House & Pet Sitting: Slow Travel, Local Living & Furry Friends
Every once in a while, I step off the standard trail to swap hotels and hostels for something a little more personal: house and pet sitting.
Through platforms like TrustedHousesitters, I connect with homeowners around the world to care for their pets and look after their homes in exchange for a place to stay. It’s one of my favorite ways to experience a destination, blend into local communities, and get a daily dose of animal companionship while living on the road.
Why I Love Pet Sitting
Local Immersion: Staying in a real neighborhood gives me a completely different perspective than staying in a tourist hub. I get to discover local coffee shops, quiet walking trails, and neighborhood markets.
The Comforts of Home: Having a fully equipped kitchen to cook real meals, a cozy living room to work from, and a reliable base camp makes long-term travel far more sustainable.
Furry Companionship: As someone constantly on the move, having a dog to take on morning trail walks or a cat to keep me company while I work is easily the best part of the trade.
2025
The Atlast Project →
“Communication was top-notch and the final outcome was even better than we imagined. A great experience all around.”
Former Customer
The Key Sections of a TrustedHousesitters Listing
Sitters & Reviews: Shows past reviews from other sitters.
Home and location: Specifies the exact town or region, proximity to public transit, walkability to shops, and local attractions or outdoor trails.
Amenities: Outlines the accommodation details, including bedroom arrangements, kitchen setup, laundry, Wi-Fi speed, workspace, yard space, and extras like a pool or bike availability.
Responsibilities & Expectations: Lays out the day-to-day care required, such as walk frequencies, plant watering, mail collection, and how long the pets can comfortably be left alone.
Sit Essentials: The specific calendar window and arrival dates for the exchange.
Pets: Introduces the animals with photos, detailing their personalities, routines, feeding schedules, medical needs, and temperament.
Furry Friends
✳︎
New City
✳︎
Free Stay
✳︎
Warm Hearts
✳︎
Random Kindness
*
Furry Friends ✳︎ New City ✳︎ Free Stay ✳︎ Warm Hearts ✳︎ Random Kindness *
Considering the average hotel stay is $150…
How much is it?
TrustedHousesitters operates on an annual membership model. Depending on whether you sign up as a Sitter (looking for places to stay) or a Combined Member (both sitting and listing your own home), there are three tiers:
1. Sitter Memberships (USD)
Basic ($129/year): Unlimited sit applications. Requires a $12 per-sit booking fee upon confirmation.
Standard ($169/year): Includes 24/7 vet helpline, dedicated support, and $1M accident/liability insurance. Requires the $12 per-sit booking fee.
Premium ($259/year): Includes all Standard features plus sit cancellation insurance, 2 airport lounge passes, and zero per-sit booking fees.
2. Combined Memberships (Sitter + Pet Parent)
If you want to use the platform both to stay in other homes and to find sitters for your own house:
Combined Basic: $209/year (+$12 per sit)
Combined Standard: $309/year (+$12 per sit)
Combined Premium: $399/year (no per-sit fees)
Cost Tip: Promo codes giving 20–25% off the first year are easily found online or through referral links like this. If you plan to do more than 6–8 sits a year, the Premium tier usually works out cheaper because it waives the $12 booking fee entirely.
