Why petsits are the purrfect match for solo travellers

Best of all, spending time with animals gives me a secondary sense of paw-pose. I feel happier and more fulfilled than I was only looking out for myself on the road.

Smitten kittens: loved up with animals across four continents

Ready for cuteness overload?

On the 14th of February 2024, I began a petsit on my 4th continent!

And, seriously, could there be a better way to spend Valentine’s Day?

Solo travel can be devoid of cuddles and snuggles at times, but with petsitting, I’ve found a way to feel loved up every day of the week.

Following my animal sanctuary stint in 2022, I’ve been petsitting almost full-time.

From dachshunds, huskies, and greyhounds in the Gold Coast of Australia to the sweetest share pei in Vienna. I’ve had a wide range of experiences. On one memorable occasion, I got to watch kittens grow up in a Balinese garden, allowing me to save for side trips to the likes of Sidemen, Uluwatu, and Ubud in Bali.

Whether watching adventurous black cats swing across trees in the English countryside and spending Christmas with a playful Staffie, I no longer get lonely when travelling alone… even during the holidays.

And, since solo travel is expensive, free accommodation is a huge bonus. Usually, accommodation is double the price for singles (versus couples or two friends) unless you stay in a hostel. Petsitting is a good excuse to visit places that would otherwise be too expensive to visit alone. For example, despite being FROM England, I’d never have ended up planning a trip to York without the excuse of sitting as a nervous ginger rescue cat.

And currently? I’m petsitting two of THE most loving cats in Mexico City.

As I always say: If you do what you love, you’ll always have love in your life.

How to find your purrfect petsit

I use TrustedHousesitters to find petsits around the world. They have the best website, the widest variety of available petsits, and best informal contracts to keep both you, the pet parents, and the pets themselves safe. Get 25% off TrustedHousesitters annual Memberships with code CASSIE25.

I’ve also used Facebook groups before but to be honest, I’ve found them very over-saturated and not had much luck. My worst petsit was one I got through a Facebook group and to be honest, it put me off…

Unlike with TrustedHousesitters, there are no clear rules of what is expected from both parties. For example, on TH it’s clear that neither the homeowner nor petsitter can have people go around to the house without prior written permission.

During my sit, I discovered the workers they had around at their house were actually taking photos and reporting back to the owners! Although I hadn’t done anything wrong, it made me feel VERY uncomfortable. I could not relax in that house as I felt like I was being spied on!

That said, FB groups can be a great way to get experience, especially in your local area where you already have a safety net if something goes wrong.

SWIPE RIGHT: Setting up the purr-fect petsitter profile

Petsitter profiles > Dating profiles. Why? Cuz EVERY SINGLE PROFILE is a winner when it’s full of photos of floofy friends.

But to convince a pet parent you’re the right match for their pet, you’re still going to have to sell yourself.

My petsitter profile is full of photos of me with different animals, demonstrating the bonds I’ve formed with furry creatures around the world. I included photos of different animal breeds and also different activities – such as a photo of me giving an animal medication, and others of me walking dogs, etc – to help them visualise what it would look like I was taking care of their animal.

I also made sure to fill out EVERY section of the TrustedHousesitter profile in as much detail as possible. I was quite meticulous about showing who I am as a person, and who I am as a petsitter.

For example, I mentioned I’m a writer who works at home, which shows them I won’t be abandoning their pets to go on long trips every day. I also listed the different sits I have done as well different skills I had while volunteering.

My profile is professional, but more than anything friendly. The pet parents I’ve met have all been kind and welcoming and most of all, have poodles of love for their animals, so it’s always a pleasure when I get a notification to say they’ve got in touch with me!

IT’S A MATCH! Now it’s time to set a date.

If a pet parent selects you for a petsit, make sure you set a date to speak with them before confirming the sit. Think of any questions you can ask to make sure you’re compatible!

For example, questions I often ask are: How long can the pets be left home alone? What do I need to get up to feed them or take them out? How long do dogs need to be walked for? Is there

If you can’t meet in person, then I recommend a video call so you can get a good idea of what will be expected of you and receive a virtual house tour.

Click to join TrustedHousesitters – get 25% off annual memberships with code CASSIE25

Can I petsit with no experience?

I’d question why you feel confident applying for petsits if you have ZERO experience.

After all, if you don’t have any experience taking care of pets, why do you think you’re a suitable candidate to take care of other people’s animals?!

That said… it’s easy to gain experience as a petsitter before you start petsitting!

How? By setting up practise petsitting dates!

Ask family and friends if you can take care of their pets while they take weekends away, ask an elderly neighbour if you can help walk their dog once a week, or volunteer at a local animal shelter. I highly recommend taking time to learn if you actually enjoy petsitting before doing it for someone else, as it’s a huge responsibility.

I’ve never had my own pets, but before petsitting, I lived with flatmates’ pets and helped take care of them. However, it was only after spending 4.5 months volunteering full-time at an animal sanctuary that I felt truly confident taking care of people’s beloved animals!

What do you do if you get sick while petsitting?

This is something we all dread as solo travelling petsitters. What if we have sole responsibility for an animal… and get sick?

Firstly, keep the pet parents updated every step of the way, so they can prepare for the worst if you have to leave a sit early.

However, usually, even when we’re sick, we can still feed animals, clean their litter trays, etc. Again, it’s really up to the homeowners! Most likely, they’ll be happy for you to stay but may have a friend or relative who can help you out. With dogs, they can arrange a dog walker if you’re too sick to take them out.

Whatever happens, this is when it’s really, really important for you to have travel insurance. Your health is an integral part of taking care of animals.

Petsitting will take you all over the world, which is awesome, but since I’m never quite sure where petsitting will take me next, I use SafetyWing nomad insurance.

You can sign up even if your trip has already started, and it’s easy to pause and resume coverage if needed. Best of all, you’ll be covered in 185 countries and don’t need to select countries in advance. Check out their website or sign up at SafetyWing.

Does petsitting sound like your pup of tea?

To summarise, to get started:

• Join a petsitting website such as TrustedHousesitters or one local to your country – or try your luck with Facebook Groups – use code CASSIE25 to get 25% off TrustedHousesitters memberships
  
• Create an awesome profile that shows why you’d be an awesome match for people’s beloved pets. (Be honest!)
  
• Look up sits in your desired areas to let homeowners know your interested, and hopefully secure your first sit.
  
• Sign up for SafetyWing nomad insurance before you go so you can be confident you’re covered while you’re abroad.

Let me know in the comments below, which animal would you most like to petsit?

And if you’re feeling lonely this Valentines and need more cosy animal photos, here you go… Lots of love, Cassie xo