These days, traveling the world is a rather expensive idea for many fans of airplane adventures.
However, a
new international trend
allows you to stay in the most attractive destinations at 0 cost.
The only requirement is a
love for animals
and living with different pets.
A “win-win” equation in which travelers save costs and homeowners can enjoy their vacation with the peace of mind that both their home and their four-legged friends are in good hands.
Pet
Sitting
has been growing in the world hand in hand with the increase in the number of households with pets.
And more and more people are encouraged to participate in this experience, which can be enriching for both parties.
Those who carried out this activity clarify that you do not necessarily have to travel alone: you can also do it as a couple and even as a family.
What is pet sitting and how did it come about?
“The
trend started in the United States and Europe
,” says Belén Scardilli, director of Momo Cat Sitters, a pioneering company in this business in Argentina.
“We are the first agency organized by zones.
We started out as just two and now we have between 17 and 20 caregivers in total,” she tells this medium.
There are travelers who offer to take care of pets to lower accommodation costs during the trip.
Photo: Shutterstock illustration.
About her regular clientele, the cat sitter explains: “People who go on vacation or for specific weekends hire us.”
Regarding the growth of her business in recent years, the Cat Sitters partner attributes it not only to people traveling more, but also to a
change in perception regarding animals.
“Before, pets were less taken into account.
When people traveled, they asked their neighbors to take care of them.
“Now there is more awareness that animals need other things besides food.”
In the specific case of cats, “they get stressed if they move out of the house,” she clarifies.
“We used the service every time we went on vacation,” says Victoria Aballe, an Argentine living in London, who hired this alternative for her cat Lele through the Catinaflat.com site.
“The last time was for three days,” he indicates and remembers that “before choosing the person, we did an
investigation of the profiles
.
First you contact the person through the platform, and then they come to your house to see what the relationship with the animal is like.
Once it is hired, the person sends you photos and videos of the pet when you are traveling,” she details.
Sending photos to the owners is usually part of the agreement.
Photo illustration Shutterstock.
Hourly pay, hosting and websites to consider
For fans of
traveling in “low cost” mode
, offering Pet Sitting services can become an interesting alternative.
Some of the sites that serve as platforms to apply for these types of jobs are TrustedHousesitters.com and MindmyHouse.com.
When the service includes pet sitting and house sitting as well, it is known as
House Sitting
.
“There are two modalities.
One is the
hourly payment
.
And the other is
pet care in exchange for accommodation
,” explains Florencia Giaquinta, who used this tool to stay for free on a trip to Europe that lasted seven months.
“In all that time, I only paid for three nights of accommodation,” she says and recommends this alternative to be able to travel and explore.
Feed and care for pets.
Photo: Shutterstock
In dialogue with Clarín, she indicates that she uses the site Trustedhousesitters.com which, by paying a monthly subscription, allows her
to apply to apply
for this type of job.
The monthly subscription in Argentina has a value that ranges between 13,000 pesos and 26,000 pesos, depending on the type of service contracted.
“The first step is to create a profile on the page as if it were a social network, enter personal data and wait for the platform to validate it,” explains Giaquinta.
Then, she says, “you have to make a kind of
cover letter
, in which you can upload a video.”
In this instance, she strongly recommends “uploading photos with animals.”
Pet sitting: keys to taking the first steps
Other advice that Giaquinta provides to those who want to enjoy the advantages - among which is the possibility of staying in enormous mansions in the most expensive cities in the world - that Cat Sitting provides when traveling the world are:
Speak languages.
“Trying to speak the language of the pet owners is important, since communication with them will be in that language,” says Giaquinta.
Always suggest a video call.
Once you start exchanging messages with the homeowners, it is important to show interest in getting to know them.
It is advisable to have experience with animals.
Photo: Shutterstock
Have a complete profile.
In addition to personal data and photos, incorporating images with pets usually adds points.
Send a personalized letter.
The text should make it clear that the person read that particular ad, and explain the reasons for interest in that job.
Once the
selection process
is over , it is just a matter of packing your bags and getting your plane ticket.
On the other hand, expect a shared adventure with one or more pets and a very low-cost trip accompanied by the love of animals.