Guides
Sample pet sitting quotes and the template behind them for new owners
Sample pet sitting quotes for new owners show the template fields for visits, overnight stays, and holiday rates that decide whether a booking pays.
What to take away
- Sample pet sitting quotes and the template behind them start with three numbers: the visit rate, the trip charge, and the holiday or short-notice surcharge. Write all three down before you send anything.
- Price the visit, not the hour. A 30-minute walk that runs 38 minutes because the harness is new is the same invoice.
- Every quote names the pet, the dates, the number of visits, and the cancellation window. Anything left out becomes a phone call at 6am.
- Keep your records so income and expenses are clear, as the IRS recordkeeping guidance describes.
- Your advertising claims have to match what you actually deliver, per the FTC advertising guide.
!Pet sitter writing a quote at a kitchen table with a dog waiting by the door
The template, filled in
Below is the same eight fields used for every quote, with a worked example typed in. Luna, a two-year-old border collie, needs three 30-minute midday walks a week while her owner works downtown.
Eight Quote Template Fields
- Pet and householdname, breed, age, temperament
- Service and lengthvisit type and minutes
- Frequencyvisits per week or per stay
- Rateper-visit price and trip charge
- Surchargesholiday, weekend, short-notice, second pet
- Accesskeys, codes, parking, building rules
- Cancellationnotice window and fee
- Termstart date, review date, expiry
| Field | What goes in it | Luna's quote |
|---|---|---|
| Pet and household | Name, breed, age, temperament notes | Luna, border collie, 2 years, pulls on leash near squirrels |
| Service and length | Visit type and minutes | 30-minute walk, midday window 11am to 1pm |
| Frequency | Visits per week or per stay | 3 per week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday |
| Rate | Per-visit price and any trip charge | $24 per walk, no trip charge inside the zone |
| Surcharges | Holiday, weekend, short-notice, second pet | $8 holiday, $5 second dog, $10 under 12 hours notice |
| Access | Keys, codes, parking, building rules | Lockbox code, street parking free after 11am |
| Cancellation | Notice window and fee | 24 hours, half rate inside that window |
| Term | Start date, review date, expiry | Starts Monday, price held 12 months |
That is the whole template. Fourteen fields is a form nobody fills in twice, so keep it to these eight.
Five sample quotes with figures
Quote 1: recurring midday walks. Luna's owner gets the table above plus a monthly total: 3 walks a week at $24 is $72 a week, about $312 a month. The quote states the rate holds for 12 months and that holiday weeks bill at the surcharge.
Quote 2: a one-week overnight stay. A cat named Pepper needs two visits a day for seven days. Two visits at $22 is $44 a day, $308 for the week, plus a $25 key handover and a $40 holiday surcharge if the week lands on a statutory holiday.
The quote lists the dates, the two visit windows, and the emergency contact.
Quote 3: a good, better, best bundle. A new puppy owner picks between a 20-minute drop-in at $18, a 30-minute walk at $24, and a 45-minute walk plus training reinforcement at $34. The middle tier sells most often, which is why the 45-minute visit carries the training time in its rate.
Quote 4: a holiday week for two dogs. A household with two Labrador retrievers books three 30-minute walks a day from December 24 to December 28. The base rate is $26 per walk because two dogs need two leashes and a longer check-in. Five days at three walks is 15 walks, $390.
The December 25 and December 26 visits add an $8 holiday surcharge each, so $16 extra. The total is $406. The quote notes that the $10 short-notice fee applies only if the booking starts under 12 hours after the request.
Quote 5: a medication visit for a senior cat. A 12-year-old cat needs a 20-minute drop-in twice a day for 10 days after a dental procedure. The rate is $22 per visit, with a $5 medication administration fee per visit.
Two visits a day at $27 is $54 a day, $540 for 10 days. The quote includes a $25 meet-and-greet and a 12-hour cancellation window because the cat's pills are time-sensitive.
Pricing rows that fit pet care, with sample rates
Pricing rows that fit pet care
Where it fits
- Per-visit rate
- Standard walks and drop-ins a client can compare, $24 for 30 minutes
- Time-based with a floor
- Puppy visits, medication visits, meet-and-greets, $18 for 20 minutes with a 15-minute floor
- Good, better, best
- Clients choosing between visit lengths, $18, $24, $34
- Ongoing agreement
- Weekly schedules billed monthly, 3 walks a week at $24 is $312 a month
What it hides
- Per-visit rate
- The visit that runs long eats the margin
- Time-based with a floor
- The client watches the clock instead of the dog
- Good, better, best
- The middle tier carries everyone
- Ongoing agreement
- An unused week feels like a bad deal
Overnight stays price differently again. Most operators charge a flat overnight rate plus a daytime visit charge, because the sitter is asleep for part of it.
What the work actually pays
The BLS Animal Care and Service Workers page describes animal handling, sanitation, customer communication, recordkeeping, and physical injury risks. Those are the hours you are pricing.
Run your own numbers. In most markets, a solo sitter pays $15 to $25 per hour, and a 30-minute visit takes 0.75 to 1 hour door to door.
If a sitter is paid W per hour and a visit takes H hours including travel, the visit costs W x H before fuel, insurance and software. Add your target margin, then check the result against what your market pays. The break-even math tells you how many visits a week cover your fixed costs.
Common questions
What if the client asks for a quote over the phone?
Give the per-visit rate and the surcharges, then send the written quote before the first visit. A rate quoted verbally with no cancellation window is a rate you will argue about later.
Should the quote include taxes?
Show the rate, then show tax as a separate line if you are registered. In Canada, GST/HST registration depends on your revenue against the CRA threshold; confirm your position with an accountant. In the US, check your state rules.
How long should a quote stay valid?
Thirty days is common for one-off bookings. Recurring clients get a rate held for a stated term, usually 12 months, with the review date written on the quote so neither side is surprised.
What about insurance and permits?
Name your coverage in the quote: care, custody and control cover is separate from general liability. Dog walkers in Toronto need a permit under Municipal Code Chapter 349, and rules differ by city. Confirm current terms with your insurer and your municipality.
