Pet sitting in Canada: 22 questions answered for 2026 sitters

Earnings depend on the mix of services and the hours you put in. Active Petme sitters in Canada typically earn $619–$1548 per month. Sitters who lean into overnight boarding and house sitting reach the top of that range, while drop-in and dog-walking-only sitters sit in the lower half. You keep up to 90% of every booking: Petme's service fee is 10-15%.

A common pattern: 3–5 dog walks during weekday lunchtimes, 1–2 drop-in visits in the evenings, and one overnight stay across the weekend. That's roughly 12–15 hours of actual paid time per week and clears $158+ before factoring in repeat clients. Sitters who go full-time stack multiple boarding stays back-to-back.

Dog walking pays $18–$35 per walk on Petme. A 30-minute neighbourhood walk is typically priced near the lower end; longer walks, multi-dog walks, or walks in busy city centres command the upper end. You set your own rate when you build your profile.

Boarding at the sitter's home pays $40–$75 per night, and house sitting (you stay at the owner's home) pays $50–$90 per night. Boarding is where most full-time Petme sitters concentrate their income because the per-booking value is the highest.

Petme takes 10-15% from each completed booking and the sitter keeps up to 90%. There's no signup cost, no monthly subscription, and no charge to keep your profile live. The fee covers payment processing, customer support, and the Petme Protection Plan that covers every booking automatically.

Payouts are released automatically once a booking is marked complete in the Petme app. The money lands in your bank account within 2 business days. You don't need to invoice the owner or chase payment: the platform handles it end-to-end.

Every booking is covered by the Petme Protection Plan, which includes up to 20,000 in veterinary expenses if something happens to the pet in your care. It's automatic on every reservation: no separate purchase, no claim paperwork upfront. Petme also offers 24/7 customer support so you're never left handling an emergency alone.

No formal qualifications are required to apply as a Petme sitter. You need to be 18 or older, own a smartphone capable of running the app, complete ID verification, and demonstrate genuine experience around animals during your profile review. Some local rules apply for commercial-scale boarding: see the country-specific question below.

Most new sitters in Canada go live within 24–48 hours of submitting verification. Your first booking typically lands within 1–2 weeks if your profile has at least 4 good photos, a written bio, clear service descriptions, and a competitive rate for your city. Sitters who add availability over a major holiday (Christmas, summer break) often book their first stay within days.

Yes: most Petme sitters in Canada start while working full-time elsewhere. Dog walking fits into lunchtime windows; drop-in visits work around evenings; weekend boarding stacks on top of a Monday-to-Friday office job. You set your own availability and accept only the bookings that fit your schedule.

Toronto and Vancouver dominate booking volume. Montréal, Calgary, and Ottawa form the next tier. Smaller cities like Halifax, Victoria, and Québec City have less competition, which often means new sitters book their first stay faster.

Yes. The CRA treats it as self-employment income on form T2125. If you cross $30,000 in gross revenue in any rolling 12-month period, you need to register for GST/HST. Most part-time sitters stay below that. Expenses (gear, mileage at the CRA per-km rate, a share of home utilities for boarding) are deductible.

Uber and Skip drivers in Toronto report C$14-18 hourly after fuel and vehicle costs. Petme pet sitting clears C$18-30 hourly with no vehicle, plus the protection-plan safety net. Repeat clients also make pet sitting less feast-or-famine than gig delivery.

Toronto sits at C$45-65 per night, Vancouver at C$50-70: Vancouver is slightly higher due to tighter sitter supply and downtown density. Montréal trends a touch lower at C$40-55. Calgary and Ottawa sit in the C$40-55 band.

July through mid-August is peak (cottage country trips). Late December to early January is the second peak. In ski-towns and gateway cities (Calgary, Vancouver), January-March holds higher-than-baseline demand because of ski trips.

Canada has no federal home-boarding licence equivalent. Some municipalities (parts of Toronto, Vancouver) limit the number of dogs in a single household, but the limits typically only kick in at 4+ dogs. Renters should check their lease: condo boards sometimes restrict short-stay pets.

Yes for most sitters. The federal minimum wage is C$17.30 (2025); retail and hospitality sit close to that. Petme dog walkers earn C$18-25 per hour effectively, and boarding sitters clear C$25-35 hourly on a per-night-divided basis.

Canadian rates are roughly 15-25% lower in absolute terms than equivalent US metros, but the platform fee structure and protection plan are the same. Canadian sitters report less tax complexity (one CRA form instead of US Schedule C plus state forms).

Labradors, Goldendoodles, and Bernese Mountain Dogs are everywhere: particularly in suburbs around Toronto and Vancouver. Winter-coat breeds (Huskies, Malamutes) need a lot of cold-weather exercise; small breeds need booties in real Canadian winters.

Active Petme sitter WhatsApp groups exist for Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver. They share weather-prep tips for winter sitting and recommend reliable vets. We'll connect you after approval.

"Build out availability for both Christmas AND March break right when you sign up. New sitters who hold those two windows fill their calendar within their first three months." (Mike D., Vancouver)"

Apply at petme.social/ca/become-a-pet-sitter. Approval is typically back within 48 hours.