For committed pet owners, the joy of holidays is often diminished by the guilt associated with leaving a faithful friend behind in strangers' hands. Aiming to spare pets and their owners the anguish that can result, SwapaDog is a new network that helps dog owners in the same area connect and exchange pet care when they go out of town.
With sites serving both the UK and the US, SwapaDog provides pet owners with a way to find other like-minded members in their area so that they can get to know each other and agree to exchange pet-sitting services when the need arises. Basic membership on the site—offering access to an array of dog-related tips, discounts, news and links—is free, while introductory pricing on a full membership, including access to other members, begins at GPB 9.97 or USD 17 for one year. (Ultimately, a full annual membership will cost GBP 25 or USD 47.) The result, SwapaDog says, is not just better pet care for the dog and less worry on owners' part, but also savings of some GBP 200—or USD 370—per dog in kennel bills for a two-week stay.
Beyond lending, peer-to-peer services have already extended to include mentoring, camping and shipping; why not pet care too? One to bring to the rest of the canine-friendly world...? (Related: Social networking for dogs — RFID collar tag helps dog owners meet new friends — Flexible pet ownership.)
Website: www.swapadog.com
Contact: www.swapadog.com/contact_us.php
Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann
This program may be great in some cases but, it may be a nightmare for others!
The problem is the pet owner doesn't really know the other pet owner well enough to determine how well their pet will be treated.
I am a pet sitter and I am all for people trying to find affordable care for their pets for those that have limited funds and can not afford in home care.
However, I have seen first hand the results of an apartment swap from state to state which also involved pet care and what I saw was severe neglect for the pets when I went to the house for the owner to check on the pets. The person staying at my clients house in Hollywood was out all the time and I could tell from the huge amount of poop on the patio that the dogs were not walked and the water bowls were empty in very hot weather...Just be careful and ask for lots of references and do a background check!!!
Hi Susan, I feel that you are understandably biased being that the idea behind this service is targeting your field of work, but I don't think it is anything todo with the type of house sitting you refer to.
You are right of course that people should be careful, as with any type of meeting.
I think the whole point of this site is that you build up a relationship with a potential swapper in your local area. You get to know them, you visit them, meet their pets and see how they treat them. It is a community site at the end of the day.
I am not the least bit worried about this having a negative effect on my business. As I said earlier I am all for people finding affordable pet sitting. I have more business than I can handle even with a bad economy.
I am concerned about having someone care for pets that are relatively unknown to the pet owner...All I am saying is proceed with care and remember to do a background check...always....