Last Updated on 9 months by Dr. Shannon Barrett
Finding a good pet nanny can be very hard.
As a veterinarian, my clients are always asking where they can find a pet sitter for their
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What are the best pet sitting services?
- Rover.com
- Trusted Housesitters.com
- Fetch Pet Care
- Care.com
- Housecarers.com
- Wag.com
- Local clinics
- Nextdoor.com
As a pet owner, travel is always bittersweet. We love to travel but always worry about our
Depending on the trip, sometimes we are lucky enough to bring along our furry companions. Still, other times, it’s just not feasible.
When bringing along our best friend is not an option, we want to ensure they are stress-free while we are away.
For me, this means letting them stay in their own home while someone stays with them. Most of my clients also prefer this option.
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Here are the top picks for pet sitting resources:
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I have had success with rover.com.
This is a resource where you can find pet sitters and pet caretakers in your area. Over the years, it has become a popular resource for any pet parent looking for someone to take care of their pet for a couple of hours or weeks.
Pros:
- Easy to use app
- Can search by
- Pet
- Length of Stay
- Overnight sitter or daytime walks
- In-house sitter or whether your pet stays with them
- Can search by
- User Ratings
- You can see reviews from other pet parents
- You can also see how many returning customers they have
- Secure Communications and Payment
- Communications are done through the app
Cons
- Anyone Can be a Sitter
- Sitters make their own profiles
- You are hiring an independent sitter that has posted their information through Rover.
- I encourage all owners to do their due diligence and run any additional background or criminal checks on anyone that will be taking care of their
pets .
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Another unique option if you are planning to be away from your pet for an extended period is trusted housesitters.
This paid service matches you to a sitter who will stay in your house and watch your pet for free. There is a fee to subscribe to the service but no fee for the actual pet/house sitting.
Many people use this as a way to travel the world and take care of
I have some clients that use trusted housesitters when they take long trips. This service may be a unique way for you to find a pet sitter for your next trip.
What I like about trusted housesitters is that it is a paid service for the people on the site, and they must enter a lot of their personal information and go through a background check.
You post your desired dates of when you’ll be out of town, pictures of your home, and information about your
Then potential housesitters apply to stay at your house. You review the applications and narrow them down to those that interest you.
You then arrange a video chat so that you can talk to them in person. This helps you better understand the candidates and the people staying with your
Pros
- Yearly fee covers you for multiple stays
- Sitters must pay to be on the site
- Sitters must go through a background check
- Sitters apply for your dates and you get to choose which ones you interview
Cons
- You often cannot meet the sitters in person, you meet them via video chat
- Many of the applicants travel internationally and may not have a car.
- You have to decide if you will offer them your car while you are gone in case of emergencies
- Since you have not met them, there will be a stranger living in your home while you are away
Fetch Pet Care is an online service similar to Rover, where you can search for pet sitters and dog walkers in your area.
Pros
- Sitters must undergo a background check before being listed on their site.
- All sitters must be bonded and insured.
- Complimentary consultations available prior to hiring sitter
- Fetch Pet Care arranges for a backup sitter so that a secondary sitter is available if something happens with your primary sitter
Cons (Similar to Rover.com)
- Anyone Can be a Sitter
- Sitters make their own profiles
- You are hiring an independent sitter that has posted their information through Rover.
- I encourage all owners to do their due diligence and run any additional background or criminal checks on anyone that will be taking care of their
pets .
[lasso type=”button” ref=”care-com-find-child-care-babysitters-senior-care-pet-care-and-housekeeping” id=”584″ link_id=”224″]
Care.com is most well known for their in-home human caretaking services, but they now offer pet sitter services.
Pros
- Site is very user-friendly
- Sitters must undergo a background check.
- Care.com has 20 million members so there are a large amount of pet sitters available
- Can view pet sitters profiles and reviews You can browse hundreds of reviews and profiles from local pet care providers in your area. They offer an array of services, including dog walking and pet sitting to doggy daycare and boarding in pet sitter’s home.
