Pet sitting job?

Question

I'm planning on starting a pet sitting business during the summer along with this other girl and I'm wondering would you trust or dog or cat with two 13 year olds for a few days (like just to feed play clean their poop and walk them) once a day. And if so how much would you pay them?

p.s. I have a 4 pet cats and my friend has 2 cats and a dog

Answer 1

I'd pay about $16/day, assuming that you spent about an hour playing with him, walking him, cleaning up poop and all that. So you'd each get about $8.

You have to be very business-like, which means being on time, walking the dog at the right time even if your favorite show is on, and being respectful of your clients.

Answer 2

I would but only if I already knew them fairly well. Most 13 y.o. young folks are not as responsible as you sound, nor can they be counted on to put the care of someone else's dog/cat above their own sudden desires. For instance, although they should be walking the dog, a friend drops by and they both go out to the movies instead--or they get into a video game and forget the rest of the world. If I were you, I'd start by asking all your teachers, adult friends, adult relatives, local acquaintances (but make sure you now these people so you aren't getting into a bad situation unknowingly) if they need someone to pet sit or even just do daily dog walks, etc. I know that some of the people at work need someone to walk their dog daily because no one is home for 12+ hours a day. My niece does dog walking in Boston and she charges $25 per dog per week. You should also write up a contract stating exactly what services you will be providing for that person, how often, what happens if something unavoidable comes up and you can't do it, what happens if the payer cancels suddenly, etc. It's probably better for you if you charged by the week (5 days of dog care whether they use all 5 days or not) otherwise you'll need to be paid every day to make sure you get what you are owed. Like, what if you go to the house one day and the payer is home 'cause he's taken a day off of work so he will be walking his own dog that day--do you charge him even though you didn't walk the dog? Would you not charge if he gave you at least 24hours warning? What if the dog got suddenly sick or injured--what would you do? What will you do if someone doesn't pay or can't pay what they owe you? What happens if some horrible accident happens while the animal is under your care--you (or your parents) can be sued so you might want to consult your parents. I would highly suggest you NOT take a job from anyone you (and your family) do not already know and trust--too many sickos out there. You might want to also ask if your local vet(s) will hire you to walk the dogs in their care (if you could land that job, it would be a super good future work reference).

Answer 3

I had my own pet sitting business. I'd have to say it depends on the 13 year old. I've seen some incredibly mature and responsible 13 year olds, and others who behaved like 7 year olds. Remember, you will be having a huge responsiblity being trusted with someone else's house and belongings. You must be sure to lock up. You don't discuss your clients or who you are pet sitting for with ANYONE--they could be tempted to break in and rob the place. I'd have a parent sit in the car and watch out for me if I were your age. You must have good animal handling skills so you don't get hurt or hurt the animal. What if the pet gets sick or injured? You will be responsible for taking it to the vet and perhaps paying for emergency treatment. Can you do this or are your parents willing to help you do this? Are you responsible enough to show up for every visit? Look for signs of illness in the pet? Just some things for you to think about. Also the owner may have to pay through their insurance if you get hurt on their property, as you probably won't have your own liability insurance. Most professional pet sitters are licensed, bonded (against theft) and insured. As a pet sitter, I charge anywhere from $5.00 to $15.00 a visit, depending on how far I drove, how long I was expected to stay, and how many animals I had to take care of. Oh, and don't forget, even if you get sick you still have to show up and take care of the pet! Just some things to think about and talk over with your parents. Good luck

Answer 4

Pet sitting is a big responsibility. Other than caring for your own animals, have you and your friend received any formal training? Do you have references? You sometimes have to go into people's homes when they are away. Do you have liability insurance?

Here are some websites you may want to check out.

http://www.petsitllc.com/

http://www.petsits.com/

http://www.petsitters.org/

http://www.petsit.com/

You might want to check if there is already a pet-sitting business in your area, and see if you could find employment with them, as they would probably have the liability insurance, and you wouldn't have to pay for it.

Best of luck!

Answer 5

Sure, plenty of people trusted me at that age...I did not start a business, however people would only let me watch their dogs. Have fun with it!