RoverReviews 622

This company is terrible. The dog walker I found only communicated through their site which inundated me with start, finish, and a picture each day without alerting me to any problems. I had no idea that she was having problems getting my dog out until she cancelled last minute leaving me without alternatives. My dog has a UTI and needs to urinate during the day and the dog walker never contacted me directly to let me know even though she had my direct number. They also charge a fee for using the site each week. My dog had two dog walkers in NYC who were amazing. They would never have not let me know of a problem. The site is impersonal and the walker that I used was uncaring. I would give it zero stars if that was an option.

So I'm a Rover sitter, and have been doing so for a little over a month because I recently left my teaching job. In that time, I have racked up about 30 clients, all 5 star reviews, and several repeat clients. The majority of the reviews here are completely bogus. I find it extremely hard to believe that these things would happen via Rover sitters.
Most sound completely fake to me based on my experience as a sitter and all of my conversations with my Rover clients, all of whom are very satisfied with the service. Yes, we are background checked, and clients have complete control over who they choose as a sitter, so for these supposed disgruntled clients, it's up to you to do your due diligence and get to know the sitter a bit during the meet and greet. 99% of us are wonderful, kind, educated, pet-loving people.
And regarding a review complaining about paying $25 for a 30 minute visit... what do you expect? That 30 minute visit is more like an hour for us when you include our travel time to and from your house. Not to mention the cost of gas. Most reputable sitters are not willing to work for pennies.

I wasn't quite as unlucky as other people from whom I've read stories, but my sitter brought a dog into my house without asking, scared one of my cats who was a semi-feral and is still extremely skittish, and he now will not come home, although I've seen him hanging around the house. And I was one of the lucky ones! I guess it would be ok to use as a starting point, but it's incredibly important to request personal references and not go with ANY inexperienced people. Your pets are too important for that!

Talked to the walker that was scheduled and paid in advance about 4 hours before our scheduled walk to confirm everything. Then he just didn't show. Did not return my texts or calls. He really left me in a bind because I just had surgery and was not able to walk the dogs.

I went through four different providers. First one said she would meet my dogs. Canceled multiple times right away. Finally came to meet them and said she would try to come the next day. Tokk a house key. Was too busy but would come Friday. I messaged to say I was home. No call or text and no show. No communication for. Weeks until she finally said she wasn't taking new clients.

Second came once. Then had an excuse for the next five days for why she couldn't. No communication. Just no show.

The third decided she won't go more than 15 minutes from home.

Fourth said oh yes she would come and then that night said. She hadn't updated her calender and was just too busy.

I read the CNN article about people's dogs being lost or killed or abused by providers who have only had a minimal background check. Rover accepts no responsibility.

I am done here.

Dogsitter apparently didn't walk dog sufficiently, or as agreed upon, to potty. When we arrived home after several days away, dog was sick with painful unprecidented urinary tract infection and in immediate need of veterinary care and Rx meds. Rover couldn't care less.

It's easy for sitters to put on a good face on the site, but it's hard to know what actually goes on behind the scenes because our pets can't tell us. I'm sure there are good sitters, but I have experienced a poor sitter myself and I have witnessed a neighbor sitter kicking dogs, being aggressive in general and keeping dogs in the garage (in the hot, humid summer) even though her reviews are good.

My dog was injured during a stay. The care taker was irresponsible, and the communication was poor. I don't know how Rover chooses their care takers but they need to do a better job. We did a meet and greet and they seemed quiet and distant. That should have been my first sign but I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Rover HAS NOT been caring, kind or helpful in any means when it comes to helping cover the medical expenses arising from the injury. They have made the whole process an absolutely hell. At the end of the day, I want my pet to feel good again. READ THEIR TERMS BEFORE YOU BOOK. Please do yourself a favor and get someone trustworthy to watch your pet, don't trust this company to back you up.

I have booked many times with Rover, mostly with the same sitter, and always had a good experience. I came here to see negative reviews after my dog got hurt with a new sitter, worried about what would happen. Rover was helpful and quick throughout the process and lived up to their promise to pay for vet bills. I will continue to use.

ROVER not only takes a big cut out of the Pet Sitters Pay (possibly as high as 25%) which YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY PAYING FOR in their daily rate, but as I understand it, they also tack on at least another 11% on top of what the sitter charges directly to you per day (in effect, you are taxed twice at egregious rates in my humble option). So, for example, If the sitter charges you $40 per day and Rover takes 25% or $10 from the sitter, then the sitter nets $30. Then if Rover charges you an extra 11% on that $40 daily rate or $4.40 which means that out of $30 sitting fee that the sitter gets, Rover gets $14.40 or 48%! BUT, it gets worse, they don't tell you up front when you are shopping that if you book any day within one of their holiday dates, that YOUR ENTIRE STAY is charged at this HIGHER THAN STATED HOLIDAY PRICE that the sitter can enter into Rover's hidden data base. When you see a sitter with a $40, for example daily rate, they do not list the holiday rate or the holidays within that disclosure. One sitter may have a $5 per day holiday mark up and another a $10 per day holiday mark up OR MORE, you just don't know from looking at each sitters profile sheet. So for example, Martin Luther King Day was 1/14 - 1/17 this year and if your Pet's stay was for 2 weeks running from 1/17 to 1/31 and their Holiday rate jumped from $40 to $50, then you would be charged $50 per day for the entire 14 day period, not just the one day within that Holiday period! It does not matter that your pet's stay was only one day within this holiday period, your entire stay gets upcharged, even those days not within the holiday period which is incredulous! Can I say that it KEEPS GETTING EVEN WORSE!? If you stay over 2 hours to 8 hours, you are charged for another half of a day. So you stayed another 2 hours or 8.33% of a full 24 hour day and you are charged for half of a day or 50%. If you stay over 8 hours (33% of a day), then you are charged for a full (100%) day plus of course the additional 11%. I find their mark up policies to be even more egregious than even those of an attorney and that is saying quite a bit! They lack transparency and clear up front disclosure and obviously for good reason. Caveat Emptor!

