Pet Sitting Rant and Pricing Question
15A friend of mine asked me to watch her dogs while she went out of town for the week. She offered to pay. She didn’t say how much, and I didn’t ask… I just assumed it would be an ok amount, but not a huge amount, since we are friends. So I watched the dogs… They are huge, they have bad manners, they drool on everything, and they fight with each other over food. They really make me appreciate my dog, but they are a pain in the ass to watch. On the day that she was coming back into town, I was working late, and I texted and called her a few times while I was at work, trying to find out if her plane arrived ok. Phone went to voicemail the first few times. No reply. Hours later, I got out of work, I called and texted again several times. Phone rang instead of going to voicemail, so I assumed that meant she was no longer on the plane. Still no reply. She should of been home for about 3-4 hours at this point. I wasted time for about 45 minutes, sitting at Target for a bit, because I just had a nagging feeling she was home. I eventually sent a last text to please let me know that she’s home, otherwise I’d stop by again to let the dogs out, assuming her plane was delayed or something. 10 minutes later, as I’m driving to her house, she finally says she’s home, I reply back with a thank you. I don’t hear from her again until I text her almost a week later, letting her know I gave her key to her son, to give back to her, since I hadn’t heard from her.
She paid me today and after subtracting gas and tolls to drive the 30+ minutes to her house several times a day (I couldn’t stay there because I have my own pets that need medicine twice a day, and she knew this) I honestly felt slapped in the face. She said she would of liked to pay me more, but she spent too much on her trip. This was like putting salt on the wound. If she really felt that way, she could of offered to pay me at a later date or something.
I doubt I’ll say anything to her about it, unless she ever asks me to dog sit again. Then I’d decline and probably say that it’s too much travel for me to do it. I don’t like conflict, and I don’t have that many friends, so I’ll probably just sweep it under the rug. But my feelings are hurt.
I guess I might feel different if she lived around the corner, and she had easy to care for pets.
I watched someone’s ferret for over a week, and I didn’t want any money because they brought the cage to my house, so it was easy. And the ferret is super cute.
So after that long rant… How much do you charge for pet sitting? Does it matter how many pets? What kind? How far you have to drive?
Do you never charge friends because they are friends, no matter if you spend your own money to drive there and back? Maybe I’m a jerk.
Here’s an unrelated photo of some adorable otters.
- 21 comments, 28 replies
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If you are having to make special trips and it’s for more than a couple of days, I don’t see any harm in asking for some sort of compensation. Friend or not. Yes, sometimes we do things for our friend without wanting anything in return.
I think when it comes to something like watching large dogs for a week, that there should be an amount discussed beforehand. Because you probably saved her a lot of money since she didn’t have to board them for the week.
Just my two cents.
@MzSooze Agreed, should of discussed up front. Boarding would of probably cost $400+, if I look at averages around here.
On some level I think that your disappointment in the number is a little bit your fault because you fail to discuss in advance also you probably would not have been as annoyed had she been responsive to your text at the end. She sort of prove that she’s not somebody to do a favor for
@CaptAmehrican I agree.
I would be pretty annoyed too because of the amount of time and effort you had to put into it was apparently not appreciated. I understand not bringing up the money in advance when it’s a friend. It’s awkward and you just assume that they’re not going to be an asshole and try to take advantage of you. The problem with that though, is that friends will almost always take advantage of you in some form or another (whether intentional or not). There are really only two (main) reasons for having a friend watch your pets instead of boarding. One is trust and the other is cost. Most people are going to try to get away with paying as little as possible because they look at it as you doing them a favor and not as them contracting with you for a service. Finally, I agree that I would not pet sit for this person in the future.
@PurplePawprints thanks, this was definitely a learning experience for me.
I think you would prob be somewhat less PO’d if this person had not simple ignored you and let you worry whether she had returned on that final day, thus costing you so much time, or if she had not told you you spent so much $ on her trip that she couldn’t be bothered to square with you. This is not the most considerate person in the world.
She assumed way way too much in just offering you “a little something”, and in not being upfront about the trouble involved. And her reason for not giving your more money is like a huge “I’m entitled, you know” sign on her forehead.
In my case - for some people, I’d do it for free or next to nothing, if that person insisted, because, deep bonds. Even if lots of trouble. For other people, I’d try to do an honest time and trouble estimate in advance. Either way, if the task was, for whatever reason, way more trouble than expected, I’d have a talk about that aspect a few days after the trip.
Doing time comsuming or troublesome favors for people who you like, but who kinda aren’t really grown up about understanding the personal cost to the favor-giver or task-doer is a problem area. I usually try to steer clear or be very upfront about the trouble.
I would not pet-sit for this person again - or would be very candid and clear up front.
@f00l I think you pretty much nailed it. I was annoyed at the lack of communication and entitlement.
I definitely learned my lesson, with her anyway.
