Ok so if you don't feel like listening a long boring story, don't read.

A few months ago, I replied to an ad on Craigslist that had stated something along the lines of "need pet sitter for when i go out of town". So the lady contacts me a week later and wants to know how much I will charge. I ask her the duties and she states "oh I have a few dobermans and a horse and I need you to come out to my house twice a day and feed and water them", so I figured, hey, this isn't so bad, $25 a day (which I know isnt much, but hey, I needed a little extra money on top of my other jobs) - she finally gave me directions later that day and i find out its a 10 mile drive from my house, so im thinking, that price isnt going to work, im going to ask for more when i get a chance (this is when gas was around $3 a gallon)

anyway, so I went out to her house to meet the dogs and I find out she runs a RESCUE - she has 24 dobermans, and 7 mini daschunds - so Im thinking JESUS CHRIST A FEW??- anyway, so she asks me to go and get her dog food for her and I say sure, considering I figured I had the job, well I picked up 6 50lb bags of dogfood and 10 boxes of wet food and put them all in my 2 door tiny car, fine. I bring them to her and she said that she just got a phone call from someone who will do the work for free for her who lives down the road, so I'm thinking WTF? ok fine, whatever

I get a phone call 2 weeks later from her stating that she needs someone who will clean up her house, so I told her $10 an hour and I would clean up her house as long as I could get 5 hrs a day out of it due to gas, so she was fine with this. I began cleaning her house, got paid fine, and was happy. Then, one day I get a phone call from her stating that shes going out of town on business (shes a human resource manager) and she needs me to feed her dogs while shes gone. Well I figured she had someone who did this and she needed me to fill in, so I agreed to do it for a few days, $25 a day. She then informed me the night before she left that she needed me to come out 3 times a day to let them out of their crates (because she has mothers nursing pups) and to make sure everything was ok, so I asked for a price increase, and she said we would discuss it later. Also, she stated that I had to stay after every feeding and wash their bowls in the dishwasher and not leave until the dishwasher was finished, wow, this is getting to be a lot!

Ok so the first week she was gone, everything was ok. Then, she began to call me to run her errands (AND I figured I was on the clock at $10 an hour, but no, I later find out this was free of charge when she didn't let me write my hours down!). Well, this past week, she said she had to go and fire someone at the SC branch. So I had to watch the dogs Wed - Monday, but she told me she couldn't increase the amount of pay because she would be gone so long, so I said, fine one last time to give her a chance, figuring she would be nice enough to pay me a little more. Well yesterday some pit bull came and jumped on one of the dobes, and most of her dobes are sanctuary dobes and are 10+ years old and are pitiful. So I had to get in the middle of it to break it up and ended up having to stay 5 hrs there waiting on animal control and also medicating and cleaning the hurt dobe. I then was called to come back out there again that day to check on them (so 4 times that day) and I'm beginning to freak out here. Today, it took me 2.5 hrs to get all the dobes fed and outside and then back in because it was supposed to rain, this was just the first time, so I'm getting pissed because her dogs are ill, not listening, and she could give a rats ass less.

I've finally decided I can't take it anymore. I'm also watching a couples 2 dogs for $30 a day (but they live like 2 miles from me and also have TAMED dogs), and thats worth it but not this rescue shit. I didn't realize what I was getting into, but now I feel bad because of the dogs, I don't know who will take care of them. If shes this busy, she needs to give up one job or the other. I'm spending $20 a day in gas going out there and 5-7 hrs a day out there, where we agreed on 2 trips and 1 hr total a day for $25. Should I just try to ask for more again, or just tell her to shove it? Its SERIOUSLY stressing me out. Driving 10 miles back and forth 3-4 times a day is A LOT for the little money. I'm sure this is why the person she had before quit. I'm gonna wait until she comes back because I worry for the dogs, and I want her to pay me first. How should I tell her? Should I be rude, or explain to her that I just cant do it anymore? I just feel SO damn used from this, and shes not trying to work with me.

Yes, this sounds like a whiney complaint, but I worry for the animals. These dogs cant live in crates all day long and the place smells bad enough (I dont have time to clean it if I'm pulling them apart while they fight). I want to continue to help out, but I can't work for free. I'd rather take the summer off and relax.

/blog

[Edited on June 21, 2008 at 3:25 PM. Reason : ]

6/21/2008 3:20:07 PM

i think the answer is pretty obvious, isn't it?

6/21/2008 3:27:47 PM

Hahah I figured that. I mean this morning I felt like saying fuck it and telling her to keep the money, but she owes me $200 for keeping them, and for cleaning. I just don't want her not to pay me, because you can't trust people under the table, and the poor dogs, I don't want to hurt them, I'm sure they have no one. I'm thinking Tuesday after shes back I'm gonna give her a phone call and tell her that I refuse to be used.

