Dogs and sitters are not their priority
I've been walking with Wag for several years. Very minimally now. Recurring walks or nearby sittings where I don't have to stay because otherwise it's not worth it. They take 40% of your rate (which they claim the sitter sets but is really given a range to choose a rate from) and you get nothing at all in return. Especially as far as support goes. The dogs and sitters are not priority for them. If a pet parent has an issue with a walker their resolution is to nix the walker. Mainly because they don't have any interest in getting involved. If you need to talk to someone as a walker you have to call as a pet parent just to get a human on the other end. I suspect however they will put an end to that just like they did when walkers were calling the emergency line. Now if you try that they actually threaten to suspend or deactivate your acct if you do it again and hang up on you. They have a very narrow definition of what they call an emergent situation. If you call and say you're a walker you will be referred to the useless chatbot that sends you in endless circles to nowhere. It's 100% pointless. They don't, however, have any problem creating programs to get more money from the walkers. As if the 40% isn't enough they also want you to pay $129 to them for priority walks blah blah blah. Oh and a star beside your profile. If you don't like that there is the promote your profile (for a fee of course). Both of which don't do much of anything. That all being said Wag! Is a tech platform that chose to operate in the ket industry because it is growing so much. They have no working knowledge of what walking and sitting actually consists of. The most dog knowledge there is with their own dogs at home. They have no idea how to handle situations or what constitutes an emergency. Yes not being able to get in IS an emergency for a Walker. But not here. And don't call the emergency line. The "suppprt" that is there are clearly oversees and give cannned responses they read from a binder on their desk.
People are going off app everyday because the pet parents aren't seeing their regulars anymore so they are asking them if they want to work directly. Wag will defend their actions up and down because they honestly believe they are doing nothing wrong. They don't listen to the walkers but that's because they'd start getting too involved in actual dog things and they just don't have the interest. It's a really good idea Llll in theory. It would work if anyone there actually had an interest in dogs or working with the sitters. I don't rely on income from Wag for anything anymore. It has just become a filler for me when I get an opening with my private clients or I need some extra money. The actuall app itself used to be very glitchy. But you could actually call and get help. They have changed the way they do things now. I wouldn't doubt they don't even have an office. Support is overseas. If you need a few bucks sure try it out. If you're looking for consistent supplemental income you're not going to find it here. And if you're looking for a company with a support system this is definitely not it. On a positive note I've met a lot of great dogs and pet parents from doing recurring walks or sittings. I've never taken a pet parent off app as I respect the policies. It really could be a great platform but they just chase good walkers away everyday.
EDIT TO REVIEW: Wag! Has noticeably gone downhill in the past several years. They literally cut off all communication besides email with walkers and owners. They just don’t wanna talk to you. They do not know how to handle any types of individual issues with walkers or dogs. No matter what the problem or the issue they will always blame the walker and suspended or deactivate them. I most recently had a run in with Support more specifically a support agent named Vera, who wanted me deactivated for a miscommunication after a boarding. I spoke directly with the owner. He called them to back me. Saying he did not want any adverse action taken. He was just trying to get in touch with me. My phone had died on the way to his house to drop off this dog. That was the where this all started. Somehow it turned into a complete misrepresentation of his conversation with the with Support. They took what he said and completely twisted it to fit their agenda. I had spoken to him after I had a conversation with Vera and he said he absolutely did not say any of what she said. And the service had been ended already and paid out and she still wanted to deactivate me based on these allegations things she said I did that wasn’t even on Wag! time. But I guarantee you that if the situation was in reverse, and something did happen with the dog after the service had ended, that’s exactly what they would have said as a reason to not cover any bills or compensate the pet parent for anything. They would say I was not on wags time. I know for a fact, they would’ve said that citing liability reasons or something. They are a tech company and that is it. They do not have the human aspect of this down at all nor do they really care about the dogs I was the number one walker in the area. I had no history of complaints. I had over 1000 walks and five star ratings, the owner called to tell them that they made a mistake that he did not say any of the things that she said, and then she completely lied to me thinking I wouldn’t speak to the pet parent. I wasn’t asking for an apology or anything for her mistake. I was just simply wanting my account back. I asked for her supervisor‘s name and got no cooperation back. They read from scripts they know how to handle things in one way in one way only don’t look to them for help. They tell us that we can set our own rates so they don’t cross that contractor employee line, but the truth is they still control how much we can charge.
