Pet and House Sitting as a Form of Travel

Rising costs and new solutions

As property and living costs have gone up, accommodation prices have also risen. This has made people look for more affordable travel options. One of these solutions is house sitting or pet sitting, where sitters stay in a home for free in exchange for taking care of the property and/or pets. This concept not only brings financial benefits, but also personal satisfaction to those who are willing to take responsibility and travel with a few limitations.

Pets are essential companions for many, but it's not always practical to take them along when travelling. You can run into issues like not having the right transport, places that don't allow pets, the heat, long trips, and changes in surroundings, which can really stress animals out. This adds extra responsibility for owners on holiday, so they can't fully relax.

Pet sitting as an alternative

A lot of pet owners choose alternatives like leaving their pets with relatives or putting them in a pet hotel. However, not everyone has the option of the first, and the second can be very expensive. The best option for animals is to stay in their home environment, where someone who provides them with the same attention and love as their owners can take care of them. This need gave rise to the idea of pet sitting.

A popular platform for this kind of service is TrustedHousesitters, where pet owners looking for care and people willing to look after pets can sign up. Users can choose from different locations and types of animals they're interested in and send requests to the owners. Searching for locations, owners, and sitters is free in the app, but you need to pay a monthly subscription to arrange things with the owners and use the app fully. There are three packages available, including more budget-friendly options, and you can cancel the subscription anytime. Owners then decide if the sitter is a good fit for their pets, and if so, they arrange the dates and details. When owners leave their home, the pet sitter moves into their home, where they can stay for free in exchange for taking care of their pets.

Benefits of pet sitting

Besides taking care of pets, sitters often get the chance to enjoy nature, explore local towns, or just relax in the comfort of the home they're staying in. Pet sitting offers a unique blend of responsibility and enjoyment, making it a fantastic alternative to traditional accommodation while travelling. The app is most popular in the UK and the US, although more and more users are signing up in central and northern Europe.

It's also a great opportunity for digital nomads or people who work from home, as they aren't tied to a specific location and can spice up their daily routine with this experience. Plus, pet sitting offers a chance to build international friendships, as sitters often meet pet owners from different cultural backgrounds, allowing for the exchange of experiences and discovering new cultures.

One of the key benefits of pet sitting is that it reduces stress for pets, as they stay in a familiar environment instead of being moved to a new, potentially stressful place like a pet hotel. This way, pets avoid any potential anxiety, and sitters get to enjoy the feeling of contributing to the animals' well-being.

Pet sitting is becoming an increasingly popular way to travel, as it combines affordability with a love for animals. With platforms like TrustedHousesitters, travellers can find accommodation all over the world, while pet owners can travel peacefully, knowing their pets are in safe hands. This trend shows a shift in how we see tourism, where it's becoming important not just where we travel, but also how we do it—by caring for animals and the environment.