Couple Hire College Student as Dogsitter—Shock at What They Later Discover

Newsweek

27-05-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A couple have received widespread support online after discovering that her dogsitter had added several expensive streaming subscriptions to her home account—without asking first.
Reddit user u/Upstairs-Storm1006 shared the incident in a now-viral post on the subreddit Mildly Infuriating, where it garnered over 12,000 upvotes. According to the post, the original poster and their wife had hired a friend's daughter to stay in their home for four days and care for their dog. The sitter was paid and even given an extra $200 specifically for food delivery each night.
But not long after returning home, they got a bad surprise.
"I got a text yesterday from Xfinity thanking me for making my monthly auto-payment, and noticed the dollar amount was over $50 higher than normal. I looked on my bill and saw Max, Starz, Paramount+ w/Showtime, and Apple TV+ were now on my account, we don't subscribe to any of those. I called Xfinity which confirmed all were added via settop purchase during the dates she was staying with us," they wrote.
After cancelling the subscriptions, the poster informed their friend, who reimbursed them immediately. The daughter then called in tears to apologize.
"I'm glad it worked out for me but the chutzpah for her to do this in the first place is....yikes," they added.
Expert Insight
Etiquette expert Genevieve "Jenny" Dreizen, COO and co-founder of Fresh Starts Registry, described the situation as "frustrating and layered."
"The OP handled things with admirable clarity and grace. They reached out directly to the parent, which may not have been everyone's first instinct, but it was likely the most effective and emotionally grounded route given the family connection," she told Newsweek.
Dreizen emphasized that even in casual arrangements, there are unspoken rules that should be followed when staying in someone else's home: use only what's been offered, never purchase or sign up for anything without clear permission, and treat the space like a guest room, not a hotel.
She noted that with the prevalence of smart devices and streaming services, clarifying boundaries ahead of time is more crucial than ever.
She added that homeowners should feel empowered to leave a simple guide outlining expectations—including which services are OK to use, food policies, delivery boundaries, and emergency contacts.
"Clarity is kindness for everyone," she said, also pointing out that while mistakes like these aren't uncommon among inexperienced sitters, that doesn't excuse them. Both parties can treat this as a learning experience.
A stock image showing a woman holding a white dog.
A stock image showing a woman holding a white dog.
Halfpoint/iStock / Getty Images Plus
Adrienne Alexander, a conflict resolution and etiquette expert and owner of public relations firm IPY Agency LLC, echoed that sentiment. She said the OP handled the situation well overall—taking quick action, contacting the parent, and resolving the charges without escalating.
However, she pointed to one missed opportunity: "The OP could have spoken directly to the sitter before involving the parent. As a basic conflict principle, address the issue at the lowest appropriate level. Going through the parent first might've made the apology feel more coerced than sincere."
"This isn't just about a $50 charge; it's about trust. When someone watches your pet, they're stepping into a role that demands maturity, respect, and responsibility. They shouldn't be in the role if they can't handle that," she added.
Ivan Petersel, the founder of Dog Virtuoso, told Newsweek: "Pet care isn't just a side gig—it requires trust, professionalism, and accountability.
"In general, people don't take Pet Sitting seriously enough. That goes for the pet sitters as well as the pet owners.
"Many people think that anybody can take care of their dog but to find somebody that is responsible and truly understands Dogs is hard to find."
Reddit Reacts
Reddit users didn't hold back in the comments.
"If a person can't take care of themselves, they can't take care of my dog," wrote one user.
"Extra $200 for food? I'll dogsit for you!" joked another.
"$200 for the person looking after the dog to eat food, s*** in this economy I'll start barking, sounds like a good home to me," someone quipped.
Another commenter added: "If they aren't even capable of making a sandwich, then it is entirely possible that they aren't smart enough to figure out that adding channels means someone has to pay for them."
Newsweek reached out to u/Upstairs-Storm1006 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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