People are going off app everyday because the pet parents aren't seeing their regulars anymore so they are asking them if they want to work directly. Wag will defend their actions up and down because they honestly believe they are doing nothing wrong. They don't listen to the walkers but that's because they'd start getting too involved in actual dog things and they just don't have the interest. It's a really good idea Llll in theory. It would work if anyone there actually had an interest in dogs or working with the sitters. I don't rely on income from Wag for anything anymore. It has just become a filler for me when I get an opening with my private clients or I need some extra money. The actuall app itself used to be very glitchy. But you could actually call and get help. They have changed the way they do things now. I wouldn't doubt they don't even have an office. Support is overseas. If you need a few bucks sure try it out. If you're looking for consistent supplemental income you're not going to find it here. And if you're looking for a company with a support system this is definitely not it. On a positive note I've met a lot of great dogs and pet parents from doing recurring walks or sittings. I've never taken a pet parent off app as I respect the policies. It really could be a great platform but they just chase good walkers away everyday.
EDIT TO REVIEW: Wag! Has noticeably gone downhill in the past several years. They literally cut off all communication besides email with walkers and owners. They just don’t wanna talk to you. They do not know how to handle any types of individual issues with walkers or dogs. No matter what the problem or the issue they will always blame the walker and suspended or deactivate them. I most recently had a run in with Support more specifically a support agent named Vera, who wanted me deactivated for a miscommunication after a boarding. I spoke directly with the owner. He called them to back me. Saying he did not want any adverse action taken. He was just trying to get in touch with me. My phone had died on the way to his house to drop off this dog. That was the where this all started. Somehow it turned into a complete misrepresentation of his conversation with the with Support. They took what he said and completely twisted it to fit their agenda. I had spoken to him after I had a conversation with Vera and he said he absolutely did not say any of what she said. And the service had been ended already and paid out and she still wanted to deactivate me based on these allegations things she said I did that wasn’t even on Wag! time. But I guarantee you that if the situation was in reverse, and something did happen with the dog after the service had ended, that’s exactly what they would have said as a reason to not cover any bills or compensate the pet parent for anything. They would say I was not on wags time. I know for a fact, they would’ve said that citing liability reasons or something. They are a tech company and that is it. They do not have the human aspect of this down at all nor do they really care about the dogs I was the number one walker in the area. I had no history of complaints. I had over 1000 walks and five star ratings, the owner called to tell them that they made a mistake that he did not say any of the things that she said, and then she completely lied to me thinking I wouldn’t speak to the pet parent. I wasn’t asking for an apology or anything for her mistake. I was just simply wanting my account back. I asked for her supervisor‘s name and got no cooperation back. They read from scripts they know how to handle things in one way in one way only don’t look to them for help. They tell us that we can set our own rates so they don’t cross that contractor employee line, but the truth is they still control how much we can charge.
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Sweet animals!
Animals are super sweet and well behaved! Millie loves her bubbles!
App works but service is lackluster
App functions okay but u service it provides is mostly based on how much you’re willing to pay into it… $40 application fee and then they want you to sign up for $129/yr for better odds and placement… you also need endorsements to get started and wouldn’t you know it, they are asking them to pay money to boost your odds, etc too. My lawyers say I can’t call it a scam, so I won’t, I’m not saying that, but you be the judge.
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Help feels weird
I gave a client my number and had to go through a verification process, which seemed normal and I didn’t realize how serious it was. But then the person asking me the questions from wag support asked how much was in my bank account, and asked me to download a banking app called found? I hung up immediately because I felt like somehow I was being scammed.
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Company took $80 from me, denied it and deactivated me once caught! AVOID THIS APP
I authorized one $39.95 background-check fee. Wag then charged me twice more—nearly $80 in duplicate charges—on separate dates. My bank reversed those charges, and Wag deactivated my caregiver account. Despite bank records showing all three transactions, Robin from Wag denied the additional charges and repeated policy language instead of addressing the evidence. I completed two services with five-star reviews and had no prior issues. Avoid this app—its billing practices and refusal to take accountability are alarming.
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