How to Start a Pet-Sitting Business

Starting a pet sitting business can be an exciting and rewarding venture for entrepreneurs who are passionate about caring for animals and providing pet owners with reliable, stress-free services.

Not only does pet sitting offer the opportunity to work independently, it also doesn’t require very much upfront investment nor significant skills or experience.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through all the essential steps you’ll need to take to start your own pet sitting business, from conducting market research and licensing to setting up operations and attracting customers.

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Industry Overview

The pet sitting industry has been experiencing rapid growth that’s projected to continue for the foreseeable future. In 2023, the global pet sitting market was valued at USD 2.38 billion, and it’s expected to grow at an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.73% between 2024 and 2030.

This growth is fueled by several factors, including higher spending on pets, the increased popularity of having a pet, and the expansion of pet service offerings beyond traditional pet sitting.

As more pet owners treat their animals like family members, they are increasingly seeking personalized and stress-free care options, making in-home pet sitting services far more popular.

Startup Costs

If you’re considering whether a pet sitting business is right for you, the first thing you’ll need to know is whether it’s a) affordable, and b) worth the investment. I mean, how much can you actually make running your own pet sitting business?

Well, it depends. The initial investment for a pet sitting business varies widely but will generally be made up of the following three main costs:

• Marketing and advertising will likely be one of the larger initial expenses for your pet sitting business. Depending on the scale of your efforts, you can expect to spend anywhere from $200 to $1,000 — which could be used to cover the cost of online ads, social media promotion, printed materials like business cards or flyers, and even branded clothing to wear while walking dogs. However, if you want to establish a professional online presence (e.g., a website and logo), this will further increase costs.
• Licensing, permits, and insurance are crucial expenses to consider when launching a pet sitting business. In order to obtain all the required permits and coverage, you’ll generally need between $200 and $800. For example, a local business license may cost between $50 and $500, while general liability insurance tailored for pet sitters can cost between $200 to $300 annually. These are just two examples you’ll likely need to obtain — depending on your services and location, you may need to budget for others as well.
• Employee wages are another important startup cost to consider if you plan to outsource any labor. Hourly wages for pet sitters typically range from $15 to $20 per hour, depending on your location, though you’ll also need to budget for other employee-related costs (e.g., federal and state employer taxes and workers’ compensation insurance) on top of this. These additional expenses can add up quickly, so it’s important to ensure that your pricing structure covers the cost of labor while still allowing room for profit.

There are very few ongoing costs associated with running a pet sitting business. In fact, most of your initial costs (e.g., marketing, permit renewals, and employee wages) will also form a large part of your ongoing ones.

Outside of those listed above, another significant ongoing cost worth mentioning is the expense associated with maintaining a car or truck that you use for work. However, this will typically only apply if you decide to expand your services beyond your local area or offer collection/drop-off services.

Earning Potential

One of the biggest advantages of starting a pet sitting business is its relatively low startup cost. Since most pet sitters operate from home, they don’t have any need for a physical storefront — which significantly reduces overheads.

As the owner of a pet sitting business, you’ll be able to generate revenue by charging pet owners for a range of services, such as dog walking, overnight care, grooming, and even specialized training.

The prices you can charge for these services are highly variable, but will typically depend on:

• The type, size, and number of animals
• The number of hours and services required
• Special needs, such as medical/physical care or difficult pets
• The local economy and market pricing

For example, a simple hour-long dog walk in a neighborhood may cost $15 to $20, while a more intensive trip to a dog park, where socialization is required, can range from $20 to $30 per hour.

By contrast, day-sitting services usually average around $37 per day, though rates can vary from $25 to $50 depending on your location. If you offer overnight boarding, you can expect to be able to increase the rate you charge to between $50 and $75 per night.

The income potential of your pet sitting business will be largely dependent on its size and the services it offers. To increase profitability, one of the most effective things you can do is to outsource and delegate tasks (see Step 4) so that you can take on more work.

With strategic pricing and effective marketing, a pet sitting business can be both a rewarding and lucrative endeavor, offering the potential for steady growth over time.

7 Steps to Starting a Pet Sitting Business

In order to start a pet sitting business, you’ll need to complete the following steps:

1. Planning Your Pet Sitting Business
2. Registering Your Business
3. Setting Up Your Taxes
4. Building Your Team (If Applicable)
5. Obtaining all Necessary Equipment
6. Getting all Applicable Licenses and Permits
7. Obtaining Business Insurance

We’ve broken each one of these down in more detail below.

Still exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

Step 1: Plan Your Pet Sitting Business

Before diving into your pet sitting business, you’ll need to spend some time conducting thorough market research.

This can involve analyzing the local market to understand the demand for pet sitting services, identifying potential competitors, and assessing the target demographic.

This will help you evaluate the financial viability of your project — including projected revenues and expenses — as well as determine the best location for your business.

Finding a Suitable Name

Choosing the right business name is both important and challenging.

Your name will need to be eye-catching, memorable, and (at least somewhat) related to your industry.