6/21/2008 3:30:22 PM

She is going to lose her shit when she comes home and finds out one of her dobes got in a fight with a pit bull.

If you want to keep watching the dogs, you need to tell her that the work load is getting high between this and whatever else you do and that you need a pay increase (cite the stress, long hours, and the money not covering the gas). If you want to stop watching the dogs, say that she needs to find someone else to care for them and that you need to leave due to stress and other commitments. She might bitch you out and get angry but you can just walk away from this, there is nothing holding you to her other than unpaid work hours.

You can also tell her that the work is too much and that she needs to hire someone else to help, which it sounds like she needs to do.

It sounds like this place is pretty shitty though. If you really want to be a bitch you could call animal control to come investigate the conditions of this place. The dogs shouldn't be living in crates and should have enough room to run around the complex; think Cesar Milan's rescue camp. The bad smell could be from unclean conditions that are harmful to the dogs.

If she doesn't change, then quit. Then call animal control .

6/21/2008 3:33:18 PM

Quote :

"anyway, so I went out to her house to meet the dogs and I find out she runs a RESCUE - she has 24 dobermans, and 7 mini daschunds - so Im thinking JESUS CHRIST A FEW??- "

I would have got straight back in my car at this point. She is taking advantage of you and I would probably tell her to fuck off, yes it sucks for the dogs, but 3 or 4 trips and 5 hours a day for 25 bucks is bullshit.


Get your 200 you're owed and then bail.

[Edited on June 21, 2008 at 3:35 PM. Reason : .]

6/21/2008 3:33:50 PM

get your money, then report her to PETA.

you'll get your $$, and then the bitch will have to deal with PETA.

6/21/2008 3:34:44 PM

Oh she knows about the fight. I called crying my ass off because I felt so bad, like it was my fault. I thought the poor dog was gonna die because there was blood EVERYWHERE (on me and on the dobe). I got bit 3 times, which I knew was my fault, but I had to save the dobe (he has alopecia (sp?) and I have to dress him and hes my darling) She told me to just put him in Clarithromycin, Rymadil, and Prednisone and he would be fine. I had someone come out and look at him and they said he would be fine, no need to take him to the vet because they would have done the same thing, put him on meds.

The dogs have PLENTY of room to run, the problem is, I can't keep them in their right places. They want to jump over the fences and chase her horse and attack cars and shit and I feel like I'm not doing something right. They listen to her, but completely ignore me (except the dobe that got hurt, hes the only one who comes to me when I call him). I'm trying so god damn hard to help and to keep my cool, and I know its not worth it, but you have to understand the mind of a person who adores animals. This morning I couldn't handle them. I had to pull them off of her mare and crate them. I'm having asthma attacks in the process trying to hold back 50+ lb dogs who could tear my head off.

She states that my car should be getting better gas mileage than I state (I have a 4 cylinder Dodge Stratus SXT and its huge for a 4 cylinder and I get about 18-20 mpg because I have to go through the city to get to her house). She states I should get 25-30, so the pay is reasonable. I've kept my cool long enough. I just don't think its possible to deal anymore. I've asked if I could get someone to come out and help me and she won't allow it. She won't even let my husband on her property, and I just don't understand her logic.


[Edited on June 21, 2008 at 3:44 PM. Reason : ]

[Edited on June 21, 2008 at 3:45 PM. Reason : ]

6/21/2008 3:39:16 PM

get your money, then report her to PETA

6/21/2008 3:44:17 PM

She's definitely taking advantage of you, and you either need to get more money or quit. Don't worry about the dogs, she will find some way to care for them. She'll put another post on Craigslist and get another hand, or call friends, or w/e.

This camp is her responsibility, not yours.

6/21/2008 3:44:18 PM

Its just reassuring to hear that everyone feels the same as I do. I spoke to my family about it and they told me to suck it up, a job is a job, but its just not worth it! I'm just trying to figure out what to say, fuck off bitch?

6/21/2008 3:47:49 PM

Quote :

"She's definitely taking advantage of you, and you either need to get more money or quit."

6/21/2008 3:53:39 PM

Well if it came down to money, what would be reasonable to ask? Considering the # of trips, # of animals, and the hrs I put in a day. I just don't know. Thats why I just feel like giving up. I asked for $35-$45 at first and she stated "I can't afford it, but we'll discuss it later". I guess later never came.

