Should the sitter provide ID if asked to do so?

I quite agree with you. I don't see why asking to see an I.D. should be such a controversial thing. The person is coming into your home and the amount of potential damage they could cause (as you described from identity theft) would never be covered by anything Rover provides in the way of insurance or other business liability coverage since every Rover sitter is an independent contractor.

It is very unfortunate that the sitter you chose was so irresponsible about commitments and lacked the professionalism to communicate his/her concerns in a timely manner. As Deb mentioned, you could always contact Rover Support for their assistance in finding another sitter when one summarily cancels out on you.

Hi, Pat. I am a sitter and I have never been asked to provide my ID for a Meet & Greet by a Rover client. Is there a particular reason for you doing so? While it is unusual and unprofessional for them to not show for an agreed upon Meet & Greet, I can see why perhaps this made the sitter feel uncomfortable being asked for their ID by a stranger when they are about to arrive alone at your home and have never met you. All sitters are required to pass a background check prior to their profile being approved, so I hope that this makes you feel more comfortable with a sitter.

As a dog sitter who is entrusted with keys to someone's property, thereby having complete access to everything in said property, I have no qualms with providing ID to a potential client. I also go so far as to provide a list of references with phone numbers so the potential client can verify my trustworthiness.

Anyone who attempts to shy away from providing ID, in my opinion, may not be entirely trustworthy.

As a sitter, I’ve been asked to provide ID, only to have the owner show up unannounced in my neighborhood. It can be a safety concern for many sitters. I no longer show ID under any circumstances, if an owner can’t understand my concerns about safety I don’t want their business.

it's insane and presumptuous on either side to expect that someone would leave their pet with a sitter or have the sitter come to their home, or then have the pet owner show up at the sitter's home, without first exchanging official IDs. This was the understood norm with Dogbuddy (before it was acquired by http://Rover.com) for those who felt it was an essential prerequisite for mutual security. It's neither unusual nor an unreasonable ask; indeed, a reluctance on either side should be sufficient cause for concern and therefore, avoiding contact.

I'd agree that it's highly unusual to be asked to provide IDs. Rover does a background check and offers insurance to ease your comfort level. I'd also add that the vacation does not have to be cancelled. Rover support ([Edit: Rover’s contact options have changed. Visit the Rover Help Center at https://support.rover.com/ to find the phone number, help articles, or chat with the team]) can help you find a sitter that meets your pet's needs at no additional cost. You may consider asking for help locating a sitter who has no pets and will care for only your pet in their home, to eliminate your concerns about a sitter in your home.