Beta Beta — hiring neighbors on Papalocal is new; what you see here is real, and it's still growing.
Pet sitting and drop-in visits Beta
A neighbor who comes to your home while you travel to feed, water, play with and check on your pets, so they can stay in their own space.
- How often
- Trips
- Where the work happens
- Inside your home
- Who it suits
- Best done by an adult
These open your Papalocal account. You'll be asked to log in or sign up first.
With pet sitting, your animals stay home and someone comes to them. The sitter stops by one or more times a day to feed, refresh water, scoop litter, give a potty break and spend some time, so the pets aren't alone all day.
It suits cats who hate the car, older dogs who are calmer at home, households with several animals, and anyone who doesn't want to pack up the whole crew for a weekend away.
Because the sitter is in your house, having someone close by is a real advantage: they can be there in minutes if a storm knocks out the power, a package lands on the porch, or a pet needs an extra visit.
Also called: pet sitter, cat sitter, drop-in pet visits, in-home pet sitting, pet sitting while on vacation, someone to feed my cat.
What's usually included
- Feeding on your pets' usual schedule and amounts, with fresh water at every visit
- Potty breaks or short walks for dogs, and scooping litter for cats
- Playtime, brushing or just quiet company, depending on the animal
- Giving medicine you have already set out, if the sitter is comfortable with it
- Bringing in mail, switching lights and checking doors, if you ask
- An update with a photo after each visit
What to ask before you hire
- How many visits a day, and roughly when?
- Where are the food, treats, litter, leashes and cleaning supplies kept?
- Does any pet take medicine, and how is it given?
- Which vet do you use, and have you told them the sitter may bring your pet in?
- Which rooms are off limits, and which doors stay closed to keep pets in or out?
- What should the sitter do if a pet stops eating or hides all day?
Staying safe
- Get the owner's travel number and a local backup person who has a spare key
- Check every door and gate twice before leaving; a cat slipping out is one of the most common things that goes wrong
- Never let a pet off leash or out of the yard unless the owner has said that's normal for them
- If a pet seems sick or hurt, call the owner and their vet instead of guessing at treatment
Pet sitting and drop-in visits by town
Questions people ask
Are drop-in visits enough for a dog?
Some dogs do fine with several visits a day that include a walk, while others need someone overnight. Talk through your dog's routine and how they handle being alone before you decide.
Should a pet sitter meet my pets before I leave?
Yes. A visit before the trip lets your pets get used to the sitter and gives you a chance to show the routine in person.
What should I leave out for the sitter?
Enough food for the trip plus a few extra days, written instructions, the vet's number, and a signed note letting the sitter get your pet treated if they can't reach you.
Can the sitter water plants and bring in the mail too?
Often, yes. Mention it when you agree on the visits, since it adds a few minutes to each stop.
Thinking of offering this yourself?
- Before the trip, walk through the home with the owner: meet each pet, write down the routine and find where everything is kept
- Keep a short checklist for each household and follow it the same way at every visit
- Send an update every visit; owners far from home relax when they see a photo of an empty food bowl and a sleepy cat
- Decide what you will and won't take on, such as medications, overnight stays or exotic pets, and say so plainly
- Set your own price for your area based on visits per day, travel and the number of animals, keeping in mind that holidays are the busiest stretch
- Leave the house a little tidier than you found it; people who travel often like to use the same sitter every time
