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AIBU?

To cancel dog sitting

44 replies

RueDay · 21/05/2016 13:22

Hi,
I regularly walk two dogs at the weekends that I met through the borrow my doggy website.

I'm self employed and expected current job to finish end of May so I said I would be able to look after the dogs for a week whilst I was at home so their owner could go on holiday, no money passes hands as its a volunteer dog walking scheme that pairs dog owners with people who would like to walk the now and again.

I have now been asked to stay at current job another month which financially would be helpful but means I cannot dog sit as I will be at work and owner understandably wants someone with the dogs in their home and that they are not left alone for more than an hour or so.

When I told their owner that I couldn't look after them last week of June she said she would have to cancel her holiday and then sent me a text last night telling me not to worry about walking them this morning as she might not be in.

Now feeling guilty and wondered am I being unfair. She is obviously pissed off.

OP posts:

Report

Beeziekn33ze · 22/05/2016 13:55

*BMD

TheGoodEnoughWife · 22/05/2016 13:57

Where are you? You could walk my dogs and I would be very grateful and wouldn't take you for granted!

Unfortunately you see this so much, you do something for someone that is a favour/for mutual benefits and get taken for granted and it just becomes awkward.

It is a shame that you now can't look after the dogs but you should not be expected to turn down paid work to do so.

RueDay · 22/05/2016 13:58

I have no idea what she is doing about the holiday, I sent her several links yesterday and numbers of people who dog sit locally but she didn't reply and hasn't mentioned holiday again.

I took pictures of the dogs on a walk last weekend which I notice she has uploaded on to the site so I think she is looking for someone else from the dog site to dog sit.

OP posts:

TendonQueen · 22/05/2016 14:02

That'd be right, she sounds like the sort who will expect some other kind person to pick up the slack rather than put her hand in her pocket.

RueDay · 22/05/2016 14:07

She's not a bad person and not skint by any stretch but thinks London dog walking and sitting is a rip off and looking at prices round here I can see her point!.

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MyDobbygotgivenasock · 22/05/2016 14:12

She's a cheeky bellend. My dogs, my responsibility absolutely end of conversation. If she has been brass necked enough to book a holiday on the basis of palming her dogs off on you, for free, then she hasn't a leg to stand on. Let her sulk and (I don't know how BMD works) if there's the facility to do so let them know she's pissing of volunteer walkers who are doing her a massive favour because what she wants is staff without having to pay for it.
It's unfortunate your schedule changed, it is still her responsibility and anyone with dogs and a pinch of sense knows you need to have back up options for holiday and emergency care.
I hope your next people are not such self entitled tightarses.

Hissy · 22/05/2016 14:17

This is what deters me from BMD, the owners are not in it for their dog's wellbeing, or for those who would like to spend time with a dog but can't have one of their own for any reason.

They are using the system to save themselves hundreds in doggy daycare.

This woman could offer to pay you the lost wages if you took a week off from paid work...

No? She didn't offer? What a shock, I need a sit down.

She's found some other mug.

MyDobbygotgivenasock · 22/05/2016 14:18

But London prices were London prices when she got the dog so that is what it costs. I would like lots of things to be cheaper but they aren't and they are budgeted into care costs. Private arrangements can fall through because people have lives, it behoves me as the person with final responsibility to have a back up, and that back up isn't sulking if they don't change their mind.

DailyMailAreAFuckingJoke · 22/05/2016 14:23

What Dobby said. We had a couple of years where we could have gone on holiday but the costs of kenneling meant that we couldn't afford it. So we didn't go and I don't have an issue with that. It's part and parcel of dog ownership and if you cannot afford to arrange for proper care for them when you go away - which usually comes at a cost - then you don't go.

RueDay · 22/05/2016 14:24

That's true, however it is the dogs who lose out which is a massive shame.
She has always been looking for other other borrowers anyway but the last two she found whilst I was walking them only did it for a couple of weeks then stopped due to other commitments.

OP posts:

RueDay · 22/05/2016 14:27

Although one positive has been a lie in this weekend both Saturday and Sunday! Normally leave at 8.15 to pick them up. And back about 11 so been a relaxing weekend.

Will have a look and see if anyone else on site looking for weekend and or evening walkers.

OP posts:

Hissy · 22/05/2016 15:42

So she's been looking for other walkers the whole time, presumably to do the tedious thing of ya know, actually walking her dog?

This comment:
the last two she found whilst I was walking them only did it for a couple of weeks then stopped due to other commitments.

That's what she said? Right. They stopped because they knew a cheapskate chancer when they saw one.

RueDay · 23/05/2016 18:28

Interesting I have had 3 missed calls yesterday and today but no message, she usually texts so not sure what's going on.

Have arranged to meet another dog owner in next week or so however which hopefully will work out better.

OP posts:

TendonQueen · 23/05/2016 18:58

It's harder to say no to people who phone you than it is to say no by text (or to conveniently not read it, or not have chance to reply). So my guess is that she wanted to put you on the spot. Probably there was an 'emergency' where the dogs needed walking and no one else could do it for free.

RueDay · 23/05/2016 19:17

I would cave if I spoke to her I know, so rather not answer which is cowardly. She often says the dogs are missing you or were waiting for you when you couldn't come and one does think of the dogs.

OP posts:

MothershipG · 23/05/2016 19:34

You can borrow one of mine Rue, little bigger rolled in poo again!! In fact you can have her if you like!

Janecc · 23/05/2016 20:26

Don't cave. She will find someone else easily. Anything she says other than a basic she's upset and is disappointed you can't look after her beloved pets is manipulation.

I found a dog boarder - not kennels a month before the start of our holidays. It took me a while to find someone and a half hour drive to get there. It was school holidays - this is off peak so it will be easier for her. She just wants something for nothing.

Hissy · 23/05/2016 21:22

She is a cheapskate, manipulative user.

Trust me. The other walker see through her

The "dogs miss you"? Really!?

Has she ever put her dogs on a lead and taken them for a walk herself? She sounds like a really bad dog owner.
Too lazy to care for them and too cheap to pay for professional care.

She is calling to beg you to take the dogs. I'm willing to bet she won't offer to pay you for your time.

I assume you'd have to turn down the extra month of work if you stayed to look after her dogs?

Ignore, ignore, ignore. She's a user

runningincircles12 · 23/05/2016 21:33

Please don't feel bad. I (like other people on here) think BMD is open to lots of abuse from people who can't be bothered to pay for dogwalking on a regular basis. Surely the point is that the volunteer should be able to befriend the dog and spend time with him or her, not actually provide a regular service that would otherwise need to be paid for? If I was leaving my dog with someone for a week, I would not be happy not to pay anything. Even if it was a friend, I would want to give them £50 or so plus pay for food.

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