House Sitting in Merle Hay, Des Moines, IA
Find a loving house sitter to watch over your pets and your home.

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Top rated Merle Hay house sitters
These prices are per night. Pricing may change based on the options you select. A booking fee of 11% and taxes will apply. Learn more

“Nadine was absolutely professional, always sent me pictures and little notes about anything going on with my dog. Followed instructions to the letter.”


“Anthony was so good with our 2 pups. He took on the stages of our puppy with potty training and chewing things up with no problems. Very communicative and great with dogs!”


“Allison was AWESOME!!! She took excellent care of our babies. Our house was clean and tidy when we returned home. She communicated often and asked great questions to make sure she was the right things for our babies. She was also very flexible as our leave and return times were not definite. I would highly recommend her!”


“Andrea did a great job with Ilse. Ilse was very comfortable with Andrea and it put us at ease knowing that she was in great care. Will definitely use Andrea in the future.”


“Jessica was wonderful with our dogs and the overnights she did for us while we were out of town. She kept us notified of how things were going! Thank you Jessica!!!”


“We were apprehensive leaving Joey with someone we didn’t know due to some special needs but felt at ease when connecting with Dawn during our meet and greet. Dawn was great and Joey was well cared for. She provided us with updates and we didn’t worry about him one bit. We’ll definitely ask Dawn to care for Joey again!! Thank you Dawn!!”


“Abby was great watching our Harper while we worked at the Iowa State Fair for 11 days. We knew she would not be lonely and would be loved. I received pictures daily. Harper loves her Abby.”


“This was our Winnie’s first ever stay with a sitter and I couldn’t have picked a better person! Nejra was absolutely fantastic! She provided photos throughout the day which were great. She was definitely approved by all the animals which was great!!”


“Travis was exceptionally quick to respond and very attentive to my three dogs. Two of my dogs can be hyper and he never once seemed put off by their behaviors. I got photo updates from him without having to ask and he was on time to get to my house before we left out of state. If we needed a sitter again, we’d definitely book with Travis.”


“Charisse provided wonderful care for our English Springer Spaniel, Francis. She also went above and beyond by watching our home, mail and plants while we were away. We were able to have a wonderful vacation knowing our pet was being so very well cared for.”


“Sophia was great! She stayed with Tiffany while we Al were out of town for the holidays and when we got home Tiffany was so happy and calm. I’m always nervous leaving our senior girl with anyone, but Sophia sent us updates and pictures and made sure everything went smoothly.”


“Kaitlyn did a wonderful job taking care of our 13 yo female dog in our home while we were away. Kaitlyn took care of all of her needs, including medication and left the house without a trace she was there. Would definitely rebook with her.”


“We would highly recommend Jess to anyone who needs a pet sitter. She was easy to communicate with. She sent us daily updates and pictures like we requested. She was respectful of our home and kept it nice and tidy. We didn't have any worries leaving town with her watching our house and dog. We met her prior to hiring her which put our minds at ease. She bonded with our dog and I would say my dog misses having her here. We will definitely hire her again the next time we leave town.”


“Katlin is great with our two greyhounds! She was flexible with our changing schedule and consistently on time. Our old boy tripped on the patio step and got a bad scrape; Katlin handled the emergency well and kept us up to date with the situation. She'll be my first ask next time we use Rover!”


About: 1 year of professional dog and cat daycare and boarding experience. 2 years of dog and cat fostering including disabled kittens. Current loving home of 2 cats and a dog. I'm currently living at home after high-school and am unemployed. I used to work at a dog and cat daycare and boarding facility, but decided I wanted to make my own schedule. I'm not very social besides with animals so my schedule is open and flexible. I own 2 cats and a dog so I'm unable to board or pet sit at my own house, but I can travel to your house and look after your furry friend in an environment I'm sure they're more comfortable in anyway.

“Lisa is super sweet and was very diligent about sending pics of my sweet babies! I know my dogs (especially one in particular) can be kind of a shy guy and she was able to coax him out and by the end of the stay he was sitting in close proximity to her. I’d definitely recommend Lisa and will be using her again!”


About: Pets are the best things in the world! I’ve grown up with my own pets and nothing makes me happier. I have pet sat 30 pets in my time and I’d love to watch yours too! I’ve even fostered 3 dogs in my own home, all of which have been adopted. Adding a pet is just an extra step to everyday routine and I’d love to share all my love with them too! I work full time, but again pets are family! They are something you cater to everyday and make time for no matter what. Everyone has their own needs and so do pets, so I will be make sure they are well taken care off based off each individual need. I have a fenced yard, no other pets in the house (as of now). Depending on the dogs needs/ owners wants I can accommodate to what is needed!

“Great communication, both during and following. Gemma was obviously happy and well cared for.”


“Raelyn took excellent care of our Lab while we were out of town. She provided lots of updates with pictures and very communicative with us. We have already rebooked her!”


