What is the reliability score?

Pet parents trust Petme sitters with their pets, and they expect them to be reliable. Your reliability is what shows pet parents that they can count on you. It is based on how you behave on Petme, and it affects how visible your profile is.

What affects your reliability

Your profile may be shown less often to pet parents if you:

cancel bookings often
don't reply quickly to booking requests
leave requests without any reply
don't log into Petme for a long time

If this keeps happening, your profile visibility can be limited. Repeated cancellations or no-shows can lead to the removal of your account, and consistently ignoring pet parents can lead to restrictions on your account. See the rules in our Terms for details.

Why replying matters, even when the answer is no

A pet parent who sends a request is usually waiting to plan their trip, their work or their day. A request that stays unanswered leaves them without a plan, and they may miss the chance to find another sitter.

If you can't take a request, it is always better to say so than to leave it without a reply. A short, kind message is enough, and it helps the pet parent move on quickly. You can then close the request, which has no penalty if it hasn't been booked. See How do I close a request?.

How to keep your reliability high

Reply fast. Check your requests regularly. Booking request notifications are always on, so you will always be notified of new requests. In the settings of the app you can choose which other push notifications you receive, for example you can turn off notifications for likes and comments. We also email you about new requests, so check your inbox and your spam or junk folder, and if you find Petme's emails there, move them to your inbox. Even a quick "sorry, I'm not available on those dates" is much better than silence.
Accept only when you're sure. Before you accept, check the dates, the pet's details and the pet parent's instructions, and ask in the chat about anything that isn't clear. If something doesn't work for you, modify the request or decline it instead of accepting and cancelling later.
Keep your availability up to date. Block the days you can't work so you only get requests you can take. See How do I block days?.
Cancel only in exceptional circumstances. A cancellation of a booked and paid booking means the pet parent gets a refund minus an administrative fee and has to look for another sitter at short notice. See What happens if I cancel a booking?.
Log in regularly. If you are away for a long time, let pet parents know in advance by pausing your services (see below).
Be honest in your profile. Keep your experience, services and availability truthful, so pet parents know what to expect.

If you can't take bookings for a while

If you are not able to take on any bookings, for example because you are travelling or busy, deactivate your services. Open the service in your sitter profile and switch off Active. While your services are inactive, pet parents can't see or book you, so you won't receive requests you can't answer. When you are ready again, switch them back on. See How do I add services and rates?.