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Care guide 10 min read

Questions to ask a pet sitter before you hire

Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on

Quick answer

Ask about experience with pets like yours, exactly what they would do in an emergency and which 24-hour vet they would use, how they give medicines, who steps in if they fall ill, how they will update you, and how they will handle keys, your society's gate and your household help. Then ask for references.

Listen for specific answers. "I would call you, then take her to the 24-hour clinic on the main road" is a good answer; "don't worry, nothing will happen" is not. A good sitter will have questions for you too.

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  • Meet your sitter first, free
  • PAN-checked, first-aid trained
  • A photo every day
  • Pay through Petym, never cash

How to run the interview

  1. Do it at home, with your pet

    The RSPCA advises meeting a sitter before you hire them. At home you see how they are with your pet and your flat.

  2. Ask open questions

    "What would you do if..." tells you more than "Can you...?", which almost everyone answers with yes.

  3. Write the answers down

    If you are meeting more than one sitter, notes make the comparison fair.

  4. Call the references afterwards

    Ask past clients what went wrong and how it was handled, not only whether they were happy.

Why do the questions matter so much?

Because you are handing over your pet and your home, and the interview is the only check you run yourself.

When you hire a sitter, most of the checking falls on you, or on the platform you book through. The welfare charities agree on the basics: the RSPCA says to meet a sitter before hiring, check references and a criminal background, and confirm cover for your pet in an emergency. The American Kennel Club suggests asking about client references, insurance, a backup sitter, a written agreement and how the sitter deals with emergencies.

Most lists stop at six or seven questions. The 16 below add what an Indian home needs: ID and police verification, the society's gate, and the cook or maid who also has a key.

What should you ask a pet sitter, and what is a good answer?

Sixteen questions in five groups. You do not need to ask them in order.

Why ask itA good answer sounds like
1. How long have you cared for pets, and what kinds? American Kennel ClubExperience with your kind of pet matters more than years.Specific pets, ages and needs: "two senior Labradors, one on daily tablets".
2. Have you cared for a pet like mine?A puppy, a reactive dog and a shy cat need different skills.A real example, and honesty if not: "I haven't had a reactive dog, here is how I'd manage."
3. Tell me about a time something went wrong.Shows judgement under pressure.A clear story: what happened, what they did, what they would do differently.
4. What would you do if my pet was injured or suddenly ill? American Kennel ClubThe AKC suggests asking how a sitter deals with emergencies.Call you, call the vet ahead, go to a named 24-hour vet, follow your vet letter.
5. Which 24-hour vet would you go to, and how would you get there at night?In an emergency, nobody should be searching for a clinic.A named clinic near you, and a real plan for transport.
6. Do you know pet first aid? American Kennel ClubThe AKC suggests asking about first aid training.Where they trained, and basics they can describe, such as cooling a dog in heatstroke.
7. How do you give tablets or other medicines?Missed or doubled doses are a real risk."I follow the written schedule exactly and tick each dose off."
8. What would you do if my pet stopped eating or my cat strained in the litter tray? Cornell Feline Health CenterTests whether they know which signs cannot wait."Tell you the same day; a cat straining with no urine is an emergency."
9. How many visits, at what times, and how long will each be? Cats ProtectionClarifies what you are paying for.Times close to your pet's routine, and enough time for every task.
10. How will you update me?You should not have to chase news.A photo and short note every day, a call straight away if something is wrong.
11. Will you be the only person caring for my pet? American Kennel ClubSome services send different people.Yes, or they name the backup and offer to introduce them.
12. Who steps in if you fall ill or cannot come? American Kennel ClubThe AKC asks whether a sitter has an alternate.A named backup who knows your plan, not "I never get sick".
13. Can I see your ID, and are you comfortable with police verification? Ministry of Home Affairs (Digital Police Portal, NCRB)For a direct hire, you need to know who has your keys.Yes, without hesitation. The MHA's Digital Police Portal lists verification for employees.
14. Can I speak to two past clients? Cats ProtectionThe AKC and Cats Protection both advise checking references.Names and numbers offered readily, ideally local.
15. How will you handle the keys, the gate and my household help?Indian homes have more people coming and going.Keys kept safe and returned, entry approved with the guard, a door rule agreed with the maid or cook.
16. What do you need from me, and what is in our agreement? American Kennel ClubThe AKC suggests a written agreement covering payment, cancellation and a vet release.Dates, visits, payment, cancellation and the vet letter, written down.

Which answers should worry you?

One of these is enough reason to keep looking.

  • If "Don't worry, nothing will happen."

    Ask the emergency question again. If there is still no plan, do not book.

  • If They cannot name a 24-hour vet.

    A sitter should know where they would go before day one.

  • If They are reluctant to show ID or give references.

    Look elsewhere. Professional sitters should be happy to give references, Battersea says. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

  • If They plan to change your pet's food or routine.

    The RSPCA advises keeping the routine as consistent as possible. A sitter should follow your plan. RSPCA (England and Wales)

  • If They want to bring friends, or another pet, to your home.

    Agree in writing who may enter your home. The default is: nobody else.

  • If They push to skip the meet and greet.

    Do not skip it. The RSPCA says to meet before hiring. RSPCA (England and Wales)

What should a good pet sitter ask you?

If a sitter asks most of these without prompting, that is one of the best signs you will get.

