessarily mean the best, and please be very careful whoever you use for your pet sitting :wink: :)
 
I ALWAYS ask Tree to care for my bunnies as I trust her 100% and know if my buns need vet attention she would take them straight away and she knows their diets and exactly what they have. :D

I wouldn't consider asking anybody else apart from I am away 2 weeks in August so cant ask Tree to do 2 weeks although she would it is not at all fair - so I will be asking my friend whom also has buns and will leave her with Tree's number in case of any problems :)

Also the cost for pet sitting I find to be extortionate, Tree and I return the favours with looking after each others buns and neither of us expect payment :)
 
I'm really glad I have Gemma nearby and also a neighbour who, although doesn't have/want pets herself, seems to enjoy looking after mine. I trust both of them to get help if needed.

It's not possible for everyone to afford a hotel for their furries especially if there are a few. I have been thinking of offering a petsitting service where we live but not sure how to get started with insurance etc.
 
It is hard to find someone who knows a lot about rabbits isnt it :? Even official petsitters may not know enough.

My sister has quite a few pets and someone will be feeding them when she goes on holiday, apart from the rabbits who will stay with me for this reason. Hopefully my sister will be able to look after Audrey if we go away.

Kathryn, in notts Ive noticed quite a few organisations asking for pet sitters to join them, there must be similar companies in Lancs?
 
mandy said:
It is hard to find someone who knows a lot about rabbits isnt it :? Even official petsitters may not know enough.

My sister has quite a few pets and someone will be feeding them when she goes on holiday, apart from the rabbits who will stay with me for this reason. Hopefully my sister will be able to look after Audrey if we go away.

Kathryn, in notts Ive noticed quite a few organisations asking for pet sitters to join them, there must be similar companies in Lancs?
Click to expand...

I've not seen anything, there's a dog and cat petsitter locally but that's it. I think being very rural and about 30 years behind Notts :wink: , the assumption is that animals will be ok to be left. Hopefully times are changing though, and I'd like to try to change them a bit quicker :D
 
kayjay said:
mandy said:
It is hard to find someone who knows a lot about rabbits isnt it :? Even official petsitters may not know enough.

My sister has quite a few pets and someone will be feeding them when she goes on holiday, apart from the rabbits who will stay with me for this reason. Hopefully my sister will be able to look after Audrey if we go away.

Kathryn, in notts Ive noticed quite a few organisations asking for pet sitters to join them, there must be similar companies in Lancs?
Click to expand...

I've not seen anything, there's a dog and cat petsitter locally but that's it. I think being very rural and about 30 years behind Notts :wink: , the assumption is that animals will be ok to be left. Hopefully times are changing though, and I'd like to try to change them a bit quicker :D
Click to expand...

oh :lol: Well you'll have a monopoly then...best get in quick! :lol:
 
I just registered on that website to look at the list of people in my area. None of them has experience with rabbits, they are all dog owners. I also have more trust in a bunny boarding place, as the bunnies get more attention there and the people know a lot about bunnies. There are not enough bunny boarding places, though, and I can't always book my holidays and boarding place so long in advance. And during the school holidays the boarding is booked the most.
I'd like the idea of having a bunny experienced owner to look after my bunnies at their place, and I would do the same here. Might be worth having a slightly smaller holiday hutch that can be transported to the temporary foster person, together with a run.
 
Bavarian Bunny said:
I just registered on that website to look at the list of people in my area. None of them has experience with rabbits, they are all dog owners. I also have more trust in a bunny boarding place, as the bunnies get more attention there and the people know a lot about bunnies. There are not enough bunny boarding places, though, and I can't always book my holidays and boarding place so long in advance. And during the school holidays the boarding is booked the most.
I'd like the idea of having a bunny experienced owner to look after my bunnies at their place, and I would do the same here. Might be worth having a slightly smaller holiday hutch that can be transported to the temporary foster person, together with a run.
Click to expand...

I cant find a bunny boarding place that can house 13 rabbits together! :? :lol: I've found someone who'll come in to mine once a day for £12 a day which I thought was very reasonable but like others have said if they are not bunny mad like us lot would they pick up on stuff and also, only popping in once a day leaves potential problems as well as we all know how fast rabbits can go down hill ........
 
Yes, that's my fear, too. Once a day just to feed them and clean the litter box isn't enough. What if their water bottle doesn't work for some reason. Or, as you say, they get some health problems that need fast treatment. Also, I would not want them to be in their run without someone being nearby, because of foxes and cats. And I can't pay someone to sit here for several hours every day to give them their exercise.
 
I house sit for my friends I look after 3 horses, 2 cats and a dog, where doing it again on the 19th Feb for 3 weeks we move into their house and look after all the animals.

I do find it stressful worried about what happens if one of them is taken ill or worse,how would I explain that to them on their return.

Its a bit of a worry looking after someone elses animals.

mandy
 
Benny stayed in a place near me that is run by a vet nurse. Benny stopped eating two days before I was due to pick him up and all she did was fax our vets for his notes. Apparently he looked fine in himself so she thought he'd be ok until I got back!! :twisted: :evil:

Benny needed a dental and I took him as soon as I possibly could. It took me a few days to get him eating again afterwards.

Just shows that even people you can apparently trust to look after your pets sometimes get it wrong!
 
I don't often go away. But living with my mum has its advantages...she feeds all my bunnies and piggies in the morning anyways but if i need to be else where shes a superstar and sorts them all out.There are a few things she refuses to do including cuddling Bindi...Bindi sees mum as the feed machine and boxesher everytime she gets near Bindi. She also wont go near my youngest ferret cos hes a nipper.

I house sit for my best friends for two weeks a year and a few weekends. I am so lucky cos i get to look after her fabulous dogs (Stitch wont let no one else stay there - lol) and two gorgous cats....and sometimes her 17 ferrets. She also has enough space so i can take my ferrets with me. But i am forever coming back and checking on my other babies at home.
 
My Mum takes care of mine if I am away. I used to leave mine with a neighbour but won't anymore after I returned last year to a rabbit with flystrike :shock: Luckily the maggots had only just hatched and a very quick reaction from me and an overnight stay at the vet meant he made a full recovery. Just shows you do need people who know what they are doing and what to look out for!

I agree, boarding can be very expensive. For me to board all of mine (excluding the dog) would be about £140 for a week. That price means I can not not afford to go away!
 
When we go to Scotland in April we will take the dogs with us, lots of mountain walks etc. Normally my friend looks after the buns for me or another friend housesits. But as it is 2 weeks this time they are going to board at my local resuce. She has already booked them in for the duration and it means some extra money coming in! x Jess
 
We are just struggling to try to sort out someone to look after our lot when we go ski-ing for a week in Feb. A weekend away is fine as both mine and husbands parent s live by and don't mind popping in and letting them out for a run. For longer than that it is difficult to transport them all. When we went on our honeymoon for two weeks we had to take two doors off the hinges just to get the hutches out! They were charging around my parents house like they owned the place by the time we got home though!! I would trust my mum completely (she got me into buns afterall) Unfortunately they are coming with us this time though! Hopefully we can work something out where they get checked twice a day by two sets of people. I am lucky I know people locally who love rabbits though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
Repurposing climbing frame for run
Replies
2
Views
101
Halcyon
H
L
**UPDATE***Cleo losing weight - Now gaining :)
Replies
6
Views
136
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
a reader of books
Could Sophie get some vibes? Another dental
6 7 8
Replies
140
Views
2K
a reader of books
a reader of books
Back
Top