Pet boarding in a sitter’s home · Opening city by city
Going away? Your pet stays in a real home, not a kennel
Drop your dog or cat at a checked local sitter’s home. Your routine is followed, other pets are limited and you get a photo every day. Prefer your pet stays put? A sitter can come to you instead.
Takes about a minute. No payment, no account.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Two hearts, cheek to cheek: your pet and a sitter who cares like family.
Services
What do you need while you are away?
Most owners drop their pet at a sitter’s home. If your pet is happier in its own home, a sitter can come to you.
Pet boarding in a sitter's home
Drop your dog or cat at a checked sitter's home: a real home, a limit on pets, your routine.
From Rs 1,399 a night for a dog
Best for: Most dogs and cats, any trip
Doggy day care in a sitter's home
A day of company and play at a sitter's home while you are at work.
From Rs 999 a full day (up to 10 hours)
Best for: Dogs who hate being alone
Overnight pet sitting
Prefer your pet stays put? A sitter sleeps at your place instead.
From Rs 1,799 a night
Best for: Cats, older pets, nervous dogs
Drop-in visits
A sitter pops in to feed, refresh water, scoop the litter and stay a while.
From Rs 499 a 30-minute visit
Best for: Cats who like their own space
Dog walking
30 or 60 minute walks at your dog's times, before the heat in summer.
From Rs 279 a 30-minute walk
Best for: Busy weekdays
Special-needs pet care
Medicines given exactly as your vet wrote them, and logged.
From Rs 2,299 a night of overnight care
Best for: Older, recovering or diabetic pets
Start where you are
What worries you most about going away?
Most owners have one particular worry. Each of these pages says what helps, with its sources.
- A cat who hates the carrierHow often a sitter should visit, and what a cat needs from each visit at home.Read it
- A dog who cries when you leaveWhat separation anxiety looks like, what helps, and when to ask your vet.Read it
- An older pet on tabletsMedicines given as your vet wrote them and logged, with a sitter who has done it before.Read it
- A whole week awayA week's boarding at a sitter's home, or a sitter at yours, and what to leave written down.Read it
- Travelling over Diwali or HoliCrackers, colours and closed vet clinics: how to plan a festival trip around your pet.Read it
- Letting a stranger inThe checks that matter, the questions to ask and the red flags, before anyone gets your keys.Read it
How it works
From your dates to a calm pet, in four steps
- Step 1
Tell us about your pet
City, dates, and what your pet needs: meals, walks, medicines, quirks.
- Step 2
Meet your sitter, free
Your pet meets them at home before the first booking. You agree the routine and the keys.
- Step 3
Book and pay through Petym
Never the sitter directly. The sitter is paid after the booking.
- Step 4
Get a photo every day
Meals, walks and medicines logged as they happen.
Afterwards you write a review. Petym shows reviews only for bookings that really happened.
A day at a sitter’s home
Going away for a few days? Here is your pet’s day at a sitter’s home.
Your pet lives with the sitter as part of the household and keeps the day the way you wrote it: meals at the usual times, walks or a clean litter tray, medicines given exactly as written, play and company. Each meal, walk and dose is logged, and every day you get a photo update.
Your bowl, your routine, a sitter’s home. Not a kennel.
What boarding in a sitter’s home includesWhat to leave for your sitter
An example day. Your pet’s own routine sets the times.
- 7:30 amBreakfastSame food, same bowl, same times, in the amounts you write down.
- 8:00 amWalkBefore the heat in summer; towel-dried after monsoon walks.
- 1:00 pmMedicinesGiven exactly as your vet prescribed, and logged.
- 4:00 pmPlay and companyThe games your pet knows; kept calm through Diwali crackers.
- 6:30 pmLitter and clean-upScooped, bowls washed, no harsh chemicals.
- 8:30 pmYour photoA photo update every day, with each meal, walk and dose logged.
Every pet
Every kind of pet is welcome here
Sitters take dogs and cats. Rabbits, birds, fish, guinea pigs, hamsters and tortoises each have a care guide for when you travel.
- DogsWalks, meals and company on your dog's usual times while you travel.Sitters and guide
- CatsHow long a cat can be alone, how often a sitter should visit, and what to leave in an Indian flat.Sitters and guide
- RabbitsHay, water and a daily check: why a rabbit cannot be left to fend for itself.Care guide
- Pet birdsBudgies, cockatiels and lovebirds: food, company, fumes and heat while you travel.Care guide
- Aquarium fishGoldfish, bettas and community tanks: measured meals, power cuts and summer heat while you travel.Care guide
- Guinea pigsVitamin C, a group that stays together and a cool room: guinea pig care while you travel.Care guide
- HamstersA night animal alone in its cage: water, heat, escapes and evening visits while you travel.Care guide
- Tortoises and turtlesHeat lamps, clean water and the 2024 registration rules: reptile care while you travel.Care guide
Away for four days? Every pet needs something different
Pick your pet: what it needs every day, and what suits four days away.
