Pet Sitters, Pet Sitting Services and Dog Walkers Locations Locator Map and Directory

A pet sitter is a business or person who takes care of a pet or other animal where the pet resides.

Seperate from pet sitting services are dog walking services where the service will walk your dog often while the pet owner is at work.

Professional dog walkers, both individuals and businesses, are paid by dog owners to walk their dogs for them, and some walk many dogs at once. In some jurisdictions dog walking businesses must be licensed and have animal first-aid-trained employees.

The professional pet-sitting industry is growing due to the advantages to using pet sitters, rather than traditional pet care options.

Some of the reasons pet owners use pet sitting services include:

* Possible reduced stress on pets because pets are cared for in their own homes
* No "travel trauma" to pets because they do not need to be transported anywhere
* Exposure to illnesses and parasites of other animals is minimized
* Required vaccinations are often less restrictive then those necessary at a kennel
* Pets stay on their regular routines and do not need to adapt to a new environment
* Not having to deal with neighbors, friends or family members feeling that they are inconvenienced.


Professional pet sitters are often licensed, and insured for liability including care, custody, and control of the pets in their care. Many pet sitters are also bonded or insured for theft. Pet sitters usually have training, such as pet first aid certification, animal husbandry classes, or pet sitting accreditation. A number of professional organizations exist to help pet sitters improve their services.
In many areas, no special occupational license is required for pet sitters. The term "licensed" is often used by pet sitting professionals to refer to licenses to do business, kennel licenses, and/or animal transportation permits available within the coverage area of the business. These licenses may or may not be required, depending on the location. Licenses are not available in all areas.