Should pet sitters be insured?

For professional sitters, yes - $1M general liability minimum. Bonding for in-home services is standard. Many sitters maintain workers' comp if they have employees. Sitters without insurance present significant risk to owners and to themselves; insurance ($300-800/year typical) is small relative to liability exposure.

What about emergency vet decisions?

Cover in the liability section: sitter has authority to seek veterinary care for emergencies up to a stated dollar amount; owner notified ASAP. Beyond the threshold, sitter contacts owner before authorising treatment. Document the threshold ($500-2,000 typical). Owner reimburses sitter for emergency vet expenses regardless of cause.

Are pet-sitter contracts state-regulated?

Generally not - private commercial relationships. Some states require business licenses for pet-care services. Commercial boarding kennels face state-specific licensing (kennel licensing, USDA APHIS for some operations). In-home pet sitters typically only need business license.

Can I sue if my pet is injured?

For documented sitter negligence or gross misconduct, yes - typical small-claims court for veterinary expenses + property damage. For accidents in normal supervised activity (common pets being curious/active), liability typically falls on owner. Document any sitter conduct that fell below industry standard.

Pet Sitter Agreement (Professional)

Agreement for engagement of a professional pet sitter - longer-term, business-side relationship.

Customise

Pet owner — name

Owner address

Owner phone

Sitter — name

Sitter address

Sitter phone

Sitter credentials / insurance

Pets covered (one per line)

Service type

Agreement period

Base rates and fees

Cancellation and rescheduling policy

Care standards (one per line)

Liability and insurance

Live preview

PET SITTER ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

PET OWNER

Name: Jordan Alex Taylor
Address: 482 Elm Street, Apt 3B, Portland, OR 97214
Phone: +1 503 555 0118

PET SITTER

Name: Pacific Pet Sitting LLC
Address: 88 Pine Lane, Portland, OR 97214
Phone: +1 503 555 0299
Credentials: Pet Sitters International (PSI) certified; bonded and insured ($1M general liability via Pet Care Insurance LLC)

PETS COVERED

Biscuit - Golden Retriever, 4 years old, 28 kg, spayed female, microchipped.
Whiskers - Domestic Shorthair cat, 8 years old, 4.5 kg, neutered male.

SERVICE AND PERIOD

► Service type: Recurring sitting (multiple events through the year)
► Period: Initial 6-month engagement (2026-05-01 to 2026-10-31), auto-renewing for additional 6-month periods unless either party gives 30 days' written notice.

RATES AND FEES

Drop-in visit (30 min): $32 per visit
Drop-in visit (60 min): $52 per visit
Overnight stay (8+ hours): $85 per night
Dog walking (30 min): $25 per walk
Holiday surcharge (federal holidays): 25% premium
Mileage beyond 5 miles from sitter address: $0.65/mile

Special-needs surcharges (e.g., medication administration, multiple-pet households, very young or very old pets): $5-15 per visit additional.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Cancellations 7+ days before scheduled service: full refund.
Cancellations 3-6 days: 50% credit toward future service.
Cancellations within 48 hours: full charge (no refund).
Reschedules with 48+ hours notice: free.
Weather / emergency / sitter-unavailability cancellations: full refund or rescheduling at no charge.

CARE STANDARDS

Daily food and water per owner's instructions.
Daily exercise appropriate to pet age and breed.
Medication administration per owner's schedule (with medication-administration form for tracking).
Litter/waste cleanup at every visit.
Daily owner update (text or photo).
Veterinary emergency response per emergency-care section.
Maintain owner's home in clean condition (where stays at owner's home).
Report any health concerns or behavioural changes promptly.

LIABILITY AND INSURANCE

Sitter maintains:
- General liability insurance ($1M minimum).
- Bonding for in-home services.
- Workers' compensation if employees handle assignments.
Owner is responsible for:
- Pet's vaccination status (current rabies + core vaccines required).
- Disclosed pet behavioural issues (bite history, etc.).
- Veterinary expenses for pre-existing or sudden conditions not caused by sitter negligence.
Sitter is responsible for:
- Damage caused by sitter negligence.
- Injuries caused by sitter's gross negligence or wilful misconduct.
Liability waiver: Sitter is not liable for naturally-occurring illness, accidents inherent to pet ownership, or pet-on-pet incidents during normal supervised activity.

EXECUTION

The parties have read this Agreement and execute it intending to be legally bound.

_______________________________ Date: ____________________
Jordan Alex Taylor (Owner)

_______________________________ Date: ____________________
Pacific Pet Sitting LLC (Sitter)

About this template

A professional pet sitter agreement is more comprehensive than a casual pet-care agreement (see slug pet-care-agreement). Distinct elements: (1) Sitter is a licensed/insured business with credentials (Pet Sitters International, National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, etc.); (2) Recurring engagement model with auto-renewal; (3) Detailed rate sheet for various services; (4) Formal cancellation policy with refund/credit terms; (5) Comprehensive liability and insurance provisions. The most-litigated pet-sitter issue is liability for unexpected veterinary events. The agreement should clearly distinguish: (a) pre-existing conditions and naturally-occurring illness (owner's expense); (b) accidents in normal supervised activity (typically owner's expense up to a threshold); (c) sitter negligence-caused harm (sitter's expense). Insurance is non-negotiable for professional sitters - $1M general liability minimum; many include bonding for in-home services (protects owner from theft and damage). Many sitters require pet vaccination current and disclosure of bite history; failure to disclose can void liability protection. Cancellation policies protect the sitter's revenue (sitters work limited bookings; last-minute cancellations are unrecoverable income). State-specific licensing for pet sitters is rare but increasing; some states require business licenses. For commercial boarding facilities (vs in-home sitters), additional state regulations apply (kennel licensing, USDA APHIS for some operations).

When to use it

Engaging a professional pet sitter for recurring service.
Long-term pet-care arrangement with insured business.
Multiple-pet households with specialty needs.
After bad experience with informal pet care.
When pet has medications or behavioural complexities.

What to include

Owner and sitter identification with credentials.
Pets covered (multiple).
Service type and engagement period.
Detailed rate structure.
Cancellation policy.
Care standards.
Liability and insurance provisions.

Frequently asked

This template is for professional pet sitters with credentials, insurance, and longer-term recurring engagements. The pet-care-agreement template is for casual neighborhood help. Both are valid; this version is more comprehensive for professional commercial relationships.

⚠ Legal disclaimer. Pet care liability and insurance vary by state. Professional sitters typically carry $1M general liability + bonding. Owners should verify insurance certificates before engaging sitters. For commercial boarding, additional state kennel-licensing requirements may apply. Veterinary-emergency-care authorisation should be specific (dollar threshold, owner notification protocol) to avoid disputes. State business-licensing for pet-care services varies.