Pet sitter doing home visits
Pop into local homes to feed, walk and check on pets while their owners are at work or away.
- £100-600
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
What it is
Short visits to a client's home once or several times a day to feed pets, give fresh water, clean litter trays, let dogs out or walk them, give medication if agreed, and send the owner an update.
Your first three steps
- Check what local pet sitters charge per visit and set your prices and area
- Get pet sitting insurance and write a simple booking form and meet-and-greet routine
- Tell neighbours, local Facebook groups and vets about your service and ask early clients for reviews
Who pays
Working owners, people on holiday or away for work, and families with cats, small animals or dogs that cannot be left for long.
How it makes money
Fixed price per visit (often by visit length), with extra charges for more pets, medication, bank holidays or peak holiday dates.
Skills that help
- Confident and calm with animals
- Reliable and trustworthy with keys
- Good communication with owners
Watch out for
- Insurance that covers pets in your care, client property and key holding
- Whether you need a licence: usually only if you board animals at your home or run day care, check with your council
- Keeping spare keys safe and having an emergency plan, including a vet contact for each pet
- Busy peaks around school holidays and Christmas can be hard to cover alone
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: pet sitter doing home visits
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a pet sitting business?
Startup costs are typically around £100 to £600, depending on insurance, equipment and how you find clients. Check that your insurance covers pets in your care, client property and key holding.
How much can a pet sitter earn from home visits?
Monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £2,200, depending on how many clients and visits you take on. Estimates start from about 6 hours a week, and peaks like school holidays and Christmas can be hard to cover alone.
Do I need a licence to be a pet sitter in the UK?
Usually only if you board animals at your home or run day care, so check with your council. Also check your insurance covers pets, client property and key holding, and plan safe key storage and a vet contact for each pet.
Other ways to run this business
Similar pet ideas
Overnight pet sitter in owners' homes
Stay at clients' homes while they are away, caring for pets in their own familiar surroundings.
- £100-500
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Solo dog walker
Walk dogs one-to-one or in a small group for owners who are at work or can't manage long walks.
- £150-800
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Online dog training coach
Coach owners by video call and shared clips to train their dogs from their own living room.
- £150-1k
- Side hustle
- Online
Home-from-home dog boarding
Look after a few dogs in your own home while their owners are away, as an alternative to kennels.
- £300-1.5k
- Side hustle
- From home
Online cat behaviour coaching
Coach cat owners by video call and message, wherever they live in the UK.
- £300-1.5k
- Side hustle
- Online
One-to-one dog trainer (home visits)
Visit owners at home to teach their dog good manners and fix everyday behaviour problems.
- £300-1.8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about