Cons
- Prices for pet sitters tend to be higher than on other sites since sitters have to pay to list their profile on the site
- You have to answer initial questions about the type of pet service you are looking for before looking through available sitters including type of sit and zip code
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Housecarers.com is a service similar to Trusted Housesitters.
They match homeowners who want to travel with housesitters willing to stay in your home and take care of your
Pros
- Free for homeowners
- House/Pet Sitters pay a $50 fee to use the service (as of 3/2023)
- You can set up alerts for housesitters that match your preferences
- They offer a secure messaging system so you can communicate with potential sitters
Cons
- Website is a bit outdated
- Low sign up cost for potential housesitters has pros and cons
- Verification process is not very stringent for house sitters. Photo ID’s and Mobile numbers are verified but all other information is self reported and “suggested”
- They do offer a “Verification” Badge for sitters that have uploaded additional documents including police clearance
Wag!
Wag! is similar to Rover.com, connecting local pet caregivers with pet owners.
Pros
- GPS-tracked walks
- Customized lockboxes for your keys
- Easy to use app for booking
- 24/7 support line
- Every Pet Caregiver passes an enhanced background check
- All services are insured
Cons
- Some complaints about the premium membership fee being difficult to cancel
- Website highlights that “Every Pet Caregiver passes an enhanced background check” but hard to find specifics on what this means
- As with all other pet sitting services, all sitters are independent contractors and self-report their skills so be sure to meet them in person
Local Veterinary Clinics
When clients are looking for Pet Sitter for their next trip, I also recommend contacting local veterinary clinics in their area.
Sometimes veterinary assistants or technicians also offer pet sitting services. If not, they may have contacts for local pet sitters that they recommend.
Another resource is to check nextdoor.com.
Most of us are familiar with this site as a way to find a used garden planter. However, our nextdoor site also has recommendations for local pet sitters.
I like this option because you can also read reviews from your neighbors. Check out your local nextdoor site for Pet Sitter recommendations.
We have three different pet sitters for our German Shepherd, Griffin.
We love to travel, but we always make sure we have a pet sitter scheduled for him before we plan our trip.
Like many pet owners, he is our first priority!
We found one through rover.com, one through our neighbors, and one through nextdoor.com, so I have used the recommendations above.
What are the benefits of using a pet sitter?
The most obvious benefit of an overnight pet sitter is that your pet will get to stay in the comfort of their own home.
Instead of being confined in a kennel, your pet will have the run of the house and can sleep in their own bed.
This can help reduce stress and make them much more comfortable while you’re away.
Another benefit is that you can avoid exposure to illnesses. When
If your pet gets sick while you’re away, you’ll have the added stress of worrying about them.
Also, many of my patients do not eat well when boarding. However, when they are home, they are much more likely to stay in their routine, which includes eating their regular diet.
Perhaps the most significant benefit of all is peace of mind.
With an overnight pet sitter, you’ll know that your pet is well taken care of and in good hands.
This can help you relax and enjoy your time away without worrying about your pet’s happiness.
With an overnight pet sitter, your pet will get one-on-one attention and personalized care. This can help reduce your stress levels while you’re away.
What to look for in pet sitters?
- Look for someone who is bonded and insured.
- This will give you peace of mind knowing that your pet sitter is covered in case of any accidents or incidents that may occur while you’re away.
- Choose a pet sitter who has experience caring for animals.
- Ask for references from previous clients and check out online reviews to get an idea of the quality of care your potential pet sitter provides.
- Select a pet sitter who offers a free consultation.
- This will allow you to meet the pet sitter and ensure they are a good fit for you and your furry friend.
- If your pet has special needs or takes medications, ask them if they have experience medicating
pets or look for this in their online bio. - Ideally, I try to find a sitter that does not currently have their own
pets .- If they are spending the night with my dog, who is taking care of theirs?