These dog sitting services are the worst honestly… I had an issue with TrustedHousesitters where the sitter simply DID NOT SHOW UP. So I had to find a last minute sitter on Rover. She seemed nice and agreed to the last minute sit. I told her on the phone and in person (twice) that my dogs have never slept alone and she needed to stay at the house overnight. She said "ok, that's fine". I told her she did not have to clean up much and she could enjoy the pool, use the washing machine - to which she replied: I don't think I'll need that. I said "ok". We left. The first night she left at 10:30pm & came back at around 3:30am. The second night she left the backyard door open and my bigger dog out until 1:30am - when we specifically told her NOT TO DO THAT because of the possums that may come by. Third night she left at 11:00pm & came back at 5:00am. On the 4th day she brought "a friend" and they had a little pool party. They smoked near my dogs & she denied. She left my dog who is in heat on my white couch. When I told Rover they told me I needed to talk to her first & request her for a refund. After her taking back on me and saying a lot of lies and just reiterating she left for only a few hours & that she had an emergency (never mentioned it to us) and that her friend came over because there were spirits in my house. After all that, Rover is giving me "a one time only" refund of $100.00. Out of the $600.00 I had to pay. I will never use this website again.

I am very dissatisfied with my Rover experience! My pet was injured by another boarded dog who aggressively attacked my dog. My dog required medical attention and nearly 7 weeks of recovery and 2 veterinary visits. The Rover "guarantee" completely failed and I am left with a large vet bill.

Rover did not encourage pre-screening of pets to determine temperament nor did they require any vaccination records. You will have no idea if your pet is being boarded with unscreened, unvaccinated viscous animals.

I will never use Rover again and I recommend that you stay away too.

I am writing this after the pet-sitter lost my cat. Rover.com is an absolutely irresponsible, unethical platform that does not verify anything the people advertising on its platform claim. It is no better than walking up to a random stranger on the street and giving them your pet to watch. Nothing stated on the website is verifiable or valid. Further they tell you, they assume no responsibility for your pet or anything that happens as a result of using their service. The sitter who lost my cat is still on the platform, advertising her services, no resource. I have not been refunded for the cost if the sitting service nor for the full cost of vet care as a result of the sitter losing my cat. Luckily, with no help from the sitter or Rover.com, I found my cat after he was lost over 24 hours. They endanger the safety of your pet. Learn from my mistake!

Went to Vegas for 5 days with my boyfriend after doing a meet and greet with "Danny" from White Rock, BC. Although he seemed a bit odd, he was certainly nice enough and seemed to like my Golden Retriever. I have cameras both front and back at my place and noticed that they had little movement. When I texted Danny he said that he had slept in and would do better. Still no action on the cameras. I again asked him why he wasn't taking my dog out and he assured me he was. Upon our return home, we noticed the back camera had been unplugged, my dog had no food or water (neither did the cats) and was left unattended for 5 days. My pup had made his way into the garage and eaten the contents of the litter box because he was so hungry. Of course this made him extremely sick, he lost almost 6lbs and was hospitalized for 2 days. Bet bill cost me just under $2000. Rover told me that they don't cover vista and brushed it off. I have filed a complaint with the BC SPCA who (thankfully) are taking this matter seriously. Do your research and you will see that there have been Rover pet sitters who have lost peoples dogs and even sold them! Moving forward if I don't have my regular pet sitter, I just won't go away. WORST EXPERIENCE EVER.

I am in need of a dog sitter for 1 day, Labor Day weekend. Every sitter I wrote that even says Confirmed Availability: Labor Day is not available. Four sitters I wrote with 3 saying confirmed availability and all available. Hmm...

What happened to Rover.com? We messaged 14 different potential pet sitters. Most never responded. Some responded that they did not have availability despite their schedule showing otherwise and some stated they were available but never showed up for the meet.

I had followed protocol and scheduled a meet and greet. The dog did not appear to have any visible sores or anything to indicate a problem. I had asked about recent checkups and if there was anything I should know. The owner did not disclose to me that her dog had recently had ringworm. Spots started to appear on my dog and I had to take her to the vet. Huge bill and Rover will not help with it. They say they will not cover preventable situations such as fleas, ticks, parasites. I DID MY PART IN PREVENTING MY DOG FROM GETTING A FUNGAL INFECTION! So why is there no support for the sitters when these situations happen? They have loop holes throughout and do not provide assistance with anything! I will not use Rover to do business again. They do not care that I did my part and it wasn't my fault the owner withheld that information. Their full of $#*!.