If you are a pet sitter, dog walker, or housesitter in Canada, there is a good chance you have heard of Rover.
Rover is a recognized pet care platform, but it may not be the right fit for every sitter. Many pet care providers are looking for something that feels more flexible, more transparent, and more supportive of the people actually doing the work.
That is why we created Hello Marshy.
Hello Marshy is a new pet care platform launching first in the Greater Toronto Area. We connect pet parents with local pet sitters, dog walkers, and cat sitters for boarding, house sitting, daycare, drop-in visits, walks, pet taxi, and more.
If you have been searching for a Rover alternative in Canada, here is why Hello Marshy may be a better fit for you.
Why pet sitters are searching for Rover alternatives
Pet sitting is real work. Whether you are walking dogs, hosting pets in your home, doing drop-in visits, caring for cats, or staying overnight in someone’s home, your time and care matter.
Many sitters start looking for a Rover alternative because they want:
- More control over how they run their pet care business
- Clearer pricing
- More flexible earning options
- A platform that feels less one-sided
- A way to get listed without paying high upfront costs
- Support for more than just dog care
- A platform that respects pet sitters
At Hello Marshy, we believe pet sitters should be treated like the foundation of the platform, not an afterthought.
Built with sitters in mind from the start
Hello Marshy was designed to be sitter-first. That means we think carefully about what sitters need to actually build and grow their pet care services. Not just how pet parents search, and not just how bookings happen, but how sitters get started, how they earn, how they communicate, and how they feel supported.
Hello Marshy lets pet sitters create a profile, add their services, and complete identity verification for free. There is no cost to get set up, get verified, and be listed as one of the first sitters on Hello Marshy.
More flexible ways to earn
Every sitter runs their pet care business differently. Some sitters want to offer occasional dog walking. Some want to build a full-time pet care business. Some offer boarding from home, while others prefer drop-ins, cat sitting, daycare, or house sitting.
Hello Marshy gives sitters more flexibility with different earning options, including paid membership plans where sitters keep 100% of their sitter rate, or a free plan with a lower service fee that only applies to completed bookings.
The goal is simple: give sitters more choice in how they earn.
No extra Hello Marshy service fee for pet parents
Pricing should feel clear for everyone. On Hello Marshy, pet parents pay the sitter’s listed rate plus standard payment processing fees. Hello Marshy does not add an extra pet parent service fee on top. This helps keep pricing simpler for pet parents while still supporting sitters in setting their own rates. For sitters, it can also make pricing easier to explain because pet parents are not surprised by an additional Hello Marshy service fee at checkout.
Built for dogs, cats, and all kinds of companions
A lot of pet care platforms feel very dog-focused. Hello Marshy supports care for:
- Dogs
- Cats
- Small pets
- Birds
- Fish
- Reptiles
- Amphibians
This matters because pet care is not one-size-fits-all. A cat parent may need someone who understands litter routines, shy cats, feeding schedules, and quiet check-ins. A reptile owner may need someone who understands habitat routines. A bird or small pet owner may want a pet care provider who is comfortable with animals beyond dogs.
Hello Marshy gives sitters room to offer the types of care they are actually experienced in.
Launching first in the GTA
Hello Marshy is starting in the Greater Toronto Area and expanding from there. If you are a pet sitter, dog walker, or caregiver in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Burlington, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, or nearby areas, now is a great time to join early.
Early sitters have the opportunity to get listed before the platform becomes crowded and help shape the community from the beginning.
Hello Marshy vs Rover at a glance
Here is a quick side-by-side look at how Hello Marshy and Rover compare on the things sitters and pet parents care about most.
| What pet parents care about | Hello Marshy | Rover |
|---|---|---|
| How the model works | Flexible plans for sitters | Per-booking fee model |
| Platform approach | Built on the belief that when sitters are supported, pets get better care too | Built around collecting fees from bookings |
| Sitter commission | Paid membership plans let sitters keep 100% of their booking earnings. On the Free plan, a 12% service fee applies per booking. | Takes a service fee from each booking, commonly cited around 20 percent |
| Pet parent service fees | Only standard Stripe payment processing fees | Adds a separate 11 percent service fee on top of the sitter's rate |
| Pet types supported | Dogs, cats, small pets, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Dogs and cats, with dogs as the primary focus |
| Background checked sitters | Free identity verification for every sitter. Free background checks are included for paid membership sitters. | Sitters typically pay a fee for the required background check |
| Booking protection | Marshy Cares is available as an optional booking protection add-on at checkout | Booking protection is included, with the cost built into Rover's service fees |
| Communication | Flexible communication, including off platform, since sitter memberships do not rely on per-booking fees | Rover prefers on-platform communication to help prevent off-platform bookings |
| Country focus | Built for Canada with future global expansion plans | Operates in several countries, including Canada, the US, and parts of Europe |
Why joining early matters
When a new pet care platform launches, early sitters have a unique opportunity. You can create your profile before the platform becomes crowded, get listed early in your area, and help build the kind of pet care marketplace you actually want to be part of.
If you have ever wished there was a more sitter-friendly alternative in Canada, this is your chance to join one from the beginning.
Start your pet care business with Hello Marshy
Hello Marshy is a pet care platform built with sitters in mind from the start. We connect pet parents with local pet sitters and caregivers for boarding, house sitting, daycare, drop-in visits, dog walking, pet taxi, and care for dogs, cats, small pets, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
You can create your sitter profile, add your services, and complete verification for free. Get listed early and start building your pet care business with Hello Marshy.
Get listed early and start building your pet care business.
Become a sitter
