How was your project born?
Blooming Pets was born from my personal experience. At the time, I had 3 horses, 4 ponies, 2 dogs (including a Rottweiler), 2 cats, chickens and roosters. When you have so many animals, traditional care solutions quickly reach their limits. Family or friends are not always comfortable with animals as imposing and fragile as horses, for example.
Logistics quickly become complicated when you have several. Sometimes you have to find different solutions, which requires more organization and expense. By consulting existing platforms, I realized that there was a real gap. Many limited the number of animals accepted, some refused horses, chickens or even categorized dogs.
Furthermore, loving animals is not enough to take care of them properly. I told myself that we needed to allow owners to access as much information as possible about the people who look after their animals: their level of experience, their skills, their equipment, their certifications and even their ability to handle unforeseen situations.
Finally, I have always been convinced that animals are generally better off at home. The objective of Blooming Pets is therefore multiple: simplifying the lives of owners while prioritizing the well-being of their animals, so that everyone can leave with peace of mind.
© Charlotte Guérardelle / Blooming Pets
What makes Blooming Pets different from other pet sitting platforms?
Our first specificity is the care of animals in the owners' homes. We have also added pension, but only for professionals who can provide their SIRET number as well as their ACACED. Welcoming animals into your home involves respecting specific rules regarding well-being, hygiene and space layout, which is why we wanted to regulate this practice rigorously.
The other big difference is that we accept all animals regardless of species, breed or number. Whether it's a dog, a horse, chickens, fish, reptiles or even tarantulas, everyone can find their place on the platform. Pet-sitters themselves choose the animals they are able to take care of.
We also want to preserve the freedom of pet sitters. They organize their activity as they wish and remain free to accept or refuse the requests addressed to them. We don't want a system that automatically penalizes people because they refuse certain missions.
Moreover, Blooming Pets does not charge commission on their income. They can thus set their prices more freely and be remunerated more fairly. Pet owners, for their part, pay for a pass allowing them to contact as many pet-sitters as they wish for a defined period of time. We also offer volunteer profiles. They are often enthusiasts who want to be of service to other pet owners.
At the house of Blooming Petswe demand a more human approach and closer to our community. We want to remain a structure on a human scale, listening to owners and pet-sitters, with a vision based on trust, transparency and animal well-being.
© Charlotte Guérardelle / Blooming Pets
You favor the care of animals at the owners' homes. Why does this model seem more respectful of animal welfare to you?
Thanks to Blooming Petsthe animals keep their bearings. They stay in their usual environment, with their smells, their habits, their diet and their daily routine. When there are several animals in a household, they stay together and are not separated.
I am deeply convinced that animals are better off at home. They feel less stress, just like their owner. When we know that a competent person comes by regularly, respects the animal's habits and is capable of detecting a possible health problem, we leave much more calmly.
There is also the health question. When several animals are grouped together in the same place, even with all the necessary precautions, there is always a risk of transmission of parasites or diseases. In addition, certain custody solutions impose significant constraints on owners (vaccinations, sterilization, refusal to take in females in heat, etc.). At home, these problems largely disappear.
Finally, many animals, such as chickens, horses or even fish, cannot be moved easily. Pet care at home is often the most suitable solution.
Why was it important for you to give a real place to NAC (rodents, reptiles, etc.), horses, farm animals and even arthropods?
One of the values that is most important to me is fairness. All owners, even those who live with classified dogs, should be able to go on vacation or leave knowing that their animals will be properly looked after.
All animals need attention, even those that we sometimes consider more independent, such as fish. However, a simple technical incident can have serious consequences. Pet care at home provides real added value. Beyond animal welfare, it allows for regular human presence that can detect a problem (water leak, power outage, distributor that no longer works, injury, etc.).
It is also a way to combat certain problematic situations. When they cannot find a suitable solution, some owners unfortunately make bad decisions (abandonment, involuntary neglect, etc.). This can have dramatic consequences for the animals concerned, but also for the ecosystems.
How do you select and verify the profiles of the pet-sitters on the platform?
The selection is entirely manual at Blooming Pets. We ask pet-sitters to provide various supporting documents, including identification. When information is indicated on the profile but could not be verified, it appears as “unverified”. The objective is to offer maximum transparency to owners so that they can make their choice with full knowledge of the facts.
We also check the overall consistency of the profile: the experiences indicated, the services offered, the skills declared and even the certifications. For me, loving animals is not enough to keep them. Blooming Pets has already refused certain profiles who clearly lacked the experience to offer paid services. In some cases, we advise them to start as volunteers instead to gain experience.
We also refuse minors. This is a point on which we are particularly vigilant. With current digital tools, some people sometimes try to circumvent the rules. We therefore carry out additional checks when necessary.
Concerning professionals, we systematically check the information provided. In particular, we check the SIRET number as well as the consistency between the declared activity and the services offered.
What we look for above all is motivation, experience and transparency. We want clear, complete and honest profiles. Our role is not to choose the pet-sitter instead of the owners, but to provide them with all the information necessary to make their decision with confidence.
© Charlotte Guérardelle / Blooming Pets
What message would you like to send to pet owners who are still hesitant about hiring a pet-sitter?
The first message I would like to convey is the importance of anticipation. Many owners look for a last-minute childcare solution. However, finding the right person takes time. You need to be able to compare several profiles, ask questions, request references and exchange ideas.
I always recommend arranging a pre-meeting before any pet sitting. This is essential to check that the current passes well between the owner, the pet-sitter and the animals. When you anticipate correctly, everything becomes simpler. The animals are more peaceful, the owners leave more relaxed and the organization is much more comfortable for everyone.
This is especially true when you own multiple pets or pets with specific needs. Looking after animals at home allows them to preserve their routine, habits and balance.
Moreover, we have created a free e-book which supports owners in this process. It contains practical advice, key steps and a list of questions to ask when choosing a trustworthy pet sitter.
More information on blooming-pets.com.