“Alexis gave consistent updates for how Pinot was doing, and was always quick to respond. When we returned, Pinot was happy and healthy, and the house was just as we left it. We'd definitely use Alexis again and would recommend her services to other interested parties!”

Loving house sitters in your neighborhood
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Nadine H.

“Nadine was absolutely professional, always sent me pictures and little notes about anything going on with my dog. Followed instructions to the letter.”


Mackenzie W.Star Sitter

“Anthony was so good with our 2 pups. He took on the stages of our puppy with potty training and chewing things up with no problems. Very communicative and great with dogs!”


Allison G.Star Sitter

“Allison was AWESOME!!! She took excellent care of our babies. Our house was clean and tidy when we returned home. She communicated often and asked great questions to make sure she was the right things for our babies. She was also very flexible as our leave and return times were not definite. I would highly recommend her!”


Andrea T.

“Andrea did a great job with Ilse. Ilse was very comfortable with Andrea and it put us at ease knowing that she was in great care. Will definitely use Andrea in the future.”


Jessica D.Star Sitter

“Jessica was wonderful with our dogs and the overnights she did for us while we were out of town. She kept us notified of how things were going! Thank you Jessica!!!”


Dawn B.

“We were apprehensive leaving Joey with someone we didn’t know due to some special needs but felt at ease when connecting with Dawn during our meet and greet. Dawn was great and Joey was well cared for. She provided us with updates and we didn’t worry about him one bit. We’ll definitely ask Dawn to care for Joey again!! Thank you Dawn!!”


Abby S.Star Sitter

“Abby was great watching our Harper while we worked at the Iowa State Fair for 11 days. We knew she would not be lonely and would be loved. I received pictures daily. Harper loves her Abby.”


Nejra V.Star Sitter

“This was our Winnie’s first ever stay with a sitter and I couldn’t have picked a better person! Nejra was absolutely fantastic! She provided photos throughout the day which were great. She was definitely approved by all the animals which was great!!”


Travis S.

“Travis was exceptionally quick to respond and very attentive to my three dogs. Two of my dogs can be hyper and he never once seemed put off by their behaviors. I got photo updates from him without having to ask and he was on time to get to my house before we left out of state. If we needed a sitter again, we’d definitely book with Travis.”


Charisse H.

“Charisse provided wonderful care for our English Springer Spaniel, Francis. She also went above and beyond by watching our home, mail and plants while we were away. We were able to have a wonderful vacation knowing our pet was being so very well cared for.”


Sophia W.

“Sophia was great! She stayed with Tiffany while we Al were out of town for the holidays and when we got home Tiffany was so happy and calm. I’m always nervous leaving our senior girl with anyone, but Sophia sent us updates and pictures and made sure everything went smoothly.”


Kaitlyn J.

“Kaitlyn did a wonderful job taking care of our 13 yo female dog in our home while we were away. Kaitlyn took care of all of her needs, including medication and left the house without a trace she was there. Would definitely rebook with her.”


Jess P.Star Sitter

“We would highly recommend Jess to anyone who needs a pet sitter. She was easy to communicate with. She sent us daily updates and pictures like we requested. She was respectful of our home and kept it nice and tidy. We didn't have any worries leaving town with her watching our house and dog. We met her prior to hiring her which put our minds at ease. She bonded with our dog and I would say my dog misses having her here. We will definitely hire her again the next time we leave town.”


Katlin S.Star Sitter

“Katlin is great with our two greyhounds! She was flexible with our changing schedule and consistently on time. Our old boy tripped on the patio step and got a bad scrape; Katlin handled the emergency well and kept us up to date with the situation. She'll be my first ask next time we use Rover!”


Katherine P.Star Sitter
About: 1 year of professional dog and cat daycare and boarding experience. 2 years of dog and cat fostering including disabled kittens. Current loving home of 2 cats and a dog. I'm currently living at home after high-school and am unemployed. I used to work at a dog and cat daycare and boarding facility, but decided I wanted to make my own schedule. I'm not very social besides with animals so my schedule is open and flexible. I own 2 cats and a dog so I'm unable to board or pet sit at my own house, but I can travel to your house and look after your furry friend in an environment I'm sure they're more comfortable in anyway.


Lisa D.

“Lisa is super sweet and was very diligent about sending pics of my sweet babies! I know my dogs (especially one in particular) can be kind of a shy guy and she was able to coax him out and by the end of the stay he was sitting in close proximity to her. I’d definitely recommend Lisa and will be using her again!”


Karina A.
“Karina is one of the biggest animal lovers I have ever met. She goes above and beyond when caring for other peoples animals. She has watched my cats multiple times and there is genuinely no one else I would trust them with. Whether it’s giving them wet food, taking them on extra walks, or finding news toys and ways to keep your pets happy and entertained she is willing to do it.”


Rachel S.


“Great communication, both during and following. Gemma was obviously happy and well cared for.”


Raelyn W.

