Help Centre for Pet Sitters

Signing up is free and takes about 10 minutes. Visit our sitter signup page, create your account, and complete our guided onboarding wizard. You will add your experience, services, rates, photos, and availability. Once submitted, our team manually reviews every profile and you will be notified by email when your profile goes live — usually within 24 hours.

You need genuine experience caring for pets and a suitable environment for the services you offer. We look for complete, honest profiles with clear descriptions of your experience and high-quality photos of your space. There are no formal certifications required, but professional qualifications such as pet first aid or industry accreditations are welcomed and displayed as trust badges on your profile.

Yes. Our Early Adopter plan is completely free — no credit card required. You get all Pro features: a full profile page, appear in search results, accept bookings, and every feature as we build it. When The Pet Sitter Pro launches at $199/year, early adopters keep their free rate and are never forced to pay.

You can offer pet boarding (overnight care at your home), house sitting (staying at the owner's home), drop-in visits (short visits for feeding and companionship), dog walking, and doggy daycare. You choose which services to offer and set your own rates for each. You can update your service offerings at any time from your dashboard.

You set your own rates for each service you offer. There are no minimum or maximum prices — you decide what your time and expertise are worth. You can adjust rates at any time from your profile settings, and you can also set seasonal pricing for peak periods like school holidays and long weekends.

Yes. You can add supplementary services to your profile with custom pricing. Common add-ons include administering medication, extra walks, puppy care surcharges, and holiday surcharges. These appear on your profile so owners can see the full range of care you provide.

From your dashboard, you can configure seasonal pricing that automatically adjusts your rates during peak periods. This is useful for school holidays, Christmas, Easter, and long weekends when demand for pet sitting is higher. Seasonal rates are clearly displayed to owners when they request a booking during those dates.

New profiles enter a review queue and are typically approved within 24 hours. If your profile has been approved but still is not appearing, check that your availability is set correctly and that your profile is marked as active. Profiles with complete information, quality photos, and clear service descriptions rank higher in search results. If you are still having issues, contact our support team.

Complete every section of your profile — bio, services, rates, photos, and availability. Profiles that are 100% complete rank significantly higher. Respond to enquiries quickly (response time affects ranking), maintain a high rating through excellent care, and encourage happy clients to leave reviews. Each of these factors contributes to your profile score, which directly influences your position in search results.

Upload clear, well-lit photos of your pet sitting environment — the spaces where pets will sleep, eat, and play. Include photos of yourself with animals if possible. Avoid blurry, dark, or heavily filtered images. Profiles with 5 or more quality photos receive significantly more enquiries than those with fewer. You can upload up to 10 photos during onboarding and update them at any time.

When a pet owner finds your profile and wants to book, they send a booking request with their dates, pets, and any special requirements. You receive a notification and can review the details, then accept or decline. If you accept, the booking is confirmed and a conversation thread is created so you can coordinate the meet-and-greet, drop-off times, and care instructions directly with the owner.

Absolutely. You are under no obligation to accept any booking request. If the dates do not work, or if you feel the pet is not a good fit for your setup, simply decline the request and let the owner know. We recommend responding to all enquiries promptly, even when declining, as response time is a factor in your profile score and search ranking.

You set your own cancellation policy when creating your profile. Choose from Flexible (full refund up to 24 hours before), Moderate (full refund up to 7 days before, 50% thereafter), or Strict (50% refund up to 14 days before, no refund after). Your cancellation policy is clearly displayed on your profile so owners know the terms before booking.

Unlike commission-based platforms that take 15-20% of every booking, The Pet Sitter charges a flat annual subscription. You keep 100% of what you earn from every booking — no commission, no transaction fees, no hidden charges. The platform earns the same whether you have a quiet month or your best month ever, which means our incentive is to help you succeed, not to take more of your earnings.

Payment arrangements are made directly between you and the pet owner. Most sitters accept bank transfer, cash, or mobile payment apps. Because The Pet Sitter does not process booking payments or take a commission, there are no processing fees and no waiting for payouts. You and the owner agree on the payment method and timing that works best for both of you.

Yes. Pet sitting income is generally taxable in most jurisdictions. We recommend keeping accurate records of your earnings and expenses, and consulting a tax professional or your local tax authority for guidance specific to your situation. The Pet Sitter does not provide tax advice, but our invoicing and earnings tracking tools help you maintain clear financial records.

Yes. Our platform includes an invoicing feature that lets you generate professional PDF invoices for completed bookings. Invoices include your business details, the owner's details, service breakdown, and total amount. You can download and send these to clients for their records, and they are also available in your earnings dashboard for your own bookkeeping.

We strongly recommend all sitters carry their own pet sitting insurance to protect their business. Many professional pet sitting insurance providers offer affordable policies that cover liability, veterinary expenses, and property damage. While insurance is not a requirement to list on The Pet Sitter, having coverage gives both you and pet owners additional peace of mind and is displayed as a trust badge on your profile.

Always collect the owner's vet contact details and emergency authorisation before a booking starts. In an emergency, contact the owner immediately and take the pet to the nearest veterinary clinic. Document everything including times, symptoms, and treatment. Our report card feature lets you send real-time updates including photos to keep the owner informed throughout the situation.

Discuss potential risks and liability with pet owners before accepting a booking, especially for puppies or pets with known behavioural issues. Ensure you have appropriate insurance coverage. We recommend documenting the condition of your home before and after each booking with photos. Clear communication and agreed terms upfront prevent most issues. If a dispute arises, our support team can help mediate.