Went on a 2 week vacation to Europe recently and contacted the fine folks at Flying Duchess to come look after our old cat while we were gone. They sent a sitter over for a consultation, where we walked her through the house, showed her where everything was, what the cat's habits were, let her meet the cat, etc Then away we went. Needless to say I couldn't be more thrilled with how it all went. Not only did the girl feed the cat, play with the cat, clean the litter, etc, she also watered our plants, brought in our mail, took out the garbage, swept up the cat fur upstairs, etc Really went above and beyond. And every day she would leave a voicemail on this system they have setup, which then uses Google Talk to translate the vmail into an email, which is auto-sent to me, which I could check on my iPad while overseas to keep on with the progress. On top of all this, they were WAYYYY cheaper than the old cat sitter we used to use when we lived in the Annex. Overall top notch. Highly recommended. They will totally be our pet sitters going forward. read more

This company is bonded and their sitters are great! We have Sommer and she has been very well received by our cats. They really do love her. They have great policies in place to ensure your privacy, safety and security of your pets/home. I love that they have you purchase a lockbox for the handling of keys. Brilliant! They offer many different types of sitting/boarding and have a phone system where they update you via messages with the goings-on of their visits to your pets. The cats seem way happier when we have Sommer look in on them whilst we are away. I will book with them forever! read more

I have used Flying Duchess twice now for our rabbits - once for a weekend, and this second time for a two-week trip. I'm so pleased with the job sitter Caitlin did caring for our rabbits on both occasions; it's not everyone who is rabbit-knowledgable enough to do such an excellent job caring for bunnies. Also, the pricing seems unbelievably fair given the level of service. You do have to book as early as possible, since this is a small business and they book up quickly. Also, it can take 24-48 hours for them to get back to you about your sitting request, another good reason to give yourself some lead time. All in all, we have had a great experience with our sitter, and will definitely use Flying Duchess again. Thank you!! read more

I have 2 cats and I travel a lot! The service is perfect! Sitter seems to really love the cats and I really love the fact that they left voicemail so I can know that everything is ok!! I find that 20$ for a 30 minutes visit is pretty cheap for the quality of the service received! read more

Flying Duchess is amazing. I've had the sitter Cindy for over a year and I am so happy that she looks after my cat when I am away. I am assured she is doing with voicemails after visits and stunning pictures. Highly recommend. Cindy is great with cats. read more

Cindy B is the best...just ask my cat! Seriously, she's like a member of the family and is the only person I'd trust with both Muey and my home when I'm away. I am so lucky to have found #flyingduchess read more

I've only used this service once for a recent trip, but based on this experience, I will definitely be a repeat customer! Finding out if they have availability is not the most straightforward process (you have to do it through their website and wait for an email), but everything went smoothly after. Caitlin was my sitter and she was great. She came to meet my kitties, talked with me about their needs and habits, and left me a lockbox for keys (love that!) While I was away, Caitlin left me daily voice messages about my kittens and also responded to written messages. When I got back, I found a 'Welcome home' note on the kitchen counter, and also discovered that Caitlin had emptied the litter locker and trash! The care she had taken with my cats and my home was obvious. That's the kind of service that really goes above and beyond. I was initially really nervous about hiring sitters. I normally get friends to come and watch my cats. But Flying Duchess has been a pleasant surprise. As a bonded service with good policies, I felt confident leaving my cats and home with Flying Duchess! read more

Really good service, well organized, efficient. Jenn is our sitter, she came in a few days earlier to meet the cat and talk about where things are etc, and then while we were away she left regular messages telling us what he was up to. Cat really loved her, she's definitely a cat expert. When we got back he was relaxed and happy and not as needy as he usually is when we leave him, I think he was well looked after and had plenty of play time. Had some issues with my password to access the messages left by the sitter in the system, and when I emailed about it, I got a reply very quickly, even though it was Thanksgiving weekend. Will definitely use the service again. read more

So I was put in charge of finding a petsitter for a friend's cat, and boy am I glad that I chose this one. The cat decided to get sick midway through our trip by vomiting up more hairballs than usual. The cat was actually a kitty and a very new addition to the home. The petsitter informed us immediately and there was two way communication. Supposedly coughing up hairballs is very common. They kept more than just a close eye on the pet, and were ready to call the vets if needed, I was more than impressed. It was also a great way of having someone check on the house while we were on our trip. read more

My cat was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago and since then, going away has been a challenge. Last year in May, I had to go to Singapore for 10 days and needed a pet sitter to look after him so I did my do diligence online and found Flying Duchess. They were very thorough with the initial consultation so I left knowing my cat would be in good hands. I got daily reports and pics during my vacation and it was comforting to know my beloved cat was well looked after. I still hire them, even after I moved to a completely new area. I highly recommend them, esp if you have pets with medical issues. My cat needs insulin twice a day and needs two visits. It costs me $30/visit but worth it as they are trained to do this! Declan left me a lovely note when I needed my pet looked after a couple months ago! I recommend him too if you live in Scarborough or the beaches! read more

