Last-minute cancellations are difficult for everyone involved. Pet parents must scramble to find a replacement, and may have to change or cancel their own plans if they can't. If you need to cancel 5 or fewer days before the start date of a booking, an automated record will appear on your public profile in the Reviews section. It'll also mention how far in advance you cancelled the booking.

As a sitter, you can decide which bookings to accept, decline, or cancel. The automated records will help pet parents make a more informed decision when booking a sitter. They’ll have a better sense of whether a cancellation is an infrequent one-off, or if a sitter regularly needs last-minute flexibility.

We recognize that last-minute cancellations by pet parents affect you as well. As a sitter, you have the option to set and enforce cancellation policies for your bookings when a client cancels at the last minute. Learn more about how to customize your cancellation policies here.

The best way to reduce last-minute cancellations is to update your calendar and profile, as well as having Meet & Greets with new clients.

FAQs

Can I reply to an automated record?

Just like with a review, you can publicly reply to an automated record to explain what happened. Others will be able to see your response, so please avoid mentioning any personal details that you don't want to be publicly visible.

What if the pet parent asks me to cancel for them?
If the pet parent needs to cancel, select “The pet parent needs to cancel” as the cancellation reason to initiate the cancellation process. Then, your client will be prompted to complete the cancellation. An automated record won't appear on your profile for this type of cancellation.

The cancellation is out of my control. Will I still get an automated record on my profile? 

We know that sometimes, life happens. If you’re experiencing an unexpected situation that’s out of your control, reach out to Rover Support and we’ll work with you. If a record does ultimately appear on your profile, you can reply to it and help pet parents understand why you had to cancel.

Will this impact my recurring services?
No. At this time, automated cancellation records won’t appear for recurring service cancellations.