Safe meet & greet
Meeting before the first booking lets the pet, the owner and the caregiver get to know each other — and lets either of you decide it isn't the right fit. It matters most with a caregiver on PetHour's free trial who hasn't completed a background check yet. Arrange it with each other in PetHour messages: it's free, it isn't a booking, and it never uses one of a caregiver's free-trial jobs. PetHour doesn't schedule or attend it.
Where to meet
- Somewhere public first — a park, a pet-friendly café, or a pet store — or with a friend or family member there.
- For care in the owner's home (drop-ins, house sitting), meet at the home with someone else present, or tell someone where you'll be and when you expect to be back.
- For boarding or daycare at the caregiver's home, visit it before the stay so you can see where the pet will sleep and play.
- Keep it short and keep it about the pet. Bring the dog on a leash, and let the pets meet slowly, on neutral ground where you can.
What to check on PetHour
- Identity-verified — every member who messages or books has verified their identity with a government ID. "Verified" means exactly that: we checked who they are, not how they'll behave.
- Background check — caregivers on a paid plan have a current background check; a caregiver on the free trial may not, and their profile says so (Terms, Section 11).
- Reviews and the Reliability Score — reviews come only from completed, paid bookings. They help, but nothing on a profile is a guarantee.
Questions to ask
Owners, ask the caregiver
- How long have you cared for pets like mine, and what would you do if they got loose or hurt?
- Which vet or emergency clinic would you use near here?
- Who else will be around — at your home, or with you on the visit?
- For boarding: where will my pet sleep, how is your home and yard secured, and which other pets will be there?
- How will you send updates, and how quickly can you reply?
Caregivers, ask the owner
- How does the pet react to strangers, other dogs, children, and being handled? Any bite history?
- Health, medications, allergies and diet — and the vet's name and number.
- Who is your emergency contact if I can't reach you?
- Are there cameras or other recording devices in the home, and where? Is there a firearm in the home, and is it locked away (Terms, Section 4.4)?
- Is there anything you'd like me to stay away from — rooms, doors, other pets?
What to agree in the booking chat
Put what you agreed in PetHour messages, so both of you can look back at it:
- Times and handover — drop-off and pick-up, or visit times, and what happens if someone runs late (Terms, Section 4.9).
- Keys and codes — only the access the booking needs, given directly to the caregiver, and returned or changed afterwards (Terms, Section 4.13).
- Cameras and firearms in the home (Terms, Section 4.4).
- Emergencies — the vet to use, the owner's emergency contact, and what the caregiver may decide if nobody can be reached (Terms, Section 4.8).
- Off-leash time — only if the owner asks for it in writing, and only in a secure, fenced area (Terms, Section 14).
- Updates — photos, videos and visit reports, and that visit media stays on PetHour unless the owner agrees (Terms, Section 15).
- The cancellation policy on the caregiver's profile, and its free-cancellation deadline (Terms, Section 9.1).
Booking and paying on PetHour is what keeps the held payment, dispute help, masked calling and visit reports (Terms, Section 4.6). You may arrange care off PetHour, but none of that comes with it.
Red flags
- Asking for your password, a one-time code, or your card details — PetHour never needs another member to have them.
- Pressure to skip the meeting, to decide on the spot, or to move the conversation off PetHour before you're ready.
- Asking for keys, codes or your address before a booking is confirmed.
- A story that keeps changing, or a person who doesn't match their profile.
Trust your instincts. You can end a meet & greet at any time, block the member and report them to PetHour. If you ever feel unsafe, leave and call 911.
Trust & safety at PetHour · Community Guidelines · What's a free-trial caregiver? · How the free trial works