Do you pay family members for watching pets when you're away?

[dizagain]

Just curious...

My in-laws (along with adult SIL who lives with them) keep our dog whenever we go out of town...not often, like twice a year.
They have many pets of their own as well. Anyway, we always bring them something back from our trip - such as baked goods from an awesome bakery, chocolate, a fun beach towel for thier pool, etc. We have never offered them money, nor have we been asked to do so - we provide his food. I know I would never even think of asking for money to watch a family member's pet...my kids got paid once for keeping a "rodent", but I just thought SIL was nice since they felt grown up doing it.

Anyway, my BIL and his wife also use their pet-sitting services for their dog - ALOT. I noticed him paying my SIL like $60 for 5 days!!! I don't feel guilty, yet at the same time, I wonder if I should. So, do you guys pay your family members for watching your pets? Do you pay them for watching your kids (when you're on a date, not working)?

 

[lulugirl]

All of my family members have pets, so we're always pet sitting for one another. We don't pay each other, we just return the favor at some point.

 

[Mimi Q]

No, we don't pay family members. Always bring them back a gift from our trip. People outside the family we do pay.

 

[Kallison]

My next door neighbor watches my dog -- we give him a nice gc at Christmas for dinner. He loves our dogs, but they don't want another because they travel a lot. I think if you bring them back a gift that should be sufficient. In fact I pet sit for my friends, bring their dogs to my house, I'm never paid. I've been brought back token gifts as well. It really doesn't matter to me, I just love dogs.

 

[Beth76]

I would not pay family members, in fact I think it's kind of tacky that your BIL does. I think bringing a gift from your trip is much more appropriate. And, no, I don't pay them to watch my kids either. THAT is a priveledge.

 

[WDWLVR]

Either my FIL or BIL watch our house while we are gone and take care of things like the mail, feeding the fish, etc.

We don't pay them but do bring them back something nice. When they have had to go above and beyond (like my FIL did in May having to go to our house at night and finding out our electricity was out) we make sure we give them something extra nice.

When they haven't been available and I've had a friend do it I paid them and gave them a gift.

 

[dizagain]

Whew...feeling better, now! Glad other folks have great family close by like I do!

 

[oogieboogie]

We usually have our neighbor watch our cat, and we just bring them something from our trip. Then vice versa, when they go on vacation we watch their pets too.

It's the same with the kids. We babysit the neighbor's kids sometimes and when we need a babysitter for our kids, they babysit. We never pay and they don't either. To me it's all about being neighbors.

 

[catsrule]

no, but we always bring back a nice gift or 2 for my nephew. and he can have a party while we're gone.

 

[Robinrs]

My sister has to go out of her way to watch my 4 cats so I give her $20. I always bring her back her favorite fudge from Universal, too!

 

[Betsyt82]

We never pay but usually get a gift cert to the persons fav eaterie. It is so nice to be able to go out and have a "free meal".

 

[buzzlady]

Our dog is on her way to grandma's right now. We are taking a day trip to PA and might stay overnight.

 

[cobbler]

My step brother watches our dog while we are on vacation but he also watches our home too and he stays here at our home. We provide him with groceries for the time that we will be gone and give him some money, depends on the length of time.

This year we will be gone around 12 nights so we will give him groceries and 75 bucks. We figure that is good enough since he does have food and will also be using our TV, electricity and whatnot.

I do have him babysit for my kids if hubby is out of town working and I am in school. I do pay him for that. But if I drop them off at my moms to watch, I don't pay her.

 

[sissybells]

My Mom comes to our house and stays the whole time we are away with our dog. She doesn't use her vacation time for this but her work is really great about letting her off. So since she doesn't get her vacation pay we pay her a week of her salary to be here with him. I always put it into our vacation expense. We bring her something back also. I just figure that she is going out of her way and taking time out of her normal routine that I should pay her. Maybe that's not the norm but we have done it since we have had our dog so it doesn't seem weird to us. Plus she loves spending the time away from her normal routine that it gives her a break to relax and spend time with her Grandson (that's what she calls our dog). LOL.

<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_2_104.gif' alt='Walking The Dog Female' border=0></a>

 

[sk!mom]

My parents watch our house, feed pets, bring in mail and paper when we go on vacation. We don't pay them. They would be insulted by a monetary offer. Our house is only 2 minutes from their's and on their daily walking route. We bring a gift back- Fudge from MK.

I don't pay my mom for an evening of babysitting- she wouldn't accept. I did pay her the same weekly fee I would pay any full-time sitter when DD was small and she kept her while I worked. I insisted- she was after all giving up work to give my DD loving care.

When DH and I go away without kids we don't pay but we leave plenty of money so that my parents aren't out a lot of $$ entertaining them.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

My mom always comes and lives at my house when we go to WDW.

We always bring her back a present . . .usually an ornament and some fudge from the confectionary.

She seems to appreciate that and my dad sure appreciates that my mom isn't living with him for a week . . .Paaaaarttttyyy!

They are 74 years old and they get on each other's nerves . .so my mom always jumps at the chance to come and stay over while we vacation.

 

[mrsstats]

Either my Mom or my sister (with her kids) will stay at my house. No, I don't pay them. My mother would never take the money as she feels I do so much for her. My sister I leave money so she can get take out (she never uses it) and then when I get home I either give her a gift certificate or more often buy the kids something with the $$ I left her.

I do pay a dog sitter to come in for my day trips.

 

[H&Hmommy]

Yes we always pay. We were just gone for 4 night and paid our neice $60.00. I would feel bad not paying her. We have 2 dogs and several chickens that she has to feed 2 times a day. The way I see it we would have to spend alot more $ to take the dogs to a kennel...so this way they are safe at home and she getts a little cash for her trouble.
Kim

 

[Jeanny]

I usually bring a gift home for my cousins/my neices/neighbor when they dog sit for me...

I pet sit for my best friends when they go to WDW, and they "give" me free tanning, free hair colors and always bring a t-shirt back. They go away 3-4 times a year for a long weekend to 10 day trips, I usually take the dog out 3 times a day and check on the kittys.