Flying Duchess Pet Sitters is the absolute best! They are completely reliable, trustworthy, and well trained. If your pet is on medication or has some special requirement Flying Duchess pet sitters are knowledgeable and very capable to look after those special needs. You can go away without having to worry if your pets are being fed, played with and in general being well looked after. My pets wouldn't have it any other way and they love, love, their sitters from this company!! read more

I hired them to care for my cat while I was away for 10 days. When I came home early I found that my cats litter had not been changed for atleast 3 days (because I know how many times my cat pees and poops per day) and the wet food was dried around the edges with a hint of mold growing in small areas. Steer clear. They are not worth the money. read more

I used Flying Duchess twice in March/April to take care of my 2 cats. Boarding them has always been a disaster, so this was a much better arrangement as it was actually cheaper and when I returned my cats were not stressed and pissy like they are when they have to be boarded. I was a bit nervous about having someone in the home when I'm not there, but I met with my sitter Amy ahead of time and that concern was quickly dismissed. She was obviously very comfortable around cats, and also friendly and easy to talk to. They were able to accommodate my twice daily feeding requirements the daily updates were great, and communication by email was always returned quickly. She obviously did a great job since my cats (who hate most people) warmed up to her over the days...one even sat on her lap. I will definitely use Flying Duchess every time I have to go out of town in the future. read more

Elitist company that only serves those who have the money to own a house or live in a condo. I do not have the luxury of living in a building with a concierge. They suggested I leave a lock box on a pipe outside the building or a railing. Or is that is not possible (100% not and actually quite dangerous) they had the audacity I suggest that I leave a lock box on a public bike rack. None of these of these suggestions are actually legal and seem entirely unsafe. Maybe they are good with it pets, but I would certainly never trust my cats in their hands. Their illegal suggestions are atrocious and must be reported. read more

Love this service. I signed up to have my dogs walked for 50 minutes mid-day while I'm at work. The price is very reasonable for two dogs for that period of time. Kind of awesome to have a private dog walker too. The service is very professional. They use lock boxes (yours or they sell you one at a reasonable cost) to store the keys, so you are never really handing over the key to someone. A great piece about the service is that they have a voice message box where you can get detailed reports on how the visit went. It is really nice to know just what trouble my dogs are getting into when I'm not around. Another great thing is unlike other dog walkers, they don't have a small service area. They find someone that will be good for your area, and that person will do all the visits (unless something comes up and another will cover). This is great, I think my dogs have really bonded with Emily. From the reviews and what I've been told, people usually use them for cats. I think for 29 bucks, to walk my dogs for almost an hour - privately - is a great deal. I will definitely use them again should the need come up. So thank you Emily and Caitlin for taking such great care of my dogs. read more

This is a great service - normally a family member can watch my two cats while I'm away, but I was taking a weekend trip and no one was available so I called this service. They have a (very!) extensive questionnaire to learn about what you need and your animals, and also had a free consultation/visit, where Caitlin came to meet my cats before I left for my trip. I can't recommend Caitlin enough - she's wonderful, and if I ever am in need of cat sitting again I'll definitely return to this service. read more

FDPS has been looking after my furry kids (felines) for a few years now. They always go above and beyond the call of duty. I was in NYC during the ice-storm and Debbie (the owner) took the time to email me and let me know my kids were safe. Just last week, while on vacation, a serious matter arose and once again, Debbie was on it. Everything was resolved quickly! It can be very difficult to be away from your pets and I have to say that FDPS really puts your mind at ease. Initially, I used sitter Jacqueline who has since gone on leave. She was amazing. I will say that every sitter brings a different approach. Thumbs up! read more

I had contacted them twice and no response was received. I am not sure if this company is still in existence. If they were too booked to take a reservation, they could have contacted me to indicate such. read more

I'm seeking a sitter for 1 dog Golden retriever. Currently in Toronto, but I'm in process of moving to your neighborhood in next few weeks, Job duties include: Playing and exercising, clean up of pet waste, grooming, Walking my pet, training and feeding. Compensation is $25/hrs, Aug 26th, Mon-Sat (9am-4pm is flexible) depends on your schedule. If interested send your attach resume/reference to (sophialewis147 @ gmail .com) for further details. Thank. read more

I used to ply my friends with booze to get them to catsit but I prefer using Flying Duchess now to look after our 3 kitties. It's about the same price I would spend on booze and this way, I don't have to feel indebted to my friends! We've used this fantastic service a few times now and they were very accommodating with our short notice. We met with our sitter for a consultation. During this consultation, we were able to show her around and she met our furry little babies so they wouldn't be freaked out when it came time for her to drop in. She also gave us the lockbox at that time and we arranged a hiding spot for it (because who wants to have a lock box on their front door that screams "We're not here. Please rob us!"). Our catsitter did a great job at feeding our cats, cleaning their litter box and bringing in our mail. We've got one cat that hates our new choice of litter so she poops outside the box but our sitter cleaned it up for us. That's dedication! It's also worth mentioning that we've got 3 cats and the price is the same as it would be for just one. I think that's a pretty awesome deal! My favourite part of having a catsitter is the message we receive. We get an email with a voicemail which updates us on the visit. It's a nice personalized touch and it's nice to know our cats are being well looked after. Plus, the google transcribing is pretty hilarious. When we got home, our furballs weren't acting aloof like they sometimes do when we go away. They just carried on sleeping, eating, pooping and purring like normal. That's pretty impressive! I would highly recommend calling on Flying Duchess if you need great care for your furry best friends! read more

