House Sitting Downs
Find a loving house sitter to watch over your pets and your home.
Downs, Find top rated house sitting
Prices are estimates per night. Pricing may vary based on your search. A booking fee of 11% and taxes will apply.
“This was my first time having Skyler as a dog sitter, and he was great! He sent photo updates and asked questions throughout the weekend and it made me feel so comfortable while I was away. I will definitely book him again in the future!”
About: I have always had dogs in my family. Or some kind of pet. I have grown with the connection of any type of pet. Especially dogs. I have pet sat for both cats and dogs for a long time. For example other family members, neighbors, friends of friends, and connections! I am available weekdays anytime after 3! And weekends any time of day! I am currently jobless and I have lots of extra free time! I have a fenced in yard, I make sure my dogs go on lots of walks to stay active and give lots of attention! In a clients home, I would follow instructions carefully, to make sure myself, and the pet are both comfortable! Giving everyone around a positive experience!
“Gabby was great, very responsive! Loved that we always heard back quickly, and her responses were always positive and kind. We felt her pricing was fair and appreciated her flexibility when we asked to add overnight visits to our booking! My sister helped check on the dogs when Gabby wasn’t there and they were always happy and seemed great! Nice to have someone snuggling our babies while we were gone!”
“Jasmine was absolutely brilliant! She is knowledgeable and reliable, and our furbabies adore her! She was equally adept at tending to our 3-month-old puppy as she was our old, grumpy chihuahua. She knows her way around both cats and dogs and was able to offer us training support with our wee one. We will definitely be booking her for future pet sitting needs - even if we're convinced that our pups already love her more than they love us :)”
“Kaylor was great with Nilla and took excellent care of her during an overnight stay. She made everything easy for us and made us feel super comfortable with how she interacted with Nilla during the meet and greet. We will definitely hire her again when the need arises!”
About: Hi! My name is Shelby, and I am a junior at ISU looking for pet-sitting opportunities in the Bloomington/Normal area! I have class from 10-11 MWF and 8-11 T/TH, and then nanny T/W/TH from 3-6, but otherwise I am free! • I have 5+ years of experience caring for dogs and cats of all sizes, breeds, and ages • I am open to drop-in visits, walks, and overnight care • I am reliable, responsible, and will treat your pets like my own! • I genuinely love spending time with animals, as l have 4 dogs and 4 cats at home! Please message me with any questions! Thank you! I have class from 10-11 MWF and 8-11 T/TH, and babysit T/W/TH from 3-6 but otherwise I am free! I do go home and visit sometimes on the weekends but if I am pet sitting I would stay in Bloomington! I usually let dogs out anywhere from 3-6 hour period depending on what each owner prefers and if it is an overnight stay I am usually there a little after dinner time to stay the night! I am comfortable crating if that is what they are used to as well!
About: I had a dog for ten years and pet sit for many of my family members for days at a time. I have pet sit dogs anywhere from puppies to senior dogs. I am currently a senior in high school so on weekdays I am not available until after 5pm. On weekends I am mostly free at any time. I don’t have any other pets at home as of recently but I did have a dog for ten years so I am very familiar with how to take care of pets! I have a small yard where I can put a fence up easily. I also am able to take your dogs on walks frequently.
About: I’m an experienced pet owner for both dogs and cats. I’ll treat your pets with the same patience, attention, and love I’d want for my own. I’m a full-time college student who also works part-time on campus, so I’m primarily available during evenings and weekends. On weekdays I'm available after 2:00PM Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, and after 5:00PM Thurday. On weekends I am free all day. I’m happy to coordinate specific times that work best for you and your pet‘s routine. I take time to understand every pet’s personality, follow their routine closely, and make sure they feel safe while in my care. I also treat every client’s home with respect and diligently follow any instructions provided by the owner.
“Heather House sat for us for 7 nights. She did an excellent job and I highly recommend her. During the week my daughter needed a dog sitter and Heather welcomed her to join our pup. We also had a flight delay and heather immediately offered to stay an additional night. Our house is always spotless when we come home and our dog is so content that I know she appreciated Heather being at our home all week. Thank you Heather!!”
The median cost per night for house sitting in Downs is $45
Book with peace of mind
- Screened pet sitters have passed a third-party background check and show verified reviews from other pet parents, like you.
- Every booking is backed by the Rover Guarantee, which includes up to $25,000 reimbursement for eligible vet care. Learn more
- 24/7 support from the Rover team–here to help if you ever need someone to talk to.
Why Choose Rover?
Cashless payments
Book and pay through Rover’s secured platform—no cash or checks required.
Reservation protection
It doesn’t happen often, but if your sitter has to cancel, we’ll work with you to find a new sitter.
World-class support
We’re friendly, knowledgable, and total pet fanatics. You can get in touch with us anytime.
How to book house sitting
1. Search
Browse profiles of sitters near you who offer house sitting.
2. Meet In Person
Schedule a free in-person Meet & Greet to find the perfect fit.
3. Book & Pay
It's that easy! All payments are processed through Rover's secured platform.
Popular requests for house sitting - Downs
Select a filter and find qualifying sitters offering house sitting.Sitters in Downs average 3 repeat house sitting clients
FAQs for House Sitting - Downs
Frequently asked questions about Rover
As of November 2026, there are 157 sitters on Rover offering House Sitting across Downs. Enter your ZIP code to see which available sitters are closest to your home.
