Home > Blog > Pet Emergency When Owner Is Unreachable
Quick Facts
| Most important pre-sit step | Confirm the vet's name, address, and whether the pet is pre-authorised for treatment |
| THS vet advice line | Available on Standard and Premium. call before going to the vet if time allows |
| Emergency contacts | Welcome guide should list them; if not, ask before the sit starts |
| If you truly cannot reach anyone | Call the homeowner's vet directly. they will know the pet and can advise |
| Euthanasia decision | Never the sitter's call. defer to the vet and keep trying to reach the homeowner |
| How common are pet emergencies? | Rare. across 17 sits in 11 countries we have had one health scare between us |
| Our experience | Bochum, June 2023. swollen cat foot, THS vet line resolved it in 20 minutes |
Based on 17 sits across 11 countries, the honest starting point for this article is that pet emergencies during house sits are rare. The vast majority of sits pass without any health incident. TrustedHouseSitters Standard and Premium memberships include a 24/7 vet advice line that exists precisely for these situations, and it is one of the most practical reasons to choose a paid tier. But first, the reassurance: most sitters will complete their first year and their second without ever needing to make an emergency call. Knowing what to do if the worst happens is important. It should not be the thing sitting in the back of your mind on every sit.
The Bochum Scare: Our First Sit, Our First Emergency
On our very first sit in Bochum, June 2023, Caro and I woke up to find one of the cats limping. At closer inspection, her foot was visibly swollen. We had been house sitters for approximately 12 hours.
We messaged the homeowner immediately while simultaneously opening the TrustedHouseSitters vet advice line. Within 20 minutes we had a vet on the line, sent photographs, and had a clear diagnosis: most likely a bug bite. The vet advised observation over the next few days and gave us the threshold for when to escalate to an in-person visit. The cat was fine. By the time the homeowner replied, we had already resolved the situation and simply updated her that everything was handled.
Two things made that outcome possible. First, we acted on both tracks simultaneously: we did not wait for the homeowner before calling the vet line. We did not wait for the vet before messaging the homeowner. Second, we had THS Standard at the time, which included the vet line. The stress reduction in that 20-minute call was immediate and significant. It is a significant reason we moved to Premium and have stayed there.
That sit taught us something we carry into every sit since: preparation before the emergency matters more than any decision you make during it.
Before the Emergency: What to Have Ready
The best response to a pet emergency is preparation that happens days before the sit even starts. By the time you are standing in front of a sick or injured animal, you do not want to be searching for a vet's number.
| What you need | Where to find it | What to do if it's missing |
|---|---|---|
| Homeowner's vet name, address, and phone | Welcome guide. should be the first thing listed | Ask during the video call or pre-sit message |
| Emergency contact (family member or neighbour) | Welcome guide | Ask explicitly before the sit starts |
| Pet's vaccination record and passport | Welcome guide or physical file | Ask homeowner to leave it in a visible place |
| Pre-authorisation at the vet | Homeowner calls the vet before leaving | Ask during the pre-sit conversation |
| THS vet advice line (Standard/Premium) | THS app or website | Upgrade before sit if not already on Standard+ |
| Homeowner's travel itinerary | Welcome guide | Ask for best contact method for each leg of their trip |
The single most important item on that list is pre-authorisation at the vet. If a pet needs emergency care and the homeowner is unreachable, vets in most countries require owner consent before treatment. A sitter turning up with someone else's animal and no authorisation can find themselves unable to get the pet treated, even when they are willing to pay. Every second that passes in that situation costs the animal.
The ask is simple. During your pre-sit conversation: "Have you already pre-authorised us at the vet in case we need to bring the animals in?" Most homeowners will either confirm it is done or immediately recognise they need to do it. It is a question that benefits everyone and that very few homeowners will take badly.
We recommend leaving the physical pet file (vaccination record, vet address, emergency contacts) by the front door during the sit. Not in a drawer, not in a folder on a shelf. By the door, where you can grab it at speed if needed.
Step by Step: When an Emergency Happens
Step 1 : Assess and act on both tracks simultaneously. If a pet appears unwell or injured, do not wait for the homeowner to reply before seeking advice. Message the homeowner and open the THS vet line at the same time. In a genuine emergency, parallel action is faster than sequential action.
Step 2: Use the THS vet advice line first. Before driving to a vet, call the advice line (Standard and Premium). A qualified vet can help you assess whether the situation requires immediate in-person care or whether you can monitor at home. This is not about avoiding a vet visit. It is about making an informed decision and reducing panic.
Step 3: Try all contact methods for the homeowner. WhatsApp, phone, SMS, email. If the welcome guide lists an emergency contact (a family member, a neighbour, a friend with a key) and try them too. Document every attempt with a timestamp.
Step 4 : If no one is reachable, call the homeowner's vet directly. The vet knows the animal. They have the pet's medical history, vaccination records, and any pre-existing conditions. Even without formal authorisation, a vet who already knows the pet is in a far better position to advise than any vet you find by searching.
Step 5 : Take the pet to the vet if the situation is urgent. Do not let the question of payment or authorisation delay emergency care when an animal is in distress. Go. Document that you went, why you went, and what the vet said. The homeowner can resolve payment and authorisation questions later.
Step 6 : Keep the homeowner informed even if you cannot reach them. Send messages as events develop. When they eventually check in, the full timeline is visible. A homeowner who returns to find a vet bill and no communication is in a different position from one who finds a vet bill and a complete message thread showing exactly what happened and why.
The Platform's Role
TrustedHouseSitters Standard and Premium memberships include access to a 24/7 vet advice line. This is one of the most tangible practical benefits of the higher tiers and one of the clearest reasons to upgrade before any sit involving elderly animals or pets with known health conditions. Our full THS review covers what each tier includes.
