A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Pet Sitting Business

• Obtain any necessary permits for running a pet sitting business and get business liability insurance for your new venture.
• Market your new business with a website and social media channels. To spread the word even more, distribute business cards and flyers.
• Meet with potential clients and their pets ahead of time to make sure that you're a good fit.
• Keep your business in top shape by staying organized and planning ahead. If your business grows enough, hire new employees to help manage the workload.

Planning Your Business

Decide what types of pets you will sit and where to provide the services. The majority of pet sitting businesses focus on dogs and cats, and this is where the majority of your revenue will come from. Decide if you will pet sit out of your home, at the homes of your clients, or both. Keep in mind that as a pet sitter you will have irregular hours that include nights and weekends. Consider if you will offer to stay at the homes of clients, or just visit at scheduled hours to take care of their pets. Your clients may also want other basic services, such as bringing in the mail and watering plants at their homes while they are out of town. You must really love and care about animals if you want to be a successful pet sitter. It is not a business to start just for the money. You will be responsible for taking care of animals that some people consider as their children, so treat the responsibility with care!

Check licensing requirements in your area and get any necessary permits. Contact your local business licensing offices and inquire about necessary business licenses and permits for a pet sitting business in your area. Complete all the required paperwork and pay the fees to make your business legal. You can do a quick online search to find local business licensing offices and their contact info. Start by searching for your local Chamber of Commerce; they usually take care of many business licensing needs. If you want to offer boarding services for pets at your home, the amount of paperwork you need to complete will be higher. You can enlist the help of a business attorney to assist you with all the legal parts of creating a business.

Buy the correct type of business liability insurance. You’ll definitely want to have liability insurance for yourself, and insurance in case anything happens to animals while they are in your care. Look for an insurance that covers animals’ medical costs if an accident happens, or repair costs if a clients’ home gets damaged in some way due to an incident. Search online or in a phonebook to find an insurance company that offers liability and bonding insurance for pet sitters in your area.

Decide what payment methods you will accept and create a payment structure. You will need to choose if you will charge by the hour, by day, or by job. Prices will vary based on the type of animal, the number of pets you sit, and the amount of time you have to spend with them. Also factor in the amount of time you will spend commuting to your clients’ homes. Check out the pricing structures of other pet sitting businesses in your area to get an idea of normal rates and pricing structures.

Get all the necessary equipment to get started. You will need a reliable car or another form of transportation if you plan on visiting the homes of clients. Buy things like extra leashes, toys, emergency medical supplies, extra food, and treats if you will be boarding animals at your home. Clients will usually provide you with everything you need, along with instructions, to care for their pets. However, it is a good idea to have backup supplies just in case the leash breaks, or the food runs out.

Name your business. Choose something unique that describes your business. Pick a name that will be easily memorable, but avoid cliche names like “Pampered Pets” because there are already tons of pet-related businesses with names like that. You also want a unique name that will stand out from other businesses online when people search for your company. Do a quick Internet search once you choose a name to make sure it is not already taken for another business, and see if you will be able to use it for a website URL and social media handles.

Marketing Your Business

Create a basic website that lists your services, rates, and contact info. There are lots of free or inexpensive website building and hosting sites that offer simple site templates. Choose a template, add all the info about your business, and customize it with some images to get started. It’s important to have a professional-looking website for a pet sitting business so that potential clients trust that it is a legitimate and reliable business.

Create a presence on the most popular social media channels. Create pages for your pet sitting business and try to keep the handles and URLs the same so that your Internet presence is consistent and easy to find. Use these pages to share photos and information about your services. You can also use social media to look for potential clients by following pet-related pages or groups and interacting with other followers and members.

Make business cards and flyers. Business cards and flyers are a must to advertise your business offline. Design some flyers that advertise your services and rates and some business cards with your contact info to keep with you at all times. Make sure to use high-quality paper and printing services when you print out your flyers and business cards to make your business look credible.

Network with vets, pet groomers, and pet shops in your area. Ask around at other pet-related businesses to see if they will let you leave flyers and cards to advertise your services. Try to make friends with business owners so that they will help you spread the word about your pet sitting business. You can also try advertising in local newspapers or publications, as well as online classifieds.

Create client contracts that state services, prices, and other agreements. Find a sample client contract online or create your own before you actually get any clients. Both you and your clients will sign the contract before starting your pet sitting services. Client contracts are important so that both parties know what to expect. The contract is what you will both refer to in the event of any disagreement. You can enlist the help of an attorney who specializes in business contracts if you are not comfortable creating the contract on your own.

Hold interviews with potential clients and their pets. It’s important to meet both the owners and their pets before you agree to a job to make sure that it is a good fit. You will be caring for someone’s dearly loved animals, so they need to feel comfortable and have confidence in you as well. Make a list of relevant questions that will help you care for their pet to ask during the meet-and-greet. Ask the pet owner what their pet's typical schedule is so you know when they're used to getting fed, walked, and so on. Follow that schedule to create consistency and reduce anxiety for the pet. Also, find out which veterinarian the pet sees and if they're taking any medications or have any medical conditions, allergies, or special needs. Inquire about the owner's preferences in terms of things like giving treats and going to dog parks or other places. Find out what they and their pet prefer and are comfortable with. Keep a list of past and potential clients and stay in touch with them. You could consider sending out a monthly newsletter, or something as simple as a birthday card for their pet to help you build loyal clients.

Running Your Business

Stay organized and keep up with all the administrative work. This is the least exciting part of running your new pet sitting business, but it’s important to stay on top of scheduling and bookkeeping. As you grow your business, you will need to dedicate more time to this. Consider setting up a home office dedicated to your business. Keep an organized filing system and all of your paperwork where you will be able to easily keep track of it. Create a detailed schedule to plan out all your pet sitting. Don’t forget to set aside time for the administrative staff. You can use a paper planner, calendar software, or apps. Use whatever suits your personal style best and helps you stay most organized.

Be reliable and prepared with backup plans. Make sure you always show up for your scheduled pet sitting duties on time, and that you have a stand-in person available if you cannot make it for some reason. Always check with clients before you make any changes to scheduled services. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to grow your pet sitting business. When clients trust you and are happy with your services, they are much more likely to recommend you to friends or family.

Hire employees when your schedule is too full to take on more clients. Keep growing your business once you have a full schedule of pet sitting gigs. Find other animal lovers who can work at least part-time and contract out pet sitting jobs to them. Make sure to hold thorough interviews with potential employees to verify that they have sufficient experience caring for animals and will be reliable employees. Anyone you hire is another face representing your business. It’s important that they can all perform the job duties and meet the high standards of service that got your business this far!