- What happens if their dog gets sick while they are petsitting?
- Many pet sitters will mention if they have
pets in their bio.
- Does the sitter have additional certifications?
- Do they know pet CPR?
Do pet sitters require any formal training?
No, anyone can sign up to be a pet sitter.
This is why it is so important to research any sitter you bring into your home.
However sitters can take the extra step to become a member of professional organizations. These organizations provide education and guidance to pet sitters.
If I find a pet sitter that is a member of one of these organizations, it tells me that this is a profession as opposed to a hobby.
National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS)
This non-profit organization also has a search option where you can enter your zip code and find a NAPPS certified sitter in your area.
Pet Sitters International (PSI)
This organization also offers continuing eduction, access to group rate insurance and networking opportunities.
They also offer a search option based on zip code.
The search results are also helpful because each sitter has icons under their name indicating if they are insured, if they had certain certificates, or if they were certified in pet first aid.
One of the certificates they could earn was in disaster planning. As someone that lives in a hurricane prone area, this is nice to see.
What precautions to take when hiring a pet sitter?
- Take word-of-mouth referrals over online referrals.
- I think all of us would trust our friend’s recommendation over a stranger’s online review. For instance, my clients were looking for a pet sitter. I had researched and narrowed down a few sitters on Rover. I sent this information to them. Unfortunately, the sitter did not live up to the online reviews. Even though she had several 5-star reviews, my client’s experience was not five stars. I would not book this sitter based on their experience.
- As with any service, you may have a negative experience, but that does not discount the entire service.
- It is still the responsibility of the pet owner to research the person who will be staying at their home and taking care of their pet.
- I have found that every pet owner has a different expectation for their sitter.
- Some of my pet parents do not require overnight visits. They are comfortable with sitters checking on their
pets late in the evening and returning early in the morning. - Some of my pet parents are comfortable trusting the neighbor’s young daughter to check on their dog while they are away.
- I want someone to stay with my dog all night and be there by 8:00 pm because he likes to go to bed at 9:30 pm! Only you know what is right for your pet, so make sure you are clear about your expectations for your sitter.
- Some of my pet parents do not require overnight visits. They are comfortable with sitters checking on their
What questions should you ask a potential pet sitter?
- How long is each visit?
- Will you be taking care of other
pets while you are taking care of mypets ?- If so, how many? One of the sitters I interviewed for a Thanksgiving sit was very honest that she would take care of multiple dogs during the holiday. She assured me that she was great at time management. This red flagged me that she was not the right sitter for our family.
- Do you have
pets of your own? - Are you comfortable administering medications?
- If your pet takes medication, ensure your sitter is comfortable administering these medications.
- Schedule a time to have them administer these medications to your pet so they can ask you any questions while you are in town. We don’t want the first time they give your pet medications to be when you are on a plane and incommunicado.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Do you tip an overnight pet sitter?
Yes, we always do. This assumes everything went well with the sit. A typical tip is 15-30 percent. We tend to tip on the higher side around the holidays since sitters are sacrificing time with their families so we can spend time with ours.
What are the benefits of using a pet sitter?
1) The pet sitter will be able to keep your pet on their normal routine, which is essential for their mental and physical well-being.
2) The pet sitter will be able to care for your pet if they are sick or injured.
3) The pet sitter can also keep an eye on your home to ensure it is safe and secure while you’re away.
What are the rates for overnight pet sitting?
Rates vary greatly depending on your city, the number of
For more information on traveling with your
The information in this article is for general purposes only and is not a substitute for advice from your veterinarian. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.
Dr. Shannon Barrett brings an exceptional blend of academic excellence and professional expertise to the world of veterinary medicine. With a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Western University of Health Sciences, where she graduated with honors, and dual Bachelor degrees in Biological Sciences and Psychology, her depth of knowledge is extensive. A member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Barrett's insights and contributions to pet health have been featured in leading publications such as Rover, MarketWatch, and Newsweek.
