Search for “pet sitting contract template” and you’ll find a PDF with fields for pet names, feeding times, and the vet’s phone number. Useful. Also dangerously incomplete.
The disputes that matter in pet sitting aren’t about feeding schedules. They’re about what happens when the schedule fails — when the pet needs emergency surgery and nobody agreed who pays, when the “friendly dog” turns out to be reactive to everything, when the sitter discovers the cat is terminally ill and nobody mentioned it.
Whether you’re a homeowner leaving pets with a housesitter, hiring a paid pet sitter, or asking a friend to look after your dog for a week, the agreement you need covers the same ground. Here’s what actually matters — and what a basic template tends to leave out.
Vet authority: the most expensive gap
A basic template has the vet’s name and number. It rarely covers the four questions that actually matter in an emergency:
Can the sitter authorise treatment?
In the UK, a vet will give an animal in pain emergency first aid, whoever brings it in (RCVS Code, supporting guidance 3). For anything beyond that, and for who pays, they’ll want to know what the owner has agreed. Without a written authority, the sitter may be left waiting for a call that doesn’t come.
What’s the spending limit?
Emergency vet bills can be large. The sitter needs to know: can they agree to treatment up to a set amount on their own, or must they call first whatever it costs? What happens when the owner is unreachable and the vet is waiting for a decision?
Who pays upfront?
The vet wants payment at the point of treatment. Is there a card on file? Does the sitter pay and get reimbursed? How quickly? Seven days? Thirty? Never, because the owner disputes the necessity? Agree it before the sit, not at the vet’s counter.
What if the owner is unreachable?
A two-hour response window means something very different from “try to call me.” If the pet needs immediate surgery and the owner is on a flight, how long does the sitter wait before deciding? This needs a number, not a hope.
A template that says “Vet: Greenfield Veterinary, 01632 960123” gives you a phone number. An agreement that covers authorisation, spending limits, payment method, and escalation protocol gives you a plan.
Behaviour disclosure: the conversation nobody has
Homeowners can understate a pet’s behaviour for understandable reasons: they love their animals, they’ve normalised the quirks, and they’re afraid that honesty will scare sitters away. Vague words can hide a lot: “he just needs a bit of reassurance” can mean separation anxiety; “she’s protective” can mean guarding food; “friendly once he knows you” can mean wary of strangers.
A pet sitting agreement needs explicit behavioural disclosure — not vague descriptions, but specifics. Known aggression or bite history (this is the most critical). Reactivity triggers. Separation anxiety and destructive behaviour. Escape history and containment needs. Any behaviour that could injure the sitter or damage property.
This isn’t about making the homeowner feel judged. It’s about making sure the sitter knows what they’re signing up for. A sitter who knows the dog is reactive can prepare — choose different walking routes, avoid dog parks, carry treats for redirection. A sitter who discovers it on day one is afraid, unprepared, and resentful. Disclosure protects both parties.
Health conditions, medication, and what “low-maintenance” really means
Medication errors can be life-threatening. A missed insulin dose for a diabetic cat. The wrong quantity of thyroid medication. Eye drops given at the wrong interval. These aren’t hypothetical — they’re the everyday reality of caring for pets with chronic conditions.
A pet sitting agreement must include, for each animal: every medication with name, dosage, frequency, and administration method. What to do if a dose is missed. Dietary restrictions and forbidden foods. Any terminal or chronic conditions — including ones the homeowner might consider “managed” but the sitter needs to know about. The difference between “she takes a pill every morning” and a documented medication schedule with contingencies is the difference between a safe sit and a veterinary emergency.
The hardest conversation: end-of-life wishes
If the pet is elderly or terminally ill, both parties need to discuss what happens if the pet dies during the sit. Not “if the worst happens” — specifically: does the homeowner want to be contacted immediately regardless of time zone? Who decides about remains? Does the homeowner return early? Is there a do-not-resuscitate understanding? These are painful questions. They’re far harder to face alone at 2am with a dying animal and no guidance.
Why a template isn’t enough
A PDF template treats every arrangement the same. But a three-month rural sit with four dogs, a geriatric cat on daily medication, and a pool has nothing in common with a weekend in a flat with a goldfish. The vet authority conversation for a healthy young Labrador is completely different from one for an elderly cat with kidney disease.
On Reputable Sitters, the urgent vet decision is one of eight questions every agreement asks, and the homeowner and sitter each answer it from their own side. Beyond the eight, the agreement asks each animal’s needs and what to do if the worst happens; anything more, write down together.
Because you both answer the same question, a gap shows before anyone commits. If the homeowner wants a call before any treatment and the sitter would act straight away and report back, you’ll see it on screen, not at the vet’s counter.
The eight questions stay the same for everyone. What you write down together about your own animals is what makes it yours.