Pet sitting in Italy: 22 questions answered for 2026 sitters

Earnings depend on the mix of services and the hours you put in. Active Petme sitters in Italy typically earn €275–€946 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 €78+ before factoring in repeat clients. Sitters who go full-time stack multiple boarding stays back-to-back.

Dog walking pays €8–€15 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 €20–€45 per night, and house sitting (you stay at the owner's home) pays €30–€55 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 Italy 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 Italy 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.

Milan and Rome dominate booking volume. Turin, Bologna, and Florence form the second tier. Naples, Verona, and Venice are growing fast and competition between sitters is still light.

For occasional income under €5,000 per calendar year, no: you can operate under the casual-work regime with a single end-of-year tax form. Above that threshold, you register for a self-employed VAT number, typically in the flat-rate scheme (15% tax, reduced to 5% for the first five years for qualifying new businesses). The €5,000 is gross.

Yes. Below €5,000 per year, you declare it as casual income on your annual tax return. Above that, registering as self-employed means quarterly social-security payments and one yearly tax declaration. The flat-rate scheme does not let you deduct individual expenses, but the lower rate compensates.

Glovo and Just Eat riders in Italy report €6-9 per hour net after costs. Pet sitting on Petme nets €10-16 per hour and does not wreck your back in the rain. Overnight boarding stays push the per-hour average higher still.

Milan and Rome sit at €28-55 per night. Turin, Bologna, and Florence at €22-45. Naples and mid-size cities at €20-40. Apartments with a garden or terrace consistently command the upper end of the band.

The mid-August national holiday week (10-20 August) is by far the highest single demand block. The Christmas window (23 December to 6 January) is the second peak. The spring long weekends (Easter, 25 April, 1 May, 2 June) produce smaller but reliable spikes.

For most sitters, yes. Italian retail and restaurant contracts pay €8-11 gross per hour. Petme dog walkers in major cities clear €12-15 net per hour, and overnight boarding sitters earn more again.

Rates in euros are similar, but the Italian market is more concentrated in two cities (Milan and Rome carry the majority of the volume), while Spain spreads more evenly across many metros. The self-employed tax setup is comparable in structure on both sides.

French Bulldogs, Labradors, Jack Russells, and Dachshunds dominate bookings. French Bulldogs suffer in summer heat. Jack Russells have boundless energy. Dachshunds need protection from stairs because of their backs. Large breeds like Maremma Sheepdogs are rare in city center and common at boarding sitters outside it.

Yes: Milan, Rome, and Bologna have active sitter WhatsApp groups. Members swap advice on tax setup, recommend night-time vets, and forward bookings when one of them is fully booked. We connect you after your application is approved.

"Track every booking from day one in a spreadsheet or app, whatever works. When you cross from casual income into a self-employed VAT registration, the tax office wants the exact history." (Marco T., Milan)

Start your application at petme.social/it/diventa-pet-sitter. The form takes about 5 minutes; verification typically returns within 48 hours.