Common Questions

House Sitting is an overnight stay at your home — I sleep there, take care of everything from morning through evening, and your pets keep their routine. Best for multi-day trips, anxious pets, or anyone who wants their home to look lived-in (mail, lights, etc.). Walks are included.

Drop-in Visits are 30-minute check-ins — feed, water, fresh litter, quick play, walk if needed. Great for cats who don't need overnight care, mid-day potty breaks for puppies, or short trips. Multiple visits per day work too.

Not sure which? Tell me about your pets and your travel and I'll point you in the right direction.

The booking form gives you a real-time estimate as you fill in dates, pets, and any add-ons — no surprise on the invoice. Roughly:

• House Sitting: $90/night for the first dog, $65/night for the first cat, with discounts when you have both. Each additional pet is $45 (dog) or $35 (cat).
• Drop-in: $25 per 30-minute visit, $41 per 60-minute visit.

Holidays add $10/day across the whole booking (not per day) — detailed in the Policies page.

Walks are included with both house sitting and drop-ins, so I don't book walks as a standalone service. If you only need mid-day walks and nothing else, a drop-in visit is probably a better fit.

Yes — pills, topical treatments, insulin injections, diabetic care, post-surgery recovery. Let me know what your pet needs when you request a booking and we'll go over the details before your trip. There's no extra charge for medication administration.

I don't take payment through this site — most of my regular clients use Venmo (@gwensfriends, sent after the booking is confirmed). Cash, Zelle, and checks all work too. I'll send the invoice with the booking confirmation, and payment is due by the start of the first visit.

A week is usually fine for a single drop-in or short house sit. For longer house sits (especially around holidays) two to three weeks gives me time to plan and confirm I'm not already booked. If you're last-minute, send a message anyway — if my calendar is open I'll make it work.

Life happens. The tier in plain English:

• 8+ days before the start date — no charge.
• 4–7 days before — 50% charge.
• 3 days or fewer — full charge.

If something comes up, reach out before you cancel — there's almost always a way to handle it that works for both of us. The full breakdown is on the Policies page.

I'm in Fearrington, NC (between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro) and serve a 15-mile radius — see the map. That covers most of Chatham and Orange counties and parts of Wake and Durham. If you're right on the edge, send a note — I might still be able to fit you in.

Mostly, yes. For house sits of three or more nights, I usually step out for a few hours during the day for my other clients or errands — your pets won't be alone longer than a normal workday, and we can talk about specifics at the meet-and-greet.

Yes. Photos and a quick note after each visit; a daily summary for house sits. I text or email — whatever you prefer. If your pet does something adorable, you'll hear about it.

Yes — I'm covered through Pet Sitters International (which is also where my business liability sits). A copy of the certificate is available on request.

First, I'll call you. If I can't reach you and it's urgent, I'll take your pet to your regular vet (or the nearest emergency clinic if your vet is closed). I keep an authorization-on-file for this exact situation — we'll sign it at the meet-and-greet. Any vet bills are passed through to you with the receipts.

Yes. Keys are stored in a lockbox at my home, never labeled with your address. If you'd rather I use a lockbox or smart lock, that works too.

I've been a pet sitter for years — through Rover and now mostly through word of mouth (hence this site). I've worked with dogs from Great Danes to teacup Chihuahuas, anxious rescues, seniors who need extra patience, cats who think they're dogs, and one very opinionated iguana. I keep current on pet first aid and CPR.

Most of my bookings come from clients I've worked with before. Cutting out the platform fee means I can keep my rates lower and pass the savings on. New clients find me through referrals, Nextdoor, or this site.