How to Find a Pet Sitter You can Trust

How to Find a Pet Sitter: What You Need to Know

Knowing how to find a pet sitter you can trust is essential when leaving your dog or cat in someone else’s care. The right pet sitter can help your pet remain safe, comfortable and settled while you’re working or away.

In-home pet sitting, dog walking and home-based daycare have become popular alternatives to boarding kennels and busy daycare facilities. They can be particularly beneficial for anxious, reactive, senior or rescue pets that cope better with familiar people, surroundings and routines.

Benefits of Using a Pet Sitter

One of the biggest benefits of in-home pet sitting is that your pet can remain in a familiar environment where they feel safe and comfortable.

Their bed, toys, feeding schedule and usual walking routes can all remain relatively consistent. This familiarity may help reduce the stress associated with moving into an unfamiliar environment.

A pet sitter may be a good option for:

• Anxious or reactive pets
• Rescue dogs still building confidence
• Senior pets
• Pets with established routines
• Multi-pet households
• Dogs that find busy environments overwhelming
• Pets requiring individual care or medication

In-home pet sitting can be particularly suitable for dogs that prefer minimal changes to their environment and become stressed around unfamiliar animals or places.

Pet Sitting Versus Boarding Kennels and Doggy Daycare

There isn’t one care option that will suit every pet. Some confident, social dogs may enjoy a well-managed doggy daycare or kennel boarding facility, while others will be more comfortable receiving individual care.

Sydney-based pet sitter Bianca, from Barking with Bianca, explains that “even when owners are at work, an in-home carer or dog walker can allow a dog to follow a familiar routine, visit their usual walking areas and enjoy individual attention.

“Busy daycare environments may be overstimulating for anxious or reactive dogs. Before choosing a service, consider whether your pet genuinely enjoys being around groups of unfamiliar dogs or merely tolerates it.”

Ask yourself:

• Does my pet cope well in unfamiliar environments?
• Do they enjoy being around other animals?
• Are they anxious, reactive or easily overwhelmed?
• Do they require medication or individual monitoring?
• Would they be happier remaining in their own home?
• How much human company do they need during the day and overnight?

If you’re considering a boarding facility, read our tips on preparing your dog for a boarding kennel HERE.

How to Find a Pet Sitter You Can Trust

A pet sitter may be caring for a beloved member of your family and, in some cases, staying inside your home. It’s important to do more than simply choose the closest or cheapest person available.

Ask for Recommendations

Your veterinarian, dog trainer, groomer, friends and other pet owners may be able to recommend an experienced local sitter.

You can also use a reputable pet-sitting platform to compare profiles, experience, reviews and available services. Regardless of where you find the sitter, complete your own checks and arrange an in-person meet and greet before confirming the booking.

Check Their Experience and References

Ask about the sitter’s experience with your type of pet, including their age, breed, size, behaviour and medical needs.

Check:

• References and recent testimonials
• Relevant qualifications or training
• Pet first aid knowledge
• Insurance and business details
• Experience administering medication
• Experience with anxious or reactive animals
• Their emergency procedures
• Whether they have reliable transport

If your dog has a history of reactivity, resource guarding, separation anxiety or escape behaviour, disclose this before the booking. A sitter can only make safe decisions when they have accurate information.

Ask How Many Pets They Will Be Caring For

Find out whether your sitter will be caring exclusively for your pet or managing several animals at the same time.

Ask how long they will spend with your pet each day, whether they will stay overnight and how long your pet may be left alone.

If your dog is staying in the sitter’s home, ask:

• How many other dogs will be present?
• Will dogs from different households be mixed?
• How are unfamiliar dogs introduced?
• Are dogs separated during feeding and rest?
• Are pets ever left together unsupervised?
• Is the property securely fenced?
• Where will your pet sleep?
• Who else lives in or visits the home?

The answers should suit your pet’s individual needs – not simply the sitter’s regular routine.

Always Arrange a Pet Sitter Meet and Greet

A proper meet and greet is one of the most important steps when finding a pet sitter. It allows you to assess how the sitter interacts with your pet and whether everyone feels comfortable with the arrangement.

It also gives you time to discuss routines, expectations and emergency plans.

Avoid rushing the meeting or leaving it until the day before your trip. Arrange it early enough to meet another sitter if the first person isn’t the right fit.

Meet Everyone in the Household

If your pet will stay in the sitter’s home, try to meet everyone who lives there, along with any resident pets.

Your dog needs to be comfortable with the entire household – not just the primary sitter. You should also inspect the areas where your pet will eat, sleep, play and toilet.

Check fences, gates and doors carefully, particularly if your dog can jump, climb, dig or squeeze through small gaps.

Observe How the Sitter Interacts With Your Pet

Give the sitter an opportunity to interact with your pet while you remain nearby.

They might offer treats, attach the lead or engage in a gentle activity your pet normally enjoys. However, your pet should never be forced into being held, picked up or touched if they appear uncomfortable.

Look for someone who:

• Approaches your pet calmly
• Reads and respects their body language
• Doesn’t force interaction
• Uses reward-based handling
• Listens carefully to your instructions
• Asks detailed questions about your pet

Information to Give Your Pet Sitter

Your sitter needs clear and complete information about your pet’s health, behaviour and daily routine.

