Since 2019, I’ve made $17,000 by the Rover app and an extra $10,000 in earnings by doing freelance pet-sitting. My lifelong love of animals has remodeled right into a sustainable approach to complement my earnings, and has helped me repay debt, get monetary savings, and fund my targets.
Pet adoption boomed in 2020 as a result of increased ranges of social isolation and elevated time spent at house. In 2024, 66% of U.S. households owned a pet, and that yr the U.S. pet business market introduced in $152 billion, in keeping with the American Pet Merchandise Affiliation. With $13 billion reportedly allotted to pet boarding and strolling, now could be the proper time to discover whether or not this facet hustle is best for you.
The excellent news? Earning money as a pet sitter or walker has by no means been simpler.
I received began on Rover
Rover, the world’s largest on-line reserving service for pet care, was my first step into making this facet gig a actuality. Based in 2011, Rover is operational in 17 nations and is utilized by over two million pet mother and father, in keeping with their web site. I discovered that utilizing Rover as an impartial contractor was the quickest approach to construct my clientele and get my companies proven to a community of individuals in my native space.
If you join Rover, you pay $25-35 to your background test, wait a number of days for it to clear, then arrange your profile.
Your Rover profile is the very first thing potential shoppers see, so the way you craft it issues. Use a transparent, well-lit, skilled image as your profile image and create a concise, partaking bio showcasing your expertise, expertise, and character. Your profile is about making a superb first impression and sharing with potential shoppers why they need to rent you.
The creator’s Rover profile.
Credit score: Vee Weir
In my bio, I share my historical past as an animal lover and pet sitter, my availability, my medical expertise, and somewhat blurb showcasing my quirky, relatable humor. Have a look at different sitter profiles in your space and attempt to make yours stand out.
The creator’s bio on Rover.
Credit score: Vee Weir
Essential issues to recollect
Set aggressive pricing. Do that by analyzing your competitors. Should you’re simply getting began, decreasing your costs is a good way to realize new clients.
Testimonials are gold. The extra of them you will have in your Rover profile, the extra probably potential shoppers are to belief you. All the time ask for a testimonial after a job. If you have no testimonials from previous shoppers, you possibly can electronic mail family and friends members to get your first critiques in your web page.
Maintain your companies correct. Nothing is worse than when a possible shopper tries to e book a service or time and it’s important to inform them you are unavailable. Retaining your availability correct creates a seamless expertise for you and your shoppers.
Your Rover calendar issues
On apps like Rover and Wag, every little thing runs on an algorithm. Due to this, retaining your companies, communication, and calendar up-to-date is rewarded by being proven to a bigger group of potential shoppers in your space.
Mashable Pattern Report: Coming Quickly!
My success on Rover has been due partially to being a distant employee with broad availability. Whereas different sitters could not have the ability to take jobs in the course of the work week, I can. This flexibility offers me an edge over the a number of sitters in my space. Replace your calendar day by day, and reply to inquiries as rapidly as potential. These statistics can penalize you or reward you.
Be sensible about how a lot it is possible for you to to make. I dwell in an space of the nation the place spending cash on pets will not be solely accepted however inspired and anticipated. You could not dwell in the identical demographic. Your geographic location and availability are heavy elements within the success of Rover and pet sitting basically.
Pet care non-negotiables
Whereas making certain a optimistic shopper expertise ought to be a high precedence, your personal security and safety are paramount. Scheduling a meet and greet or temporary assembly the place you meet your potential shopper and their pet is a non-negotiable. Throughout this assembly, you possibly can assess the reactiveness of an animal, talk with the proprietor about their quirks and desires, be taught in regards to the pet’s particulars, and determine if you wish to tackle the job. I by no means skip meet and greets; I counsel anybody on this job to make them a normal working process.
A second non-negotiable is sending shoppers photographs and/or movies throughout your stick with their pets. Communication is essential for Rover, and this motion will lead to increased charges of testimonials and rebookings. An additional I prefer to throw in for brand new shoppers is a handwritten word and a deal with for his or her pet. All the time ask about allergy symptoms or restrictions earlier than gifting!
The professionals of utilizing Rover
I favor Rover to different pet care reserving companies for a number of causes. Rover affords a 24/7 help line, which I’ve used earlier than and located very useful in an emergency. Additionally they present insurance coverage for pet house owners who e book by them.
Via Rover, you’re eligible for as much as $25,000 reimbursement in vet care with a declare associated to harm to both the pet proprietor’s or sitter’s pets, property harm to the pet proprietor’s house brought on by a sitter or canine walker, and sure out-of-pocket medical prices for third-party accidents.
On the advertising facet of issues, utilizing Rover means you will have a built-in buyer base with out doing any advertising or paying for publicity. It is a ready-made community to faucet into and begin making a living instantly.
Rover additionally affords a slew of companies that are not simply restricted to canine strolling. You possibly can board canine in your house, house-sit in another person’s, do drop-in visits, and do canine coaching and grooming if you happen to’re certified. If staying in a single day in different individuals’s properties is not your factor, you possibly can deal with constructing a drop-in-based enterprise.
Keep in mind that gigs and facet hustles are simpler to keep up if you happen to like what you are doing. In case you are burnt out on house-sitting since you’re away out of your mattress, take a break. Do not run your self into the bottom when there are alternatives so that you can generate income in different methods on one app.
The cons of utilizing Rover
Whereas there are many professionals to Rover, there are a number of issues to concentrate on. First, the market is commonly saturated with different canine sitters. It could take time to e book a job initially, even if in case you have a number of verified critiques. As I discussed earlier, the pet business is in a sustained growth, and persons are leaping on the chance.
Since Rover is common and has a built-in community, the app costs pet sitters 20% for every pet care job. This can be a charge I gladly pay due to the advantages I reap from reserving by Rover; it is simply the price of collaborating on this business while you’re simply getting began. As you turn into extra respected, you may begin getting referrals outdoors of the app as nicely, or can supply your companies in different neighborhood boards.
Talking of prices, take into account that Rover doesn’t routinely put aside any cash for taxes. I’m not a tax skilled, however over the past six years I’ve saved 30% of my dog-walking income in an Ally high-yield financial savings account, and I’ve by no means had a difficulty paying my impartial contractor invoice come tax time. It doesn’t matter what facet gig you determine to check out, at all times get monetary savings for taxes. The IRS desires a bit of that earnings, too.
Pet sitting has been some of the rewarding jobs I’ve completed
Having a facet hustle or studying a commerce outdoors of your major occupation has many advantages, together with pursuing a distinct talent whereas getting paid for it. Whereas the previous few years of my skilled life have been unpredictable, pet care has been a continuing. Being a Rover sitter has offered me with cash to pay my payments and proceed my way of life all through turbulent financial instances.
Give canine sitting a attempt if you wish to make more money and receives a commission to hang around with animals you like.
