How Much Do Pet Sitters Make?

According to Salary.com, pet sitters earn an average salary of $16 per hour (i.e., $33,260 per year or $2,772 per month). 1 However, these figures may be not accurately reflect a typical pet sitter’s earnings.

For example, a survey conducted by Pet Sitters International found that US pet sitters earned an average gross revenue of $68,699 per year in 2021. The table below give a breakdown of their average earnings according to the extent of pet sitting services provided.

Average Pet Sitting Fees in the United States

Source: Pet Sitters International’s 2022 State of the Industry Survey.

One big reason for this discrepancy in average pet sitter wages is how pet sitters charge for their services—many charge a flat fee rather than an hourly fee. This makes it tricky to estimate the average pet sitter’s hourly salary. On top of that, pet sitting earnings can vary according to the type of pet being cared for.

Dog sitter vs. cat sitter salary

The average salary of a dog sitter is roughly $16 an hour, with higher earnings for extra services like dog walking. 2 Cat sitter earnings aren’t much different, typically ranging from $14.50 to $17.30 per hour. 3

While dogs and cats may be the first pets to come to mind at the mention of a pet sitting side hustle, professional pet sitters often care for a variety of pets, including small animals (like hamsters, rats, or guinea pigs), birds, fish, reptiles, or even livestock or horses.

Different types of pets have different needs, which can lead to variation in pet sitting rates. For example, exotic pets may require special care when it comes to feeding or temperature control.

Pet owners have different methods of paying pet sitters, depending on the type of care required. There are three payment structures that are most common:

• Hourly: Pet sitting services can be charged hourly, but an hourly rate often isn’t a practical option for either the pet sitter or owner. This is most common for short visits that extend beyond a simple check-in but don’t involve staying overnight.
• Per visit: Many pet sitters charge a daily or per-visit rate, where a flat fee covers each trip.
• Overnight: Some pet sitters offer overnight stays, providing in-home pet sitting or house sitting on top of their standard pet sitting services.

Regardless of the payment model used, pet sitters and owners typically decide on the payment amount or rate in advance, tailoring it to the number of pets, type of pet, extent of services required, and even the amount of travel time involved for the pet sitter. Doing so helps to manage expectations for both parties.

Not all pet sitters charge the same rates, and even one individual sitter’s earnings can fluctuate depending on a few key factors. Understanding the variables that’ll affect your salary will help you make the most possible money from a pet sitting side hustle.

Location

You’ll earn more as a pet sitter if you’re located in an urban area as opposed to a rural area. The same is true if you live in an area with a higher cost of living—although the flip side is that your pet sitting expenses may also be higher.

As a pet sitter, you’ll get more business if you live in an area where residents frequently go on long trips or vacations. This may be more common in higher-income areas and cities where major businesses are located.

Highest Paying Cities for Pet Sitters

Source: Indeed.

Qualifications and experience

As a pet sitter, you’re responsible for the well-being and safety of your clients’ beloved nonhuman family members. This makes pet sitting more delicate work than many other jobs or side hustles, and it means potential clients will pay particularly close attention to your background and qualifications when deciding whether to hire you and how much to pay you.

If you’re a pro pet sitter with a certification related to animal care or solid references from pet owners you’ve worked with in the past, you’ll be able to charge higher rates than if you were a hobby pet sitter with little or no professional experience. Even animal-related work experience like volunteering at an animal shelter or assisting a veterinarian can do wonders for your earning potential.

That’s not to say that pet sitting is a wash for someone with no experience—it’s a side hustle with a low barrier to entry, and although certifications and references are nice to have, they’re not strict necessities.

Types of pet sitting services offered

You may be able to earn more as a pet sitter if you provide care for pets with special care needs, watch multiple pets at the same time, provide additional services such as house sitting or dog walking or training, or accommodate special requests from pet owners.

A good example is the difference in rates you can charge for puppy sitting vs. adult dog sitting. Puppies require extra attention and maybe even cleanup or training. You can expect to earn less if you only offer basic pet sitting services.

Use of third-party apps and websites

If you’re doing pet sitting as a casual side gig or you’re just getting your feet wet in the industry, you may choose to sign up for pet-sitting apps or websites that can help you connect with pet owners in your area. This can affect your income from pet sitting in a couple of key ways.

On the plus side, it’s easier to find clients, and there’s less work involved in terms of handling scheduling and payments. If you’re short on contacts, this can mean more business and greater earnings.

However, most pet sitting platforms charge some sort of commission or subscription fee for using their services. This can eat into your profits, and it means you may earn less than you would if you advertised your services on your own and sought out your own pet sitting clients.

Getting into pet sitting is pretty easy, but if you want to reach the highest earning bracket, you’ll need to take a few steps to make yourself stand out:

• Get an animal care certification: Getting a pet care certification from a program like the NAPPS Certification Course, a pet behavioral training course, or a first aid certification course is a great way to build trust among clients and command higher rates.
• Network with animal care workers: Associating with veterinarians and pet stores is a great way to expand your client base and get more business. You can even try getting affiliated with a pet care provider.
• Build an online presence: Use social media and create a professional website to better advertise your pet sitting services and expand your reach. This will also allow you to collect reviews and testimonials for easy reference when a potential client is looking you up.
• Get referrals from pet owners: In care-related fields like pet sitting, positive recommendations go a long way in taking your business to the next level. As long as you’re consistent and reliable, your clients will usually be happy to recommend you to other pet owners through word-of-mouth referrals.
• Expand your pet sitting business: If your client list is growing, you can bring in more money by expanding your pet care business and hiring staff to help you out. You’ll have more expenses but also a higher income.

Pet sitting is a great way to make a living, especially if you’re a pet lover who enjoys spending time with animals. Whether you’re getting into pet sitting as a side hustle or embarking on a full-blown career, knowing what income you can expect and what variables can impact your earnings will ensure the work is worthwhile and fulfilling.