One important limitation flagged by the THS community: the vet advice line connects to a UK number. Sitters sitting internationally, particularly in non-European countries, have reported difficulty making the connection. Check this before your sit starts and have a backup option (local emergency vet number, local vet from the welcome guide) already identified.
Nomador's Standard and Premium plans include trip cancellation protection but do not include a dedicated vet advice line. The vet responsibility falls entirely on the arrangement between sitter and homeowner for Nomador sits. For any sit on a platform without a vet line, having the homeowner's vet details and pre-authorisation confirmed before the sit is even more important.
| Platform | Vet advice line | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| THS Basic | No | Vet line not included |
| THS Standard | Yes | 24/7, included. UK number; international access may vary |
| THS Premium | Yes | 24/7, included. same as Standard |
| Nomador | No | No vet line. welcome guide vet details essential |
| Aussie House Sitters | No | Pre-authorisation and vet details the sitter's responsibility |
| House Sitters UK | No | Pre-authorisation and vet details the sitter's responsibility |
| All other platforms | No | Pre-authorisation and vet details the sitter's responsibility |
The Hardest Case: Euthanasia
The situation the community dreads most is a pet that is dying and a homeowner who cannot be reached. Whether to authorise euthanasia is the hardest possible decision a sitter can face, and the answer is clear: it is not the sitter's decision to make.
The sitter's role in this situation is to escalate, not to decide. Work through the emergency contacts in the welcome guide. Try every channel for the homeowner. Then place the decision with the vet.
A vet who is assessing a dying animal is the right person to determine whether euthanasia is appropriate and when. They have the medical expertise and the professional responsibility. A sitter who defers to the vet and communicates this clearly to the homeowner is in a defensible and humane position. A sitter who makes a unilateral euthanasia decision, even with the best intentions, is taking on responsibility that was never theirs to take.
If the vet recommends euthanasia and the homeowner cannot be reached, the vet's recommendation can be documented and presented to the homeowner when contact is eventually made. The framing matters: "The vet assessed the situation and determined that euthanasia was the most humane course of action" is very different from "I decided it was best." In the former, the professional has made the call. In the latter, the sitter has.
This is a difficult situation. It is also rare enough that most sitters will never face it. But knowing how to respond in advance removes one decision from a moment that is already emotionally overwhelming.
The Iceland Horse
This is not a house sitting story but it illustrates the principle directly.
At a property I managed in Iceland, a horse appeared one day and started rolling in the grass as if in pain. I did not know where the horse had come from. I had no way to find the owner. I called the vet.
The vet came, assessed the horse, and provided care. By the time the vet was finishing, the horse's owner arrived, slightly frustrated at the unexpected vet bill, but the horse was looked after. From my perspective, I had no other option. When an animal is suffering and you cannot find the owner, calling a professional is the right call. Every time.
The principle applies to house sitting: when in doubt, escalate to a professional. Do not sit with uncertainty when a qualified person can give you a clear answer.
After the Emergency
Once the immediate situation is resolved, document it properly.
Send the homeowner a written summary of what happened, when, what you observed, what you did, and what the vet advised. A clear WhatsApp message with the timeline is enough. Keep all receipts. If there was a cost, the homeowner is responsible for it unless the sit agreement says otherwise.
If the emergency revealed a gap in the homeowner's preparation. no vet details in the welcome guide, no emergency contact, no pre-authorisation. raise it gently after the immediate situation is resolved, not during it. A note to the homeowner: "For future sits, it might be worth leaving the vet details and pre-authorisation in the welcome guide. it would have saved some time today" is constructive and gives them something useful to act on.
Conclusion
Pet emergencies during house sits are rare. In 17 sits across 11 countries, we have had one health scare between us, and that was resolved in 20 minutes by a vet on the THS advice line on our very first sit.
Preparation before the sit is everything: vet details, emergency contacts, pre-authorisation, pet file by the door. In the moment of an emergency, act on multiple tracks simultaneously, defer hard decisions to professionals, and document everything.
The platform vet line is one of the clearest arguments for TrustedHouseSitters Standard or Premium over Basic. Use our 25% discount when joining. The next article worth reading is our guide to what to ask a homeowner before a sit. The pre-authorisation question belongs in that conversation.
DM us @housesittersguide on Instagram with questions about a specific situation. We answer everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if a pet gets sick during a house sit?
Contact the homeowner and the THS vet advice line simultaneously. Do not wait for one before doing the other. If you are on THS Standard or Premium, the 24/7 vet line can help you assess whether the situation needs immediate in-person care. Our dog sitting guide covers recognising signs of distress in dogs.
What if I cannot reach the homeowner during a pet emergency?
Try all contact methods and all emergency contacts in the welcome guide, then call the homeowner's vet directly. The vet knows the pet's history and can advise without the homeowner present. If the situation is urgent, take the pet to the vet and document everything. Payment and authorisation questions can be resolved with the homeowner later.
Can I authorise euthanasia if the pet is dying and the homeowner is unreachable?
This decision belongs with the vet, not the sitter. Work through every emergency contact first. Then place the question with the vet who is assessing the animal. A vet's recommendation documented in writing is the appropriate basis for a euthanasia decision when the homeowner cannot be reached.
How do I make sure a vet will treat the pet if I bring them in without the owner?
Ask the homeowner to pre-authorise you at their regular vet before the sit starts. This is the single most important preparation step. A pet already on the vet's records with a named sitter authorised for emergency decisions avoids the most common barrier: vets in most countries require owner consent before treatment and a pre-authorisation removes that obstacle when it matters most.
