What you should know about background checks on Rover
We believe that background checks are an important part of a safe stay, and want to make it easy for pet parents to find sitters and dog walkers who have already taken this significant step.
Criminal background checks are part of the screening process for sitters and dog walkers on Rover. First, all sitter profiles are reviewed, and then all new sitters and dog walkers are required to complete an enhanced background check through an industry-leading, third-party service before listing their pet care services on the platform.
You should consider the qualifications and skills that are important to you when selecting a pet care provider. We encourage you to read verified reviews from other pet parents and do a Meet and Greet, with a few potential sitters before booking care.
As you search for sitters, you'll see a profile badge on a sitter or dog walker's profile, which means they've completed a background check.
Enhanced background check badge
If you see this badge on a sitter or dog walker's profile, that means they've completed an Enhanced check, which includes:
- A search of the Department of Justice's National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW).
- A search of a National Criminal Database for any disqualifying criminal offenses.
- A search of county criminal court records based on the person's address history.
Basic background check badge
If you see this badge on a sitter or dog walker's profile, that means they've completed a Basic check which includes:
- A search of the Department of Justice's National Sex Offender Public Website sex offender registry.
- A search of a National Criminal Database for any disqualifying criminal offenses.
This background check is most often seen on sitter profiles for sitters and dog walkers who signed up for Rover before January, 2022 and have not yet upgraded to an enhanced background check.
Background checks are just one of the ways we're committing to keep you and your pets safe.
Other important background check information
Rover uses a third-party service to conduct their sitter and dog walker background checks. It’s important to keep in mind that the information reported for each background check can be limited due to various laws and reporting systems.
In addition to these limitations, each check is performed based on information submitted by the applicant. Furthermore, criminal records are not always comprehensive, human and electronic error can result in incomplete reporting, and periodic court closures or electronic access point failures may limit our vendor's ability to search for records. Lastly, our vendor and Rover must follow state, federal, and local laws governing the use and reporting of criminal records.
Remember, a criminal background check is only one consideration point when hiring a pet care provider through the Rover platform. Pet parents should use their own judgment when selecting a care provided to meet their unique needs. We also recommend conducting Meet and Greets as well as scrutinizing testimonials and verified reviews of prospective sitters.
See our Terms of Service for more information and restrictions
