... to not take bookings from this client in future?

[ImJustMadAboutSaffron]

I posted this yesterday but it wasn't read:

I have a small pet sitting business and normally send photographs of the animals to the owners - not every single visit, but several during the course of the pet sitting assignment, but I do message them every day to let them know everything is fine. This always works well. Most don't expect photos or videos and are grateful to see them when they do get them.

One customer has gone away today, fed the animals before they left, and I have been round this evening. It was around 9.30 as I had an evening meeting and had to travel on public transport which is only every half hour after 7pm, and then pick up my car. I'd already had a message asking if everything was OK and replied that yes it was, but I hadn't taken photographs this evening.

I received a message back asking for photographs tomorrow. I've looked after these animals before, and was asked for photos of each of them, possibly if they were eating. When I sent this I was asked for videos. It's very time-consuming and these are shy animals that hide, and I'm going to scare them hunting them down for photo opportunities like paparazzi.

They also have a webcam targeted on the areas the animals go, so they can see they are safe, happy, eating etc, that the food has gone.

Do you think it is anxiety over the pets, or is it that they can't actually believe I've been to feed them if I don't send pictures every single time? I feel unnerved to have it demanded of me. What do you think?

Update today:

I said that I would see them around 5.45. At 7pm I received a text from one of the owners chasing up, asking if everything was OK, and if I had been. I replied when I saw it, about 20 minutes later, that yes it was, and I hadn't replied immediately because I was at a yoga class. I took photographs and sent them on and told them I had also taken the dustbin out for them, and that the animals were fine, eating well and happy.

They come back, asking me to agree on when they can expect to receive an update for the rest of the week, as they would prefer knowing exactly when to check WhatsApp rather than constantly checking.

I asked them if there is a specific time they want me to call (bearing in mind I have a life!)

I received this:

Could you please visit them at 6? On Saturday, could you please come between 12-1 pm? In both cases, can you please send an update and pics straightaway? Thank you. Have a nice evening.

I've decided that I will no longer accept bookings from them. As I will see at least one of the couple professionally, though, my plan is to be on holiday/fully booked up in future - also bearing in mind the possibility of negative reviews.

I feel policed, not trusted, and very anxious. This is not how it should be! I don't have this with other clients, and I'm not having it with these, either.

Am I unreasonable or are they?

Do the owners know that their cats are just getting a five minute visit?

I mean if that's all the cats need it's fine, but if it's unclear that their £9.50 gets them less than people with higher need pets then I can see why they'd be a bit annoyed.

In any case to answer your original question, yes of course you can decline any future sitting requests, you are self employed so it's your choice.

Well this explains why my house/dog sitter kept sending photos of my dogs to me for the 3 weeks we were on holiday last.

I was too much of a people pleaser to say, please stop, I'm on holiday!

Op, just don't work for them again. It's one of the joys of being self-employed.

I do see them every day. But they leg it when I get the phone out sometimes.

100% agree!

What would you suggest I do other than clean the litter tray, wash the bowls and put out food, collect the mail and grab a picture of a terrified cat? What else could I do for the remaining 20 minutes?

I take it these are cats? They can be tricky!
But if I was hiring a pet sitter I would expect them to go as near to my normal feeding times as possible, obviously agreed in advance, though I don't need photographic evidence.
They sound like anxious owners who are missing their pets! In future you should tell prospective clients that you will update them daily with the occasional photo but cannot guarantee it.
But it's totally up to you what clients you accept. If these people are more trouble than they're worth then by all means have a packed schedule going forward.

I'm afraid I find this level of wanting photos of the pets every day a whole new level of crazy. If you miss your beloved animals that much that you can't manage without photo/video updates (especially when you've already got cameras)then don't go away and leave them.

I occasionally cat sit for some friends. The house cats are their 'children'. I go in twice a day - usually at around the same time but if I need to vary it I do. There are cameras in the main room to monitor the cats and there's a ring doorbell. I know which vets they are registered with and it has been made clear that I can authorise any necessary treatment regardless of cost. But I have never been asked to send a photo of the cats - why would I? They can see the cats if they want to and they could check I've been if they want to.