6/21/2008 3:58:54 PM

i'd start charging by the hour for everything.. because this x amount of dollars per day is bullshit when she ends up making you do way more shit than originally stated.. her having to pay by the hour would limit the amount of shit she'd want you to do

or i'd start looking for another side job

6/21/2008 4:09:21 PM

i cannot, for the life of me, believe that you are unable to figure this out on your own.

she is obviously taking advantage of you (i.e. budman) and since you forgave her for lying to you over the phone (about how many animals she had) and jerking you around, you should keep doing it.

i'm sure multiple people have contacted her about this job and when they get there, they turn and drive away as fast as possible. she's too cheap to hire real workers, so she relies on the stupid. you're not the first and won't be the last.

what you can do is post something on craigslist (if they even allow that) and inform others about her behavior.

also, get your money and from now on get things in writing. it makes me sad to see people who are supposed to be adults making avoidable mistakes.

i looked after 2 cats and a dog for a couple of weeks. I charged $60 day. take that and multiply it by how many animals she has.


[Edited on June 21, 2008 at 4:14 PM. Reason : call some boarding places and see what their rates are and charge slightly less.]

6/21/2008 4:09:50 PM

Sorry but you're a huge sucker for even doing this without all the crazy circumstances for the prices you stated.

My advice is to try to get as much money from them as you can and then get out of there! Her excuse that she can't afford it is BS, she's got a horse for Christ's sake!

6/21/2008 4:10:42 PM

Quote :

"She told me to just put him in Clarithromycin, Rymadil, and Prednisone and he would be fine."

seems pretty shady to me that she's dosing out prescription drugs without either a license or seeing the patient.

It sounds like you do more work than a $12/hr vet tech would be doing.

6/21/2008 4:12:29 PM

This is a situation where being a bitch is totally called for.

Get your $200 in an legal manner possible
Then tell her why you're leaving, and you concerns (VERY briefly. Like "This is a full-time job. You need to hire someone else or quit your main job. If you really care for the dogs, you'll devote the time necessary to keep them well, happy, and safe" brief.)

Then call animal control and/or PETA.


I'd have put my foot down at the first encounter, in the "Uh, I'll be happy to petsit for you, but not at the rate we've discussed. No? Alright. Have a good day." manner.

I, too, am always in need of extra cash, but being broke doesn't mean you have to let people take advantage of you, and that is exactly what this woman is doing.

If you really wanna cause her some trouble, watch for her next ad posted, send it to me, and I'll make sure 1) the dogs are taken care of 2) she gets a reality check Part of 'taking care of the dogs' is going to include having a good number of them taken away. That eliminates both needing the dogs taken care of, as well as the taking advantage of stupid people problem. At that number, whether she's in a city or an unincorporated area of a county, they'll probably view her place as a kennel (based on the number of dogs), and I have a sneaking suspicion she's not licensed.

Quote :

"what you can do is post something on craigslist (if they even allow that) and inform others about her behavior."

It will be flagged down. Postings like that are considered discussions, and not allowed on the classifieds boards of CL

[Edited on June 21, 2008 at 4:15 PM. Reason : lj]

6/21/2008 4:13:24 PM

Yeah I know I'm a sucker for animals. I have quite a few different jobs, so at first I wasn't worried about the money. I pet sit for different people, I'm a notary public, I tutor in just about every subject, I breed chins and cockatiels, and I buy things wholesale and make bunches off of it. So money is no issue, I'm not worried about finding another job. I had kept putting off the fact that I wanted to quit until yesterday. I know I'm completely dumb for even trying, now I just don't know whether to be nice or not about it.

6/21/2008 4:15:18 PM

Why the hell would you be nice about it?

6/21/2008 4:16:25 PM

Quote :

"I know I'm completely dumb"

you have your answer.

6/21/2008 4:17:35 PM

Well she is licensed for a kennel/rescue, and shes also a licensed breeder, which I find to be odd. I just had never been rude to anyone about a position because I always liked having references. I know this is going to backfire on me anyway, so I guess being nice isn't worth it.

[Edited on June 21, 2008 at 4:19 PM. Reason : ]

6/21/2008 4:19:04 PM

You really do need to man up and confront her.

6/21/2008 4:20:55 PM

Got it.

6/21/2008 4:22:47 PM

Quote :

"I know I'm completely dumb"

you have your answer.

6/21/2008 4:24:30 PM

A few things:

A) This is not a "job" so you're parents are stupid for saying what they said
B) $25/day + actual gas MIGHT be reasonable for what you are doing (i'd say you should get more, but whatever)
C) This person was obviously misleading you and is taking advantage of you, i can't believe you let it go on this long honestly

6/21/2008 4:25:41 PM

^^ Yeah, I guess it took a while for me to learn. Tsk Tsk on me

6/21/2008 4:31:11 PM

It sounds like you're almost losing money on this deal, and definitely not making any. I certainly wouldn't let somebody else's animals cost me money, time, and wear on my vehicle unless it was a favor for a friend.

6/21/2008 4:53:28 PM

Get the hell away from this lady.