Beyond belly rubs and feeding schedules, a house sitter’s presence may provide an additional layer of security for your home. However, you will need to arrange overnight stays and other household tasks with your sitter when reaching out to them. Not all sitters offer the same services. Common household tasks you can negotiate include:
- Mail & deliveries: Collecting letters and packages so they don't pile up.
- Plant care: Keeping your indoor or outdoor garden hydrated.
- Trash & recycling: Taking trash cans to the curb on scheduled pickup days.
- Home security: Sitters can stay overnight to keep your home occupied.
The best way to align on expectations is during your free Meet & Greet. Use this time to provide a "home cheat sheet" that includes your preferred Downs walking routes, the location of your favorite pet store, and any specific quirks about your home’s security or appliances.
It’s helpful to think of house sitting as a "home base" service. Most sitters in Downs maintain their normal daily routines, like running errands or heading to the office, meaning your pet should be comfortable being alone for a few hours at a time. If your pet needs a little extra company, here is how to find the perfect match:
- Look for "WFH" sitters: Many sitters mention "Work from Home" on their profile to indicate they’ll be present for the majority of the day.
- Update your pet’s profile: Write down how long your pet can comfortably be left alone. This helps sitters quickly determine if their schedule aligns with your needs.
- Communicate 24/7 needs: Standard house sitting usually doesn't include constant supervision. If your pet requires round-the-clock care, be sure to discuss this upfront.
Tip: Use the Meet & Greet to confirm a sitter's typical "away" windows. Transparency ensures your pet stays happy and your sitter can plan their day effectively!
Key handling is entirely up to you and your sitter to agree on during the Meet & Greet or in the Rover app. Most pet parents in Downs choose to hand over a spare key or digital fob in person, while others arrange a lockbox or unique access code. Don't forget to discuss key returns as well!
The Rover Guarantee is Rover’s commitment to your peace of mind every time you book. It includes 24/7 customer support, sitter access to advice from qualified veterinary professionals for diagnostic issues, and a reimbursement program for eligible veterinary care in the rare event something goes wrong.
All bookings are backed by the Rover Guarantee, which provides up to $25,000 in eligible veterinary care reimbursement.
Every sitter on Rover is required to pass a background check before listing their services. This process confirms their identity and indicates they are not on the Department of Justice’s National Sex Offender Public Website or have any disqualifying offenses.
Beyond ID checks, you can review each sitter's star rating, read verified reviews from other pet parents, and see how many repeat clients they have. Every booking is backed by the Rover Guarantee, which includes up to $25,000 in eligible veterinary care. For more details, visit Rover's Trust & Safety page.
If a health concern arises during a stay, your sitter is instructed to contact you and our Trust & Safety team immediately and, if needed, take your pet to the closest veterinarian. Through our Trust & Safety support team, sitters can ask for diagnostic advice from a qualified veterinary professional if your pet is showing signs of possible illness.
For extra peace of mind, you can also prepare an authorization form for your regular vet. An authorization form outlines your preferred method of care and allows your sitter to bring your pet into their regular clinic.
Every qualified booking made on Rover is backed by the Rover Guarantee, which includes reimbursement for eligible emergency vet care.
A Meet & Greet is a casual meeting to vet potential sitters and communicate care needs for peace of mind before a booking begins. Only sitters who have never booked with you before can schedule a Meet & Greet on Rover; however, you are welcome to coordinate one in Rover messages with sitters you have previously booked. This can be helpful if you have a new pet or routine you want to go over with your sitter.
Meet & Greets can take place in person or virtually. If you are booking with a sitter for the first time, we recommend in-person Meet & Greets to get a clearer sense of how your sitter interacts with your pet or the new environment.
During the Meet & Greet, you will have a chance to walk through your pet's routine, medical needs, and unique quirks. Take the time to ask your sitter questions about their skills and expertise, and make sure the fit feels right for everyone. Meet & Greets are a great way to prepare your pet and sitter for longer stays or first-time bookings. Read our tips for your first Meet & Greet.
sitters on Rover set their own cancellation policy, which you can find on their profile under their contact information. Sitters may set a same-day, one-, three-, or seven-day cancellation policy. Cancelling within your sitter’s cancellation policy qualifies you for a full refund.
Same-day cancellations for recurring services, which include walks, drop-ins, and day care, follow the full refund policy. Otherwise, for pet boarding and house sitting, if you cancel after 12 pm on the applicable cancellation deadline, you’ll receive a 50% refund for the first seven days of the booking and a 100% refund for any remaining days.
If your sitter needs to cancel within seven days of the booking's start date, then our reservation protection will kick in. This means you will get a full refund and our support team will work with you to find a replacement sitter.
Yes, you can find sitters who have experience with handling special pet needs in Downs. On Rover:
- 94% of sitters can help with special care needs
- 97% can help with giving oral medications or injections
- 92% can help with daily exercise
You can also find pet sitters on Rover who accept only one pet at a time, which is ideal for anxious puppies, kittens, or senior pets who move at a gentler pace. Some sitters will also list availability for 24/7 care, also known as constant care, in their profiles.
Use the search filters to narrow down sitters whose specific experience or environment meets your pet's needs. When reaching out to your sitter, outline your pet's care routine and use the Meet & Greet to walk your sitter through your expectations.
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