How much does it cost to hire a house sitter?

House-sitting can be a lifesaver when you’re leaving town for any length of time. Whether you work remotely, you’re taking a much-needed vacation, or you just want to road-trip for a few days, it’s wise to have a pro keep an eye on your house and pets while you’re gone. Your home is more likely to stay safe and you won’t have to wrangle the kitty into a kennel to travel with you. The national average pet-sitting price ranges between $20 and $30. Pet-sitting and house-sitting costs will vary based on where you live in the country and regional labor rates. Another factor in cost is how long you want the house-sitter to stay. Some people prefer to have the house-sitter stay the night at their house, perhaps to care for an elderly pet or simply to keep a watchful eye on the home at all times. Overnight stays will cost more, ranging anywhere from $50 to $100, depending on services provided. For day visits, house-sitting and pet-sitting prices will increase incrementally the longer the visit and the more service you want performed. For example, a quick 10-minute visit to feed and walk the pet and bring in the mail could be $12.50, a 25-minute visit could be $18, a 40-minute visit $25, and a 50-minute visit $32. For more, check out our tips for smart hiring on Thumbtack.

How much should you pay for a pet sitter?

Pet sitting provides your precious pet with in-home care. A pet-sitter can make a brief visit during the day to provide snacks, playtime or affection, or stay at your house for one or more nights to tend to your pet. Prices for pet-sitting will vary based on length of the visit. Nationally, pet sitting prices range from $20 to $30, although prices run higher for your sitter to stay the night. Prices will also be affected by where you live in the country. Here are some examples of average pet-sitting prices based on length of time and region:

30-minute visit: $17 in a small Texas town.
30-minute visit: $25 in Southern California.

45-minute visit: $28.
60-minute visit: $32.

Overnight stay (10 hours): $50 in Texas.
Overnight stay (10 hours): $85 in Southern California.

12 hours: $100.
24 hours: $200. This is a good option for a sick, elderly or brand-new pet that needs constant supervision.

Laura H.

Verified review

Our dog does not warm easily to people she doesn't know, but somehow Pam managed to make fast friends with her! We could tell that our pets were well cared for in our absence. And we really appreciated the frequent text updates. We will definitely use Pam's Pet Sitting Service again.

Bob C.

I had never used any type of service to look after my dog. When I contacted Northeast Philadelphia Pet Sitting & Pet Care & met Mark Taplar I knew right away my Black Labrador would be in great hands. Over the two week period we saw nothing less than outstanding service, coupled with the superb love & caring for my dog. The highest rating we can give is 5 stars, but I rate them a 10!!

Gail E.

Today was the first time I met Steve in my home. I feel very confident that he has the ability to help teach me to be the best dog owner I can be! I demonstrated my dog running off the porch and down the walkway with me while he was on a leash. I also shared a video of my dog biting at me while trying to get him inside. I'm looking forward to our training classes and am anxious to get started.

Colin B.

Peggy watched Riley, our 12 year old golden retriever, for 3 days while we travelled overseas recently. We could tell that he received special attention while we were away! Peggy left us a great summary note detailing the extra care provided and we will not hesitate to utilize her pet sitting services the next time we take a family vacation. Thanks again Peggy!! Colin B

Bryce W.

Liz was a great help when I needed to find a cat sitter on short notice during a holiday week. She has a lot of experience taking care of pets so she knows exactly what questions to ask. She even sent me pictures of my cat, Melanie, to put my mind at ease. I highly recommend Liz for any pet sitting needs.

Gail M.

We have used Michele from Tailwaggers Pet Sitting Services many times and have always been very happy with our experience. Our dog can be somewhat difficult and stubborn and Michele has never had a problem with her. Michele is flexible and tries to be available as we need her. I totally trust her to come into our home and look after our precious dog!!

Susan D.

Alyssa was very nice. She tried but our cat didn't do so well with a dog groomer. We need to have a cat specialist next time for our cat that got upset-even though Alyssa was very nice.

Isle P.

Karen is amazing! I never ever worry about my dogs when she is here. (And i have rescue dogs one of which has issues.) I can travel and work with peace of mind. She is gentle; Dependable; Trustworthy. My dogs love her. She goes above and beyond all the time. I have had numerous dog sitters in the past. No more. This woman will always be the one i call for dog sitting. Do yourself a favor. Ditch the others and go with Karen. She’s fabulous!

Sara C.

Emma (Ruff Recruits) is amazing! She is super accommodating and someone I can trust when I have last minute change of plans that require someone to look after my two boys. There are tons of dog walkers in Philadelphia and I've tried a few, but Emma is my go to. She has full of energy and knows how to control my two crazy pups (they are two hyper golden retrievers). After a dog walk with Emma, I come home to 2 content pups instead of the usual hyperness. She is the best!!!!!!!!!

Samantha S.

Kayla is awesome! We enrolled our two and a half month old Doberman Pinscher puppy in training classes learning how to do basic comands. She is very flexible with our schedule and we meet at a local park to do our training. Kayla connected with our puppy immediately. After our first class she was successful in teaching our dog the basic sit and stay. She really focuses on us the owners how to teach our puppy the correct way to train our dog. We have had a total of four classes and we have been successful in teaching our dog sit, stay, lay, come, paw, heel, long leash training and walk wonderfully on a leash! Since we meet at a local park there are lots of distractions like people, children, other dogs and even a horse and she was able to keep his attention and keep him focused on the tasks at hand. I would recommend her to anyone! I wish I knew about her sooner for my other pups!

Kathleen H.

I have known Lisa for many years, and her love for animals, especially dogs, is a big part of her personality! I know if there is a dog in the vicinity, Lisa will go over, ask if she can pet the dog, then lavish it with affection! She was the perfect choice to be my dog sitter. She bonded with Emma immediately, and a German Shepherd/Doberman mix can be challenging at times. Lisa's love for dogs is immediately evident, but she also maintains control and gives clear direction. She takes her responsibility very seriously. She would absolutely love to work for you, and you would gain a wonderful employee!

Monica M.

Don't look any further! Peggy is just brilliant! Not only a great pet sitter but a lovely person. I have had many pet sitters in the past and I didn't know this kind of service was possible, she provides daily updates and cute pictures while we are away, she buys Rosita (a tiny chichi) yummy treats and gives her tons of love. She is so responsible, sweet, experienced (she has a big bunch of rescue pets herself) and caring that my dog misses her and of course she stops by once in a while to pet her and let her know she is still around. We feel very lucky to have her in our lives! :-)

Carolyn C.

We hired Jacques and his team of pet companions for a 10 day vacation we went on and had him stay at our place.We also use them to do some regular dog daily walks. They are easy to work with and so compassionate about caring for our pets. We will only use them for all our pet care needs going forward

Vanessa S.

Patti is hands down the best sitter I have had. This is not just a job to her, but she has a true caring for the animals she pet sits. She is always professional, she respects my home, and she listens and responds to the needs of the animals she sits for. I would highly recommend her

Lauren B.

I have two stories from double Kk. Karen has watched my 3 small children for me countless times and had them all asleep before I came home!! She treats my kids like they're her own. She a wonderful caring person. She has also watched my fur baby charlie when he was very sick and need alot of attention. She made sure he got all his medicine. And was given tons of love. Trust me once you let her watch your pets you will see why I'm raving about her!!!!!!

Gail R.

I've used these services for a number of years and all my dogs loved having the sitter come over to my house to spend some time with them while we were away. I never had to worry about my dogs while I was away and trusted the sitter to come into my home. I'd recommend Mr. Biscuits to come and take care of your dog.

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