Pet Sitting Jobs in Chicago

Your pet sitting side gig in Chicago

A few regular clients near Lincoln Park and Wicker Park can fill your week. Set your own rates and keep up to 90% of every booking.

Petme is live in Chicago. Get verified and start accepting requests in your neighborhood.

Start earningUp to 90% kept. $22,000 Protection Plan.

Prefer to apply from a laptop? Start your application on the web

Up to 90%
of every booking kept by the sitter
$80+
per night for house sitting at the top end
$22,000
Protection Plan for eligible vet costs
4.9 / 5
average sitter rating on Petme
A local edge

Local know-how pays off in Chicago

December through March brings sub-zero wind chills, lake-effect snow, and heavy road salt along the Lakefront Trail. Chicago sitters rinse salt off paws between blocks, keep walks short during a polar vortex, and switch to indoor enrichment when the wind chill turns dangerous.

When demand peaks

Boarding peaks over the winter-holiday travel window and the June-to-August vacation stretch; daily lunchtime walks run steady year-round for downtown and North Side commuters. Lollapalooza weekend and the October marathon lift short-notice demand.

Know your Chicago areas

Most bookings cluster Lincoln Park to Hyde Park. Owners look for sitters who know the area and can reach them without a long trip.

Breeds you will meet in Chicago

Owners here mostly keep Labrador, Goldendoodle, French Bulldog, German Shepherd. Knowing how those breeds behave, and saying so on your profile, is what turns a first booking into a repeat client.

Rates in Chicago

Choose your services, set your own rates

Typical Petme rates in Chicago. You set your own price for each service, and keep up to 90% of every booking.

Dog walking

$17 to $28 per 30 to 60 minute walk

Drop-in visits

$18 to $28 per 20 to 30 minute visit

House sitting

$45 to $80 per night

Where demand is strongest

Chicago areas that book the most

Petme bookings in Chicago come from neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lakeview, across walks, drop-in visits and house sitting.

Chicago puts boarding inside its kennel definition, and 4-6-270 keeps a kennel out of a residential home occupation. The paid dog work in Chicago is dog walking, drop-in visits and house sitting, all of which happen on the street or at the owner's address. Illinois requires no state pet-sitter licence. Chicago enforces a citywide leash-and-waste ordinance, and the Park District restricts off-leash play to permitted Dog Friendly Areas that need an annual tag. Pet-sitting income is self-employment income on a federal Schedule C, with a 1099-NEC from Petme once your annual earnings pass the federal reporting threshold plus the flat Illinois state income tax.

Lincoln ParkWicker ParkLakeviewLogan SquareWest LoopBucktownAndersonvilleHyde ParkRiver NorthPilsenRoscoe VillageEdgewater
Why Petme

Built for sitters in Chicago

Keep up to 90%

You set your rate. Petme keeps a low service fee, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.

Full schedule control

No assigned shifts and no minimum hours. Accept or decline each request and pause your profile whenever you need to.

Protection Plan for eligible vet costs

Owners booking through Petme have the Protection Plan, up to $22,000 for eligible vet costs, subject to its terms.

Common questions

Pet Sitting Jobs in Chicago

What new sitters ask before signing up on Petme in Chicago.

How do I get pet sitting jobs near me in Chicago?
Add the parts of Chicago you want to work in, then owners nearby request you directly. Because you set both the area and the rate, the dog care requests that reach you are already the ones close enough to be worth taking.
How much can I earn as a pet sitter in Chicago?
On Petme in Chicago, dog walking at $17 to $28 per 30 to 60 minute walk, drop-in visits at $18 to $28 per 20 to 30 minute visit, house sitting at $45 to $80 per night. You keep up to 90% of every booking.
Are pet sitting jobs hiring near me in Chicago?
Yes. Petme recruits sitters across Chicago year-round, from Lincoln Park to Wicker Park, and owners send booking requests directly to sitters in their area. There is no vacancy list to wait on: you create a profile, set the areas you cover, and accept the requests you want.
Can I do pet sitting jobs in Chicago at 16 or 17?
No. Petme sitters must be 18 or over, so under-18s cannot take bookings yet. From 18 you need a smartphone with the Petme app, to pass ID verification, and a profile that describes the pets you have cared for, including your own.
Is pet sitting a good part time job in Chicago?
It fits part-time schedules well because you are self-employed: no assigned shifts, no minimum hours, and you set your own rate. Many Chicago sitters take a few bookings a week around a job or studies and scale up or down as their calendar allows.
Which services should I offer first in Chicago?
Most new sitters start with dog walking and drop-in visits, then add house sitting once they have a few five-star reviews and know their schedule.
Where is demand strongest in Chicago?
Petme bookings in Chicago come from neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lakeview, across walks, drop-in visits and house sitting.
Can I set my own rates and hours in Chicago?
Yes. You set a rate for each service and your own available hours, and you accept or decline each request, whether the booking is in Lincoln Park or Wicker Park. No assigned shifts, no minimum hours.
What protection comes with each booking?
The Petme Protection Plan offers up to $22,000 for eligible vet costs for the pet in your care, subject to its terms. The same terms apply whether you sit in Lincoln Park or Wicker Park.
When is pet sitting demand highest in Chicago?
Boarding peaks over the winter-holiday travel window and the June-to-August vacation stretch; daily lunchtime walks run steady year-round for downtown and North Side commuters. That pattern shapes pet sitting bookings in Chicago across the year. December through March brings sub-zero wind chills, lake-effect snow, and heavy road salt along the Lakefront Trail.
What do I need to start pet sitting in Chicago?
You need to be 18 or over, have a smartphone with the Petme app, and pass ID verification. Owners choose on reviews, availability and a complete profile, so it is worth describing the pets you have looked after, including your own, and naming the Chicago areas you cover.
Which dogs will I mostly look after in Chicago?
Owners in Chicago mostly keep Labrador, Goldendoodle, French Bulldog, German Shepherd, rescue mixes. Saying on your profile which of those you have looked after helps owners choose you, because most are looking for someone already comfortable with their dog's size and energy.
What work can I pick up in Chicago with no set hours?
You set the hours yourself. Owners in Chicago send pet sitting requests to sitters who cover their area, and you accept or decline each one. Nothing is assigned to you, there is no minimum, and you choose your own rate per service.
Nearby cities

Pet sitting jobs near Chicago

Cover more than one patch. Each city page has its own local rates and demand notes.

AuroraRockfordMilwaukeeMadisonGrand RapidsFort Wayne
New to pet care? Start here
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Get started

Start earning in Chicago

Set your own rate. Protection Plan up to $22,000, cashback that keeps your clients rebooking, and fast payouts to your bank.

Start earning

Prefer to apply from a laptop? Start your application on the web

Pet sitters in Chicago for owners

See the owner side of the marketplace you would join: local sitter profiles, 0% owner fee, up to $22,000 through the Protection Plan for eligible vet costs.

Dog walking jobs in Chicago

Get paid to walk dogs. Set your own routes and hours, keep up to 90% of every walk.

Doggy daycare jobs in Chicago

Host dogs during the day. Set your own headcount, hours and rate, and keep up to 90%.

Cat sitting jobs in Chicago

Drop-in cat visits and in-home cat care. Set your own rate per visit and keep up to 90%.

Pet sitting jobs across the US

Every US metro hiring sitters on Petme. Keep up to 90% of every booking.

Become a pet sitter in the US

The full US guide to getting started on Petme. Keep up to 90%.

Dog grooming jobs in Chicago

Groom professionally? Approved sitters with 6+ months of paid grooming can add it and post their work where owners nearby see it.