With summer in full swing, many pet owners may be heading out of town and looking for someone to watch their dog or cat. An alternative to the traditional kennel is called Rover.com and provides an 'at home' experience for your pets, even if you're not at home. It’s an online community available across the country that connects pet parents with pet sitters.
Shaun Burks is a Reno dog sitter with Rover.com. He works from home, has two dogs of his own and opens up his house to long and short term visitors.
The company offers “Overnight boarding, day care. They also have dog walkers, even watch cats" explains Burks. He’s been a dog sitter for 10 years and thinks the animals really enjoy this kind of experience over staying in a traditional boarding facility. "That way your dog gets to hang out and be a dog and get human interaction. Like with me, cuz I'm home all day anyways - they're always supervised, they don't have to be crated for long periods of time", he says.
Rover.com handles the payment, provides insurance coverage during your pet's stay, plus background checks on all the pet sitters. The first step is a meet and greet, usually at the sitter’s house. Burks explains; "It helps with the separation anxiety when they get dropped off, if it's not a strange place, if they've been here before" Overnight stays in Washoe County range from $20 to $30.
Online reviews will help you make the right match. “Sandra H submitted one about Shaun;  "...my dog did very well under his care. He sent me several pictures and texts to let me know how she was doing...when I picked her up she seemed happy and well cared for"
And if you're interested in working as a pet sitter, the reviews on that are pretty good, too; "Probably the best job I've ever had", says Burks, grinning from ear to ear.
You can check the service out at https://www.rover.com
