How to Start a Pet Sitting Business in 6 Easy Steps

Passionate about pets? Learn how to turn your love of animals into a profitable business with our 6-step guide to starting a pet sitting business.

It’s no secret that people love their pets. Seven out of 10 American households consider pets a part of their family. While many of these pets would be happy if their humans never left their sight (looking at you, dogs), most of us have jobs, travel, and social obligations that keep us from our loved ones. Pulls away from friends. Enter: pet sitters.

The number of pet sitting businesses, and the pet care industry as a whole, has exploded in recent years. If you have been exploring the idea of starting a pet sitting service, now is the time. Whether you’re interested in starting a dog walking service or spending the night at pet parents’ homes, here’s how pet sitting services work and how to get started.

How to Start a Pet Sitting Business in 6 Steps

Becoming a professional pet sitter involves many of the same steps as starting any other small business venture. These include choosing a business name, conducting market research on potential customers, choosing the right business structure, obtaining relevant business licenses or permits, and setting long-term goals. Here’s an overview of what to expect.

Pet Sitting Business in 6 Steps

01.Planning and Preparation

Before legally setting up your own pet sitting business, it is wise to research the existing pet sitting services in your area. Many local pet stores have bulletin boards where pet sitters advertise their services. A web search can also reveal your local competition.

It helps to find out what other pet sitters charge before settling on your prices. Some may post their rates on their website, while others may share them if you ask. Local pet owners may also be willing to share what they have paid pet sitters in the past.

With a better sense of your local competition, you can build your niche. Think about the type of pet owners you want to target. Perhaps you want to focus specifically on dogs, whether that means a dog sitting business, a dog boarding business, a dog walking business, or an all-in-one service. Perhaps you should target exotic pets if you find this market unsafe.

02.Choose a legal structure for your business

When you’re ready to legally set up your pet sitting business, choose a legal structure. Shopify’s Getting Started Guide can help. You can also consult a small business attorney for guidance.

Sole Proprietorship: The simplest business structure is a sole proprietorship, which is considered a legal extension of its owners. This means that as a sole proprietor, your business assets are equal to your personal assets, which is not ideal if your business is ever sued or if you take out business debt.
LLC: Many small business owners are drawn to the relatively simple limited liability company (LLC) structure because of the significant advantage of separating personal and business assets. If you legally organize as an LLC, your pet sitting business needs a business bank account that keeps personal and business assets separate. You are responsible for accounting and year-end financial statements to the IRS and your company’s shareholders or co-owners (if you have any). Shopify can help you with business accounting by allowing you to track sales and manage inventory, refunds and returns.
Corporation: A corporation is a business structure owned by a group of shareholders. A corporation’s cash and assets are separate from its shareholders, just like in an LLC. They also limit the personal legal liability of their shareholders in the event of a lawsuit or bankruptcy. Corporations are taxed at a special corporate rate, which is different from the personal tax rate that individual shareholders pay on their income.

03.Get insurance and licenses.

After setting up your business, see if you need a business license or sales tax certificate to operate in your state or territory. You may also need to carry insurance, such as workers’ compensation insurance if you have employees, general liability insurance, and pet sitting business insurance. (Note that you can sometimes get a discount on pet sitting insurance if you complete a pet first aid class. The American Red Cross offers a 35-minute online course covering the basics. .)

Some pet sitters choose to burnish their resume with certification from a trade industry group such as Pet Sitters International (PSI). Although not required by law, these certificates provide a level of professionalism to pet owners who will trust your care and judgment with their beloved furry companions. PSI also offers pet first aid and disaster planning courses.

04.Start building your business.

Once your business is established, you can begin developing your business plan.

The first step for many people is setting up a website and social media presence. A great website allows customers to discover your business online and learn about what you have to offer. Shopify offers an integrated platform for building e-commerce-focused websites, which has worked well for pet business startups like Supakit and Little Chonk—while selling related products like pet food, grooming, and more. It makes it possible to diversify your pet sitting business income with products, or brand merchandise.

Being active on social media platforms keeps you on top with your client base. Then, create a schedule and booking system. It can be public to help users see your availability and reserve a time, or it can be in the back for your eyes only to keep track of your commitments. You can use free tools like Google Calendar or paid products with more functionality.

Finally, if you feel you need more help, assemble a team of pets to work under your supervision. Whether they’re full-time employees or occasional independent contractors, they’ll represent you and your brand whenever they interact with pet owners and their furry companions. Recruit reliable people and train them well.

05.Market your business.

With your pet sitting business, it’s time to get the word out to pet owners in your area. This is where marketing and advertising come in. You can try the following strategies:

Create flyers and business cards. Put up flyers at dog parks and pet stores and hand out business cards to potential customers. You can create these materials yourself or have them created professionally.
Use online directories and review sites. List your pet sitting business on platforms popular with pet owners. Check local directories like Google Maps, sites like Yelp, and try industry directories like Pet Sitters International.
Build relationships with local veterinarians and pet stores. Your best contacts will likely come from local businesses in additional areas of pet care. Pet food stores, pet care companies, and pet health practitioners (including licensed veterinarians) can be your best referral sources.
Offer promotions and discounts to attract new clients. Depending on your budget and business expenses, you may want to offer discounts to win new clients or do buy-one-get-one-free deals. Ideally, these discounts get you gigs, allow you to build a relationship with the pet, and lead the pet owner to ask you back for more sessions at your regular rate.

To manage client relationships, you can stay in touch by issuing regular email newsletters with updates about your pet business. If your client roster is small, you can check in with personal emails and referral requests. When you’re at a pet-sitting gig, pet owners expect you to check in regularly with updates on their furry friend.

06.Ongoing management of your business

Once your pet sitting business is up and running, focus on maintaining a high standard to secure new business contracts. Stay up-to-date on your accounting and tax reporting responsibilities as well as industry trends. Pet ownership and expectations have changed significantly over time, along with the increase in pet insurance options and overall spending on pets. It is important to stay up to date on trends as industry regulations can change.

Frequently Asked Questions About Starting a Pet Sitting Business

What qualifications do I need to start a pet sitting business?
It is possible to start a pet sitting business without specific training. However, you can improve your profile by taking pet sitting courses or getting certified by a trade group like Pet Sitters International. Although pet owners may not impose physical and medical requirements, it helps to be in good physical condition, especially if you are caring for unruly pets or large dogs.

How do pet sitters get clients?
Pet sitters can get clients through word of mouth, putting up flyers, or handing out business cards. They can also register on pet sitting marketplaces like Pet Sitters International or Rover. One effective tactic is to network with other pet care professionals—not necessarily other pet sitters, but veterinarians, groomers, and pet store owners. These professionals may need reliable referrals for their pet-owning clients.

How do I deal with pet-sitting emergencies?
If your pet-sitter experiences a medical emergency, do not call 911, which is only for human problems. Contact your local veterinarian or animal emergency clinic. If these are not options, try calling the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-855-764-7661.

How can I grow my pet sitting business?
It is useful to list your services on several online marketplaces and directories. If you’re already on Rover, try listing your business on Yelp or Google Maps. Sites like Neighborhood Listings or NextDoor can connect you with nearby pet owners. You can also offer discounts to help first-time customers. Finally, you can ask your existing clients to refer you to their friends and family. Personal referrals are often the lifeblood of the service industry, and pet sitting is no exception.