The holidays are a great time to consider starting a pet sitting business. People are traveling, perhaps hosting guests who don’t like Fido. Many pet parents prefer one-on-one sitting as opposed to boarding. This opens the door to a very flexible and rewarding home business opportunity.
Today we sit down with Sarah Kressl, a sitter at Rover.com. This is a great site that connects pets with owners and handles some of the requirements like insurance, payments and marketing.
Have you decided to sign up with Rover.com?
My sister is a rover sitter in Washington State, and I was interested in the photos she was posting I set up a profile and received a request to sit for a chihuahua A blast watching this dog for an afternoon. The rest is history and I’m still making accommodations over a year later. It’s a fun and great way to spend my free time and set aside extra funds for my special occasions or surprise expenses.
How much money were you able to save/work toward your holiday shopping goals?
I made about $250 in the first few months I was with the company. The nice part is that the money is kept in an account on the site and you can request to withdraw the money anytime you like. I already have a full-time job that pays my bills, so I’ve been able to save up my Rover for holiday gifts. Before I started with Rover, I started saving money every week from the beginning of June until Christmas. I don’t have to do that with Rover and I’ve done enough to do most of my holiday gift shopping because of it.
What are your best tips?
Research the average cost of living in the area you live. You want to make sure that you are approachable so that potential clients can contact you. The website provides several questions to help you create your profile. The more thorough your answer, the better chance you have of being contacted. Use texting and email functions: The faster you can respond to a request, the higher you’ll rank when people search your area. Last but not least, if you treat it like a business and act professionally when meeting your clients and caring for their pets, they will likely use you again. Repeat business is how I’ve been able to do this more regularly.
How can others get started? How is the application process?
if you go Rover.com/become-a-sitter, you can set up a profile. Along with a detailed profile description, uploading photos, and getting testimonials from someone who can highlight your love for dogs is important. Once you’re done and submitted, it’s reviewed by a Rover employee who will either accept or deny your request. Creating a profile isn’t difficult, but how you present yourself will determine your success. Plus, you have the option to choose whether you invite a dog to stay with you or travel and stay at clients’ homes. The house I rent doesn’t allow dogs, so I travel and have the pleasure of having multiple dogs throughout southeast Wisconsin through my rover business.
I love the people and furry friends I’ve met during my time with Rover. Caring for the dogs you see takes dedication and time and should be taken seriously. My accommodations range from a single Doberman to a pack of 5 dogs. They all have their challenges and their specific personalities, but I have a lot of fun and memories from each stay.
Follow-up note from Home Wife at Work
Signing up with Rover is free. The site keeps 15% of your income to cover administrative costs and insurance that comes into play while you are employed. Payment is held for 48 hours after you complete a seat, after which time you can request payment by PayPal or check at any time.
Related: Small business ideas for animal lovers
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