Having issues with drop off and pickup times, how do I fix this?

Definitely, do as Walt said. The only way to make your problems known to Rover is to call them. They do not come here.

Also, did you have a Meet & Greet with these sitters? I don't understand how these people could be watching your dog if they aren't going to be home until late in the evening. Who is feeding them dinner? Are they being taken out? You didn't provide sufficient detail, but the only way to select a sitter is to meet with them, go over your needs, and see if their attitudes toward the job mesh with yours.

As for penalties, you always have the option to leave a negative review.

voice your concerns here Customer 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]

Rover customer support at the number provided is the way to address this. And you could mention few hour delays in getting your pet in review. Obviously, these sitters had other things going on the side, away from their home. Ideally, there was transparency and you knew that before choosing to book the service with them.

It’s worth pointing out that Rover is connecting thousands of independent contractors/business owner, many of whom have a different way of conducting their business, with pet owners. Some sitters spend far more time focused on pets in their care than others. So when you read the profiles and then do a meet and greet, that’s your chance to ask questions of what would a day look like for your pet while in their care. I’d suggest that pet owners really need to think about their pets needs and if that sitter’s lifestyle/way of doing business is a good match for the pet.

For example, if a dog needing boarding has separation anxiety and therefore needs the company of a human 24 x 7, questions might include what activities the sitter does (other job-where, when? school? friends&family? other pets-walks,etc?) and where the dog will be during that time (with a human/who? secured in a crate or room?) The best way to avoid surprises is to thoroughly discuss in advance.

Mimi, I am happy to see your experience with Rover expressed in a way that hopefully sitters will take into account. I am a Rover sitter for just 7 months now and always looking for tips that make my guest dogs healthy & happy but can give me ways to work smarter not harder. I am 70+ in age and retired (I thought) and anyone who thinks this job is easy is not doing it right. I often wonder when I see a sitters profile saying "Work at Home so plenty of time for dogs" Really? When I host dogs it's a full time job. or "Big family with 2 small kids to care for your dogs" How ? I must be doing something wrong because the dogs I host take 100% of my time. And the day every guest goes home I feel like I have run a marathon and it takes a couple days to recoup.

I prepare in advance for my guests by running errands before the stay and do not make any social plans at all. I jokingly tell my neighbors "The Dogs won't let me out". When clients ask me to change a pick up or drop off time I always say "No problem..I am always here. I would be interested in what other sitters have to say on this issue.