I don't have cats but I've had 2 children and never in all the years they've been in nursery or school have I asked for updates during the day because I know if there was a problem I'd be contacted. And I've even been away on holiday and left one of them in respite for a week with phone contact every couple of days because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would be contacted if there was even a small issue.

I'm beginning to see why so many people are suffering from anxiety when they are so obsessed with being in control of everything all the time.

Feel totally the same. It usually takes my cat about 10 mins to come out of hiding to say hi to a new person.

15 mins isn't alot esp if they have separate food bowls/litter trays. I'd even go far as to say that not everything could be completed in that time frame.

Plus I take my cat for a walk around the garden 2/3 times per day.

Well, use of the word servant is a bit silly and isn't exactly helpful but you ARE being paid to deliver a service. Given that you're a pet sitter, you must know that plenty of pet owners are nervous of leaving their pets in someone else's care. People can and do neglect animals all the time. Being so laxadasical in your approach isn't going to reassure them and it definitely isn't going to work for lots of people.

@ImJustMadAboutSaffron it doesn't really matter what you do with your time, it's what has been agreed with the owners.

If they have an expectation through your literature that you will be in the house for 30 mins or whatever, then that's what I'd expect to happen. Even if that just involves you doing your downward dog on their living room floor.

But if it literally says feed and go, then that's also fine.

You need to set out exactly what you offer. If they want very specific additional services you need to decide if you want to offer those and set out your prices very clearly.

I’m on the owners side here I’m afraid. If you went there at 545 but had a yoga class at 6pm then you can’t have been there long at all. I get that the cats are shy, but they aren’t going to get used to you if you’re basically plonking food down and going. It might be that the owners had a bad experience previously and now are super cautious.

Anyone I’ve ever used has always spent time there even if the cats didn’t want interaction. That way they’ve had some human stimulation. One sitter even had my super timid girl eating dreamies from her hand, she didn’t do that to me for about three years! The two boys are anyones who tickle their tummy so I dont have any issues with them. Plus if you’re there longer, you can be on your phone to take a snap or two of them and send it there and then. I’ve never had updates later in the day, it’s always at the time

WTF is it with daily updates anyway? Surely your job is to keep the animals alive until the owners return.

It sounds like one of them is very anxious about leaving the pets.

This!

People on this thread are totally crazy. Do you ask for constant pictures and updates of your kids?

And we have lots of pets that we leave with sitters. I never hound them down. I expect that my pets' basic needs are met and that they are healthy when I get back. If there is any issue, I would get a call.

Proper, professional pet-sitting is a bit more than "just keeping the animals alive".

Can I just clarify a few things here as many of you are making sweeping assumptions about how I work as a pet sitter, my attitude and ability.

I have been a pet sitter since 2016 and have regular clients and excellent reviews. I also have 6 cats of my own. I am not lackadaisical as has been suggested. I know exactly how to look after cats.

Each customer - 4 legged or otherwise - is different. They all need a different approach. Some have precise needs (animals not owners). These are discussed and agreed. Time allocated is dependent on those needs. There is no point going into these here but rest assured they all get the attention they need and want.

These particular cats are animals that need feeding, watering, litter tray sorting, checking they are OK - just the basics. They don't want to play, be cuddled, interact. They would be terrified if I tried to and it is a waste of time. They play and interact with one another. They are ABSOLUTELY FINE without anything more than this. I don't see how they would benefit from me sitting in their house for another 20 minutes waiting for them to come out after I have hunted them down for a photo opportunity.

This is NOT my approach with EVERY client.

When I said "I am not a servant" I was referring to the snippy attitude of the messages, which I have not reproduced here in their entirety. Not the fact that I don't want to do what they have paid me for.

I am not "dependent on public transport" - where that came from I have no idea. They do not have a door cam. The webcam is trained on the food bowls only. They don't see me doing the litter tray or washing up in a different room.

