Kat's Corner: Shared Care and Pet Sitting

Why Communication (and Respect) Matter

As a professional pet sitter, I’ve worked with all kinds of households, pets, and care arrangements. One setup I see now and then is what I call “shared care”: when a client has a friend, family member, or house guest staying in the home while I continue to provide pet care visits. Sometimes it’s someone house-sitting, other times it’s just someone stopping by occasionally to water plants or grab the mail.

Let me be clear—I don’t have a policy preventing this. I understand that travel can be costly, and I genuinely want to support my clients in ways that make pet care affordable and flexible. If bringing in a trusted friend helps you stay within budget while still giving your pets the attention they deserve, I respect that. And honestly, I’m honored when clients still choose to have me provide professional care, even when someone else is present in the home. That says a lot about the trust we’ve built.

But here’s why I’m bringing this up.

When someone else is in the home, I have no control over what they do.

And if the house isn’t left the way I found it, or if something goes wrong, I’m the one who might be blamed. It’s my name and reputation on the line—even if I wasn’t the one who left dishes in the sink, rearranged furniture, or caused that odd smell in the fridge.

In fact, I just completed a pet sitting job where a house guest left the home in a noticeably messier state than I found it. While it wasn’t anything extreme, it was enough to make me feel uneasy. If the client had walked in and assumed I was responsible, that could have damaged the trust I work so hard to build.

This is why I feel it’s important to speak up now, before shared care becomes an issue that forces me to put a stricter policy in place.

Here’s What I Ask When Care is Shared:

• If someone else will be staying in the home, please let me know in advance.

• Communicate clearly who will be there and what their role is, so I’m not caught off guard.

• Understand that my responsibilities end where theirs begin. I can't supervise or be accountable for their actions.

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I want to be flexible. I want to work with your needs and help you care for your pets in the way that works best for your life. But I also need to protect the business I’ve built and the reputation I’ve earned.

So let’s keep the communication open and the expectations clear. That way, your pets are happy, your house stays in good condition, and you come home to exactly what you hoped for—peace of mind.

Thanks for understanding and for continuing to trust me with your furry family members. It means the world to me.