Dogs
Left aloneMost adult dogs should not be left alone for much longer than four hours at a time, according to PDSA, and the RSPCA says never long enough for a dog to become distressed. In an Indian summer, with power cuts and hot flats, plan for less, and arrange a walker, visits or a sitter beyond that.
The daily care sheet
- Food
- Adult dogs over 12 months eat one or two meals a day of adult food. A sitter feeds the same food, at the same times, in the amounts you write down.
- Water
- Clean, fresh water, topped up through the day, in shaded bowls that cannot easily be tipped over. On hot days a wide earthen pot or a heavy steel bowl suits.
- Walks
- Most dogs need at least one to two walks a day, unless your vet says otherwise. Some breeds need at least one to two hours of exercise a day, and working breeds need much more.
- Walk timing
- In hot weather, exercise only in the cooler hours at the start and end of the day, and carry water on walks.
Away for four days?
An overnight sitter in your home keeps walks, meals and company on your dog's usual times.
Cats
Left aloneA healthy adult cat can usually be left for a day or overnight, but Cats Protection puts the maximum at around 12 hours. For anything longer, PDSA says someone should check on your cat at least a couple of times a day, even with an automatic feeder or cameras. Kittens, older cats and unwell cats need more.
The daily care sheet
- Food
- Once or twice a day for most adult cats from about one year old. Food left out for grazing should be replaced with fresh food every day.
- Water
- Plenty of fresh water at all times, which matters most for cats on dry food. Cats that drink less are among those most often affected by urinary problems.
- Litter
- A clean tray every day. Straining, frequent trips or urinating outside the tray are signs to report to the vet.
- Company and play
- Boredom can lead to overgrooming, overeating or damaged furniture, so a sitter plays as well as feeds.
Away for four days?
Two drop-in visits a day keep a healthy adult cat fed, watched and in its own territory.
Puppies
Left aloneNo welfare body we checked gives a safe number of hours for a puppy. PDSA's four-hour limit is for adult dogs, puppies need taking outside several times a day, Merck says, and RSPCA NSW advises leaving them alone only for short periods each day. For any trip, a puppy needs someone staying with it.
The daily care sheet
- Meals
- Four meals a day of puppy food at 6 to 12 weeks, three a day at 3 to 6 months, and two a day at 6 to 12 months.
- Toilet
- Take the puppy outside several times a day at first and praise it when it goes. As puppies grow, they can go longer between trips.
- Sleep
- Puppies sleep a lot, up to 20 hours a day. Let them sleep and do not wake them.
- Routine
- Puppies like to know what will happen next: feed, play, rest and toilet at the same times each day.
Away for four days?
A young puppy needs someone at home through the day and night: an overnight sitter keeps meals, toilet trips and training going.
Senior pets
Left aloneLess time than a younger dog. PDSA's guide for adult dogs is not much longer than four hours, and the RSPCA notes older dogs may need the toilet more often and prefer a predictable routine. With stiff joints, medicines or Indian summer heat, a senior dog should have someone checking in well inside four hours.
The daily care sheet
- Food
- From around seven, many dogs benefit from moving gradually onto a diet made for senior dogs. Keep a close eye on weight: older dogs are more at risk of obesity, which can make osteoarthritis worse.
- Eating and drinking
- Monitor how much your dog eats and drinks, and tell your vet about any change.
- Toilet
- Older dogs may need to go more often, so they need regular access to their toilet area. Discuss incontinence or any change in toilet habits with your vet.
- Walks
- Senior dogs still need regular exercise, often as shorter, more frequent walks. Many need a little less exercise than when they were younger.
Away for four days?
Older dogs cope best with no change of home: a sitter who stays keeps the routine, the medicines and the toilet trips on time.
Small pets
Left aloneNo welfare body sets a safe number of hours, because a rabbit's risk is not boredom but its gut. The RSPCA says someone must look after your rabbits while you are away, and PDSA treats a rabbit that stops eating as an emergency. Plan for someone to check them every day, twice in hot weather.
The daily care sheet
- Hay
- A bundle of good hay at least as big as the rabbit, every day, with hay available all the time. Hay keeps the teeth worn down and the gut moving.
- Greens
- A large handful of washed leafy greens, herbs and weeds daily, rotated between several kinds. Carrots are not a main food.
- Pellets
- A small measured amount: the RSPCA guide is about 25 g (an egg cup) per kg of body weight. Follow the owner's measure, not a guess.
- Water
- Fresh, clean water all through the day. Without it a rabbit can become seriously ill.
Away for four days?
Petym's bookings open for dogs and cats first. The free checklist covers food, water, heat and what to leave written down.
Birds
Left aloneNo welfare body gives a safe number of hours, but every one we checked says pet birds need daily care. The Merck Veterinary Manual says birds are social and can get lonely, and that birds hide illness. So plan for someone to visit at least once a day, twice for longer trips or in heat.
The daily care sheet
- Food
- For parrots such as budgies, cockatiels and lovebirds, about three-quarters pellets and about a quarter washed fruit and vegetables such as carrot, broccoli and peas. Seed and nuts only as small occasional treats.
