Has anyone used these services for their small farm before? Looking for first hand experiences.
I tried to use Rover once but it never worked out. If you have a dog/cat it’s probably fine but for true farmsiting it was more of a pain & $$$ than it was worth. AKA you had to enter each animal through the app & communicating through the app was kind of cumbersome (I don’t think sitters through there are allowed to text outside the ap).
Long story short i found someone on Facebook with a business page & good reviews and she has been great!
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My sister, who has decades of hands-on experience with horses and dogs, has cultivated quite a nice gig doing pet sitting, house sitting and small farm sitting through Rover.
From what she has shared with me, the issue with Rover is that there are a lot of inexperienced younger people on there-- not that age automatically equals experience– who, uhm, “enhance” their background and resume. She’s heard all kinds of stories from her clients about Rover providers who knew far less than they claimed or plain just didn’t show up.
So I guess like most online sources, do your own vetting and choose wisely.
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I’ve used Rover twice (same sitter) and had a positive experience. Once was to stay overnight with my dog for a weekend and once for 3 mid day walks while I had a few looonngg work days back to back.
I believe that they are required to send at least one photo per visit or x photos per overnight stay. Patrick was great. But I also pay a premium for house sitting, so when we first met I told him “I actually pay MORE than your rate per night. I will leave you cash to make up the difference” Rover is pretty strict about communicating off the app and I didn’t want Rover to take a portion of the extra. I had no concerns about him coming and going from the house but I didn’t have him do anything with the horses.
Most recently I had another horse person house sit who was referred to me by another horsey friend. While my dog was fine (happy, seemed to be fed, no accidents in the house) I was less impressed with the way she treated my house. Dirty dishes near the stove, the counter where we prep doggo’s food was a mess and her nail polish remover removed some of the finish off of our coffee table.
I think house, farm and pet sitting depends on the person. You need somone who provides that same basic minimum as you. I was very surprised that I was HAPPIER with my Rover person instead of my recommended HORSE person to take care of my dog.
I would not consider Rover for full, even if small, farm care. In my case I had someone at the house overnights for the dog and cat and a different trusted person for horse, chickens only.
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We don’t own a farm, but at times work long hours and like to travel so we have our friends very reliable teenagers housesit for our dog and kitties.
It works out soooo well. They’re good kids! However, they make absolute BANK at my house. Paid per day, plus food money, plus a “chore” list worth money if they feel like doing extra. I’ve always said I want to pay enough money that they want to drop what they’re doing to come over, and in turn I have a very reliable housesitter that never says no.
I think your best bet is to find a sitter through word of mouth rather than an app, and then be sure you’re paying enough that they want to get invited back 
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I’ve used Rover and Meowtel for cat sitting with positive results. I don’t require home-stay visits, just a drop-in once a day to feed and do litter boxes and give attention to whatever kitties want to show their faces. In both apps, I have met the pet-sitter before the trip and showed them what to do while introducing them to the kitties. Although it is expensive, the Rover & Meowtel sitters have always gone above & beyond for me and sent lots of pics and updates.
I’ve used Rover 3 times. 2 out 3 were excellent, the third was fine, but beagle came home disgusting and exhausted. I had to throw away his things kinda disgusting and straight to the wash rack he went.
My daughter does pet sitting on Rover, and farm sitting on the side if she can bring her own dogs. She’s really good but young. She farms sits for me thankfully.
I’m tempted to do doggy day care, I just fenced in 1 acre with a 5’ wire no climb with a beautiful shade tree and added a small pool and digging pit for my dogs and grand puppies. My heeler would love having other dogs to play with.
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You can rent your yard for dog play through Sniffspot.
