West Michigan Pet Care

A free service for pet parents and sitters across West Michigan. A place centered on trust, reliability, and community support. A resource created and maintained in West Michigan, shaped for households that value dependable care and for sitters who take pride in their work.

West Michigan Pet Care User Guide

West Michigan Pet Care connects local pet parents with independent pet sitters for in-home visits, dog walks, and cat care. This guide explains how to use the site as a pet parent and as a sitter, what each page does, and how requests and messages move between people.

Sitters appear in a public directory with their photo, city, specialties, animals they accept, and typical rates. Pet parents choose a sitter, either send a formal appointment request, or start with a simple message to ask questions. Sitters review these details in a private dashboard, then respond from their own email.

The site introduces pet parents and sitters and keeps basic details organized. Final prices, keys, exact schedules, and long-term arrangements are always confirmed directly between you and the other person.

Home Page and Sitter Directory

For everyone

Available Pet Sitters section

The home page shows an “Available Pet Sitters” section. Each sitter appears as a card with:

If no sitters appear, no one has registered yet. The directory will grow as local sitters create accounts.

Actions on each sitter card

At the bottom of each sitter card are buttons:

Pet parents choose the option that matches how ready they feel. Some people want to request dates right away. Others prefer to ask about availability or services first. Both paths are supported.

Pet Parents: Requesting Care

For pet parents

Request Appointment page

Selecting “Request Appointment” opens a booking page for that specific sitter. At the top you see their name, current default pricing, and a summary of the services they list on their profile.

The form asks for:

Name, email, date, and time are required. The form shows an error if something essential is missing or the email address does not look valid. This protects both you and the sitter from unclear requests.

Price estimate and confirmation

When the form is accepted:

This estimate helps you see whether the visit is in the range you expect. The final price can shift slightly once you and the sitter talk through timing, travel, or special needs.

Contact Sitter page

“Contact Sitter” opens a separate page for questions without making a formal request. The form asks for:

The sitter receives your message by email. You receive a confirmation email showing what you sent and which sitter received it. This is useful when you are comparing sitters or planning travel far in advance.

Waiting for a response

After you send a request or message, the next step takes place in email. The sitter replies from their own inbox to confirm or adjust details. This may not be instant, especially if they are in visits.

It is common to feel uneasy while waiting, especially when travel plans or pets are involved. The site records your request, sends the emails, and shows a confirmation. That means your part on the site is complete, and the next step rests with the sitter’s inbox and schedule.

Pet Parents: Sitter Profiles and Sharing

For pet parents

Public sitter profile page

Each sitter has a dedicated profile page with:

This page collects everything in one place so you can show it to a partner, family member, or neighbor who helps with decisions.

Sharing a sitter’s profile

The profile page includes a “Share This Profile” button. Selecting it:

This helps when you want to save a sitter link in notes, send it to a relative, or keep a short list of preferred sitters for future trips.

Sitters: Creating and Accessing Your Account

For sitters

Pet Sitter Signup

Sitters register through the “Pet Sitter Signup” page. The form collects:

You receive a free public profile and a login to your private dashboard. New accounts start with a default rate of $30 per visit and $5 for each additional pet. You can change those numbers later.

After registration, a welcome email explains your default pricing and includes a link to the sitter login page. That message confirms that the address you entered receives notifications correctly.

Signing in and out

Use “Pet Sitter Login” to sign in with your email and password. If the site cannot find your email or the password does not match, it shows a short error message. When sign-in succeeds, you are taken straight to your dashboard.

The navigation bar shows that you are signed in and adds links to your dashboard, your profile, and logout. Selecting “Logout” ends your session and returns you to the public view.

If sign-in troubles start to feel discouraging, pause and confirm which email you used at registration. A mismatch there is one of the most common causes of login problems.

Sitter Dashboard and Appointment Requests

For sitters

Dashboard overview

The dashboard greets you by name and shows your current default visit rate and extra-pet rate. You see:

Below this overview is a table of appointment requests that pet parents have sent to you.

Appointment request table

Each row in the table includes:

On smaller screens the table adapts to a stacked layout and labels each field for clarity.