I stumbled across this company when researching pet sitting options in Toronto. We've just completed our first time using them and couldn't be happier with the service received. We were matched with Keyena who was responsive to questions and comments via the online site (you are able to directly message with your sitter once set up). At the initial consult at our home before we left Keyena put my mind at rest about leaving my cat (who really is one of the family - we have only left him previously with close friends that he knows well, so this was a true experiment for us and for him!). Keyena was so lovely, friendly and so sweet with my cat at the first meeting I knew things would be fine - she is a true professional and the perfect type of personality and person for this role. You can pick different packages of how much or little you want for your visits - we opted for hourly visits everyday. Our cat is quite needy and cautious around new people, so it was definitely a concern for us on how he would manage. Having just returned from vacation to a very happy, rested and content pet confirms that everything went as it should! Keyena was wonderful with our cat and left daily updates, as well as sending pictures and videos. It was extremely reassuring to have someone who loves animals so much look after our much loved pet, as well as treat our place with the utmost respect. This is a great company with people you can trust in your home to give your pets the best possible care in your absence. We will definitely be using them again! read more

I've been using Flying Duchess as my pet sitting service for all of my vacations and weekends away over the past 2 years - a total of 7 separate bookings. In a word, they are wonderful. The peace of mind I have now when going away and knowing that my kitty is well looked after is worth every penny. THE GOOD: - When signing up, you must create an account on their website. This account is used to make bookings, communicate with your sitter, and keep an updated profile that includes your address, details on your pet(s), an emergency contact/landlord contact, etc. - When granting sitters access to your home, you are required to use a lockbox (which you can purchase from FD directly or use your own). I love this system - it ensures sitters have access without requiring them to hold on to your keys. - We have had two sitters so far: Brenda and Gloria. Both are lovely ladies. I always come back to a spotless home - it looks like I never left, really - and a clean food station and litter box. My kitty, DJ, is always in good spirits when I'm back. - There are several ways to communicate with your sitter while on the go. For one, you can call the FD phone number and enter your personal extension (provided by the FD team) to listen to a daily report from your sitter. The sitter will comment on how your pet behaved that day and share any updates. There is also a back-and-forth messaging system on the site that you can use to communicate electronically - I usually opt for this when I'm traveling internationally and don't have access to my cell phone. Lastly, I always come home to a cute little Flying Duchess postcard on my coffee table from my sitter with a note on how the visit went. - FD has different visit lengths you can choose from. I always go for the cheapest option - 30 minutes/day for $21.75 plus tax. I think this is extremely reasonable given the quality of the service, and I like to leave my sitter a tip as well. There are also 45-minute visits for $24/day, and 60-minute visits for $28/day. THE BAD: - I have nothing negative to comment on here. 5/5 stars! As expected, this review ended up being much longer than planned because I had so many good things to say. Simply put, I would choose nothing less than the very best care for my kitty when I'm away, and I do believe Flying Duchess is the very best in Toronto. read more

I've been using Flying duchess pet sitters for about 9 months. I'm a consultant so I travel every week. They are reliable, trustworthy and truly pet lovers!! - the sitters are great, and they have a voicemail system where by they leave you updates. I often come home to notes with little updates as well on my cat. It's really lovely to have them come in - my cat has a tendency to be a bit skittish with new people and the sitters are so patient with her. They take the time to brush her, play with her, clean her litter and even will bring in the mail. Highly recommend and will not use anyone else. read more

I am the first time user. Iwona, the cat sitter, took care of my cat and my unit well. She and the admin replied my inquiries fast. The phone and photo report are handy. I highly recommend this company. read more

partway through my vacation I received a message from my friend, my cats were starving because the sitter wasn't showing up at the agreed times (morning and evening). It had snowed the night before and there were no tracks to my house by 2pm. I almost came home then. After discussing this I thought the pet sitter would do their job properly. Nope. I came home a day early, something I would recommend to anyone that has gotten a pet sitter (I read reviews of how people were happy upon returning home and seeing how clean and neat everything was and how happy the pet was). Well, I showed up a day early.... the water dish was empty, cat litter was all over the floor and there was about two days worth of excrement in the litter box. The next morning when the pet sitter arrived the excuse was that they were going to do the water that morning and empty the litter and refill it. I love my cats as family members and I found this was quite a deplorable condition to leave them in. Never again will I use this service. Its all in seems nice when you come home, but when you are away its your furry friends that suffer read more