  • What does your pet eat, how much, and when? Which treats are allowed? RSPCA (England and Wales)
  • Does your pet take medicines, and how do you give them? RSPCA (England and Wales)
  • Any health conditions, allergies or recent vet visits? RSPCA (England and Wales)
  • Who is your vet, and do I have your written permission to take your pet there? PDSA
  • Has your pet ever bitten or scratched anyone? What frightens it?
  • How does your dog walk on a leash, and how is it with other dogs and community dogs?
  • Where does your cat hide, and how many litter trays are there?
  • What are your society's rules on pets, lifts and visitors?
  • Who else has a key, and when do they come?
  • How should I reach you, and who is your backup contact? RSPCA (England and Wales)
  • What updates do you want, and how often?

How should you judge the answers?

Do

  • Listen for specifics: names, places, steps.
  • Watch how they are with your pet while they answer. RSPCA (England and Wales)
  • Call references and ask about problems. American Kennel Club
  • Trust your sense of the person. Cats Protection says you should not feel obliged to book a sitter you are not comfortable with. Cats Protection

Don’t

  • Accept "yes" to every question as a good sign.
  • Let a friendly manner replace an emergency plan.
  • Skip questions because the sitter came recommended.
  • Book for a long trip without a trial visit first. RSPCA (England and Wales)

Which questions are different with Petym?

Petym answers some of them for you. Ask the rest at the meet and greet.

When Petym opens in your city, some questions are covered by its process. Every Petym sitter will have had their identity verified with PAN, completed pet first-aid training before their first booking, and named a 24-hour vet within reach. In an emergency, the sitter calls you and takes your pet to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list. Daily photo updates and a log of feeds, walks and medicines are part of every booking.

That leaves the questions only you can judge: is this person right for your pet, do they understand its habits, and do you trust them in your home? Every first booking starts with a free meet and greet for exactly that. Use questions 1 to 3, 7, 8 and 15 there, and add your own.

What should you ask a sitter who hosts pets in their home?

Home boarding adds questions about the sitter's home, not just the sitter.

If your pet will stay in the sitter's home, visit it before you book. Ask who else lives there, including children and other pets, and whether your pet will meet them. Ask where your pet will sleep, where it will toilet, whether balconies and windows are secured, and whether there is a place your pet can be on its own if it needs a break. Ask how many other pets they sitter at once.

In a housing society, ask whether the society has given permission for paid pet sitting at home, and how the sitter handles lifts and common areas with guests' pets. These are the checks Petym will run on its hosting sitters before listing them: a video walk-through of the home by Petym, the society's permission for paid pet sitting, and a pet limit for the home. With anyone else, ask yourself.

Going away soon? Tell us your dates.

A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.

Find a sitterHow it works

  • Meet your sitter first, free
  • PAN-checked, first-aid trained
  • A photo every day
  • Pay through Petym, never cash

Questions owners ask

What are the most important questions to ask a pet sitter?

What they would do in an emergency and which 24-hour vet they would use; whether they have cared for a pet like yours; how they give medicines; who steps in if they cannot come; and whether you can see their ID and speak to past clients. Listen for specific, practical answers.

What questions should I ask a cat sitter?

Ask how often they will visit and when, how they check on a cat that hides, what they look for in the litter tray, and what they would do if a male cat strained with little or no urine. Cornell calls a urinary blockage an absolute emergency, so the right answer is to call you and a vet at once.

Should I ask a pet sitter for references?

Yes. The AKC and Cats Protection both advise asking for references and checking them, and Battersea says professional sitters should be happy to provide them. Call at least two past clients and ask what went wrong and how the sitter handled it.

Is it rude to ask a pet sitter for ID or police verification?

No. You are giving them your keys and your pet. A professional sitter will expect it. For a direct hire, see a government photo ID and consider a police verification request through your state police or the Ministry of Home Affairs' Digital Police Portal.

What questions will a pet sitter ask me?

A good sitter asks about your pet's food, medicines, health, vet, fears and bite history, how it walks and behaves with other animals, your society's rules, who else has keys, how to reach you and what updates you want. If they ask none of these, think twice.

How many questions should I ask a pet sitter?

As many as you need to feel sure. The 16 in this guide cover experience, emergencies, daily care, trust and your home. For a short booking with a sitter you know, a few may be enough; for a long trip with someone new, ask them all and call references.

Can I use these questions with a Petym sitter?

Yes. Petym verifies each sitter's identity with PAN and requires first-aid training and a named 24-hour vet before the first booking, so some questions are answered for you. Ask the rest at the free meet and greet: experience with pets like yours, medicines, and how they will handle your home.

What should I ask a dog walker?

Ask how long each walk is, whether it is a solo or group walk and how many dogs at most, the route, how they handle community dogs and other dogs, whether your dog stays on the leash, what they do in summer heat, and how they will tell you the walk happened. Ask for ID and references too.

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Sources

Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources

  1. RSPCA (England and Wales): Pet sitting (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
  2. American Kennel Club: How to select a pet sitter (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
  3. Cats Protection: Going on holiday without your cat (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
  4. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home: What should I do with my cat when I go on holiday? (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
  5. Ministry of Home Affairs (Digital Police Portal, NCRB): Digital Police Portal: citizen services, including verification requests for servants and employees (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
  6. Cornell Feline Health Center: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
  7. PDSA: Holiday health for pets (leaflet) (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026