How To Start Pet Sitting As A Side Hustle In 2024

Do you pride yourself on being great at dealing with animals?

Then, you might earn a second income doing what you love – spending time with pets.

Turn your love for animals into a stress-free side hustle through pet sitting and supplement your main income in the gig economy.

In this article, we will be discussing everything you need to know about pet sitting as a side hustle.

An Overview of Pet Sitting: A Primer

Pet sitting is among the best side hustles to take up if you’re an animal lover. Similar to house sitting or babysitting, a pet sitter looks after pets when the owners are away at work or out of town.

They need to know how to care for pets, which could include walking, bathing, preparing their food, and making sure all their unique needs are met.

Clients may also ask for specific qualities such as knowing pet first aid or having experience with their dog breed. Though not always mandatory, these can help your pet sitting business be more successful.

How Much Can Pet Sitting Earn You?

Pet sitters are paid per hour or per day, depending on what they negotiate with the owner.

According to the BLS, the average salary of a pet sitter in the US is around $15 per hour. The pay can range from as low as $6-7 per hour up to $21 per hour, depending on the client and the requirements. For instance, if the pet has special health needs, such as medical treatments you’d need to administer, you can charge more.

Being an experienced dog or cat caregiver will make you more likely to be on the higher end of the scale.

On the other hand, students, retirees, and part-time workers may have to settle for a lower salary before working their way up by accumulating experience.

Since pet ownership has been on the rise in recent years, there is a strong potential for a pet sitting business to thrive in almost any area.

How Much Does it Cost to Start a Pet Sitting Side Hustle?

If you’re looking to find side hustles locally, it doesn’t cost anything to get started with pet sitting. You can tap into your community and get your business off the ground through friends and family.

But, if you’re looking to start a pet sitting business or animal daycare as a side hustle, it may cost you a significant amount.

There will be expenses to register your business, market it, get a website and license, and have liability insurance. These costs could accumulate to $500 or above. You may also be interested in completing a pet first aid course to establish further trust with prospects. This may cost you anything from $100 to $200.

Where Can You Find Pet Sitting Gigs?

There are two main ways to find these types of gigs:

Where to Independently Find Pet Sitting Gigs

The traditional way of landing a pet sitting gig is through references from your friends, family members, or neighbors.

You can also put up flyers in your locality to find jobs and make pet parents aware that you’re available to take care of their furry friend. Or, take your efforts online and use social media to reach more pet owners in your area.

This way, you can slowly build a pet sitting business in your area and begin to market your services independently.

Gig Economy Companies That Offer Pet Sitting Gigs

With the massive availability of online platforms connecting people, there are multiple platforms that you should get registered on to increase your chances of getting hired. Here are some of the best sites to find pet sitting jobs:

• Sittercity: Hosts all types of sitting gigs, but you can search for pet-sitting exclusively.
• Wag: If you want to work with dogs, Wag is the best place to find these gigs and build your pet sitting business.
• Rover: Though you’ll find more dog walking opportunities on Rover, there are also plenty of sitting gigs to browse through. But it’s a great place to gain some experience if you want to start a dog walking business.

Why You Should Consider Pet Sitting As a Side Hustle

A pet sitting service in any of its forms can be a very enriching experience. If you’ve ever had dogs or another pet, you’ll be at an advantage since you’ll know exactly how to get through to them.

If you’re interested in pet sitting, here are some of the reasons why you should take it up:

• Stress-free work: Spending time with pets, especially if they’re well-behaved, can be a fun experience, which doesn’t even feel like work.
• Easy to get started: If you have any experience in working with animals, you can get started with ease. Having a first aid course under your belt will be an added bonus, which is also easy to complete.
• Long hours not needed: If your main responsibility is dog walking, you’ll only spend 30 minutes to an hour with the pets, which allows you to easily fit it into your schedule as a great second job.

Problems With Pet Sitting

Like every side hustle, there are some problems with starting a pet sitting business. Here are some of the ones you should know before taking it up:

• Low pay: The salary for entry-level pet sitters can be very low, and makes it a difficult side hustle to maintain.
• Misbehaving pets and clients: Ill-behaved pets can be a nightmare to deal with. Difficult clients can also make this gig more frustrating at times.
• Risk of injury: If you’re unable to bond with the pet, you may be at risk of being scratched or bitten if the animal turns hostile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is Pet Sitting Important?

A pet sitting business allows an owner the freedom to leave their house while knowing their dogs, cats, or other pets are taken care of. This business is usually contracted when owners go on vacation, but some pets may need care even for a few hours due to their age or medical needs.

What Instructions Do Pet Owners Leave Pet Sitters?

A pet owner may leave instructions such as meal plans, activity schedule, medications, and instructions on how to bond or play with their pets. They may also mention a specific dog walking route or special considerations, depending on the pet’s behavior or needs.