The Pet Guide:Pet Care Cost

Alicia C.

What is typically charged by caregiver for two dogs if the client wants the caregiver to stay in their home while on vacation?

Posted: September 26, 2011 at 1:53 PM

Joann L.

My pet sitter charges only $50.00 per day/night and takes care of two dogs. Most pet sitters in this area are up to 100.00 a night, and than want to charge me $16.00 to $18.00 per visit during the day, or won't stay overnight at all. Denise is the most dependable pet sitter I have found. I go away and know my dogs are in the best of care (loved, attention beyond what I pay for), my home is safe and taken care of the way I would. Denise H. from Walnutport, PA is the BEST EVER!

Posted: October 09, 2011 at 1:23 PM

Mona G.

I have been pet-sitting in addition to my full-time job as a veterinary technician for quite some time now. My fees are based on the distance I need to travel as well as the number of pets I will be taking care of (ther are no extra charges for things like walking the dog, scooping poop from yards or litterboxes, bringing in mail,putting out/bringing in trash cans, etc). Within a 5 mile radius from my home I charge $50/day for live-in, or $25/visit. This cost increases $5/pet after the first 3. As far as distance, the cost is $10/each additional 5 miles from my home to yours. This encourages care seekers to look for someone in close proximity to their home. That increases the chance of someone you know knowing the caregiver, either personally or professionally (another additional layer of safety!). One thing I've learned in my years working at various vet offices: the pet community is a small, well-connected world. Your name and your reputation are what follow you wherever you go, so being kind and genuine to my charges and their owners has always been my goal. Another word of advice to pet care seekers: hiring an experienced vet tech gives you the bonus of "trained eyes" caring for your pet. Sometimes subtle changes can signal the start of a medical issue that may go unnoticed by lay caregivers. A potentially blocked cat's life may be saved by the tech who notices them spending much unproductive time in the litterbox. A dog owner may be spared the tragedy of their beloved pet's death from bloat by the saavy caregiver who notices the abdomen is more distended after feeding time than when they arrived. This is not to say that accidents, medical crisis and tragedies can't happen on anyone's watch, but with more experienced veterinary staff caregivers, it's just a little extra insurance for you and your pets-less to worry about when you're away. There are a lot of us vet techs who pet sit in addition to our full-time job. We just can't seem to stop "playing with animals." Good luck to all who are seeking caregivers and their fees: hope this helps!

Posted: April 04, 2012 at 1:00 PM

Mona G.

I have been pet-sitting in addition to my full-time job as a veterinary technician for quite some time now. My fees are based on the distance I need to travel as well as the number of pets I will be taking care of (ther are no extra charges for things like walking the dog, scooping poop from yards or litterboxes, bringing in mail,putting out/bringing in trash cans, etc). Within a 5 mile radius from my home I charge $50/day for live-in, or $25/visit. This cost increases $5/pet after the first 3. As far as distance, the cost is $10/each additional 5 miles from my home to yours. This encourages care seekers to look for someone in close proximity to their home. That increases the chance of someone you know knowing the caregiver, either personally or professionally (another additional layer of safety!). One thing I've learned in my years working at various vet offices: the pet community is a small, well-connected world. Your name and your reputation are what follow you wherever you go, so being kind and genuine to my charges and their owners has always been my goal. Another word of advice to pet care seekers: hiring an experienced vet tech gives you the bonus of "trained eyes" caring for your pet. Sometimes subtle changes can signal the start of a medical issue that may go unnoticed by lay caregivers. A potentially blocked cat's life may be saved by the tech who notices them spending much unproductive time in the litterbox. A dog owner may be spared the tragedy of their beloved pet's death from bloat by the saavy caregiver who notices the abdomen is more distended after feeding time than when they arrived. This is not to say that accidents, medical crisis and tragedies can't happen on anyone's watch, but with more experienced veterinary staff caregivers, it's just a little extra insurance for you and your pets-less to worry about when you're away. There are a lot of us vet techs who pet sit in addition to our full-time job. We just can't seem to stop "playing with animals." Good luck to all who are seeking caregivers and their fees: hope this helps!

Posted: April 04, 2012 at 1:03 PM

Charlene

My cat has a swollen face around his left eye. I looked at his teeth and saw that his gums are swollen. He is an indoor cat. He has been eating and drinking as normal. Could he have an absess? If so what can I do for it?

Posted: April 04, 2012 at 8:11 PM

Lynne Metz

I love pets and they love me when they get used to me at first the need to bond
then we will have fun. I love walking them and playing ball with them and with cats too. I love it when the cats sit on my lap and play with catnip too. But most of all I love walking dogs and that helps me keep fit too.

Posted: May 20, 2012 at 11:18 AM

Denise C.

Regarding pet care options, I think the thing to keep in mind is you get what you pay for. Sure, you can find people out there willing to take care of your dog for $20/day but do you really think a pet sitter is going to go out of his or her way to entertain your dog and make sure he's getting the best care possible for such little compensation? Not to say that a lot of pet sitters don't truly enjoy being around the dogs they care for. I run a dog boarding and dog daycare service and there are certain dogs that I would gladly take care of free of charge. That said, it simply doesn't make good business sense to give away services. Our dog boarding guests have the opportunity to go on long hikes, walks in the park, go running, and even swim. They are never left alone and have free access to most of the house. Additionally, owners receive periodic updates with photos so they know their dog is doing well. I feel we offer a lot more than you'd get with kennel boarding. As such, we charge $55-$65 per night for dog boarding, $40-$45 per day for dog daycare up to 12 hours.

Posted: October 12, 2012 at 7:53 AM

Donna O.

how can anyone afford a dog walker 22-30.00 for 1/2 or 1 hr walk a day you can take them to a dog daycare for all day for less. so if you need someone just to walk your dog cuz you are physically unable forget it because you would need a second income

Posted: October 25, 2012 at 8:50 PM

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