How much do you tip a pet sitter? This may be a question you’re asking yourself due to the fact that you have a dog, cat, rabbit, ferret, guinea pig, iguana, or something else and you need someone to look after them while you’re on vacation. You could look for an animal shelter or pet kennel but by doing this you could be exposing your beloved pets and animals to other animals who could possibly cause harm to them or expose them to diseases. If this seems like a worry for you then why not use the services of a professional pet sitter instead? Pet sitters will visit your house while you’re gone to feed your pets & make sure they are kept company throughout your trip. But how much do you tip a pet sitter?
When you’re traveling, it’s comforting to know that your pet is being well cared for while you’re away. A professional pet sitter can provide that care, but they don’t always come cheap. Here are some tips on how much to tip a professional pet sitter:
- First, determine how much time is spent caring for your pet. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends one half hour per day of care if you leave your pet alone for several days or longer. If you only need someone to watch your pet for a few hours or overnight, then the amount of time spent watching them should be considered instead.
- Second, consider the level of training and experience that the pet sitter has had in caring for animals like yours. For example, if they have experience with dogs but not cats then their rate will be different than if they have experience with both types of animals because they will have more knowledge about each species’ specific needs and behaviors than someone who has only worked with one type previously (or ever).
- Thirdly, factor in whether or not there are any special needs associated with your animal such as elderly age
How much do you tip a pet sitter
Take their experience into account.
Take their experience into account.
If they’re new to the job, they might not have been paid well. If they’ve been doing it for a while, they might be able to charge more. If you know that your pet sitter charges an arm and a leg, but your friend swears by someone who charges half as much—and if you can afford their higher rate—go with them! You don’t want to pay through the nose when there are other options available.
Choose a nice tip.
To tip or not to tip? That is the question. Tipping your pet sitter is up to you, but there are a few things you should consider before making a decision. If you are happy with the service they provided, consider tipping between 10-20% of their fee. If your pets were well taken care of and you feel like their needs were met during their stay, it’s always nice to show appreciation by giving a little something extra for good service.
If you aren’t very happy with the job that was done during your absence, don’t be afraid to leave no tip at all! A good rule of thumb is never give less than $5 or more than 20%, unless something really went wrong in which case we recommend checking out our post on how much do I need to pay my landlord as I’m moving out next month?
Think about how many pets they cared for.
If you have more than one cat or dog, tip more. The sitter has to care for both your pets and their needs — which could involve multiple walks, baths and play sessions — so the work is more involved than it would be if you only had one pet.
If they look after your fish tank as well as your cats and dogs, then they deserve a larger tip!
Decide if you’re happy with the service.
- How happy are you with the service?
- Did they do a good job?
- Were you happy?
- Did they go above and beyond what was expected of them in the contract?
- Did they do what you asked, and nothing more or less than that?
- Were there any communication issues between you and your pet sitter (this is especially important if your pet sitter doesn’t live at your house, so that they can be in touch with all parties).
Figure out what you can afford.
Tip what you can afford.
While a tip is nice, it’s not required by any means. A handwritten thank-you note can be just as meaningful, and it’s less of an imposition on your wallet than tipping is. If you’re in need of a pet sitter who can provide more frequent visits or more care during one of those visits (such as during the day), your budget may not allow for tipping at all.
If you are able to tip generously, do so! But make sure that when you do decide how much money to give the person who took care of your pet while you were away, err on the side of being generous rather than cheap—it will go a long way towards ensuring that they’ll want to take care of your pets again next time around.
Analyze your history with the pet sitter.
If you have a history with the pet sitter, it’s likely that you will tip them more. If the sitter has been particularly helpful in the past, for example, or if he or she has been able to handle situations that you were unable to solve yourself (such as helping your dog overcome his fear of thunder), then it’s safe to say that he or she deserves more of a tip than someone who is new.
Prepare to tip them before the end of their service.
As a pet sitter, you will usually be working with the pets of other people. You may be watching the home during the day or staying overnight to make sure everything is in order. You should always be ready for a tip when you are performing these duties.
When someone leaves an envelope on their dresser with cash inside after they have gone to bed, it is usually an indication that they do not want you to feel awkward about accepting their tip. If this happens, let them know how much appreciated their generosity was and thank them for their kindness!
Tipping your pet sitter is an act of gratitude and generosity, but depending on your circumstances and their service, it can be anything from $5 to 20%.
Tipping your pet sitter is an act of gratitude and generosity, but depending on your circumstances and their service, it can be anything from $5 to 20%. So what’s the best amount to tip? Well, it depends. If this is something you’ve done before or won’t be doing again (e.g., you’re using a professional doggy daycare during a business trip), then tipping $10 is fine. But if they’re sitting your pets regularly—and I mean regularly like once every few days—you should probably start thinking about giving them at least $20 per visit.
But why not just give them 100% of what they were charging? Well, because that might seem excessive! Remember: Tipping is an act of gratitude and generosity; it’s not mandatory by any means (and if anything, there are reasons why tipping may not be appropriate). But if you liked their services overall and want them to continue working with your pet(s), then go ahead and give them something more than just the cost of their work—give them something extra as thanks for being so good at their job!