4.9

Our experience was unfortunately mixed. Communication before the booking was great. She responded quickly, was warm and welcoming, and helped ease my anxiety about leaving Duke for more than five days. We also had an unexpected emergency before our trip and needed to drop him off a few hours earlier than planned, and she accommodated us immediately, which we were very grateful for. When our return flights were delayed and canceled due to weather, she was also able to continue caring for Duke, which we appreciated. Unfortunately, once Duke was in her care, the communication changed dramatically. I sent a detailed message about Duke’s personality and routines that was never acknowledged. Throughout the stay, I felt like I had to beg for updates and photos. I was almost always the one reaching out first, and the responses were typically just a short sentence like, “He’s doing good,” or, “He’s okay,” without any details about his day, behavior, or how he was settling in. Even after requesting daily updates with pictures, I generally only received a single photo of Duke lying in the same spot. We’ve used Rover for years with multiple sitters, so we’re used to receiving thoughtful updates about how Duke is adjusting, funny moments from his day, or little comments about his personality. That’s something we really value, and it was completely missing from this experience. The communication throughout the stay felt cold, brief, and unwelcoming. Unless it involved the logistics of extending his stay because of our flight delays, I never felt like there was any genuine communication. It often felt like asking how my dog was doing was a burden. One of the photos also showed a camera pointed at Duke. When I asked about it, she explained it was used to monitor him while she wasn’t home. That confused me because, prior to the stay, I had been reassured that someone would be home with him 24/7. So seeing the camera left me wondering how much time Duke was actually spending by himself or separated from people. Since my biggest priority is knowing he’s receiving companionship and interaction, that added to my uneasiness. At pickup, I also didn’t get to see or speak with the sitter herself, as her father brought Duke out instead. He had nothing to say about Duke? Combined with the limited communication throughout the stay, the overall experience felt impersonal and transactional. Most importantly, I never felt reassured that Duke was actually being cared for beyond his basic needs. It felt more like he was simply staying there rather than being engaged with or treated as part of the household. As a pet owner, there’s a big difference between someone watching your dog and someone caring for your dog. Duke is an incredibly affectionate, social dog, and after years of using Rover with many wonderful sitters, this was the first time I didn’t feel confident or at ease while he was away from us. I truly TRULY appreciate her flexibility before and after our trip, but communication and peace of mind are incredibly important to me when trusting someone with my dog…my son. Unfortunately, I left this experience with more questions than reassurance. Beyond being told, “He’s good,” I never felt like I had any real insight into how Duke was doing or how he was spending his days. It left me questioning what his care actually looked like throughout the stay. I don’t doubt that his basic needs were met, but I never felt confident he was receiving the level of attention, companionship, and interaction I was hoping for. I was honestly surprised, especially after reading so many wonderful reviews highlighting Riceli’s communication and care. Based on my personal experience, I wouldn’t feel comfortable booking with her again.

We had a great experience with Riceli and her family! Vicomte stayed with them for two days, and we picked him up each evening and brought him back the next morning. They were extremely flexible with our schedule, very responsive, and communication was excellent throughout. Most importantly, Vicomte seemed very happy to go back the second day, which was a great sign that he felt comfortable, well cared and that Riceli and her family made him feel at home. We felt completely at ease leaving him with them and would definitely book with them again. Highly recommend!

Richelle and her family did a great job watching Yulia, at a fraction of the price of other local sitters.

Repeat Customer: Excellent service with daily updates- 5 Starr

Riceli was able to take care of my senior dog at the last minute for one night and I was so grateful! She is very communicative and took great care of him.

Harry came home happy