“Raelyn took excellent care of our Lab while we were out of town. She provided lots of updates with pictures and very communicative with us. We have already rebooked her!”


Alexis J.


“Alexis gave consistent updates for how Pinot was doing, and was always quick to respond. When we returned, Pinot was happy and healthy, and the house was just as we left it. We'd definitely use Alexis again and would recommend her services to other interested parties!”
Merle Hay pet parents share their Rover experiences
My previous Rover moved out of state, so I found Dawn and am so pleased! She understood my situation with my old ARL adoptee and didn't make me seem like a crazy cat lady :) She stayed over-nights with him and was able to also bring him out of his shell (and hiding) after just one visit. We met a few weeks before for the arrangement and I found her to be very conscientious and easy to communicate with. I'd definitely recommend and will be seeing about another vacation for me!

Charisse was the best! Super communicative and sent lots of pictures! Came around the same times each day to keep your dog on a normal schedule!

Sophia did an amazing job of taking care of our dogs and our house while I was out of town. Sophia was very attentive and accommodating. I highly recommend using Sophia’s services!

Amethyst is fantastic! Super attentive to our animal's needs (dogs and cats) and a great communicator. She kept us up-to-date on how things were going and made sure we knew everyone was doing well. Appreciated her work and can't wait to book her again!!

Lisa is super sweet and was very diligent about sending pics of my sweet babies! I know my dogs (especially one in particular) can be kind of a shy guy and she was able to coax him out and by the end of the stay he was sitting in close proximity to her. I’d definitely recommend Lisa and will be using her again!

Samm and my dogs got to be best friends during the housesit! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Definitely only using Samm in the future!

Gretchen did such a great job of helping us be at ease while we were out of town. We had never used River, and she was great about sending updates and letting us know how our pup was doing. Would absolutely book again!

My animals were well taken care of under Meghan’s care! I can tell she spoiled them with lots of attention and some treats!

Melinda was great! She sent photos while we were gone and offered to stop back over to let him out if we were going to be later than planned arriving home. We would definitely rebook with her in the future.

Hassannah was great to work with! I know that my 4 dogs (from 10 years to a puppy) can be a handful and she did it perfectly. She was on time with the booking times. She even was responding to text before she even had to be at my house. When we got home the house was just how we left it!! She was the perfect person for the job. We will be using her again!

Kelli was so great with my pups! We loved the updates and pictures! She was thorough and it was clear that the pups and our house were well cared for while we were away!

Camille did a great job watching Worm. He is an energetic guy and she did a wonderful job making sure he was enriched and well cared for during our weekend away. He seemed sufficiently tired out when we came home and happy. Camille was responsive and easy to communicate with.

Another great stay for our Sandy. April is our favorite rover sitter. Highly recommend her. Responsible, respectful, loves our Sandy. Goes the extra mile.

Briar did an excellent job taking care of my senior fur babies! She sent me pictures and updates on how they were while i was gone. I felt they my babies were taking care of while I was gone! I will use her again for my future travels.

Adriana was amazing; not only with the animals but with our home as well. She was incredibly respectful when it came to the type of care I wanted and went above and beyond with communicating everything with me. She will definitely be our number 1 Rover gal now!:)

How Rover works
1. Search
Read verified reviews and choose a house sitter who’s a great match for you and your pets2. Meet & Greet
Meet either virtually or in-person with a sitter to discuss the level of care needed for your house and pets while you’re away3. Book & Pay
All payments are processed through Rover’s secured platform and your booking is backed by 24/7 support. It’s that easy!
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 house 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.
House Sitting FAQs
Frequently asked questions about Rover
Rover makes it easy to reach out to multiple house sitters about your booking. Typically, house sitters on Rover respond in under an hour.
Experience can vary widely from house sitter to house sitter, but you can view reviews, years of experience, and number of repeat clients when comparing house sitters available in Merle Hay.
Heading out of town? It’s easy to book a 5-star house sitter to take care of your home. Book a house sitter to take care of your dog and cat, while keeping an eye on your property. And the best part? Your best friend gets to stay on their home turf. Merle Hay house sitters are great for:
- Dogs who’d prefer to stay on their home turf
- Cats and caged pets
- Pet parents on a tight schedule
- Keeping an eye on your home and plants while you’re away
Yes! House sitters joining Rover must pass a background check before offering their services. You can also easily keep in touch with your house sitter through messages on Rover for delightful photo updates. The Rover team is available 24/7, and your house sitter has access to advice from qualified veterinary professionals. In the rare event of any issues during a booking, rest easy knowing your pet is covered by the Rover Guarantee reimbursement program for eligible veterinary care.
Note: If your house sitter requested to cancel this booking, then they need to cancel from their account. Please contact them via Rover Messages.
We get it—sometimes plans change and you may need to cancel your house sitting service. You can cancel an upcoming booking directly from the Rover app or your computer, in accordance with your house sitter’s cancellation policy.
