HOW TO HIRE · PETS · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a pet sitter in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A pet sitting in Ireland costs €25–€50 per day, typically around €40. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
TWO WAYS TO BUY THIS
Which do you need?
An individual, by the hour
You book a person for a set number of hours and they do what you ask. There is no scope and no quote: you are buying time. Best where the work is routine, you can say what you want done, and you would rather pay for two hours than for a job.
A company, for the job
You describe the job and they price it. There is a scope, a written quote, a team and somebody supervising it. Best where the work is one big push, where it needs equipment, or where you want one party answerable for the result.
What changes between them
The rate per hour against a price for the job; one person against a team; your own instructions against a written scope; and VAT, which an individual under the registration threshold does not charge at all.
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a pet sitter in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers pet sitter work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — overnight Stays — some pet sitters offer overnight stays, providing your pet with company and comfort in their familiar surroundings.
- How does duration of each visit change the price?The clock starts when the provider arrives, not when the work does. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does number of pets change the price?Doing them together saves the cost of a second visit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does any special requirements like medication administration change the price?It is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Medication Administration — if your pet requires medication, a pet sitter can administer it during their visits — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a pet sitter job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
By the hour
No register applies
NO LICENCE OR REGISTER APPLIES TO DOG WALKERS, PET SITTERS OR GROOMERS IN IRELAND. Anyone may trade as one. The protection is insurance and what is written down — and the insurance that matters is not the obvious one.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
CARE, CUSTODY AND CONTROL cover, not just public liability — public liability pays if your dog bites a stranger; care, custody and control is what pays if your dog is injured, lost or killed while in their charge, and plenty of walkers carry only the first; How many dogs are walked at once, and whether yours is walked with strangers' dogs; Whether they are insured to drive your dog in their vehicle, and how it is secured; What happens if your dog is hurt or runs — the plan, and which vet; Keys: who holds one, how it is returned, what happens if it is lost, in writing; Two references from current clients, called not read.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
Insurance
Expect care, custody and control cover as well as public liability. You are booking an individual for a set number of hours, so ask whether the ID has been checked and what the rating is from people who booked the same way — there is no company behind them to carry either.
A company
No register applies
NO LICENCE OR REGISTER APPLIES TO DOG WALKERS, PET SITTERS OR GROOMERS IN IRELAND. Anyone may trade as one. The protection is insurance and what is written down — and the insurance that matters is not the obvious one.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
CARE, CUSTODY AND CONTROL cover, not just public liability — public liability pays if your dog bites a stranger; care, custody and control is what pays if your dog is injured, lost or killed while in their charge, and plenty of walkers carry only the first; How many dogs are walked at once, and whether yours is walked with strangers' dogs; Whether they are insured to drive your dog in their vehicle, and how it is secured; What happens if your dog is hurt or runs — the plan, and which vet; Keys: who holds one, how it is returned, what happens if it is lost, in writing; Two references from current clients, called not read.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
Insurance
Expect care, custody and control cover as well as public liability. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
A good answer: No register covers pet sitter work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — overnight Stays — some pet sitters offer overnight stays, providing your pet with company and comfort in their familiar surroundings.
A good answer: The clock starts when the provider arrives, not when the work does. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Doing them together saves the cost of a second visit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Medication Administration — if your pet requires medication, a pet sitter can administer it during their visits — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a pet sitter job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect care, custody and control cover as well as public liability — playtime and Exercise — engaging your pet in play is a crucial part of pet sitting.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the pet sitter starts, and an itemised invoice after — daily Care Routine — pet sitting typically includes feeding, walking, and providing fresh water for your pet.
Getting the quote right, or booking by the hour
By the hour
- The rate per hour, and whether it changes in the evening or at a weekend
- The minimum booking, and what happens if the job finishes early
- What they bring and what you supply
- Whether the ID has been checked, and the rating from people who booked the same way
- Insurance, where the work can damage something or somebody
- The hours and the list of what is to be done, agreed before the first one
- Duration of each visit — the clock starts when the provider arrives, not when the work does.
- Number of pets — doing them together saves the cost of a second visit.
- Any special requirements like medication administration — it is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph.
- Length of service — a rushed job and a careful one take different amounts of time.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
A company
- Duration of each visit — the clock starts when the provider arrives, not when the work does.
- Number of pets — doing them together saves the cost of a second visit.
- Any special requirements like medication administration — it is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph.
- Length of service — a rushed job and a careful one take different amounts of time.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: duration of each visit — the clock starts when the provider arrives, not when the work does
- They will not talk about it: number of pets — doing them together saves the cost of a second visit
- They will not talk about it: any special requirements like medication administration — it is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph
- A price for the pet sitter before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the pet sitter has begun
What a pet sitter costs: €25–€50 per day
The figures are for the job, per day, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Dog walking and Cat sitting each carry their own band. Pet Sitting price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Pet sitters near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
- Look firstDuration of each visit — the clock starts when the provider arrives, not when the work does — that is what the pet sitter is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneNumber of pets — doing them together saves the cost of a second visit — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfAny special requirements like medication administration — it is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherLength of service — a rushed job and a careful one take different amounts of time — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the pet sitter is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, accessibility to your home — difficult reach means more setting up and taking down.
- Daily Care Routine
- Pet sitting typically includes feeding, walking, and providing fresh water for your pet.
- Playtime and Exercise
- Engaging your pet in play is a crucial part of pet sitting.
- Medication Administration
- If your pet requires medication, a pet sitter can administer it during their visits.
- Overnight Stays
- Some pet sitters offer overnight stays, providing your pet with company and comfort in their familiar surroundings.
- Cat Sitting
- Visiting your home to feed, play with, and care for your cat while you are away.
- Small Animal Care
- Caring for small pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, or hamsters, including feeding and cleaning their habitats.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a pet sitter: questions people ask
The cost of pet sitting can vary based on factors such as the duration of each visit, the number of pets, and any special requirements like medication administration. For example, longer visits or additional services will typically increase the overall cost.
A typical pet sitting visit lasts between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the needs of your pet. Longer visits may be required for dogs that need extensive exercise or special attention.
While many pet sitters are general professionals, some may have specialised training in animal care or first aid. It’s a good idea to ask about their experience, especially if your pet has specific needs.
Many pet sitters offer same-day or emergency services, but availability can vary. It’s advisable to book in advance to secure a sitter, especially during busy holiday periods.
Pet sitting generally does not include grooming or veterinary services unless specifically arranged. Additionally, sitters usually do not provide transportation for pets unless agreed upon beforehand.
NO LICENCE OR REGISTER APPLIES TO DOG WALKERS, PET SITTERS OR GROOMERS IN IRELAND. Anyone may trade as one. The protection is insurance and what is written down — and the insurance that matters is not the obvious one.
MORE GUIDES