When the Radisch family heads off for a holiday this summer, they will have a big problem: their metre-tall, huge-pawed, Great Dane-Greyhound mix, Jackson.
“Every time we go away, it’s a concern,” Michael Radisch said.
Traditional kennels are expensive — some charge as much as $80 a day over the holidays.
But Mr Radisch is conscious Jackson may be wearing out his welcome with his extended family.
“Do we ask our friends and family? Maybe, they’ve looked after him many times. If we’re going away for a week or so, we don’t want to burden them for that long,” he said.
This year, the solution for Jackson was close at hand.
His owners have selected a local host through the website PetHomeStay, a site matching owners with those willing to look after pets for a daily fee.
“It’s such a win-win for everyone,” said Tom LeGrice, the site’s founder.
He has spent the last 18 months working flat out to get PetHomeStay off the ground.
“It’s better for the pet owner, because it’s cheaper and convenient. It’s better for the pet, because they get great care.”
It is early days for the concept in Australia.
PetHomeStay has about 650 hosts registered across the country. But the idea has already taken off in the US, with big operators such as Rover.com and Dogvacay.com.
Jackson has been matched with a host just around the corner in the Melbourne suburb of Newport.
Caroline Campbell and her brown Labrador Frank were there to welcome Jackson as he dropped by to visit the home he will be staying in.
“I feel really connected with my community through my dog,” Ms Campbell said.
“Being able to help out other people in the community as well gives me just a really good feeling.”
Ms Campbell charges $30 a day, but through the site donates all of her fee to the animal charity, Pet Rescue.
Like Airbnb, pet hosts choose their own daily rates.
PetHomeStay takes 15 per cent of that fee to cover insurance and administration.
Aqua Dibble discovered the site more than a year ago.
The dog-lover hosts up to three dogs a day through PetHomeStay.
“You just meet with the potential clients, and if [the dogs] all get on well, then they book it in through the site,” she said.
Ms Dibble recently quit her full-time job of 18 years.
She knows hosting dogs through PetHomeStay will not bring in enough income to pay all her bills.
But like many hosts, she is not doing it just for the money.
“You’ve got to be happy. And this just makes me really, really happy,” she said.
“I’m just a real dog person. I just always loved them to death, and it just fills me full of joy.”
This post originally appeared on ABC Online.
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Top Comments
Wonderful idea! My cat is now "quite indulged", and as he's a former rescue cat, I'd prefer him to stay in a loving and attentive, real home rather than a shelter environment. I would need a health and safety assurance tho'. (Presumably the hosts are carefully vetted..)
Been using a service very similar this, Top Dog Minders, for over 10 years! Can highly recommend them.