Pet sitting

Rover's cat-sitting guide puts a drop-in visit at $22 and house sitting in the owner's home at $58.33 per night. Both are cats-only averages from Rover, with no stated visit length. Thumbtack claims overnight pet sitting averages $160-$268. BLS reports a $17.00 hourly median for employed animal caretakers, but it excludes self-employed workers, so it is a reference and not a sitter's expected pay.

Rover's help center says its standard sitter fee is 20%, though some U.S. sitters are in a pilot with different fees. The main catches are unpaid travel between visits and a 10–20 business day profile review on Rover. It suits people who can take evening, weekend and holiday visits.

How pet sitters get paid

Owners pay per visit, per hour or per night, depending on the sitter and the platform. Thumbtack's guide says sitters charge more for 24-hour care, extra pets and holidays, and Rover says holidays raise prices too.

On Rover, the price listed on a sitter's profile includes the sitter-paid service fee, and owners pay a separate booking fee, according to Rover's fee page. Direct clients avoid platform fees. Rover Guarantee terms apply only to services booked and paid through Rover.

What pet sitters actually earn

The other figures are provider averages of what owners pay, which is revenue before fees, mileage and unpaid time. None measures a typical sitter's monthly income.

Where the hours go

The example starts from Rover's cats-only drop-in average and its standard fee. The visit length, unpaid travel time and mileage cost are assumptions, so change them to match your route. For a fuller method, see how to calculate your actual hourly earnings.

What it costs to start

Insurance is the main recurring cost with a published price.

Where pet sitters find clients

These are the main marketplaces for local service work like this:

Off platform, a Nextdoor business page is free to create, according to Tech.co, and you set payment terms with each direct client.

Licenses, insurance and taxes for pet sitters

Licenses. The SBA says required licenses depend on your activities and location, and zoning can apply to home-based businesses, so check with your city or county planning office. As one example, King County, Washington exempts dog walkers and boarding of 3 or fewer animals from its pet business permit. Other places differ.

Insurance. The Rover Guarantee covers certain vet expenses (capped at $25,000 per occurrence), pet owner and sitter property damage, and third-party personal injury, subject to limits. It excludes injuries to sitters and owners. Rover may ask about your homeowners or renters insurance when reviewing claims. A sole proprietor has unlimited personal liability.

Taxes. Self-employment tax applies at $400 or more in net earnings: 15.3% on 92.35% of net earnings. You file Schedule C and pay estimated taxes quarterly, and cash income is taxable even without a 1099. Driving between clients may be deductible under IRS car rules.

Risks and red flags in pet sitting

BLS says animal care work carries injury risk, and the Rover Guarantee does not cover injuries to sitters.

Treat marketplace earnings claims as marketing. Care.com agreed to $8.5 million in refunds after the FTC alleged its marketing about job numbers and pay was deceptive, while disputing the claims.

Who pet sitting fits, and who should skip it

It fits if:

• You want overnight stays in an owner's home paid per night, which dog walking doesn't offer.
• You can work evenings, weekends and holidays, since BLS says animal care schedules include them.
• You have a car and can absorb mileage between client homes.

Skip it if:

• You need money within weeks. Rover's approval wait comes before any booking.
• You prefer short, fixed-length jobs with no entering homes. Try dog walking.
• You don't want to be alone in strangers' homes or handle pets you don't know.

How to start pet sitting

1. Check licensing and zoning with your city or county, starting from the SBA's licenses and permits page.
2. Apply on Rover from its sitter sign-up page. Submit the safety quiz and background check from your account first, since services appear only after approval.
3. While you wait, create a profile through Thumbtack's pet sitting page.
4. Set prices by comparing Thumbtack's pricing guide and Rover's cat-sitting guide.
5. Log mileage from day one under the IRS business car rules, and set money aside for self-employment tax.
6. Keep payments inside the platform for platform clients, and refuse any check larger than the agreed price.