I had a similar experience- I was trying to make some extra cash 5 years ago working as a farmhand in Knightdale and had to put up with bullshit - not mucking out stalls fast enough, not being paid consistently, etc.

People who can't afford good care for their animals need to be reported- probably these animals should be put down if they're 10+ years old. "Good care" should include emotional investment for dogs as well, not taking care of bare bones needs.

6/21/2008 4:58:00 PM

get your money, then report her to PETA

6/21/2008 4:58:47 PM

Get your money, then punch her in the neck.

6/21/2008 5:06:29 PM

^^^ Well see, I kind of felt the same way when I first started. I looked at the dogs and thought, OMG whats wrong with them? I think she has a few that are young, but she purchased them and uses them for breeding. The rest of them are what she calls "sanctuary dobes" and they were at risk of being put down and she pulled them out of shelters last minute because no one else would take them. She just put one down last week, but I think a few more of them have passed their time. Now, I don't think she can handle them and she doesnt want to face the fact that its time to let them go. I dont really know if she has the money or not to pay me more. I know she puts half of her paycheck into the rescue each week because I saw one of her stubs when I was cleaning up. I personally couldn't do it. I have many animals myself, but it hurts to see some of the animals when I don't think they can even make it much longer. They are all healthy, but just so old.

6/21/2008 5:15:27 PM

bitch sounds crazy. Rescue camps are for saving dogs that have been mistreated/malnourished/etc, not old or unwanted in the shelters.

6/21/2008 5:28:01 PM

If you're getting suckered then either take the advice on here or fuck off, quit justifying yourself this situation sounds pathetic

6/21/2008 5:31:37 PM

^ I'm not justifying myself, only explaining the situation, I've already mentioned that come Tuesday I'm gone

6/21/2008 5:33:46 PM

good. I hate sounding harsh but I'm always disgusted when I hear people complain and over-explain situations where they clearly already know what the hell needs to happen

6/21/2008 5:37:48 PM

first of all, this situation is ridiculous

as has been said, call animal control and let them know of the situation. if you care about the animals, this is the right thing to do, regardless of the woman's excuses, reasons, etc.

Quote :

"I would probably tell her to fuck off, yes it sucks for the dogs, but 3 or 4 trips and 5 hours a day for 25 bucks is bullshit."

you got yourself in a bad situation

it is not hard to get out of it

6/21/2008 5:39:41 PM

Quote :

"call animal control and let them know of the situation. if you care about the animals, this is the right thing to do"

for emphasis.

6/21/2008 5:43:07 PM

I'm planning on it.

6/21/2008 5:52:20 PM

sweet

so are you gonna try for more money or leave?

6/21/2008 5:53:09 PM

Quote :

"call animal control and let them know of the situation. if you care about the animals, this is the right thing to do"

6/21/2008 5:54:05 PM

I'm leaving - shes not going to give me more money, I mean it would be nice, but its just not gonna happen. I just feel bad for the darlings. I fell into this because of them, not for the money. I don't want the situation to get any worse for them either. Hopefully she can figure out what she wants to do with them, keep her other job, or give them up. I'm going to call the local animal control and see if there is something they can do about the situation because I think its starting to get out of hand. They're taken care of, but maybe she just needs a helping hand, even though she may not like it.

[Edited on June 21, 2008 at 6:07 PM. Reason : ]

6/21/2008 5:57:47 PM

so you spend $20 a day in gas, make 3-4 trips to this hellhole, spend hours of your day, and you only get paid $25? Seriously? Who does that? You realize you're losing money on the gas+car maintenance right? Figure at least 50 cents per mile and see how much it really costs you.

At first I thought was a joke post or something...since any sane person would have declined when they saw 30 some dogs...or quit when told it was $25 per day, or quit after the pit bull thing, or quit when she refused to pay u for your time etc. But it sounds like you're serious, which is really sad.

6/21/2008 7:31:04 PM

glad my 2 jobs off craigslist were better than that one...good luck in the future

6/21/2008 7:35:04 PM

Quote :

"Sex : F"

6/21/2008 7:59:00 PM

Well like I mentioned, I fell for the dogs, so yes I lose my sanity when it comes to the animals.

6/21/2008 9:08:37 PM

I'm not reading all that shit.


Grow a set and quit being a pushover.

6/21/2008 10:43:18 PM

???

6/24/2008 11:45:42 AM

so, what's been happening with this situation since you last posted? any resolution? did you call AC?

6/24/2008 11:51:12 AM

this chick has got it fuckin twisted

with your mentality you gonna get found in a gutter real soon

you are the poster child for being taken advantage of and if you dont figure something out you just wont make it in life

6/24/2008 11:51:25 AM

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6/24/2008 11:52:26 AM