Pet sitting in Spain: 22 questions answered for 2026 sitters

Earnings depend on the mix of services and the hours you put in. Active Petme sitters in Spain 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 Spain 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 Spain 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.

Madrid and Barcelona dominate booking volume. Valencia and Seville form the second tier. Malaga, Bilbao, and Palma de Mallorca are growing fast and competition is lighter: new sitters book their first stay faster there.

For regular pet sitting income, yes. You register with the tax agency (Forms 036 or 037) and social security. The flat-rate starter scheme reduces the monthly contribution to about €80 for the first 12 months for new self-employed sitters meeting eligibility criteria, then steps up. Sitters generating only occasional income (a few stays per year) may stay below the threshold.

Yes. As a self-employed sitter, you file Form 130 quarterly (15% personal income tax withholding) and the annual income tax return. Expenses (gear, transport, share of home utilities for boarding) are deductible. Below the VAT threshold, you stay in the simplified regime.

Glovo and Uber Eats riders in Madrid and Barcelona report €6-9 per hour after costs. Petme pet sitting clears €10-18 hourly effectively and you avoid the bike-in-traffic stress. Boarding pushes the effective hourly higher because of the overnight component.

Madrid and Barcelona sit at €25-50 per night. Valencia and Seville at €20-40. Malaga and Palma command a slight summer premium (peak €30-55 in August). Smaller cities are €18-35.

August is the single biggest month. Easter week (early April), the long bridge weekends in May and November, and the December holidays round out the calendar. Coastal cities have a longer summer stretch from late June through early September.

For most sitters, yes. Spain's minimum wage sits at around €1,184 per month gross (2025) for a 40-hour week. Petme dog walkers in Madrid or Barcelona can hit similar net income with 12-15 hours per week. Boarding sitters earn substantially more.

Spanish rates are 20-30% higher in absolute terms than Portuguese rates, and the market is larger. Portuguese sitters in Lisbon and Porto often build deeper expat-client relationships because the market is more international. The self-employed tax setup is similar in structure on both sides.

French Bulldogs, Labradors, Yorkies, and Beagles dominate bookings in Spain. French Bulldogs are heat-sensitive: dawn and dusk walks in summer. Yorkies need regular brushing. Beagles are escape artists: always on a leash until you know the dog.

Yes: Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia have active sitter WhatsApp groups. Members share self-employment paperwork tips, recommend 24-hour vets, and forward bookings when someone is fully booked. We connect you after your application is approved.

"Register as self-employed before your first regular booking. The tax office does not catch it on day one, but when they do, the back-charges hurt." (Javier L., Madrid)

Apply at petme.social/es/ser-cuidador-de-mascotas. The form takes 5 minutes and verification typically returns within 48 hours.