I did dog sit for someone else, whose family member passed away, and I honestly wasn’t really expecting anything since we didn’t discuss payment ahead of time, and it was a totally different situation. She ended up giving me a thank you card and enough money to cover my expenses, so that was nice. The best part about it though, she actually seemed grateful. I guess for this most recent person, I just didn’t feel like she cared, especially because she couldn’t be bothered to let me know she came back home ok until I basically pestered the shit out of her enough to finally text me back.
@RiotDemon
We all live and learn in this area. Repeat every few years, because forget to be a little cautious over time.
Kinda similar to “rescuing” people and “helping” people who always have probs. You do give them some stuff and support - esp moral support and “someone cares” msg - but…learned painfully…boundaries boundaries boundaries. Esp emotional boundaries.
No, you aren’t a jerk. Like others already have said, she clearly took advantage of/didn’t care for you. You are right to be pissed and clearly you should decline if she ever asks for it again.
But cheer up! Baby otter time!
@ELUNO otters are almost always cute… Until they need to eat stuff:
Unless they’re babies:
@RiotDemon
Isn’t Benedict Cumberbatch the cutest otter ever or something?
/image Benedict Cumberbatch otter
@f00l
@RiotDemon All the way to the teddy bear and he still couldn’t do a mirror image!
Friends aren’t supposed to take advantage of you like that. Family? Well, for better or worse you’re stuck with them. But friends? Definitely not!
Whenever we’ve used a pet sitter in the past, we’ve paid them about what we would have paid for boarding in a kennel. Pet sitting shouldn’t be about finding a cheap way out – it should be about letting your beloved pets stay home where they’re going to be happier and more comfortable than they would be in an unfamiliar place surrounded by strangers.
Dog boarding runs 25-40 per dog per night, so you might consider that next time. Sitting probably runs 20/day-ish, I’d guess.
A reasonable price is $15/visit for dogs, $10/visit for cats. If you went to her house 3 times per day the charge would be $45. If you watch the dog in your home it is $25-40 per dog per day depending on size and temperament.
Reasonable pricing estimates would depend on travel time, costs, and trouble, extra hassles/difficulties involved in doing this, how already overbooked your life is, etc. She had the option of commercial pet-sitting and home-visits, or boarding, or whatever. She didn’t want to go that way? Why?
I’m sure this seemed better to her for whatever reason.
You are the one who gets to set the value on your time and your hassle and how much energy you have to give, and on your friendship, regardless of the local market pricing.
@f00l thanks again.
I’d probably not even ask if you lived that far. I figure $10-$20/day depending on needs of the animal.
A friend of mine is a professional petsitter/dog walker. She charges $30./day for two visits and ten minute walks a day for a dog. Each additional dog is an additional $10./visit. She takes in mail, papers, turns lights on/off etc. She comes to your house to clip animals’ nails, too; $20./half hour visit, up to three animals. If you’re outside her set area, she charges mileage. If you got paid much less, you are being used.
@OldCatLady thanks. I wasn’t sure what people really charge.
According to your friend’s pricing… Let’s just say, not even remotely close.
I did it once for a german shepherd for 20 bucks a visit (dog needed to be walked 30 minutes to an hour each visit), and 40 bucks per night for spending the night at the house. It was not worth it and I would never ever do it again, even at double that.
My neighbor and his daughter feed my two cats on occasion when I am away. His daughter (starting kindergarten next month) loves my cats and originally it was she who asked if she could feed them sometimes. I think the longest it has every been was five days, morning and evening (no morning first day and no evening the last day); no litter box or other things needed.
I’ve gotten her various presents (think Beanie Babies she picked from the huge box in my basement, or assorted knickknacks I or a daughter unit picked from Mohican Trading Post near Catskill, NY or something similar). Her father (and mother) gets a nice bottle of wine from my wine cellar, his choice, valued $20 to $35.
I have no idea if I’m taking advantage of him or not, but I figure his daughter is happier and he’s said his wife really likes the wines, so who am I to judge.
@baqui63 if I had to walk next door and only give cat food twice a day without litter box cleaning… That’s a piece of cake. I wouldn’t ever expect much for that. If it was a friend, I probably wouldn’t charge anything. That’s a piece of cake compared to what I did.
The dad is probably happy that he doesn’t have to buy his daughter a cat, lol.
@RiotDemon The dad would probably be fine with a cat, but the mom is allergic…
@RiotDemon Have a family (consider very close) and a neighbor who I feed the cats for when they need a break. Cats do wet & dry so it is only once a day for me. The family is a block away and the neighbor is one house from me.
I live on a very quiet street, small town and guess the neighbors believe I am trustworthy. I have no connection to the area but moved to be with my parents when mom became ill.
With the family we break bread (Jim being a top chef at the country club) and with the neighbor I try to refuse anything but she always give me $15/$20 for the short time I help out with her cats.
Enough has been said of what you have been thru and it seems there are friends, like the one you helped out, that just use the kindness of others.
Thank you to everyone that commented so far. If it ever comes up again, I’ll remember these comments so I can make a better decision. I don’t want any bitter feelings towards any friends, and this’ll help me prevent that.
