As the need for pet-care services grows, so does the number of articles touting the opportunities to earn extra cash in the gig economy as an occasional pet sitter or dog walker. I used to simply roll my eyes when I saw these articles and think, “Wow…do they really think pet sitting is some new, trendy idea? Let me introduce them to professional pet-sitting businesses that have been offering top care for decades.”

But now, these articles elicit more than an eyeroll—they scare me, and I wonder about the impact this mindset is having on pets across the country—and around the globe.

Read More: petsit.com