Provide written details covering:

• Feeding instructions
• Exercise requirements
• Medication and health conditions
• Behavioural triggers
• Toilet routine
• Sleeping arrangements
• Where leads, food and other supplies are stored
• Microchip and identification information
• Your regular veterinarian
• A local emergency veterinary clinic
• Your travel and contact details
• A trusted emergency contact
• Authority and instructions for emergency veterinary treatment

Tell the sitter about anything that could affect safety, including reactivity, resource guarding, escape attempts, food allergies, difficulty being handled or fear of storms.

If your pet has a complex medical condition, ask your veterinary clinic what documentation or authorisation the sitter may need in an emergency.

Agree on Communication and Home Access

Before the booking, agree on how often the sitter will send updates, photographs or videos.

Security cameras may provide additional reassurance in your own home, but their presence and location should always be clearly disclosed to the sitter. Cameras should never be placed in private areas.

Also discuss:

• How keys will be exchanged and returned
• Whether anyone else will access the home
• Security and alarm procedures
• Whether the sitter may have visitors
• What happens if the sitter becomes ill
• What happens if your return is delayed
• Who will provide backup care in an emergency

Put important agreements in writing so both parties understand what has been arranged.

Common Mistakes When Finding a Pet Sitter

Skipping or Rushing the Meet and Greet

A quick exchange of keys isn’t enough. Allow time to discuss your pet’s needs, observe the interaction and inspect the sitter’s property if your pet will stay there.

Withholding Important Behaviour Information

Don’t minimise anxiety, aggression, reactivity or escape behaviour because you’re worried the sitter may decline the booking. Honest information protects your pet, the sitter and other animals.

Forgetting Emergency Instructions

Your sitter should know which vet to contact, who can make decisions if you’re unreachable and what authority they have to approve treatment.

Failing to Meet Other Household Members and Pets

If your pet is being cared for in someone else’s home, they should meet the other people and animals they are likely to encounter, wherever practical.

Feeling Obliged to Say Yes

A meet and greet should be obligation-free. If the chemistry doesn’t feel right or your expectations don’t align, it’s okay to thank the sitter and continue looking.

Could You Become a Pet Sitter?

For people who love animals, pet sitting can be rewarding and may provide flexible work or additional income. It can also give a resident dog some company – but only if both dogs are genuinely compatible.

As Bianca explains, helping pets and owners feel calm and supported can be incredibly fulfilling. However, caring for someone else’s pet is a serious responsibility.

Before offering pet-sitting services, consider:

• Your animal-handling experience
• Pet first aid training
• Appropriate insurance
• Council, rental or strata requirements
• Secure fencing and home safety
• Emergency and backup care plans
• Whether your own pets enjoy unfamiliar animals
• How many animals you can safely manage

You may be able to find clients through a reputable pet-sitting platform, your local community or recommendations. However, clear policies, proper screening and a meet and greet should form part of every booking.

Frequently Asked Questions on How to Find a Pet Sitter

How to find a pet sitter I can trust near me?

Ask your vet, dog trainer, groomer, friends or other local pet owners for recommendations. You can also search a reputable pet-sitting platform or established local pet-care business. Check references, reviews, experience and insurance before arranging a meet and greet.

Is a pet sitter better than a boarding kennel?

A pet sitter may be better for animals that become stressed by unfamiliar environments, disrupted routines or other pets. However, confident and social animals may enjoy a reputable boarding facility. The right choice depends on your pet’s temperament, health and individual needs.

How far in advance should I find a pet sitter?

Begin looking as early as possible, particularly before school holidays and other busy travel periods. This gives you time to check references, arrange a proper meet and greet and find another option if the first sitter isn’t suitable.

What questions should I ask a pet sitter?

Ask about their experience, references, insurance, availability and emergency procedures. Confirm how many pets they care for at once, how long your pet will be left alone, where they will sleep and how often you will receive updates.

Should a pet sitter stay overnight?

This depends on your pet’s needs and the service you book. Pets with separation anxiety, medical conditions or a strong need for human company may benefit from overnight care.

Confirm what “overnight” means, as some sitters may leave early in the morning or be away for significant periods during the day.

Should I use cameras while a pet sitter is in my home?

Security cameras may provide reassurance, but you must tell the sitter about them and explain where they are located. Never place cameras in bathrooms, bedrooms being used by the sitter or other private areas.

What should I leave for my pet sitter?

Leave written feeding, medication and care instructions, along with your vet’s details, an emergency contact and adequate food and supplies.

Include information about your pet’s routine, behaviour, triggers and any circumstances in which veterinary attention should be sought.

What are the warning signs of an unsuitable pet sitter?

Warning signs can include avoiding a meet and greet, refusing to provide references, asking few questions about your pet, using punishment-based handling, taking on more animals than they can safely manage or being vague about supervision and emergency procedures.

How can I prepare an anxious dog for a pet sitter?

Arrange more than one meeting where possible and allow the sitter to build trust gradually. Keep your dog’s routine consistent, provide familiar bedding and give the sitter clear information about their triggers and calming strategies.

Seek professional advice if your dog experiences severe anxiety or reactivity.

 

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About the Author: Lara Shannon is a certified dog behaviourist and trainer, pet food nutrition specialist, Executive Producer and Host of Pooches at Play on Channel 10 and editor of Poochesatplay.com. Lara also runs her own dog training business in Melbourne’s Bayside area and is the Author of World of Dogs and Eat, Play, Love Your Dog