How to Start a Pet-Sitting Business

Pet sitting businesses offer pet owners a variety of animal care services, including exercising their pets while they are at work. They also provide an affordable alternative to boarding pets at a kennel during vacations or business trips. Being able to remain in their own home environment can reduce separation anxiety for both pets and their owners.

You may also be interested in additional side hustle ideas.

Learn how to start your own Pet-Sitting Business and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services.

Start a pet-sitting business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Pet-Sitting Business
  2. Form your Pet-Sitting Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Pet-Sitting Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Pet-Sitting Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Pet-Sitting Business
  7. Get Pet-Sitting Business Insurance
  8. Define your Pet-Sitting Business Brand
  9. Create your Pet-Sitting Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your pet-sitting business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Pet-sitting Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state's business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability.

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your pet-sitting business?

Business Name Generator

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

Most pet sitting businesses can be run from home, which means it costs less to start this type of business than many others. You won’t need much more than a decent computer, some professional software, a flexible schedule and a love of animals. If you want to work beyond your own neighborhood, you’ll also need an insured and fully fueled vehicle. Industry experts also recommend that you purchase general liability insurance designed specifically for pet sitters, which is relatively inexpensive, ranging from $200 to $300 per year.

What are the ongoing expenses for a pet-sitting business?

Ongoing expenses for this type of business include:

  • Business license and insurance
  • Computer, business software and website maintenance
  • Advertising costs such as business cards, etc.
  • If there are employees, add federal and state taxes, bonding, and Workers Compensation costs

Who is the target market?

Preferred customers are those who care about their pets and want to provide them with superior quality care.

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. Some services are priced by the hour, while others are priced by the service. For example, a pet sitter may charge a set rate for weekend care, but charge additional fees for services such as grooming or specific training.

How much can you charge customers?

Prices for services are usually set using the following criteria:

  • The type, size and number of animals
  • The number of hours and types of services requested
  • Physical and medical requirements of the animals
  • Demographics and local pricing comparisons

A simple hour-long walk in the local neighborhood may cost $15-$20. An hour-long trip to a dog park requiring intensive socialization supervision may cost $20 to $30, depending on the local economy. Owners usually charge set prices for services such as bathing and grooming. a two-hour trip to a dog park three-hour trip to a dog park

Day-sitting costs an average of $37 per day with a range of $25-$50. Overnight boarding may cost between $50 and $75 per night.

How much profit can a pet-sitting business make?

Those who work for larger pet sitting businesses report earning between $30,000 up to $45,000 per year. Independent pet sitting business owners with no employees report earning as much as $57,000 annually.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Getting just one new client can translate into a substantial increase in earnings throughout the course of a year. Placing business cards at local pet stores can help spread the word about your services. You can also be your own best form of advertising. Wearing your love of animals on your sleeve in the form of a t-shirt, jacket, or hat with your business name and logo while you’re out in the community caring for pets is a great way to attract other pet owners. You can also ask current clients for recommendations directly. Satisfied customers like rewarding business owners with new business. Offering coupons, discounts and other incentives for new customers on your website can also be highly effective. A combination of these strategies is likely to have you turning away business or looking for a partner to expand before long.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your pet-sitting business is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services. You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

  • Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
  • Build your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a pet sitting business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

For more information about local licenses and permits:

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Services Contract

Pet sitting businesses should require clients to sign a services agreement before starting a new project. This agreement should outline exactly what your service offers, pricing, payment options, cancellation policies, damages, number of visits per day, veterinary situations etc.  Here is an example service agreement.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional service agreement for your pet sitting business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Pet-Sitting Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Pet-Sitting Business.

FInd out what types of insurance your Pet-Sitting Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Pet-Sitting Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended: Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a pet-sitting business

One of the most common promotional tools for this kind of business are fliers containing your company name, contact information, your website address, and a description of the services you provide. The fliers are usually placed on cars and with local businesses, such as pet stores. Once you have gotten your first customer, quality service will help you build and maintain a good business reputation through word of mouth.

How to keep customers coming back

The internet can help you attract new customers, as well as provide space for testimonials from satisfied former and current customers. Posting an ad on Craigslist is one way to introduce your new business to the local community. Creating and maintaining a business website that lists all of the services you provide as well as your competitive prices is essential.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

This is a great business for animal lovers who enjoy walking and staying active. It’s ideal for people who prefer lower stress levels, since spending time with pets has been shown to reduce stress. Those who are compassionate and responsible, yet prefer to work alone and be their own bosses as well as make their own schedules thrive in this type of business.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a pet-sitting business?

Pet sitting business owners participate in a wide variety of activities, including:

  • Animal-proofing various environments to ensure the health and safety of pets
  • Reviewing and following pet owners’ instructions
  • Entering information about clients and their pets into a database for future reference
  • Feeding, watering, exercising, training, and socializing pets
  • Administering prescribed medications
  • Pet Bathing/Grooming
  • Veterinary appointments
  • Home security responsibilities
  • House and yard care
  • Pricing services, billing, advertising and accounting

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful pet-sitting business?

Communication skills are essential in this type of business, both for negotiating contracts with customers and for advertising your business. There is amazing software available designed specifically for this business that can help with database creation, scheduling, inventory and invoicing. In addition to a few basic business skills, there are a number of personal characteristics that are also essential. Those characteristics include trustworthiness, flexibility, patience, consistency and reliability. Pet owners have strong emotional attachments to their pets, so developing the degree of trust necessary for them to invite you into their homes to care for them is the key to success in this business.

What is the growth potential for a pet-sitting business?

Some pet sitting businesses, such as Rover.com, are nationwide and offer employment opportunities to thousands of semi-independent contractors.

Not sure if a pet-sitting business is right for you? Try our free Business Idea Generator and find your perfect idea.

TRUiC's YouTube Channel

For fun informative videos about starting a business visit the TRUiC YouTube Channel or subscribe to view later.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

How and when to build a team

Any independent contractor in this business needs a backup team from the beginning, even if it’s just one reliable family member. No matter how conscientious, everyone is subject to an occasional illness or an emergency situation. Your customers need to know their pets will be cared for according to the dates and times they’ve arranged with you. Many pet sitters form cooperative relationships with other professionals for just these sort of unavoidable circumstances as well as educational opportunities.

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