If you don’t already have a name in mind and need help, you can visit our How to Name a Business guide or use our Pet Sitting Business Name Generator tool.

If you do have a name in mind, we recommend researching the following to confirm it’s available:

• Your state’s business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms

You will also need to make sure that your business’s name is available as a domain — this is your website’s URL address.

Note: If you’re planning to operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name — known as a “Doing Business As” (DBA) name. Keep in mind that this is not recommended for a pet sitting business.

Develop a Marketing Strategy

In order to grow your pet sitting business’s customer base, it’s important to invest in effective marketing.

Since most pet sitting businesses that are just starting out tend to be on the smaller side, it’s a good idea to focus on more affordable, grassroots marketing strategies such as:

• Word-of-Mouth Referrals: Encouraging happy clients to spread the word with referral discounts — or free services for each new client they refer — is an effective yet affordable way to quickly build a loyal customer base.
• Online Reviews: By registering for local platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and Nextdoor, you can begin to collect and display positive reviews in these directories for all the world to see. This not only makes it far easier for local pet owners to find your business, but it builds credibility too.
• Flyers and Business Cards: You can advertise your business using flyers and business cards relatively cheaply and effectively, especially if you target local pet-related businesses (e.g., vet clinics, pet stores, dog parks, and grooming salons) and small community bulletin boards.

However, if you’ve got a little more capital to spend, you can think about investing in some of the following (more costly) marketing strategies:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): After you’ve created a business website, improving its SEO is a powerful way of ensuring it ranks higher on search engines when people search for specific terms or look for pet sitters in your area.
• Targeted Digital Ads: If you have the money to invest, ads on platforms like Google or Facebook can be very effective as they allow you to reach a highly specific audience based on location, demographics, and interests.
• Paid Social Media Campaigns: Using paid ad campaigns on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook is another powerful strategy, as it allows you to take advantage of highly captivating visual content to advertise your business to huge audiences.

Don’t worry if you’re not able to invest in more expensive digital marketing methods at first as these will always be available to you later down the line after your business has grown a little bit.

Step 2: Register Your Business

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your pet sitting business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation.

While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs — especially when it comes to pet sitting businesses (with potential liabilities and debt).

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your pet sitting business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

Step 3: Set Up Your Taxes

The next step you’ll need to take is to register your business for taxes. To this, you’ll need to obtain an  Employer Identification Number (EIN), which you can think of as your business’s Social Security Number.

If you form your LLC through a specialized LLC formation service, this will likely be already handled for you in exchange for a small additional fee.

Even so, it’s important to make sure that you fully understand your business’s tax obligations; since these can depend on your location, it’s a bit difficult to accurately break down exactly which taxes you’ll be subject to.

Nevertheless, most businesses will typically be subject to income tax, sales tax, and employment taxes at the federal level.

Pet sitting businesses in particular will also likely be faced with payroll taxes (if they have employees) as well as some form of commercial motor vehicle tax within their state. Depending on your location, your business may also be required to pay local city or county taxes.

Due to the complex nature of business taxes, we always advise our readers to seek the help of a professional accountant or business attorney for this step.

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Step 4: Build Your Team (If Applicable)

When starting a pet sitting business, one of the key decisions you’ll need to make is whether to run it all by yourself or hire employees or contractors to help manage the workload.

While running the business solo allows you to maintain full control over your operations and keep more of the profits, it can also be demanding — especially as your client base grows.

On the other hand, outsourcing some of the work can help you expand and offer more services, though it involves additional responsibilities like managing staff, payroll, and taxes.

Ultimately, the choice between these two options will depend on your unique situation. If you have a small number of clients, a manageable schedule, and prefer to personally oversee every aspect of the business, operating solo will likely be the best fit for you.

However, if you’re aiming for rapid growth, taking on more clients, or offering a wide range of services, bringing in some extra help would be advisable to avoid burnout and ensure you can keep up with demand.

Step 5: Obtain All Required Equipment

In order to run your pet sitting business there are certain crucial supplies that you’re going to need — regardless of whether you’re starting out as a solo sitter or you have a small team.

We recommend all new pet sitting business owners investing in the following essential items:

• A reliable computer
• Poop bags
• Cleaning supplies (e.g., disinfectants, pet-safe cleaning sprays)
• Spare leashes
• Collapsible water bowls
• A selection of animal treats

These items are all affordable and easy to pick up from your local pet store, and what’s more, they’re all you really need to get started. Remember that there’s no need to go overboard with these supplies — at this point you should be focused on getting the basics to keep you afloat.

However, if you plan to serve more clients or offer additional services (e.g., bathing or grooming), you may need some extra items in addition to these basics. This could include:

• Grooming supplies (e.g., brushes, pet-friendly shampoo, nail clippers, and hair dryers)
• A First Aid Kit
• Pet carriers
• Playpens or portable fencing
• Dog training equipment (e.g., clickers, training treats, treat pouches, and harnesses)
• Pet beds or blankets
• Feeding and medication dispensers
• Pet waste disposal system

Similarly, many larger pet sitting businesses decide to invest in business management software to help streamline their operations as they can more easily book appointments, schedule them, and manage the contact information of a larger clientbase.

