As much as I love the idea of travelling across world, the thought of leaving my pets at home and having to pay for someone to look after them puts me off at bit.
The good news is that those worries could soon be taken care of, as taking a holiday with Trusted Housesitters means you can find some surrogate animals to keep you company on your travels - as well as someone to look after your own pets while you're away.
This site connects people who are going away on their jollies - but who don't fancy leaving their pets with a kennel or cattery - with trustworthy travellers who 'pet-sit' in exchange for staying in their house.
Credit: Trusted Housesitters
It's basically Airbnb but - instead of exchanging money - it's the live-in travel-maker's job to ensure the homeowner's furry companions are taken care of.
Apparently the idea has been catching on across the globe, with some people even quitting their jobs to travel the world doing it.
Poolside villas, townhouses and swanky city centre flats could all be at your command - complete with cats, dogs, goats, horses, reptiles and whatever other animal needs a temporary owner.
Credit: Trusted Housesitters
Perfect. But I know what you're thinking: 'What's the catch?' Well, unlike Airbnb it'll set you back £89 a year.
Advert
That might sound pretty expensive - but given that you could end up staying in someone's pad for free, it could work out pretty reasonable. And on the other side of the coin, if you're looking to swerve hefty kennel fees then the site could be just the ticket.
Company founder and chief executive Andy Peck came up with the idea when he cared for three dogs and two cats in a villa with a vineyard and pool in Spain in 2010. After a conversation with the owner, he was surprised by the extent of the difficulties pet owners faced in finding ideal home and pet care when going away.
Credit: Trusted Housesitters
The UK-based website now has members in over 140 countries. The company has claimed it has 500,000 site visits per month with thousands of new house-sits every year.
In fact, since being set up it claims to have overseen more than two million nights of animal day-care, saving members more than £170 million in accommodation costs.
Advert
Sounds like a sweet deal for animal lovers.
Featured Image Credit: InstagramTopics: Pets