HOW TO HIRE · PETS · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a small animal sitter in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A small animal care in Ireland costs €12–€30 per visit, typically around €18. 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
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a small animal sitter in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers small animal sitter work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — medication Administration — some small animals may require medication for health issues.
- How does type of service provided change the price?The level of service you pick is the price you pay. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does specific animal's needs change the price?A simple finish is quick; a refined one is not. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does experience of the caregiver change the price?Insurance and registration are built into a professional's price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Grooming Services — grooming is necessary for many small animals, especially long-haired breeds — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a small animal sitter job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
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.
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.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
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 →
A good answer: No register covers small animal sitter work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — medication Administration — some small animals may require medication for health issues.
A good answer: The level of service you pick is the price you pay. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A simple finish is quick; a refined one is not. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Insurance and registration are built into a professional's price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Grooming Services — grooming is necessary for many small animals, especially long-haired breeds — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a small animal 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 — feeding and Nutrition — proper nutrition is crucial for small animals.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the small animal sitter starts, and an itemised invoice after — general Health Check — regular health checks are essential for small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
Getting the quote right
- Type of service provided — the level of service you pick is the price you pay.
- Specific animal's needs — a simple finish is quick; a refined one is not.
- Experience of the caregiver — insurance and registration are built into a professional's price.
- Type of the pet — more of them means more to prepare beforehand.
- 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: type of service provided — the level of service you pick is the price you pay
- They will not talk about it: specific animal's needs — a simple finish is quick; a refined one is not
- They will not talk about it: experience of the caregiver — insurance and registration are built into a professional's price
- A price for the small animal 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 small animal sitter has begun
What a small animal sitter costs: €12–€30 per visit
The figures are for the job, per visit, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Pet sitting and Grooming each carry their own band. Small Animal Care 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
Small animal 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.
- Look firstType of service provided — the level of service you pick is the price you pay — that is what the small animal sitter is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneSpecific animal's needs — a simple finish is quick; a refined one is not — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfExperience of the caregiver — insurance and registration are built into a professional's price — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherType of the pet — more of them means more to prepare beforehand — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the small animal sitter is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, condition of their habitat — heavy build-up has to be dealt with before anything else.
- General Health Check
- Regular health checks are essential for small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
- Feeding and Nutrition
- Proper nutrition is crucial for small animals.
- Grooming Services
- Grooming is necessary for many small animals, especially long-haired breeds.
- Medication Administration
- Some small animals may require medication for health issues.
- Grooming
- Grooming services include bathing, brushing, and nail trimming to keep small animals clean and comfortable.
- Health Monitoring
- Health monitoring includes checking for signs of illness, administering medication, and keeping records of health changes.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a small animal sitter: questions people ask
The cost of small animal care can vary based on the type of service provided, the specific animal's needs, and the experience of the caregiver. Additional factors such as travel distance and emergency services can also affect pricing.
The duration of small animal care services can range from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the complexity of the tasks involved. Basic health checks may take less time, while grooming or emergency care may require more.
Many small animal care providers offer emergency or same-day services, but availability can vary by location and provider. It's best to check in advance and establish a relationship with a local caregiver for urgent needs.
Services such as major surgeries or specialised veterinary treatments are generally out of scope for small animal care providers. It's advisable to consult a veterinarian for any serious health concerns or procedures.
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.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
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