You work hard.
Between the time and effort you spend walking, feeding, and cleaning up after pets, not to mention traveling to and from gigs and balancing your schedule, you do a lot!
Pet sitting may be fun and rewarding, but it’s also a job, and you deserve to get paid for it.
Understanding how to set your pet sitter rates is an essential part of running your business. You need to consider the market you operate in, overhead costs, your experience level, and the services you offer.
If you’re not sure where to start, you’re not alone. But don’t worry, we’re here to help with this comprehensive breakdown that’ll guide you through everything you need to know about setting your pet sitting prices.
How Much Pet Sitters Make
According to ZipRecruiter, the US average annual salary for pet sitting is around $33,000. But remember — this isn’t a typical 9-to-5 career.
Pet sitters work with multiple clients on a daily basis, traveling between homes and managing a variety of tasks at each job. This allows you to work as much or as little as you want, so you can turn pet sitting into a part- or full-time job, depending on your goals and financial needs.
As you weigh your options, consider these factors that influence your take-home pay:
- Rates: The most obvious thing that determines your income is how much you charge for pet sitting. This depends on several factors we’ll discuss more below.
- Number of jobs: Time and demand strongly influence how many jobs you get.
- Availability: Many pet sitting gigs require you to work weekends, holidays, and evenings. It may limit your income if you can’t schedule jobs during these times.
- Services offered: The more services and options you have, the more money you can make as a pet sitter.
- Location: Pricing for pet sitting depends on where you live and work. Demand, cost of living, and population all influence the average pet sitting rates in your area.
It’s also important to understand how your time and efforts translate to pay. Let’s say you charge $30 per 30-minute drop-in to care for a client’s dog and cat. The customer requests that you visit three times per day for three days. That means you’re working 4.5 hours over three days and earning $270.
That’s just one job and one client. If you only have time for one booking, that’s great money for a side gig! On the other hand, if you pick up three or four clients with a similar arrangement, you could earn over $1,000 per week with a relatively small time commitment.
Keep in mind that just because it’s possible to earn this much, it’s not always reliable. While the summer months and holidays tend to come with a higher demand for pet sitters, things usually slow down from August to October and January to March. If pet sitting is your main source of income, make sure to account for this dip in bookings.
Consider All the Factors
Every business is different, so it’s important to think about what factors influence your pricing.
“Pet sitting” can mean many things to care providers and pet parents. There is a wide range of services you could offer as a pet sitter, including:
- Drop-ins (15-,30-, and 60-minute visits)
- Overnight stays
- Dog walking
- In-home boarding
- Providing pooper scooper services
Each of these requires different levels of care, time, and effort that will impact your prices.
Every pet has different needs. Some may only require a quick visit for a potty break and a water refill, while others need long walks, supervised feeding, and snuggles. The amount of time you spend caring for your client’s pets directly impacts how much you should charge.
For instance, if you’re just dropping into a customer’s home to give their adult Chow Chow a quick potty break, you may only be there for 15 minutes. On the other hand, you could need a full hour for a six-month-old German Shepherd dog that requires exercise, snuggles, and a couple of trips outside.
Overnight pet sitting and in-home boarding involve an even larger time commitment and constant care, which means you should charge a higher premium.
While cats and dogs are the most common animals that need care when their owners are away, they’re far from the only ones you could encounter. Here are some of some of the “exotic” pets your clients might own:
- Birds (parrots, cockatiels, parakeets, etc.)
- Rodents (mice, rats, guinea pigs, etc.)
- Rabbits
- Chinchillas
- Ferrets
- Snakes (venomous and non-venomous)
- Reptiles (bearded dragons, iguanas, geckos)
- Turtles and tortoises
- Fish (freshwater and saltwater)
- Amphibians (frogs and toads)
Each of these creatures requires specialized care, and not all pet sitters are qualified to provide it. If you have the knowledge and experience to handle these animals, you may find a niche market for your services, and you should set your pet sitting prices accordingly.
Regardless of the species, you should also consider the size of the pets. A 5-lb. Yorkie might be easier to manage than a 140-lb. Newfoundland, depending on their training and your experience. The same goes for a small corn snake versus a giant Reticulated python.
Many care providers charge higher pet sitting rates for larger breeds.
Over a third of pet owners have more than one pet in their household. That means many of your clients will have multiple pets of various types and sizes.
