General FAQ

• What Is The Rover Pack?

  The Rover Pack is a group of Rover.com sitters who have committed themselves to the highest level of service and care.  They have also completed multiple successful stays on Rover.com

  You can’t pay to be a Rover Pack member, as these members go through an extensive review process and are hand-picked by our team. You can count on your Rover Pack sitter to have:

  • Completed at least 2 successful stays with Rover.com 

  • Opt into our Protection Package

  • A spectacular profile!

  • Demonstrated a timely response to you! (Under 12 hours)

  • Maintain an average 4.5 star rating

• What Is Rover.com?

  Rover.com helps you find a real home for your dog to stay while you travel. Founded on the belief that dogs deserve to stay in safe, loving homes while their owners travel, Rover.com is building a community of dog-lovers to fulfill that vision. Started and run by dog owners/fanatics, Rover.com is enabling a cage-free experience for dogs, at a more affordable price for their humans than traditional options for boarding a dog, and taking the guilt out of the decision to leave Rover home.

• What Are Badges?

  Badges can help you quickly identify hosts with professional training and certifications, pledges to dog-related charities, and other qualifications.

  

• How it Works

  Click here to learn more about how Rover.com works!

• Is Rover.com Right For My Dog? How Is Boarding A Dog On Rover.com Different Than A Kennel?

  We believe that dogs prefer homes to kennels and other dog boarding options and we believe that there is a great sitter for any dog on Rover.com. You can find the perfect home for your pooch by browsing Rover.com's awesome profiles, and you are always encouraged to schedule time with your host prior to the stay! This time can be helpful introduce your dog and view the home where he'll be staying. Still not sure if Rover.com is the right dog boarding option for you? Please contact us at support@rover.com! We'd love to hear from you!

• What Does It Cost To Join Rover.com?

  Nothing! It's completely free to join, create a profile, and communicate with other Rover users!

• Can I Meet The Host Before I Leave My Dog?

  Once you have chosen a host, you are encouraged to schedule an in-person 'meet and greet' to introduce your dog and see the home.

• What Is The Cancellation Policy On Rover.com?

  We know that plans can change. If you need to cancel your Rover.com reservation, contact us at support@rover.com. The amount you will be refunded depends on when you cancel and the type of cancellation policy your sitter has in place.

  • Strict
    • Full refund if cancelled with more than 7 days notice.
    • 50% refund for first 7 days of stay & 100% of additional days if cancelled.
  • Moderate
    • Full refund if cancelled with more than 24 hours of notice.
    • 50% refund for first 7 days of stay & 100% of additional days if cancelled with less than 24 hours of notice.
  • Flexible
    • Full refund if cancelled before beginning of stay.
    • 50% refund for first day of stay & 100% of additional days if cancelled on or after beginning of stay.

  Example: For a weekend stay with a sitter, you will be refunded 50%. For a 4-week vacation, you will only be charged 50% for the first 7 days and the remaining 3 weeks are refunded in full!

Dog Hosting | Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I Join the Rover Pack?

  Ready to promote your dog sitting services?

  Join the Rover Pack to be first on our list for last minute requests & become featured on Rover!

  • As a Rover Pack member, you have established yourself as a trusted sitter, and we will put you at the top of  our Last Minute Request List. Additionally, we’ll contact you first when dog owners reach out to us for help finding their perfect sitter.
  • You’ll receive a Search Boost and an exclusive Rover Pack Badge to highlight your new status.
  • To promote your services, you’ll receive a Custom URL to navigate users directly to your profile.
  • When you’re part of the pack, you also become eligible for many Featured Sitter opportunities including Yelp, social media, as well as openings for events happening in your area.
  • Before you begin the application process, please read the Rover Pack FAQ to make sure you meet all of the requirements. Also, you will want to double-check your profile to ensure that your photos are high quality, there are no typos in your description, and that you have opted into the Protection Package.  We will thoroughly evaluate your profile so please make sure it reflects you as the leading dog!

  To apply for the Rover Pack please complete the application by clicking here!

• Do I Need To Be Licensed And Insured?

  Sitters must adhere to all local, state, and federal regulations regarding the care and safety of animals. We encourage sitters to research the regulations in their area to ensure their compliance.

  We provide all Rover sitters with Peace of Mind Protection that reimburses between $2,000 and $5,000 of emergency vet care. 

• How do I Offer Additional Services like Cat Care and Dog Walking?

  You can add additional services to your profile by editing the Services & Rates area of your sitter profile. In this area you can add cat care, dog walking, extended stay rates, additional dog rates, puppy care, and pick-up/drop-off. 

• Can I Control Which Dogs I Accept For Sitting And Dog Boarding?

  Yes. You are in full control which dogs you want to host in your home or dog sit based on your own preferences and requirements. You can set these preferences in your profile.

• What Is "Promote to Craigslist"?

  Promote to Craigslist is a feature which will help to get more exposure to your Rover profile by utilizing the popular nationwide classifieds service Craigslist. We do not expose your email when your ad is pushed to Craigslist. Instead, it is anonymized through their service.

• Should I Keep In Contact With The Owner While They Are Away?

