Occasionally I get an inquiry about my pet/farm/house-sitting services that includes an unusual request: a recent photograph of myself. I’ve never taken one of those jobs, never responded with a photo, and never really felt bad about it, because frankly they creep me right out.
Maybe these people out there on the interwebs asking me for photos aren’t all pervy creeps (although the one who asked for a photo “from the back” was certainly a creep).
Maybe they aren’t all unable to read my numerous references.
Maybe they haven’t all been burned by a faceless serial killer showing up to look after Fluffy and Fang. But a serial killer would just have sent a picture of a stock photo model anyway.
Maybe they aren’t all racists.
But since one’s physical appearance doesn’t actually relate to one’s ability to look after pets, and one is happy to supply numerous, and often local, references, even mutual acquaintences, or meet ahead of time in person and offline, one will not be responding to these requests with photos. Nope. Particularly not the one from the Facebook profile that doesn’t even have her personal photo on it, not even once.
If anyone can come up with a legitimate reason anyone needing a pet-sitter should require a photo from them in advance, I’d love to hear it in the comments. For now, it continues to weird me out (thanks, creepy bum-gazer guy) and I’ll continue to say No, Thanks.
If you’re looking for a pet-sitter, house-sitter, farm-sitter, check out our Services page and use the contact form there to get in touch. If you’d like to be a real pal, download and print our Flyer and put it up at your local vet, groomer, or pet food store.
hobocoaster 