@RiotDemon Definitely take it as a learning experience. I only skimmed but the only winner was your friend.
@DrunkCat Well, the dogs didn’t starve, so I’d say they didn’t lose too badly either.
With no agreement beforehand, when you do something like this for a friend it’s a gift. If they give you something in return, it’s also a gift. Your expectations shouldn’t go beyond that.
Enjoy the act of giving, enjoy getting something you might not have expected, and enjoy not having to do the paperwork of writing a contract and reporting the income.
@uwacn I get what you’re saying… But she specifically told me that she was going to pay me.
And I wouldn’t do a contract, unless it was strangers.
You don’t exchange pet sitting services with a friend for money. You exchange it for the friend pet sitting your pooches when you need it.
I have three dogs and when I leave town I try to get a friend that I trust to live at my house. Recently I went on vacation for six days. I offered a friend $100, I cleaned the house, filled the fridge, put clean sheets on the bed and laid out bathroom towels. I also gave him access to my Xbox One with streaming services and my computer. Easiest job ever for him and piece of mind for me.
I should add that my dogs are very low key. They are all hitting their senior years and don’t require much. They are soooo easy. I’ve never had a problem finding someone to watch them. I think whoever does it enjoys their own mini vacation while at my house.
@Lrok I think I need to be your friend
In the Seattle area, I was giving $50/night to a friend of a friend for staying the night for pet sitting (cats with special diet, chickens, mail, plants). I stopped doing that mostly because I wasn’t sure if I was paying the right amount, and if anything should happen to my very sick cat, what would I do? I decided it was maybe safer for everyone if I just paid a service with a real contract. That’s $25/visit so it works out about the same (2 visits a day instead of staying over).
When we go out of town, we have friends that watch our dogs at their house. Our boys are large, usually require medication, and a decent amount of attention.
Since these are good friends, we get a deal, but I don’t want to take advantage of them. I want them to stay our friends, and for our dogs to continue to be welcome there. We frankly discussed price ahead of time. I offered half of the kennel cost, they felt that was fair. We go over this arrangement every time, so that we don’t run roughshod over our friends and so they can bail ahead of time if it has become too much. We pay them before we leave, so we don’t have to worry about spending it.
I would be leery of a friend that took advantage of your time and money in this way. I’m sorry they took advantage of you.
I’m also bummed for their pets, who won’t have a steady caregiver, due to their owner’s irresponsibility.
I would like to add that the friend not answering you, communicating, or showong any actual gratitude was ridiculously rude. I was going to skirt this, but decided to put this out there:
This person doesn’t sound like a very good friend. I hope they have some other amazing qualities. If not, I hope you end up making a better friend.
@Thumperchick thanks. I got a little teary eyed. I guess being an adult with very little friends, I try to keep friends around even if they aren’t that great.
@RiotDemon
Your friends are all tiny?
/giphy little
/giphy tiny
Hmmm
Prescription:
/giphy good
@RiotDemon Water under the bridge. You did it, you gave more value than you got, it’s good karma. You need new friends. (So do I; in the last month, one has moved across the country, and one has declared her affiliation with a political candidate in a way that reveals she has xenophobia in astronomical quantities.)
@OldCatLady
With certain people I adore, I am pretending there is no election so that I can continue the relationship without too much emotional dissonance. After the election is done, I intend to take a “this never happened” approach with them.
For people who can’t shut up about it - I am so very busy and so very hard of hearing on some topics.
They get to miss out on good jokes in the meantime.
@f00l This was a previously unsuspected deviant. My first thought was that she’d had a series of strokes, which can alter personality. Nope. There’s no joking, the light of fanaticism is burning and I caught a glimpse of the churning cauldron of ugly inside. Busy, I’m going to be very busy for awhile. Months, years, whatever.
@OldCatLady We are all friends here at meh.com!
@OldCatLady I pretty much avoid Facebook most of the time because of all the political stuff. It just makes me sad what people I know post.
“Hey, I didn’t mind helping you out, and I know that when I’m on vacation I can overspend too - it is soooo easy to lose track of things when you’re having a great time - but I am out of pocket on tolls and stuff watching your dogs for you. I didn’t mind helping you out, I’m sure you’d do the same for me. Because we’re friends, I don’t have any reservation in letting you know that I really need you to make me whole on the deal. I’m out about $____ and I appreciate what you were able to give me, but as soon as you can, when will you be able to get the rest to me? Do you need a week, or do you need two weeks? I really don’t want this on my mind any longer than that, and I’d hate for something so trivial as this to put a dent in our friendship . . . Plus, I know that you would never mean to take advantage of me, and I don’t ever want to feel that way about you. Just let me know in the next day or two.”
Or - you could opt for “Fucking pay me what you owe me already pig fucker.”
You’ll know all you need to know from the answer you get.
Sorry for the late reply.
@Pavlov
@RiotDemon