What is pet sitting?
Pet sitting is a temporary way of managing the care of your pets when you are not there. It could be a petsitter or a housesitter who is petsitting for you. It depends on the pet sit brief.
You may have considered home pet sitting too if you need someone to care for your home at the same time. This is when you ask a housesitter or petsitter to step in to your home and look after the property and the pets.

If you have cats or dogs (or both!) or perhaps other pets at home, it may not be better to keep them at home. Sometimes it is not appropriate to house them temporarily in a kennels or cattery or with friends or family while you are away. Using a housesitting website is a viable boarding kennel alternative.
In-home pet care providing in home pet sitting is a real solution. What is more it can be very affordable. Here at HouseSit Match, we help match pet owners with pet sitters to find the perfect, free, in-house pet sitting arrangement.
You may need a variety of pet care skills. Perhaps you need a combination of dog sitter, cat sitter, rabbit sitter, bird sitter and even a guinea pig sitter. Many pet minders have experience with a wide range of family pets. And if you can learn about their experience and reviews through a housesitting website you can select the most trusted house sitters.
Keep pets at home – The advantages
There are a number of advantages to keeping your pets at home when you are on holiday. Here a few that might be important to note for you when you keep pets at home:
- Your pets feel comfortable in their own home.
- They are surrounded by familiar items, smells and toys which will help to minimise stress in your temporary absence. Some pets are more prone to stress induced by separation anxiety, particularly if they are nervous or uncomfortable in kennel-type accommodation.
- Having a live in home pet sitter means they still get personal attention, and the minder can care for multiple pets at the same time.
- With in-house pet sitting, you can find someone who can step in and care for your furry, finned or feathered friends whilst you are away.
- Choosing a live in petsitter from a housesitting website means they can get to know the pets before you leave.



How do I find a pet sitter?
In your search for the ideal petsitter, first make a list of the important attributes you are looking for. Then start your search online. It is a good way to begin and review what is available in terms of options. If you are keen on kennel alternatives and cattery alternatives then consider joining a pet sitting and housesitting website.
HouseSit Match is a housesitting website that offers a safe and secure environment to meet animal-loving pet sitters who can provide the care and attention that your pets deserve whilst you are away from home. These pet sitters can also maintain your home in your absence too, helping to reduce your stress and worry whilst you are travelling (for work or leisure).
You can also do some research and reading. For example, check out this blog written by a pet owner on How to find a great pet sitter. And another useful blog is entitled How to look for an ideal petsitter.
Interested in pet sitting jobs
If you want to be a sitter and are not sure where to start, again do a little research first. There are several articles which will help you to get started:
To find out more about House Sitting and Pet Sitting with HouseSit Match, visit our ‘About Us’ webpage
Alternatively, you can begin the registration process straightaway here.