Pretty sure we've talked about this before but it's worth discussing again. We totally get that people like to take last minute weekend trips, or that important things come up beyond your control. Happens to me all the time it seems, haha.
But, let's discuss making last minute requests. For the purpose of the discussion, "last minute" is any request starting two weeks or less away. As we mentioned in our availability post, anyone making requests for visits two weeks or less out should just assume availability is limited.
We will obviously do whatever we can to fulfill last minute visit requests. But sometimes, we just won't be able to. We strongly suggest that you establish a backup sitter (whether it be a friend, relative, neighbor, or another pet sitting provider). We can attempt to make suggestions if needed, but that is not a guarantee that they have availability.
Now for well-known high-volume times - think holidays - we will be arbitrarily cutting off requests on a set date (primarily for our own sanity!). We will post about that another time as we try to establish what would be a good date to cut off at each busy time.
In conclusion, we are not looking to come off as jerks or hard-@$$. We want nothing more than to make sure people's pets are cared for in their owners' absence. I have no idea how much to stress that. We do have to consider ourselves though and our own work/life balances. We are also people who enjoy making plans at the last minute. Sometimes we like to go away for the weekend, or just take a couple of days off because we're not feeling well, or for no reason other than just because. We have our own lives and health to consider, after all.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. We really do appreciate you!