How to Become A Pet Sitter In South Africa

Pet sitters provide daily care for pets while their owners are on vacation. They typically stay in the home of the owner, so the pets can remain on their familiar territory.

What consists of pet sitting?

Pet sitters visit the pet home to provide a range of services. This primarily involves feeding, exercise and companionship. Pet sitters generally bill clients on a per-visit, per-day or per vacation basis, and include additional charges for multiple pets, travel expenses, and non-standard duties.

What does an overnight pet sitter do?

During an Extended Overnight, the sitters usually arrive between 7-8pm. This allows them time for playtime, a longer walk, plant watering and extra cuddling! During these longer overnights the sitter will generally spend the extra time hanging out with your pets and keeping them company.

Do dogs need an overnight sitter?

Why Dogs Need Overnight Pet Sitting

As pack animals, dogs desire and require company and attention. They thrive in their own familiar environment, complete with the sounds, smells, and sights they are used to. In addition, most dogs get the majority of their human bonding time at night when the folks are home

How to Become A Pet Sitter In South Africa

What Does a Pet Sitter Do?

Learn About the Salary, Required Skills, & More

Pet sitters provide daily care for pets while their owners are on vacation. They typically stay in the home of the owner, so the pets can remain on their familiar territory. In addition to caring for pets, they may also provide basic services for the owner, such as collecting mail and vacuuming pet hair.

Some pet sitters limit their clientele to owners of cats and dogs. Others provide care for birds, fish, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

Many pet sitters operate a regular dog walking service and offer pet sitting services on an as-needed basis when clients go out of town.

Some pet sitters hire additional staff members to expand their service area, increase the number of customers they can accommodate per week, and act as a backup when they go on vacation or get sick. They can also earn additional revenue by creating a franchise business and licensing pet sitting providers under their established brand name.

Pet Sitter Duties & Responsibilities

Pet sitters are responsible for all basic animal care while their clients are on vacation or traveling for business. They must be able to perform the following tasks:

Provide food and water.

Brush fur and teeth and carry out other types of grooming.

Walk dogs.

Clean litter boxes.

Give medications, if applicable.

Pet sitters are also responsible for notifying owners and taking pets to the vet if they should become sick or suffer an injury while under their supervision. It is important that sitters require owners to fill out a detailed contact sheet with their contact information, their vet’s contact information, and relevant information about the pet (such as age, breed, weight, prior medical conditions, and medications).

Pet Sitter Salary

The salary of a pet sitter depends on geographical area and the size of their client base. The S .A Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not compile salary data specifically on pet sitters. Instead, the BLS has a broader job category called nonfarm animal caretakers.

Median Annual Salary: R 356526.57

Top 10% Annual Salary: More than R 558948.43

Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less than R 272496.74

Education, Training, & Certification

Pet sitters are not required to have any formal education or training, but they should be familiar with all aspects of animal care and behavior.

Prior experience: Most pet sitters have an extensive amount of hands-on experience with the animals they choose to provide care for. It is also useful for pet sitters to have a background in animal healthcare, such as prior work as a veterinary technician or veterinary assistant.

Training: Knowledge of animal CPR and first aid is valuable to those in this career and can be a big plus on the sitter’s marketing materials when trying to attract new clients.

Pet Sitter Skills & Competencies

Successful pet sitters should possess the following skills and traits:

Rapport with animals: Pet sitters must enjoy spending time with animals and have a gentle yet assertive when necessary way with them.

Reliable: Their clients count on them to take care of their beloved pets when they can’t, so pet sitters have to be reliable and provide their services for as long as they have committed to.

Trustworthy: Pet sitters have free run of a home while the owner is away. They must prove themselves worthy of the trust the owners invest in them.

Job Outlook

The BLS predicts all types of animal care and service worker jobs, including pet sitters and other nonfarm animal caretakers, will grow 22% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average. The BLS also notes that there is a high turnover among those kinds of jobs.

Work Environment

In most cases, pet sitters work at their clients’ homes. They should make themselves as “at home” as their clients have told them they’re comfortable with.

What qualifications do you need to be a pet sitter In South Africa?

Pet Sitter Requirements:

High school diploma or GED.

Proven experience working as a pet sitter.

Working knowledge of animal behavior.

The ability to perform animal CPR and first aid.

The ability to care for different animals of various sizes and breeds.

Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.

How much do pet sitters get paid in South Africa?

Anything between R250 and R750 per day is considered fair for house or pet sitters. At the end of the day, you want the person staying in your home and caring for your fur-babies to be as happy and comfortable as possible.

How do I get pet-sitting experience In South Africa?

How to Gain Experience for Becoming a Dog Sitter?

If you grew up with animals, elaborate on the work you did.

When your best friend asks you to pet-sit her/his dog, encourage her/him to give you a reference or write a testimonial.

Volunteer at a shelter in your spare time.

How many hours do pet sitters work In South Africa?

Pet daycare involves the Sitter taking care of an owner’s pet during the day either at the Sitter’s own home or the Pet Owner’s home. This may involve feeding them, playing with them or just being present to ensure nothing detrimental occurs; Time period – up to 10 hours, drop off around 7-9am pick up 5-7pm.

How much does a pet sitter charge per hour?

Pet Sitting = $25-35 per night. Dog Walking = $10-25 per session. House Visits = $15-25 per visit. Doggy Day Care = $20- 40 per day.

How much do dog walkers charge in South Africa?

Single Walk Rates
Mon-FriR120/dog (+R50/dog thereafter)
WeekendR150/dog (+R50/dog thereafter)

Is dog sitting easy In South Africa?

Being a pet sitter is a rewarding but challenging experience. Before taking on a job, make sure you have the qualifications necessary to excel. A love of animals is perhaps the most important qualification a pet sitter can have.

What do dog sitters want In South Africa?

It takes a special pet sitter to recognize exactly how each pet in their care is behaving, and know to take the proper actions to feed, walk, soothe, and otherwise care for them. Your sitter should be an animal lover, first and foremost, and sensitive to the needs of pets in their care.

Is pet sitting a good job In South Africa?

A dog sitter is a reliable professional people contact when they don’t have time to care for their own pets .In addition to bringing joy to the hearts of pets, dog sitters also have fun doing the job each day. Pet sitting is a lucrative and rewarding career that is suitable for animal lovers.