How much do you pay a pet sitter - Paws At Home (2023)

The cost of a pet sitter depends on many factors. This article discusses the differences between some different types of pet sitters and why they cost different amounts. The short answer isWith a professional service, you have a higher level of reliability and a better quality of service. However, you will pay a little more than other types of sitters.

Even if you have two or more pets, hiring a pet sitter can be a good ideamuch cheaperto embark as your pets.

Keep in mind if you live in an urban area you may want to add a dollar or two to our estimated cost. In a rural area, you can deduct a dollar or two from the prices below.

Professional level services provide the best care and cost the most.

When you hire a professional service, you don't have to worry while you're away. You can rest assured that your home and pets are in the hands of an experienced and responsible pet care professional.This type of business will focus on pet sitting and dog walking services.

Local professional pet sitting companieswill have a teamof available pet sitters so you are always covered when you go out of town. A professional service should have at least one backup sitter available for you in an emergency.

Professional Services have a local manager that you can contact to sort out anything that might arise while you are away.They also have the knowledge and experience to guide you through the process of hiring a pet sitter. They can help you choose the visiting times and lengths that work best for your pets.

Professional sitters come to your home for impromptu visits, typically lasting between 15 and 60 minutes. Many additional services are often included, e.g. B. Picking up mail, cleaning the litter box, administering medication, watering plants, cleaning wet food dishes, cleaning up pet waste, rotating beacons and much more.

A professional pet sitting and dog walking company will be with you every step of the way. They make sure all your questions are answered and you feel comfortable leaving your pets in their care.

Professional pet sitters go the extra mile to ensure their sitters have everything they need to do a great job. Professional pet sitting and dog walking companies also have a variety of procedures and standards designed to provide a consistent service and make your pet's safety their top priority.

A professional pet care business will have:

• A training program for their sitters
• Written procedures for visits in place
• medication logs
• emergency measures
• First Aid Training
• Knowledge of animal behavior
• A membership with a professional pet care organization
• Visit checklists for each visit
• An online system for scheduling appointments
• GPS logs from each visit
• Regular updates and picture messages from your happy pets
• A relationship with local veterinarians and local rescue workers
• Pet Sitter Insurance and Liability

It is more common these days for pet sitters to have specific pet sitter and dog walker certification. These are available fromNAPPS,PS, or our sister company,PetSitterCourse.com

You can readmore about pet sitting certifications here.Check out this article on PetSitterCourse.com if you want to learn more about itHow much is pet sitting and dog walking?

Along with the expense of providing a first class home and pet sitting service, businesses will charge more as their sitters have more years of experience.

Some companies pay their employees a fair wage, some don't. Companies that charge more often pass more on to their sitters. A company that pays its sitters and walkers well will prevent employee turnover and provide more continuity for you and your pets.

Professional pet care businesses hire either employees or independent contractors to build their team.

Companies that hire employees typically charge a few dollars more to cover the costs and benefits they offer their employees. But companies with employees usually provide better service because they are able to train their employees to follow standard processes.

Independent contractors, on the other hand, cost the company less, so you may find a cheaper professional service. However, independent contractors may perform work tasks in any way they see fit.

Most professional pet sitters advertise online. You can find these businesses by searching Google for pet sitters, dog sitters, cat sitters, or dog walkers in your area.

Look for businesses that show up in local results, have been around for a few years, and have some good reviews. See our article7 tips to find a good pet sitterfor more informations.

The costs for the daily dog ​​and cat care are approximately:

• $23 to $28 per 15 minute visit
• $27 to $31 per 30 minute visit
• $32 to $37 per 45 minute visit
• $37 to $45 per 60 minute visit

Hiring a pet sitter for dogs costs $85 to $90 per day on the low end. This would be for three 30 minute visits per day. If you hire a dog sitter and plan on 4 visits a day, you're looking at $110-$125 a day.

At the low end, hiring a cat sitter costs $27 to $31 per day if you schedule a 30-minute visit each day. If you are hiring a cat sitter and planning longer visits or 2 visits daily, you are looking at $54-$62 per day.

If you would like more information on how many pet sitting visits can be booked per day for a dog or cat, read these articles:

• Best length of pet care for cats
• Best length of pet sitting for dogs
• When can my pet sitter come for my cat or dog?

Some companies offer a 10 or 12 hour overnight service. The night service usually begins between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. and ends at 7:00 a.m. The night shift should include an evening and a morning walk. Lunchtime visits can be added to overnight services at the price of a lunchtime visit. Most pets do not require night duty, but some pets with isolation stress or medical issues will benefit from night duty.

