How to Land Pet Sitting Jobs (& Travel on the Cheap)

Last Updated: August 8, 2025

For many of us budget travelers, landing pet sitting jobs is a dream come true.

After all, you can travel the world cheaply while caring for pets and maybe a few chores—what’s not to like?

If you’re wondering how to start pet sitting and land quality jobs, we have good news: it’s easier than you think.

Our guide to pet sitting will share everything you need to know about this affordable, rewarding way to travel.

We’ll teach you how to dip your toes into the world of pet sitting and travel for free, gaining valuable experience along the way.

We’ll also cover the nuts and bolts of signing up for pet sitting websites (and which sites to check out), collecting references, and finding good jobs.

For anyone itching to kick off a new globe-trotting career, here’s how you can start pet sitting in 2025:

Understand What You Want to Achieve with Pet Sitting

The answer to this question might seem obvious: to score free accommodations while traveling, duh.

But a life of pet sitting has many different levels, and potential sitters should carefully weigh all of their options before beginning the search for sits.

Let’s start with the basics: watching people’s pets and homes to score free lodging.

That’s a great deal, but if you need a little extra income, you might want to search for paying gigs down the road.

Or, you could go all in and start a sitting business. The choice is yours.

Sign Up for a Pet Sitting Website

First, you’ll need to create an account on a pet sitting website.

I highly recommend TrustedHousesitters over all other sitting sites.

(Did I mention they’re offering 20% off annual memberships?)

The site features gigs in 130 different countries and verifies all users, reducing the risk of scams.

As great as TrustedHousesitters is, though, it’s not the only option out there.

Anyone who wants to try pet sitting can also check out Rover, MindMyHouse, and Nomador.

You might need to do a little trial and error to find the sitting site that works best for you.

Gather Valuable References

In pet sitting, references are worth their weight in gold, showing clients you can be trusted with their homes and pets.

For those with prior sitting experience, gathering references is just a matter of asking previous clients for a review on the site of your choice.

If you don’t have sitting experience, though, don’t give up hope!

Think of any jobs you’ve worked that required similar skills, such as caretaking, communication, or time management, and see if anyone is willing to provide you with a reference on those grounds.

Create a Killer Profile

Your profile will make your first impression on potential clients, so you should do everything you can to ensure that impression is a good one.

Upload clear, high-quality photos of yourself, especially any pics with pets, to prove you’re the right person for the job.

You should also sink some time into your profile’s introduction text.

Mention any certifications or relevant experience to show you know your stuff.

Your investment in your profile will directly translate to whether or not you land gigs, so don’t skimp on this step.

Search (and Apply) for Pet Sitting Gigs

Okay, so you have an amazing profile and references. Nice work.

But you can’t expect jobs to come to you, especially if you’re starting from scratch.

You’ll have to put yourself out there by searching for gigs in places you’d want to stay, then sending in an application.

Interested in visiting Denver, San Diego, or NYC?

Great! Pick a city that suits you and start applying for sits right away.

Like creating a great profile, applying for pet sitting gigs should take some time.

Carefully read every posting and tailor your applications to each one.

Those of you on the hunt for paying jobs should also research local sitter rates so you know how much to charge.

Nurture Your Leads

Once you fire off your applications, you can sit back and wait for a response… or you can be proactive and keep tabs on your potential jobs.

Naturally, the latter will help you land more house sits, so don’t expect to spend your spare time twiddling your thumbs.

If you haven’t heard from a potential client after a few days, sending a quick follow-up message could make all the difference.

And if you do hear from a client, make sure to respond quickly and professionally to give them a good gauge of your character.

Ace Your Interview

Next up: the interview. As with any job interview, you should do plenty of research beforehand and come in well prepared.

Memorize any important details, like pets’ names and required house-keeping duties, and jot down any questions you have for the client.

During the interview, be ready to assuage fears about worst-case scenarios, such as a pet falling ill or an emergency at the house.

Most clients are understandably nervous to leave their homes and pets in a stranger’s hands, so it’s up to you to put their minds at rest.

Sort Out the Logistics of Your Sit

So, you knocked that interview out of the park and you’ve been chosen to be a house sitter? Congratulations!

Before you get too excited, though, there are the logistics to consider.

You know, details like transportation, scheduling, and key pick-ups.

Especially if you’re pet sitting internationally, you should thoroughly determine your travel plans in advance to guarantee all goes smoothly.

The last thing you or your client want is for you to encounter any unexpected visa requirements while trying to get to your gig.

Nail Your Assignment

Now, the rest is up to you… No pressure!

As long as you’re taking excellent care of clients’ houses, including tasks like picking up mail and watering plants, you’ve got this.

Stay in contact with the homeowners to keep them updated and answer any questions they may have.

Naturally, if animal care is part of your pet sitting duties, you may want to go the extra mile with your clients’ pets.

On the bright side, this can be one of the best parts of pet sitting.

Who wouldn’t want to cuddle up with some furry friends while traveling?

Encourage Homeowners to Leave Reviews

As we mentioned, good reviews are key to moving onward and upward as a house sitter.

So, the more you can get, the better.

After you complete a pet sitting job, encourage your clients to leave you a review and leave them one in return if the platform allows.

Always be prompt about asking for those reviews.

If you wait too long, your clients might forget to respond (or might forget how good of a job you did).

After a few sitting gigs, your reviews should start to pile up and lead to many more future jobs.

Line up Your Next Assignment

Once you’ve got that first pet sitting job out of the way, it’s time to rinse and repeat.

You can turn this into your full-time career and house-sit your way around the world if you want, so always stay on the lookout for your next job.

Perhaps you’ll get to watch someone’s beloved apartment and pet kitty in Rome, or stay in a comfortable Balinese villa with a few canine companions to keep you company.

The options are endless, as long as you’re motivated to keep booking sits.

Ready to Land Pet Sitting Jobs (& Travel on the Cheap)?

If you want to travel the world and stay in top destinations for free, pet sitting might just be your calling.

After reading this guide, you should know everything there is to know about how to start pet sitting, so we hope we’ve helped you enough to land your first gig.

As a quick reminder, folks who use our link to TrustedHousesitters will receive 20% off their annual membership.

Think of this as an investment—even if you don’t score paid gigs right off the bat, you’ll still save money on your travels.

While you travel on a budget, you’ll gain valuable sitting experience that could lead to more gigs.

Whether you want to house-sit from place to place or run your own sitting business, you have to start somewhere.

So, go on and get those applications out there!