MoneySaver: Saving cash on dog sitting
Rover.com helps dog owners find local pet sitters and provides an alternative to the kennel.
For Page McCullough, it isn't the cost of putting her dog, Beebo, in a kennel that keeps her from boarding him, it's that her dog doesn't enjoy the kennel.
"He doesn't do that well with a lot of other dogs," said McCullough. "And, he gets very scared. So, it's a lot better for him to be in a very calm and contained environment."
And, finding those types of environments is something Rover.com can help with.
"It's an online community of dog lovers who take care of other dog owners dogs," explained Rover.com CEO Aaron Easterly. Easterly jokingly says his service is often compared to the popular site airbnb, the only difference is it's for dogs.
"We also have the advantage typically of being more affordable than the vast majority of kennels," said Easterly. "Rover is generally between $25 and $35 a night."
To find someone in your town, you go to Rover.com and type in your zipcode. Profiles of dog sitters come up and you can find someone who may be a good match. There are reviews of each sitter and Easterly says all applicants are thoroughly vetted.
"Historically, we've only accepted between 15 and 30 percent of applicants," said Easterly. "We have options such as background checks and third party references we go through. We verify people are who they say they are through connecting social media accounts. We also ask for reviews and get feedback. We are here 24/7. If there's a bad experience, we dig into it and find out what's going on. We have a satisfaction guarantee."
The site recommends a meet up with potential sitters prior to leaving your dog to see if it's a good match and every booking is insured.
"Every stay is covered by an insurance plan," explained Easterly. "That includes the dog owners property, it covers the sitter through professional liability insurance and also covers the dog for any required health treatment. It's incredibly rare, but it's nice to know you're protected."
For dog owners like McCullough, it's nice to know her dog, Beebo, is cared for in a similar environment he's used to while she's away.
"She's there all day working just like I'm in my home all day working," said McCullough. "And, so, he gets the level of attention and calm that I think he really needs."