Another important consideration for larger pet sitting businesses is whether to invest in company transport as this would enable you to operate outside of your local area as well as offer pick-up and drop-off services.

As you grow your business and gain experience, you’ll quickly find out what additional supplies you need and which ones you can leave at home. By starting with the essentials, you’ll be well-prepared to offer professional, high-quality care while keeping your costs manageable in the early stages of your business.

Step 6: Secure All Necessary Permits and Licenses

To be able to operate your pet sitting business legally, there are a number of different licenses and permits you may be required to obtain.

Seller’s Permit

A Seller’s Permit — which goes by many different names depending on the state — is a crucial requirement for any pet sitting business since it’s mandatory for the selling of almost any good or service.

This permit is necessary to be able to collect sales tax from your customers and then remit it to the tax authority in your state. Operating without this permit not only prevents you from being able to lawfully do this, but can also lead to penalties and fines for non-compliance.

You can learn more about how sales tax will affect your business in our Sales Tax for Small Businesses guide.

Business Operation Licenses

At a state level, your business may be required to obtain a business license in order to operate — though this will depend on your location.

This process generally involves submitting an application, paying a fee, and meeting specific state requirements. However, some states also require you to demonstrate good moral character or provide proof of insurance as part of the licensing process.

Home Occupation Permit

If you plan to run your pet sitting business from home, you’ll likely also need to obtain a Home Occupation Permit. This essentially just confirms that your business activities comply with local zoning laws and that your residential area can legally accommodate a business.

For a pet sitting business, this permit is particularly important because it will involve having animals on-site — which may raise concerns about noise, traffic, and safety. A home occupation permit helps to ensure that your business won’t disrupt your neighborhood or violate local ordinances.

Step 7: Get Business Insurance

In addition to securing the necessary permits and licenses, you will need to obtain the right business insurance.

Note

Even if you form an LLC, purchasing business insurance is still a good idea. This is because an LLC structure protects your personal assets, not your business’s.

While specific coverage needs may vary based on factors such as location, size, and unique risks, there are several key types of insurance that most pet sitting businesses should consider.

We’ve briefly outlined these below.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance is a foundational coverage that’s essential for pet sitting businesses because it protects against claims of bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury that may occur as you’re offering your services.

An example of this might be if a client’s dog gets overly excited while you’re looking after it and knocks over an expensive vase. General liability insurance would cover the costs in the event that the client claims your business is at fault for the broken vase.

The average cost for general liability insurance according to recent data is between $25 and $50 per month, or up to $600 annually, though costs can vary based on your business’s specific needs and risks.

Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance

Another policy worth investing in for a pet sitting business owner is E&O insurance, which covers claims related to professional mistakes or negligence.

In particular, this could cover situations where a client claims that you failed to properly care for their pet, such as where the animal has fallen ill or suffered an injury under your care — in these cases, professional liability insurance can help cover legal defense costs and settlements.

Pet Care Insurance

Many businesses opt for pet care insurance instead of the two separate policies above as it’s tailored specifically for those working within this industry.

This coverage combines general liability and professional liability while also including protections against risks that are unique to this field, such as accidental injury, illness, or death of a pet in your care.

Many pet sitting businesses opt for this specialized insurance as it provides broader protection, including incidents that may not be fully covered by standard general liability insurance.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

If your pet sitting business will have employees, workers’ compensation insurance is likely going to be a legal requirement depending on your state. 

This insurance policy provides coverage for medical expenses and lost wages to employees who are injured during work.

The average cost of workers’ compensation insurance ranges between $40 and $90 per month, but this can vary based on factors such as payroll, location, and (once again) your business’s specific risk profile.

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How to Start a Pet Sitting Business FAQs

What are the costs involved in opening a pet-sitting business?

The costs of starting a pet sitting business are relatively low, especially if you operate from home.

You can typically obtain all the pet care supplies, insurance, and required permits for around $1000 — though your total startup cost may be higher if you plan to use a company vehicle or hire employees.

Who is the target market?

The target market for a pet sitting business consists of pet owners who prioritize the well-being of their pets and are willing to pay for high-quality care. These clients value trustworthiness, reliability, and personalized attention for their pets while they are away.

How does a pet-sitting business make money?

A pet sitting business makes money by charging pet owners for a variety of pet care services — these can either be priced by the hour or for the performance of the service.

For example, a pet sitter may charge a set rate for weekend care, but separate additional fees may be charged for services such as grooming or specific training.

How can you make your business more profitable?

To boost profitability, focus on gaining new clients through word-of-mouth, local advertising, and offering referral incentives.

Some cheap yet effective ways to do this include wearing branded clothing while out in the community, as well as providing promotions, discounts, and loyalty programs to attract new customers and encourage repeat business.