  Absolutely. We encourage that you provide daily updates such as messages and sending pictures of the dog. There is nothing like seeing a picture of your happy dog while away.

• Where Are My Payment Details?

  From your profile, click 'dashboard', then in the payment box, click 'details & actions'.

  

   

  From here you will see details of past and current stays, and you may request your funds be released to you via Check ($2 fee) or PayPal (free & instant).

   

• How Much Does It Cost To List My Services On Rover.com?

  Nothing. It is completely free to create a profile. Rover.com takes a service fee at the time of a transaction. The standard fee is 15%.

• How Can I Get A Featured Listing On Rover.com?

  Getting a featured listing on Rover.com is easy. If you are a great sitter and want to gain more exposure on Rover.com, we will provide a high visibility priority search for your Rover.com profile. You might want to offer a limited promotional pricing for Rover.com members. For example, you might agree to offer 1st time Rover customer 10% discount off your regular price. Please contact us at partners@rover.com for more information on featured listings.

• What Should I Do If I Am Unable To Dog Sit Or Already Booked?

  You can indicate your availability in the calendar function of your profile

• How Does The "Last Minute" Request Work?

  If you’re a member of our last minute list, Rover.com will contact you directly with last minute requests for dog sitting in your service area. Please contact us at support@rover.com to be part of the last minute program.

• How Do I Get Paid For Dog Sitting On Rover.com?

  You can check the status of your future or existing booking arrangement by accessing the message with the dog-owner directly on Rover.com - From here, you will see exactly the point of the process you are in and whether the owner has submitted their payment yet. Double check the details to make sure they have paid before taking the pups into your care!
  

  

     After the arrangement is over, you can choose to receive a check or PayPal from Rover.com at anytime 72 hours after the end of the sitting, or simply store the value earned in the form of "Rover Bucks" for use later!
  

  
  

• How Can I Cancel An Arrangement?

  You should always respond to someone's inquiry even if the arrangement won't be possible. If the dog-owner has already paid, they will need to contact support@rover.com for an expedited refund. Support will also be able to cancel sitting arrangements that have not been paid for.

Dog-Owner | Frequently Asked Questions

• How Do I Contact A Sitter?

  You are able to contact sitters through the 'Contact this Sitter' button that is displayed on a sitters profile. Through the inquiry, you are able to select the dates you are inquiring about and write a message to the sitter. We do not display phone numbers or other personal information on sitter's profiles.

• How Do I Pay My Sitter?

  We accept Visa & Mastercard, or you can use your Paypal account. Bookings & transactions through Rover.com are completed within the message between you and your sitter.

• What Should I Bring When I Drop Off My Dog?

  One of the cool things about Rover.com is that you can provide your dog with an experience more like his own home environment. Help your sitter by providing his own food, bed, a toy he loves. We also recommend providing instructions including information about your dog's daily routine, eating habits, exercise (don't forget his leash!), likes and dislikes, and any unusual or specific behaviors. Finally, remember to bring any medications your dog may be taking.

• What If My Sitter Doesn't Respond?

  We recommend that you reach out to at least 3 sitters, if one doesn't respond, the Rover team will make note of it and you will need to await response from another sitter. We notify all sitters by email when you reach out to them, and it is up to them to respond in a timely manner.

• How Do I Pay Securely?

  With Rover's Peace of Mind coverage that protects you and your pup, you want to make sure the transaction is secure through Rover.com. After the sitting arrangement is confirmed by you and the sitter, you will see a 'Pay Now' button to pay via credit card or PayPal.

• How Can I Trust My Sitter?

  We recommend that you arrange a meet & greet with your sitter before the sitting occurs. This will give you a good feel on how the sitter will interact with your dog while you're away. Check their certification badges listed in their profile, ask about their sitting history, and always have an emergency contact on hand.

• How Does a Meet and Greet Work?

  Having a meet and greet is a great way to meet the sitter and any dogs they may have. It is also an opportunity to make sure the dogs all get along! While at the meet and greet the goal is to meet the dog sitter and discuss anything and everything you'd like about your potential stay. Some good topics to discuss are:

  -How often will my dog go on walks?

  -How much time will my dog get to spend outside?

  -Any allergies your dog may have

  -Special needs your dog may have or medication it will need to take

  -Where will my dog sleep?

  -Can I get updates and pictures while I am away?

  You can do the meet and greet at your home, the home of the sitter, a dog park or wherever is most comfortable. Feel free to do a couple meet and greets with different sitters so you can choose who is the best fit for you and your dog!

Ask A Vet!

• How Does ‘Ask A Vet’ Work?

  Licensed Veterinarians are standing by to interact with you should the need for veterinary advise arise. For active stays where ‘Ask A Vet’ is enabled, you can access a licensed veterinarian 24/7 via the Rover.com message associated with the current dog’s stay. If ‘Ask A Vet’ was not enabled before the arrangement, you can still access the service for a small fee. A veterinarian may take some time to research your question and will do their best to get back to you as soon as possible via email or SMS (text messaging) according to your preference listed on the ‘Ask A Vet’ message page.