How Much Does a Pet Sitter Make in 2024? Job Facts & FAQs

Pet Sitters in the United States do not make tons of money. Usually, the average pet sitter only makes $36,226 a year. Often, pet sitters work a different job on top of being a pet sitter. However, there are some individuals in larger cities that watch pets full-time. Often, these individuals have their own facilities or watch the animals at their own homes, which often causes them to raise their prices.

Many pet sitters work through a third-party company like Rover or Fetch! These companies take some of the pet sitter’s profit, but they also provide them with instant (or near instant) access to customers. Pet sitters who build their own businesses and do not use these third-party companies may end up making more in the end, but it can take longer for them to get onto their feet.

When broken down by hour, pet sitters make about $16 to $18. However, many do not work 40 hours a week. Instead, it is not odd for pet sitters to work less than that. How much you can expect to make also depends on where you live. Cities tend to pay more, but they also have a higher cost of living.

Can You Make a Lot of Money Pet Sitting?

You can charge a decent amount of money per visit when pet-sitting. Some pet sitters charge $15 to $20 a visit. Those who watch pets in their home may charge $40 to $50 a day. When you have multiple animals under your care, this can rack in some extra money. However, you also have to consider how much work pet sitting is. You have to count travel time, as well.

Furthermore, there is a lot of work you have to put in before, too. For instance, many pet sitters visit the owner to learn about the pet and introduce themselves. While the same owner may schedule you again and again, you often have to visit to learn about the pet, anyway.

You also have to put effort into finding clients. While using a third party can help, you do have to put in some of your own work, too. You don’t get directly paid for this time, and it drives down your overall hourly salary.

Very few people can make pet sitting a full-time gig.

Is Being a Pet Sitter Worth It?

Being a pet sitter can be a wonderful side gig. You’re able to control your own hours and clients, allowing you to select exactly when and where you want to work. If you love pets, then you’ll probably have fun doing it. However, if you aren’t an animal person, you may not make enough money for it to be worth it. Furthermore, most people cannot only be a pet sitter. Often, this is more of a side gig than a traditional job.

Being a pet sitter also requires dedication. You have to go take care of the animals and put in the work to find clients. If you’re used to having others tell you exactly what to do, you may find being a pet sitter difficult. It requires a high level of executive functioning to stay on task and get the job done.

There are many downsides to being a pet sitter that aren’t often talked about. For instance, many clients want their pet sitter to do several different jobs all within a 30-minute visit. Vacuuming, cleaning, long walks, and bathing all fall into this category. While most visits are only 30 minutes long, these extra tasks may take even longer (or you’ll have to be very clear that you won’t do them).

Late bookings exist. Many pet sitters find that regular clients may call the day that their pet needs to be watched, assuming their regular sitter has availability. Late-night calls also happen. Pet sitters often report that most pet owners make their appointments at night, so you need to keep those hours open.

Pets can also cause damage to you and others. While many pets may be perfectly behaved for their owners, they may become scared when a new pet sitter comes over. In these cases, you’ll want to have a first-aid kit nearby. You’ll also have to deal with differing needs, too. Some dogs are anxious when their people are gone, but this can appear in multiple different ways. Some dogs won’t eat, while others may eat everything. Many dogs may have specific health conditions that need attending.

In the end, pet sitting can be a useful way to make some extra money or even earn a decent income. However, it is a business and needs to be run as such—something many pet sitters don’t understand when they first get started.

Is There High-Demand for Pet Sitters?

As more people purchase pets, there is a higher demand for pet sitters. Travel and pet ownership are both increasing, which means that more pet sitters are always needed. However, this doesn’t mean that pet sitters are needed in every area. Thanks to easy services like Rover, more and more people are deciding to become pet sitters to make some extra money. However, many of these people don’t treat it as a job, which can make their income suffer.

If you treat pet sitting like a job and plan accordingly, you may do better than most people. It is a business, so you will need to put leg work into finding clients. They won’t just come to you.

Do market research in your area to find out how many pet sitters are available. Are people looking for pet sitters because the most common sitters are booked up? Are pet sitters charging more because of demand? Could you charge less and still make a decent amount of money?

Final Thoughts

Pet sitters can make a decent amount of money. However, this is a business and must be run as such. Many pet sitters fail because they overly trust third-party companies to bring clients to them, which does not often happen. Some legwork is required to get clients, especially in the beginning. All this work diminishes your average salary since you aren’t getting paid for finding clients.

In the end, deciding to become a pet sitter is largely determined by how much you like pets. You will also need to consider whether or not you want to run a business, which is considerably more work than just getting a job.

Featured Image Credit: Jaromir Chalabala, Shutterstock