How BuddySit works
BuddySit is a community pet sitting exchange: you sit for a neighbor's pet and earn credits, then spend those credits when your own pet needs care. No cash changes hands between members — it's neighbors helping neighbors.
From signup to a completed sit
Step 01
Create your profile
Tell the community about yourself, your home, and the pets you can care for — species accepted, home type, and experience.
Step 02
Collect 10 free credits
Complete your profile and 10 welcome credits land in your account automatically — enough for a full overnight stay. Need more before you've sat for anyone? Top up in-app.
Step 03
Browse sitters or list yourself
Search local sitters by location, species accepted, home type, and reviews, or make yourself searchable so neighbors can book you and you earn credits.
Step 04
Send a booking request
Request a sit for the dates you need. The sitter has 48 hours to accept. Once accepted, both sides digitally sign a Pet Sitting Agreement before the booking begins.
Step 05
Credits held in escrow
Your credits move into escrow when the booking is confirmed — never released to the sitter until the sit is marked complete.
Step 06
Complete the sit & review
When the booking ends, credits release to the sitter and both sides can leave a review, building the public trust history the whole community relies on.
Credits, not cash
- 1 credit ≈ 1 unit of care (exact amounts vary by service type, duration, pet species/weight, and short-notice surcharges)
- Credits are virtual, have no cash value, and never expire
- New members receive 10 welcome credits on signup
- Need credits before you've sat for anyone? Purchase more in-app at published rates
- There is never a cash exchange between members — credits are the only currency on the platform
Every booking is protected
Digital Pet Sitting Agreement
Signed by both the owner and sitter before every booking — a legal record retained for 5 years.
Credit escrow
Credits are held safely and only released to the sitter once the booking is marked complete.
Verified member profiles
Public review histories and vaccination records help you choose with confidence.
Dispute resolution
Either party can file a dispute within 7 days of a booking's end date for a good-faith review.
Questions about the exchange
The mechanics of credits, escrow, and bookings — answered.
How many credits does a pet sitting booking cost?
Roughly 1 credit per unit of care, but the exact amount is calculated per booking from the service type, duration, the pet's species and weight, and any short-notice surcharge. You always see the credit cost before you confirm a request.
Do BuddySit credits expire?
No. Credits are virtual, have no cash value, and never expire. They stay in your account until you spend them on a booking.
What is credit escrow?
When a booking is confirmed, your credits move out of your balance and into escrow. They are not transferred to the sitter at that point. The sitter receives them only after the booking is marked complete, which protects both sides if a sit is cancelled or disputed.
How long does a sitter have to respond to a booking request?
48 hours. If the sitter doesn't accept within that window the request expires and your credits are never moved into escrow.
Do I have to sign anything before a pet sitting booking?
Yes. Both the owner and the sitter digitally sign a Pet Sitting Agreement before the sit begins. It records the care instructions, the dates, and both parties' acknowledgements, and BuddySit retains the signed record for 5 years.
Can I browse pet sitters without creating an account?
Yes. Sitter listings at buddysit.com/sitters are public — you can search by location, species, and home type before signing up. You only need a free account to send a booking request or message a sitter.
Can I buy credits instead of earning them?
Yes. If you need care before you've had a chance to sit for anyone, you can purchase credits in the app at published rates. Buying is always optional — sitting for other members is the primary way to earn.
What happens if I need to cancel a booking?
Cancellations release the escrowed credits according to how far in advance the cancellation happens. If the two parties disagree about the outcome, either one can open a dispute within 7 days of the booking's end date.
What backs up a BuddySit booking
Trust on BuddySit isn't a promise — each of these is a documented platform behavior or a published policy you can read for yourself.
Signed agreement every booking
Both parties digitally sign a Pet Sitting Agreement before the sit begins.
View the agreement template →Credits held in escrow
Credits leave your balance on confirmation but reach the sitter only on completion.
How escrow works →7-day dispute window
Either party can open a dispute within 7 days of a booking's end date.
Terms of Service →Records retained 5 years
Signed waiver records are kept for five years as a legal record for both sides.
Privacy Policy →Delete your data anytime
A documented account and data deletion process, available on request.
Data deletion policy →US-based, reachable team
A real support address — support@buddysit.com — answered by the team that builds BuddySit.
About BuddySit →Trusted pet care resources
BuddySit is a community exchange, not a veterinary service. For medical, behavioral, and safety guidance we point members to these independent authorities:
- Basic Pet CareAmerican Veterinary Medical AssociationVeterinary guidance on routine care, vaccinations, and preventive health.
- Traveling With Your PetAmerican Veterinary Medical AssociationWhat to arrange before leaving a pet in someone else's care.
- General Pet CareASPCASpecies-by-species care basics for dogs, cats, birds, and exotics.
- Animal Poison ControlASPCA24/7 emergency hotline and a list of common household hazards.
- Healthy Pets, Healthy PeopleCenters for Disease Control and PreventionStaying healthy around animals, including emergency pet planning.
- For Pet ParentsAmerican Animal Hospital AssociationAccreditation standards to look for when choosing veterinary care.
- Pet Care ResourcesThe Humane Society of the United StatesBehavior, adoption, and welfare guidance for pet owners.
Ready to join the community?
Free to join, 10 welcome credits waiting for you.
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