I know that all the sitters go through a background check so owners know we are safe and trustworthy to have in their home but do owners have to go through a process as well so sitters can feel safe meeting with strangers? Does Rover offer protection for us?
Unfortunately owners do not get a background check. I always do meet n greets at the off leash park A.) it's public B.) you get a better sense of the dogs social skills C.) you can decide if the owner is "creepy"
I always tell my next door neighbors and my friend when I expect drop offs and pick ups. I also contact them within an hour (because people always be late) that it was successful and I am safe.
I had one instance that was last minute and there was no meet n greet. I asked a friend to come hang out (my awesome ex-marine friend). I look at this a bit like craigslist. They may say they are a 25 year old female, but who is to say a 40 year old creepy guy doesn't show up? My life is not worth risks.
there is nothing wrong with taking precautions. SAFETY IS #1!!!! always protect yourself!
I had a client ask me for my drivers license so he could take a photo with his iPhone. I said politely no. I had a background check done by Rover and we are both covered by the insurance. Never ever give personal info
I am an owner using Rover for the first time. I was planning to ask my sitter for a photo of drivers license. A person I dont know will be staying in my home. I feel foolish not making this request. I understand protecting yourself from giving strangers your personal info., imagine ur house keys.
Imagine your identity. And your address.
Our drivers license and a second piece of ID are already given to Rover for background checks for that exact purpose. No need to provide this to owners.
As far as I know, owners do not undergo background checks. Likewise, their dogs are not vetted in any way. If you want to ensure a dog staying with you is healthy, you must require the owner to provide proof of vaccination. Also, if a dog comes to you sick, and the owner doesn't notify you, there is really no recourse. This just happened to me, and as a result my dog became ill and I had to cancel several bookings because she is now contagious.
Protect yourself and your dogs by making sure not only that the dog owner is OK, but that the dog is too!
Owners do not go through a background check, any pet owner (not just dogs!) can sign up to Rover. It's always best, as Rover suggests, to ask all your dealbreaker questions before setting up a meet-and-greet.
As others have suggested, it is best to make safety the top priority. Good ideas include taking a friend to wait for you outside during a meet-and-greet, meeting the owner and (leashed) dog outside prior to entering their home to ensure you feel comfortable, saying no to anything you feel uncomfortable with during the discussion phase and M&G and don't be afraid to contact Rover support with anything you are concerned with.
As sitter background checks, they are only required for sitters who do house sitting inside the client's home. If you're doing pet sitting in your own home, Rover doesn't require it but they offer it as an opportunity. Getting the background check done is a big benefit for promoting yourself.
Always go with your gut! I've had several people I've told via chat that I'm not okay with their request and I've also gone to meet and greets where I've had to cut it short and tell them flat out no because they misled in their booking.
false. Background checks are required for sitting in your home on a state by state basis. I was required to have one and I don't go to client's homes.
Thanks for the clarification! I looked at Rover's information before answering which didn't specify it was required and it wasn't required for me. But it's good to know that it is required on a state by state basis.
Owners need to be background checked. Ridiculous.
I think it would be wise for Rover to consider this. As a woman working in a rural area with spotty cell coverage, I would like more of a guarantee that an owner has been vetted before I proceed to the meet and greet. In addition, I think the owner should provide a selfie and demographic info.
I asked this question of Rover and explained that most of the walkers and sitters are women and yes we can meet & greet for dog walking at a park but who is going to stay in a home without seeing the home? Sure we can tell someone where we are going but if the owner has ill intent it's to late!
I've written to Rover and suggested they start this, or AT LEAST require the owner to upload a picture of themselves and their dog! I told them it's a win-win for us and them. because the more comfortable we feel, the more bookings we will accept.
I think they should too!! I signed up for Rover last week and I’ve already had a suspicious “owner” message me yesterday. They gave me their phone number and asked me if I could run errands for them for extra pay. I agreed & they proceeded to tell me they were going to send me a check from
their employer to pay for everything. His niece (who lives in New York) posted the ad for him & was moving from Paris to my city. I live 1,400 miles from New York, so I thought it was strange. It made me question if owners go through any verification process to ensure our safety..