The Ethical Pet Sitter Checklist: Is Your Pet Sitter Doing Their Job Right?

We get it. Finding someone to care for your pets & home while you’re away can feel very overwhelming. You want someone loving, dependable, & trustworthy -but also someone legit. The truth is anyone can say they’re a pet sitter. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but not everyone is doing it the right way. Unfortunately, some are cutting serious corners when it comes to safety, legality, & ethics. There are no governing bodies or regulations behind pet sitters in the current present. I'm not saying any of this to scare you, but it should make you think twice before inviting just anyone into your home.

So, before you hand over your house key or trust someone with your precious fur babies, here’s what you need to ask:

The Ethical Pet Sitter Checklist

Print this out, save it, or just use it before choosing anyone to care for your pets.

Are they a licensed to conduct business in your specific state?

• Proves they taken the necessary steps & accountability to become a legitimate business.

  
  

Are they insured with pet sitting specific insurance?

• Pet sitting specific insurance is extremely important since other insurance companies do not understand what goes into our careers, therefore do not have the proper aspects or coverage included to properly insure us, our clients, & their precious pets. Due to the nature & uniqueness of our jobs our insurance does require specific things to properly protect you, your pets, & your pet sitter if anything goes wrong.

• Ask to see proof of pet sitting-specific insurance 

  • Specificially, you should know exactly who they use for their insurance & that they have general liability as well as Care, Custody, & Control at the very least.

• If they have a team, they also need to be bonded.

  
  

Do they have employees or independent contractors?

• If they claim to have a “team,” they should be employees, not just random helpers.

• Employees should be properly vetted - background checked, trained, covered under the company’s insurance, & legally required to follow the company’s protocols.

If they use independent contractors…

• Are those contractors' business owners themselves with their own pet sitting specific insurance & credentials?

• ICs legally must work independently - & that means the company has no real control over how they operate in your home or with your pet. That’s risky, especially if something goes wrong! They cannot legally train them or tell them how to operate at all.

  
  

How are they trained?

• Did they shadow a few visits - or go through actual structured training?

• Do they know what to do in an emergency?

• Are they pet first-aid+CPCR certified?

  
  

Are they background checked?

• This should be non-negotiable. You’re trusting someone in your home - you deserve to know who they are or if they've been convicted of any crimes. All Fairy Dogmothers team members undergo fingerprint-based state & federal background checks & lab-based drug testing as part as our hiring process.

  
  

Do they use a scheduling & communication system?

• Real professionals use secure pet-sitting software to schedule visits, provide pupdates, & track GPS-verification. We use Time To Pet - you’ll receive messages, photos, videos, & detailed visit reports every visit.

• You should also ask how often you will expect communication.

What agreements do they have in place?

• Signed agreements so there are no miscommunications or unrealistic expectations are a must.

• Agreements should at the very least include:

  • services provided (exact service, expectations, etc)

  • payment terms (price, when payment is due, refunds, cancelations policy, etc)

  • key handling & home access

  • emergency vet care authorization

  • behavior & safety policies

  • photo & video consent

  • force majeure & weather policies

    
    

Are they pet first-aid+CPCR certified?

• Any professional pet sitter should have no problem showing you, their certificate.

• Not all certifications are created equal. Most would argue anything is better than nothing, but I disagree. Unfortunately, in person/hands on training is not always easily available. With that said someone who is certified in person, renewed annually, specifically pet first-aid+CPCR is the gold standard.

Red Flags to Watch For:

• They avoid answering questions about insurance or training

• Refer to their team as “helpers” or “trusted friends”

• Offer cash-only services or no contracts

• They don’t have a website or official policies

• They say, “I’ve never had a problem before” - when asked about vetting or emergencies

Why It Matters

Your pets are family & your home is sacred. You deserve a pet care professional who takes that responsibility seriously. Not just someone who loves pets, but someone who knows what they’re doing, is legally operating, & has proper systems in place to protect your pets & your peace of mind.

Want to see what an ethical pet care company looks like?

We invite you to download our free “Ethical Pet Sitter Checklist” & see why Fairy Dogmothers checks every box - proudly.

With love (& lots of treats),

Kaley Reinhart ✨🐾

CPPS & Fear Free Certified Professional

Owner, Fairy Dogmothers LLC

fairydogmothersllc.com | @fairydogmothersllc