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Pet Sitter Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
Last updated November 6, 2025
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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4 min read

A 721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter, or Pet Nanny, cares for pets when their owners are out of town, working or otherwise unable to do so. Common duties found in a Pet Sitter job description include dog walking, feeding pets of all types and cleaning up after pets, such as attending to cat litter boxes or fish aquariums. 

721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter duties and responsibilities

A pet sitting job description typically describes work that involves providing companionship and care to pets on a temporary basis. Employers may want to detail the types of pets someone may be required to care for, as the knowledge and skills needed to care appropriately for tropical fish is different from what may be required to care for a dog.

Ultimately, the duties associated with a 721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter position should support the safety and comfort of the animals in question. Pet Sitters may also communicate with pet owners to provide peace of mind while they are away from their pet companions. Some specific responsibilities of Pet Sitters can include:

  • Playing with pets or providing entertainment to keep pets happy and engaged, such as playing fetch with a dog

  • Providing appropriate sustenance in the form of food and water as directed by the pet owner

  • Administering medications and supplements as directed for the health of the pet

  • Changing litter boxes or otherwise cleaning up after the pet or keeping animal enclosures clean

  • Exercising pets regularly as needed, such as walking dogs

  • Overseeing the pet to ensure optimal safety 

  • Completing light housekeeping tasks, such as watering plants, taking out the trash or bringing in mail

Hire your next Pet Sitter today.

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Hire your next Pet Sitter today.

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Pet Sitter Job Description Examples

Example 1

Job Summary:

We are seeking a dedicated Live-In, Overnight, Pet Sitter to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a passion for animals and provide exceptional care for all dogs who come to board with us. This is a live-in caregiver, contracted, position in our residential home. Consistent schedule with morning, evening, & overnight hours.

Responsibilities:
  • Care for the dogs who board in our residence while their owners are away.
  • Take dogs outside and monitor them while in the yard.
  • Follow proper protocols to keep dogs safe. Must understand basic pet behaviors.
  • Provide food and water.
  • Administer medication as needed.
  • Follow specific instructions provided by dog owners.
  • Monitor pets for any health or behavioral changes.
  • Keep organized and maintain an orderly environment.
  • Communicate with owners in person and over the phone.
  • Address any noise overnight and handle accordingly.
  • Take pictures and send updates to dog owners daily.
  • Maintain cleanliness of all areas of the residence.
  • Clean all dog spaces, equipment, toys, dishes, floors, etc.

Requirements:
  • Must be able to move into the residence.
  • Previous experience working with dogs, veterinary assistance, kennel work, dog walking, grooming, or animal handling preferred.
  • Ability to handle numerous dogs, of all sizes, at once with care and compassion.
  • Ability to identify the signs of aggression, stress, pain and fear.
  • Trustworthy, detail oriented, reliable, and able to work independently.
  • Must be dependable and punctual
  • Strong customer service skills to interact with pet owners effectively
  • Great time management skills
  • Excellent communication skills and flexibility
  • Have excellent organizational and memory skills
  • Ability to multitask to complete various tasks.
  • Cannot be allergic to animal hair or any cleaning products.
  • Must be able to work on your feet for long periods of time.
  • Must be at least18 years of age.

What We Offer:
  • Bedroom with private bathroom. Utilities to run the home, included.
  • Paid Training
  • PTO
  • We pay for your background check and pet sitting insurance
  • Referral bonus for each new client referral
  • Growth within the company after probational period
  • A 1099 contractor position, which means taxes will not be withheld from your pay. You are responsible for paying your own taxes, but you can write off all work-related expenses.

Interviewing immediately. This position is best suited for someone that desires growth within the company and can commit to twelve months or more.

Job Type: Contract

Pay: $30,000.00 - $37,000.00 per year

Benefits:
  • Flexible schedule
  • On-the-job training
  • Paid time off
  • Paid training
  • Referral program
Compensation package:
  • Bonus opportunities
Schedule:
  • Choose your own hours
  • Day shift
  • Evening shift
  • Every weekend
  • Holidays
  • Morning shift
  • Night shift
  • Overnight shift



Application Question(s):
  • Have you ever worked with animals before? If so, what kind?
  • Are you available to move into the residence for this position? If so, how soon?
  • When could you start?
  • When do you have availability for an interview?
  • Do you have any of your own pets? If so, what kind? Will they be moving in with you?

Ability to Relocate:
  • Margate, FL: Relocate before starting work Location: In person
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines
Job Description Best Practices
Optimize your new and existing job descriptions to reach more candidates
Get the Guide

What does a 721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter do?

Pet Sitters ensure that animal companions are safe and happy when their owners are absent. Pet Sitters who work for an agency act as the face of the company when providing such services, and their customer service and pet-care skills can help ensure that clients work with the agency again in the future.   

721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter skills and qualifications

Successful Pet Sitters are generally people who love animals and enjoy being around them. They’re also detail-oriented, caring and able to communicate clearly with pet owners. Some qualifications to list on a job description for Pet Sitters can include:

  • Experience with specific types of animals that the business is most likely to provide pet sitting services for

  • Customer-service skills and experience

  • Strong communication skills

  • Animal CPR skills

  • Vet tech or other animal health care support skills or experience

  • Physical ability to perform tasks, such as lifting a certain amount or walking large dogs on a leash

  • Being detail-oriented 

Pet Sitter experience requirements

Successful 721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter job candidates often only need experience in being around pets and animals. Someone who loves animals or who has worked as a dog walker may be a good choice for a basic pet sitting job. Businesses that provide more in-depth services, such as pet sitting for older or ailing animals, may want to look for Pet Sitters with vet tech or other animal medical experience. 

721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter education and training requirements

Most 721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter jobs do not require any specific education or training. Candidates with animal CPR certification might be preferred, as they provide added value and assurance you can offer your clients. 

Pet Sitter salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a 721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter is around $15.41 per hour in the United States. The exact pay offered to Pet Sitters can vary depending on the type of pets they’re able to care for, what other services they provide, the location they work and the company. For example, you may pay Pet Sitters with experience in veterinary offices more because they are able to provide care for higher-risk animals.

Job description samples for similar positions

Looking for something other than a 721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter job description? Some similar job descriptions you might be interested in include:

721635746animal5.05animal care3.88pet sitter2.73dog walker2.6dog2.572829463143697.2525.9163.90HOURLY562716812025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Pet Sitter job description FAQs

What qualities make a good Pet Sitter?

Strong candidates for Pet Sitting positions care about animals and have a variety of experience taking care of pets. They also have strong communication and problem-solving skills and can be trusted to care for pets on their own for extended periods of time.

Do Pet Sitters stay overnight?

Some clients require Pet Sitters to spend the night at their home or care for their pets in other locations for several days or more at a time. Ensure your job description for a Pet Sitter details the length of time jobs may last and where Pet Sitters are expected to reside during jobs. 

What kind of skills are relevant for a pet sitting job?

Many pet sitting companies look for candidates with customer service, communication and general pet care skills. Agencies that offer pet sitting for at-risk or medically compromised pets may want to invest in candidates with additional skills, including animal CPR, experience providing pet medications or vet tech experience.

Job Description Best Practices
Optimize your new and existing job descriptions to reach more candidates
Get the Guide

Three individuals are sitting at a table with a laptop, a disposable coffee cup, notebooks, and a phone visible. Two are facing each other, while the third’s back is to the camera. The setting appears to be a bright room with large windows.

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Job Description Examples

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