Pet Sitter Costs

You’ve made up your mind and want to find a pet sitter to look after your petwhile you’re away? That’s a very good idea. Pet sitting has become increasingly popular in the past years and for good reasons: it has many benefits both for the pet owners and their furry companions. Now the question is, how much does it cost? Keep reading to have the answer.

A pet sitter... for free!

Using a pet sitter does not necessarily mean going through a specialised company. By definition, a pet sitter is a person who looks after your pet. Therefore, you can always first consider asking help from a member of your family, a friend or even a neighbour. In most cases, this will not cost you a penny!

In case you have found a pet sitter in your social circles, it is very important that you go over all the details of what is required, even if your friend or family member knows your pet very well:knowing your pet is not enough to actually take over the care for it.

Make sure that it is clear how often your pet should be fed and how much, how often your dog goes for a walk and of course do not forget to mention any medications he is taking and how to properly administer them.

Our complete pet sitter guide will provide more information about this and any other pet sitter essentials.

Find your pet sitter through an online pet sitting service

The increased popularity of this service has helped dozens of dedicated companies flourish all over the Internet. No matter how appealing an offer seems to be, never rush and book the first one that matches your search. Take some time to talk with your potential dog sitter. The more you’ll know the person and the more you’ll feel comfortable trusting him/her to look after your pet.

Holidog, the leading pet sitter service in Australia, offers you this guarantee of trust through the many pet sitter available in your area. More information can be found in our article detailing how pet sitting works. Once the ideal pet sitter has been found, several parameters must be taken into account to determine the price of the service.

How much does it cost?

So you’ve found the perfect person. What next? Work out the cost. They will depend on the service in itself (at your home or at the dog sitter’s home?) and the length of service. If the person comes to your home, you’re looking at a rate of about 11 dollars per day. Keep in mind that you’ll also have to pay for the dog sitter’s travel costs.

Prices differ

Prices are generally higher in urban areas compared to more rural areas. And even between cities, prices can vary significantly. For dogs, the breed and the size can have a big impact on rates. Large dogs that require long walks can cost you about 20 dollars a day. Smaller animals, like rabbits, are often a lot cheaper while big animals that require a lot of care, such as horses, can cost you up to 200 dollars per day!

Other things you should know

You are not supposed to pay for the person’s food. However, your pet’s food is definitely yours to cover. If the pet sitter has to buy more food, you will have to reimburse him/her. The same goes for an emergency visit to the vet. Before booking, please make sure that the person is aware of this too and ask him/her to keep all receipts.

Boarding with a host family will cost you about the same, though you will not have to deal with any travel expenses for the pet sitter. Prices are generally regressive: the more pets you board, the cheaper per pet it gets.

Beware of very low prices. If the price seems to good to be true, it’s probably because it’s a scam. Look for people who have lots of positive reviews. An experienced person is better if your dog requires special care or tends to be difficult to handle. If your pet is going to stay with the pet sitter, make sure that you visit the house beforehand to make sure it is suitable.