- Foods to keep away
- Avocado, which the RSPCA calls highly poisonous to parrots.
- Water
- Fresh, clean water every visit (Petym's advice: wash the bowl, because food and droppings foul it quickly).
- Attention
- Birds are social and can get lonely if they do not get enough attention. Regular time together, especially training, keeps them happy.
Away for four days?
Petym's bookings open for dogs and cats first. The free checklist covers food, water, heat and what to leave written down.
Compare
A sitter’s home, your home, a kennel or a relative?
It depends on your pet. Here is how the four usual choices differ, before anyone talks about price.
| Boarding at a sitter's home | A sitter at your home | Kennel or pet hostel | A relative or neighbour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your pet's routine | Your routine, written down and followed | Unchanged | The kennel's routine | Depends on them |
| Other animals | A limit per home | Only your own | Often many dogs | Their pets, if any |
| Updates | A photo every day | A photo every day | Ask the kennel | When they remember |
| Checked before | Yes, by Petym | Yes, by Petym | Ask what they check | You know them |
Sitter or boarding, compared in full · A friend or a professional sitter?
Every sitter is checked before they meet your pet
- PAN identity checkIdentity verified with PAN before listing.
- Home walk-throughA video walk-through of the home by Petym, for sitters who host pets.
- Society permissionThe housing society's permission for paid pet sitting, for sitters who host pets.
- Pet first-aid trainedPet first-aid training before the first booking.
- 24-hour vet namedA named 24-hour vet within reach of where the pet stays.
- Pet limit per homeA limit on how many pets a home may take at once.
Checks lower risk; they do not remove it. That is why you meet your sitter first and hear from them every day.
If your pet falls ill
- The sitter calls you straight away.
- The sitter takes your pet to the nearest 24-hour vet on Petym's list for your city.
- Your care sheet travels with your pet: the vaccination record, medicines and your vet's details.
Reviews appear here after real bookings
We will not show a single review, star or “trusted by” number before that. Every review will be from an owner about a booking that happened.
Cities
Opening city by city
Until your city opens, its guide has the local pet licence rules, 24-hour vets, weather and festivals.
Free tools
Free tools for your trip
- Pet care sheetA printable instructions sheet for your sitter: meals, walks, vet and house notes.Use it free
- Going-away checklistA dated countdown for your trip, for dogs, cats, small pets and birds.Use it free
- Care plan builderAdd up the visits, walks and nights your trip needs. No prices yet.Use it free
- Can my dog eat this?Roti, curd, mango, chai and 55 more foods, each with a sourced verdict.Use it free
Care guides
Before you go
- Handing over house keys safelyHow to give a sitter access to your flat, who else holds keys, and what to do after.Checked Read
- How to choose a pet sitterThe checks that matter in India: ID, references, experience, an emergency plan and a trial.Checked Read
- Questions to ask a pet sitter16 questions, what a good answer sounds like, and what a good sitter will ask you.Checked Read
Have a trip coming up? Talk to us.
Tell us your city, your dates and your pet. We reply to every message ourselves, and tell you as soon as a checked sitter near you can take your dates.
Questions owners ask about pet sitting
How does pet boarding with Petym work?
- You drop your dog or cat at a checked local sitter's home for the days you are away. Your pet lives with the sitter, keeps the meals, walks and medicines you write down, and you get a photo update every day. Each home has a limit on pets, so it never becomes a kennel. If your pet is happier at home, a sitter can stay at your place or drop in instead.
How is a Petym sitter checked?
- Before listing, every sitter passes a PAN identity check and pet first-aid training before the first booking, and names a 24-hour vet within reach. Sitters who host pets also pass a video walk-through of their home and show their housing society's permission.
Can I meet the sitter and see the home before I book?
- Yes. A free meet and greet comes before the first booking, at the sitter's home, so you see where your pet will sleep, eat and walk, your pet sniffs the place out with you there, and you agree the routine and what happens in an emergency.
Is a sitter's home better than a kennel?
- In a sitter's home your pet lives in a family home with a limit on other pets, keeps its own food and routine, and you get a photo every day. A kennel or pet hostel usually keeps many dogs to its own routine. For a very anxious pet or a cat who hates travel, a sitter at your own home may suit better, and Petym offers that too.
How much does pet boarding cost on Petym?
- Boarding in a sitter's home is Rs 1,699 a night for a dog and Rs 1,199 for a cat in Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Bengaluru, and Rs 1,399 and Rs 949 in other cities, with 10% off from 7 nights. The pricing page lists every service, including a sitter at your home.
Which cities is Petym opening in?
- Petym is opening city by city in India, starting with Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata and other launch cities. A city opens for bookings once local sitters have passed Petym's checks.
What happens if my pet falls ill while I am away?
- The sitter calls you straight away and takes your pet to the nearest 24-hour vet on Petym's list for your city, with your care sheet, vaccination record and your vet's details.
How do I contact Petym about a sitter?
- Use Find a sitter to send your city, dates and pets in about a minute, or write to us on the contact page. A person reads every message, and we tell you as soon as a checked sitter near you can take your dates.