Yes, perhaps I should not have gone at 9.30. But a time was NOT agreed. I had a meeting that went on VERY late and I was on public transport (think park and ride) because of logistics, As they had been left with a bowl of food each at 11am, though, I didn't see this as too much of a problem. That was a one off, not a regularity.

There was plenty of time on this ONE OCCASION to go in the house and do the catty things and get to the yoga class two minutes away. Particularly given that I was already dressed for yoga, if you are interested.

I can see that the problem is one of communication rather than trustworthiness and ability to care for animals. Managing expectations, as has been said. But I find myself feeling scared and frightened of these two now - it's taken on a life of its own, hence why I am not taking future bookings.

On the previous booking with these clients, when I messaged ONCE and said I could not get pictures, the owner said it was fine as she had seen them on the webcam. To now take this approach is what is causing the problems.

And as for the poster who asked why I was even discussing it, well, it's Mumsnet isn't it. Why were you even bothering to respond if it wasn't productive?!

As a paid for service I'd expect a bit of continuity, when on holiday you do worry about your pets, I'd like to know roughly what time you go daily and for a quick text / photo.

If it were a friend then I'd be less particular but they are paying you.

Yes, this has happened with other cats in my experience. However on this occasion I had somewhere else to be after they had been fed etc. I am not saying I would not do this on other occasions.

Don't take a booking from them again.
It sounds over the top to me and I'm quite an anxious cat owner.
I don't expect my catsitters to send photos at all. Nor do I expect daily updates. Sometimes they do send a quick message but actually I prefer it if they just get on with it as waiting for updates every day causes me more anxiety.

Who knows why these clients are being apparently more anxious than they were the previous time.... they were obviously happy last time so should know that you can be trusted. Also they have a webcam so they can also check there if they are concerned.
I think their expectations and your mode of working don't match up any more so you shouldn't accept a booking from them anymore.

YANBU, I used to have a dog walking/ sitting business and customers like this I never had again.

I would send updates and occasional photos but it was at my instigation, not theirs. They either trust you or they don't.

Some of the replies on this thread are just ridiculous.

However on this occasion I had somewhere else to be after they had been fed etc. I am not saying I would not do this on other occasions.

Sorry but that's not really good enough.

They're paying you £9.50 per visit to care for their pets, not for you to put food down and rush off to yoga.

If you were that squeezed for time you should have either skipped yoga or done the visit afterwards so you didn't have to rush.

Are they paying you? What service do you offer, explicitly? If it's anything re: peace of mind then I don't think it's unreasonable for the requirements to differ from client to client depending on their needs.

To be honest, if I'd been promised an update I'd expect one with 30 mins or so of the time you'd said you were checking on them. 90 mins plus with no update would probably imply you'd forgotten and I don't think they're being unreasonable to chase.

Of course, though, you're within your rights to not work for them again.

OP you really don’t need to be so defensive. You asked the question and people gave their opinions. People can only go off the information you’ve provided and that doesn’t always give a complete picture.

As you yourself say, different pets have different needs and similarly, different pet sitters operate differently, so clear expectations in future are all that are needed. And you can drop these clients if they’re too much hassle, you don’t owe them anything.

From everything you’ve said it’s not clear why you’d be ‘scared and frightened’ of these clients. On the surface these seem like reasonable requests, to me at least and to many other posters too it seems, if not all. But clearly something about the way they’ve communicated with you has you really rattled and you really shouldn’t be feeling unsafe with any client, so you are of course not being at all unreasonable to choose not to work with them again.

For whatever reason, I don’t think the ‘scared and frightened’ aspect came across at all in your initial posts so people responded accordingly. But if they have been aggressive or threatening to you in their messages then that is really not on and I hope you’re ok.

No they haven't been aggressive or threatening, but the tone was very master and servant. I am more afraid of a terrible review. One of them also works at my main place of work, though not in my department. Hence they know I am not a fly by night.