Many pet sitters charge extra for more pets, though usually not the full price. Depending on what kind of pets you care for, you may want to determine pricing for multi-pet clients on a case-by-case basis.
For example, if a client has one dog, one cat, and two guinea pigs, you won’t necessarily need to address all of the animals every time you drop in. But, if your customer has three poodles, that’s a different story.
Just like people, pets often have special needs that require extra care, skill, or attention. If you’re willing and able to take on these clients, your pet sitting rates should include an extra fee for the higher level of care.
Some of the most common special pet needs include:
- Medication administration: If you’ve ever tried to coax a cat into taking a pill, you know it’s no easy task. You may be asked to give medications, food additives, and even injections.
- Senior pet care: Caring for a senior pet can be as simple as giving them a few extra minutes to go potty, or as involved as assisting them with eating and walking.
- Dietary restrictions: Many pets have allergies or specific nutritional needs that require a watchful eye at feeding time. Some pets even require you to handle live food, like feeder mice and crickets.
- Behavioral issues: Anxiety, depression, and destructive behavior are all common in pets, especially when their owners are away. You may also deal with reactive or aggressive animals. These pets require caregivers to have experience, patience, and empathy.
- Chronic health issues: Pets with chronic illnesses — such as arthritis, diabetes, and cancer — often need round-the-clock care and supervision. These bookings require a much higher level of responsibility.
Travel comes with the job when you’re a pet care provider since most gigs involve visiting the client’s home or transporting pets. This means you’re taking on additional costs and risks. Many pet sitters choose to limit their service area to reduce these expenses and save time.
If you do accept clients who live more than 10 minutes away, consider adding on a few dollars per visit to make up for extra costs like fuel and wear-and-tear on your vehicle.
Every business has overhead expenses, and you need to factor these into your pet sitter prices to ensure you make a profit. Consider the following operating costs when creating your budget:
- Taxes: If you operate as a sole proprietor, you are responsible for calculating and paying your self-employment taxes quarterly.
- Insurance: Pet sitter insurance protects you from paying out of pocket if a claim arises on the job. While this is an added cost, things like legal fees and vet bills are even more expensive.
- Business software: When you’re juggling multiple clients, bookings, and payments, software like TimeToPet can help you stay organized, but you will need to pay a subscription fee.
- Travel: In addition to fuel and vehicle upkeep, you need to protect your business with pet taxi insurance if you transport pets as part of your services.
- Utilities: If you house pets in your own home, utilities like electricity, gas, and water become business expenses. Plus, you need to carry pet boarders coverage to safeguard yourself and the pets in your care.
- Supplies: If you bring your own pooper scooper or provide food, treats, leashes, harnesses, or any other pet supplies, factor these into your costs.
While essential, these expenses can pile up quickly, cutting into your take-home pay. Always assess your business costs against your pet sitter rates to make sure you’re earning a profit.
Check Out the Competition
Before you determine your pet sitting rates per day, it’s important to evaluate what your competitors are doing. This is the best way to ensure you don’t undercharge or outprice yourself in the local market. You can also compare your own services and qualifications with other pet sitters to get a sense of where you land.
One of the easiest ways to get a snapshot of your local pet sitting market is to check out pet care apps. Even if you don’t use these services to book jobs, you can search your area to determine a starting price range. Try comparing a few different apps — like Rover and Wag — to collect as much data as possible.
Another great place to read up on your competition is social media. Join community and neighborhood Facebook groups where other pet sitters advertise. Gather a list of their prices to figure out the local averages.
If a competitor shares a business page or website, take some time to explore their price list, services, reviews, and any other information they share. This is all useful data for developing your own business plan.
With a list of pet sitter rates for your area, you’ll have a great idea of how to price your own services. You can compare your skills, experience, and specialties against your competitors to help you come up with a fair and reasonable price structure for your business.
How to Price Your Pet Sitting Services
So what’s the going rate for house-sitting with pets? The short answer: it depends.
Helpful, right? But we know you need to start somewhere, so we gathered data on the average pet sitting rates for dogs, cats, and exotic pets.