10-12 hour overnight stays can range from $50 to $85.

The reason for the wide disparity in room rates is that companies that hire employees may have to pay their sitters at least minimum wage while the sitters sleep.

There are many different types of hobby pet sitters. This group includes sitters who provide services at your home or at the sitter's home pet care facility. Usually, hobby sitters work for a little extra income.

Hobby pet sitters are generally the kid next door, veterinarian, groomer, platform or app-based sitter like those advertising Rover or Care.com, someone in your church, or a member of a neighborhood group. You can find these sitters by asking around or checking an app-based pet sitting site.

For a professional pet sitter, expect to pay between $23-$28 per 15 minute visit and between $35-$47 per 45-60 minute visit.

You will typically pay for a hobby sitter around 60-70% of what you would pay for an on-site professional service.This equates to about $14-$19 per 15 minute drop-in visit and $21-$32 per 45-60 minute visit.

If your hobby sitter offers overnight stays, expect to pay between $65 and $75, plus the cost of a lunchtime stroll.

You may find a hobby sitter who charges a very low price for their services.I've heard as low as $30 a dayfor three lunchtime visits and an overnight stay!At these prices, no one can run a business or make a living, let alone a family.If you look at the hourly time spent, it's almost $2 an hour. Paying someone such a low amount for so much service is exploitation. If you pay a hobby sitter a very small amount, your relationship probably won't last long.

The sitters will either realize they are worth more or they will burn out from working 7 days a week for such a low wage and lacking the resources to grow their business.Please do not take advantage of new hobby sitters.For most home sitters, this is the first step in the business. Some will not value themselves highly enough to recover their time, expenses, and opportunity costs. So if they ask a small amount, keep this economy going and help them out with a big tip!

Don't expect your hobby sitter to be available all the time, especially in the short term. Be sure to coordinate with them before booking flights or hotels.

Keep in mind that hobby sitters generally do not purchase insurance.If so, you might be on the alert if something happens to your home, your dog, or the sitter while you're away.

While there are some real bargains to be found with hobby sitters, the service is not very regulated.I've seen vets bring clients' dogs to college parties, and I've heard of sitters throwing parties at clients' homes. You can end up with a mess on your hands if you're unlucky enough to go to a less-than-reputable sitter. So I recommend finding a sitter that you really trust and getting some references before you give them the keys to your house.

Hobby sitters usually offer pet sitting for extra money. It can be easy for a hobby sitter to freak out at the last minute.I've brought a number of clients who panicked and looked for a babysitter a day or two before they left town. Hobby sitters are usually a one-man team. So if they don't make it to your visits, you and your pets could be out of luck.

There are certainly great hobby sitters out there. Just make sure you get references and have a backup handy if needed.You may have found a great one, but we get at least one call each month where a hobby sitter has an idea and can't make it to your visits. The worst is when you're already out of town.Having non-team sitters can save you some money, but you run the risk of your pets not being insured.

If you have reliable friends, asking them to look after your pets can be a great way to save some money. Hiring friends to take care of your pets is most likely the cheapest option for you.

If your friends have pets of their own, they might even offer to look after your pets for free if you return the favor the next time they're out of town.

If you decide to pay your friends for pet mounting,Fair compensation is 40-50% of what you would pay for a professional service.For example, a short 15 minute visit would cost around $9 to $14 per visit. If your pets need longer visits, e.g. B. 45-60 minute visits, you should pay between $13 and $18.50 per visit. If you are not sure how long your pets' visits last, you can read these articles: this article forcats, and this article forDogs.

Remember that asking a friend to look after your pets is a great favor, especially if you have a dog.

In addition to caring for your pets, your friend is most likely juggling a full-time job, family demands, and all of life's other pressures.Dropping by once or twice a day can become a major annoyance to your friends.

Your friends might get tired of stopping by if you leave town often. If that's the case, you might want to consider renting oneProfessional animal care.

If you are looking for the best quality and most reliable type of service, be sure to contact a professional company.

If you're okay with the uncertainty of hiring a pet sitter, you may be able to save some money on pet sitting and put that money towards your vacations.

A trusted friend or neighbor can really save the bank account, but it can strain a relationship if you can't return the favor next time.

Remember, if you're reviewing a professional pet sitting company or hobby sitter and they don't seem up to scratch, you can keep looking. Professional pet sitting companies should provide excellent service and communication. You should expect to get regular updates from your sitter, and maybe some picture messages too. A hobby sitter may not have any experience or commitment to you, but they will charge a little less.

Hope this article was helpful to you. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below! Thanks!