Responding to requests

  1. Read every note, especially health and access details.
  2. Compose a reply from your own email account to the client’s address.
  3. Restate the date, time, and services you are comfortable providing.
  4. Confirm your price and any extra charges or conditions.
  5. Ask for clarification where anything feels uncertain or incomplete.
Many sitters use a simple reply structure. Thank the client, repeat the key details, give the total, and invite questions. That routine can steady your mind when a new request feels overwhelming at first glance.

Sitter Bulletin Board

For sitters

What the bulletin board does

The “Sitter Bulletin Board” on the dashboard is a shared space for sitters only. You can:

Posting and replying

At the top of the bulletin board is a form to start a new post. The message field is required and limited to a reasonable length. The system records:

Below each post is a reply form. Replies also show your name, avatar or initials, message, and time. Threads appear in order, with the latest posts at the top of the bulletin list and replies grouped under each post.

The board is designed for cooperation, not competition. It can be reassuring to see how other sitters handle similar questions or busy seasons.

Managing Your Public Profile

For sitters

Profile details that appear publicly

The “My Profile” page controls how you appear in the directory and on your profile page. You can adjust:

Saving your changes updates the main directory cards, your booking page, and the text pet parents see when estimating visit costs.

Pricing and services

The site uses your base rate and extra-pet rate to calculate estimates when parents request appointments. You still control your final price in direct conversation with the client.

The services field accepts plain text. Example entries:

Uploading and updating your avatar

The profile form includes a file upload for your avatar. Choose a standard JPG, PNG, GIF, or WEBP photo within the size limit. The system checks that the file is an image and saves it to your account.

A visible photo often makes pet parents more comfortable contacting you, especially when they are trusting you with home access and beloved animals.

Printed Business Cards and Flyers

For sitters

Print Business Card

The “Print Business Card” button on your dashboard opens a printable card in a new window. It includes:

Use your browser’s print function to produce cards on suitable stock. The layout is sized for a standard business card and aligned at the top of the page to avoid clipping.

Print Flyer

The “Print Flyer” button opens a full-page flyer in a new window. It shows:

Print the flyer for bulletin boards, community centers, or vet offices that allow postings. The QR code lets pet parents scan with a phone and jump straight to your online profile.

Printed materials can ease pressure on your memory. With cards and flyers in circulation, you do not need to verbally repeat your rates and link every time a new person asks how to find you.

Account Deletion for Sitters

For sitters

How deletion works

If you decide to stop appearing on the site, the profile page includes a link to delete your sitter account. The deletion flow:

  1. Shows a clear warning that the action is permanent.
  2. Asks you to type DELETE in capital letters to confirm.
  3. Removes your profile from the directory and from public pages.
  4. Removes appointment data connected to your account from the interface.
  5. Signs you out and returns you to the main page with a confirmation message.
Hesitation at this step is normal. If you are unsure, you can leave the page, remain listed, and reconsider later. The confirmation text exists to prevent accidental deletion when you are tired or distracted.

Contacting the Site Owner

For everyone

Contact West Michigan Pet Care page

The “Contact West Michigan Pet Care” page lets you send questions, feedback, or issue reports to the site owner. The form requires:

There is a “Use My Location” button that asks your browser for permission. When you allow access, the form fills in your coordinates and accuracy. The site does not accept the contact form without this step.

The location field helps with spam prevention and gives the owner context about where requests originate. If location capture fails, the page explains that permission is required and encourages you to try again.

Email Behavior and Locale Filtering

For sitters and pet parents

How the site sends email

The site sends email for:

If the browser’s reported language does not indicate an English (US) setting, the system may decline to send the message as part of spam control. This affects automated mail only and does not change what you see on screen.

Staying on top of messages

Quick Checks for Common Issues

For everyone

If a sitter sees no requests

If a pet parent does not hear back

If profile updates or avatars fail

When you feel stuck, note the exact page and step where it happens. A short description such as “trouble saving profile after avatar upload” makes it easier to ask for help and reduces the sense that everything is failing at once.