Dog Sitting Rates
Always set clear expectations for what services you can provide during your scheduled time. Dogs typically need three to four visits a day for potty breaks, plus two feedings and exercise.
| Service Type | Average Rates |
|---|---|
| 15-Minute Drop-In | $15-$25 per visit |
| 30-Minute Drop-In | $20-$35 per visit |
| 1-Hour Drop-In | $30-$50 per visit |
| Overnight | $60-$100 per visit |
| Extended (24 hours or Longer) | $80-$150 per day |
| In-Home Boarding | $45-$75 per day |
Cat Sitting Rates
Cats usually require fewer visits and less work for pet sitters. Most cat sitters drop in once or twice a day to refill food and water dishes, empty litter boxes, and play.
| Service Type | Average Rates |
|---|---|
| 15- to 30-Minute Drop-In | $15-$25 per visit |
| Overnight | $50-$100 per visit |
| Extended (24 hours or Longer) | $70-$150 per day |
| In-Home Boarding | $25-$50 per day |
To get a better idea of what might be involved or extra services you could offer to boost your rates, check out our tips for cat sitting.
Exotic Pet Sitting Rates
Care requirements vary widely for exotic pets, so it’s important to get in-depth instructions from the pet parent before your booking. Most small animals only require you to stop in once or twice a week rather than daily, but it depends on the pet.
| Type of Pet | Average Rate Per Drop-In Visit | Overnight Pet Sitting Rates | In-Home Boarding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birds | $20–$35 per visit | $50–$100 per night | $20–$50 per night |
| Reptiles | $20–$40 per visit | $50–$100 per night | $25–$50 per night |
| Small Mammals | $15–$30 per visit | $40–$80 per night | $20–$40 per night |
| Fish | $15–$25 per visit | $40–$80 per night | N/A |
| Amphibians | $20–$35 per visit | $40–$90 per night | $20–$40 per night |
| Ferrets | $20–$35 per visit | $50–$100 per night | $25–$50 per night |
| Arachnids and Insects | $15–$25 per visit | $40–$80 per night | $15–$30 per night |
Other Pet Sitter Price Considerations
As you finalize your price list, consider how the factors we discussed above might influence your rates. If you care for large breeds, travel further than usual, or work with special-needs pets, adjust your prices accordingly.
On the other hand, there are circumstances where you may want to offer deals. For instance, if a client wants to hire you to care for their pets for two weeks, consider charging a flat rate for the entire time rather than charging per visit or night. This saves the customer money and helps you avoid complex record-keeping.
It can also be beneficial to offer loyalty discounts to repeat and long-term clients. These jobs tend to be easier since you’re familiar with the pets, plus it encourages them to keep coming back.
When you have clients with multi-pet households, most care providers don’t charge their full fee for each additional pet. Since travel and the time spent on the job are about the same, just add an extra $5 or $10 to your fee for each pet after the first. You can also base this figure on the type of pet. After all, a gerbil won’t take nearly as much work as a Great Dane.
Share Your Pet Sitter Prices With Clients
Now that you know your rates, don’t keep them a secret! Communication is key when it comes to your prices. This sets realistic expectations with your customers so they know exactly how much they’ll need to pay for pet sitting, saving everybody lots of time and frustration.
Your price list doesn’t have to be fancy, it just needs to contain all of your services (including add-ons) and how much each cost. Include package deals and flat-rate services, too. Sites like Canva offer price list templates if you want to give your menu a polished touch.
Share your price list on your business website so customers can access it anytime. Add a condensed version to the back of your business cards and print out a stack to hand out whenever potential clients ask.
When to Raise Your Pet Sitting Rates
An important part of running a successful business is evaluating your prices regularly — typically every 6 months. This helps ensure it’s still profitable. There are several reasons why you might need to increase your rates, including:
- More experience
- Earned certifications
- Increased demand
- Inflation
- Competitor price increases
Take a look at how much you’re earning versus your overhead costs. If your profit margins are shrinking, it’s time to increase your prices. Repeat the same process you used to establish your rates the first time, examining your competition and the many factors that impact your business expenses.
If and when you need to raise your pet sitting rates, tact and transparency are vital. Start spreading the word at least 6 to 8 weeks before it goes into effect. Post the coming changes on your website, social media, and booking apps. When you schedule jobs, let the pet parents know about the increase so they can plan for the future.
Clients will likely have questions and concerns, so be honest about why your prices are going up. As long as the increase is reasonable and you have clear explanations, most people won’t mind. Thank them for their understanding and express your gratitude for their business.
Pet Sitting Rates for a Successful Business
You offer a vital service to your clients by caring for their pets when they can’t, and you deserve to be fairly compensated for it. While it might require a little leg work, it’s worth the time it takes to research your market and create a price list that serves you and your customers. With this guide, you’re well on your way to earning what you’re worth.
