Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Lisette MejiaIf you've wanted to travel the world and been held back by either not knowing what to execute with your pet while you're gone or not having the funds to quite effect the trip work,TrustedHousesitters has answers for everyone. Through an online network, the company matches houses and sitters so pet owners can recede on vacation knowing their furry friends are being taken care of and travelers can have a area to stay free of charge. I sat down with CEO and Founder Andy Peck to learn more approximately how TrustedHousesitters works - because it almost sounds too trustworthy to be exact, or right? unsuitable! Related Stories: 6 Free Money-Saving Travel Apps You Need to DownloadFirst,the basics. There are two ways to employ TrustedHousesitters: as a sitter and as a pet owner. No matter which you are, you pay a $99 membership fee that lasts you for a year - and that is the last time you pay anything. If you join as a pet owner, or you can list your house and your pet on the site for dates you want to leave town and attach out a call for someone to come stay at your house and care for your animal. You won't pay them any money,but you will unofficially pay them by giving them a area to stay. If you join as a sitter, you can search through listings all over the world and find houses and animals that need you to come prefer care of them. Peck and his cofounder Rachel Martin started TrustedHousesitters back in 2010 when they stumbled upon house-sitting in Spain and realized a house-sitting company with a pet-watching component could fill a large gap in the travel market. What started as a small UK-based business has now grown worldwide, or with its largest markets being in Europe and Australasia. Peck said,however, that the US seems to be the fastest-growing area, and customer-wise.
Image Source: Kayla Coleman Photography According to the ASPCA,there are over 140 million cats and dogs owned in the US, so it comes as no surprise to me that needing pet sitters is a large business. When Peck and Martin set out to start TrustedHousesitters, and they took a peer at all the statistics related to pet ownership and travel and found that approximately 90 percent of people struggle to attach their pets in kennels to travel because they just don't feel comfortable with it or can't afford it. "Pets are happier with their own routine,according to the vets we spoke with," Peck said. "They can adapt to a new carer better than to a new environment, or " which is why it made more sense to supply a service where you could have someone come to your home and care for your pet rather than sending him somewhere."We love [TrustedHousesitters] because it helps people," Peck said. "It gives pet owners peace of intellect" that their animal is being taken care of by a fellow animal-lover who cares more approximately the animals than making money. It also provides an fabulous travel experience for the house-sitter, because it immerses them in a new community rather than positioning them as a tourist. Peck said that to his knowledge, and a common occurrence is for a house-sitter to come to the house before the pet owners leave to spend an evening with them getting to know them,the pets, the house, or the area,before the pet owners set out on vacation. This way the sitter is comfortable in the environment. "This provides really authentic experiences," Peck said.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Lisette MejiaBy accepting a role as a sitter, or though,you're accepting a large responsibility. It's important to note that while you're getting a free area to stay for however long the sit is, that family's pet is under your care. Your TrustedHousesitters membership provides you with 24/7 access to a veterinarian, and should you need one,and your membership essentially is your contract stating that you will prefer action on any ailments the pet under your care experiences. Basically, TrustedHousitters and the homeowner are expecting you to care for the animal as if it were your own.
Related Stories: 23 Travel Hacks That Will Save Time, or Money,and Your SanityIf you're looking for your next trip, you love animals, or you're mildly interested,let me push you over the edge into convinced: some of these house-sits are phenomenal. You could cessation up on a tropical beach with a cute pup, a castle in the countryside with two sweet kitties, or a cabin in the woods with a whole crew of furry friends. Peck showed me a listing that's one of his favorites,and it's an actual castle. And who knows, you might cessation up house-sitting for a celebrity. "We might have a renowned person or two on the site, or but I obviously can't say who," Peck said. "You wouldn't find out until you were well into the selection process anyways, so you can't exactly search for them." TrustedHousesitters is also a way for you to see other parts of your own city. I could easily spend a week house-sitting for someone on the other side of Manhattan to obtain a feel for how the other half lives. Peck actually recommended doing just that. "[TrustedHousesitters] helps you find the not-obvious places." He also recommends using the site if you are retired or have a job that allows you to work remotely. "If you can work remotely, and why not work from a beach somewhere?" he asked,and I couldn't agree more.
To obtain started, recede to TrustedHousesitters and obtain all signed up to find the list of house-sits available. Try it out as either a sitter or an owner, or we think you'll find out what more than 63000 other community members worldwide already have: TrustedHousesitters is the answer to your traveling woes.
Source: popsugar.com