Interviewing a pet sitter: ask about process, not only affection
Interview for the work that will happen when you are not there.
A warm introduction matters, but selecting a sitter also means understanding availability, relevant experience and how exceptions will be handled. Use the same practical questions with each candidate and compare their actual answers. This is not a personality score, background-check service or guarantee that a confident speaker can meet every animal's needs.
Before you begin
- Describe the real booking before asking for a price.
- Do not share permanent home access details during initial enquiries.
01Ask about relevant experience
Explain the species, ordinary care and any known needs of your animal. Ask the candidate for experience with a comparable situation, not simply how many years they have liked pets.
If a task is unfamiliar to them, let that remain visible. A clear limit can be more useful than a broad promise; clinical skills should not be inferred from general sitting experience.
02Clarify the time and duties
Ask whether the offer is a visit, an overnight stay or another arrangement, and what time is actually spent caring for the animal. Discuss the days and travel between commitments.
List the duties included and excluded, then ask what happens if another booking runs late. A photograph posted during a visit does not by itself explain how the rest of the promised care is organised.
03Discuss access and communication
Ask how keys or temporary access are handled and whether anyone else would enter the home. Agree what information is needed at selection stage and what belongs in the later private handover.
Discuss the language and channel used for updates. A useful answer explains how you will learn that a task was completed, not only that the sitter is comfortable sending pictures.
04Ask about exceptions before they occur
Use a plain scenario: you cannot enter, you are ill or you notice a concerning change; whom do you contact and what happens next? Ask who could cover a missed visit and whether you must approve that person.
Give the candidate room to describe limits and referral to veterinary help. Avoid asking them to diagnose an animal or promising unrestricted medical authority as part of an interview.
05Meet and compare written answers
Where practical, meet before committing and observe the person's interaction without forcing the animal to greet them. Request relevant references appropriately and with consent, rather than seeking private client records.
Keep a score-free sheet of answers, unknowns and agreed terms. If you choose the candidate, move to the separate booking brief; selection questions are not a substitute for current care instructions and access arrangements.
Questions to take with you
Questions worth asking
- What exactly happens if you cannot complete a promised visit?
- Which part of this animal's care is outside your experience?
Your working note
- Candidate __; relevant experience __; actual time/duties __.
- Access approach __; backup answer __; references with consent __; unanswered __.
This is practical preparation, not veterinary, legal or travel clearance. Confirm individual care with the appropriate professional and current terms with the actual provider.
Sources and how to use this guide
These sources support the principles in this guide. It has not had a veterinarian’s clinical review, and it is not a facility inspection or a service-quality certification.
