Petme sitter guide · Lexington

Become a pet sitter in Lexington and set your own rates

Watching dogs and cats in Lexington is a real way to earn, not a hobby: the city moves bookings year round and you decide how many you take. You keep up to 90% and the app handles the rest.

Lexington is bluegrass-country horse capital with steady university-and-equine demand. Chevy Chase and Ashland Park lead. This guide covers what new Lexington sitters need to know.

Apply to be a Petme sitter in Lexington

Up to 90%

of every booking kept by the sitter

20,000

Protection Plan maximum for eligible vet costs

200k+

pet parents on the platform

4.9 / 5

average sitter rating

Earnings snapshot

What Petme sitters actually earn in Lexington

You keep up to 90% of every booking one of the strongest take-home rates in the industry. The numbers below are the live rate bands in Lexington. Sitters set their own price within these bands, and most active sitters earn $447 to $1,238 per month, depending on the mix of services and how many overnight stays they take.

Service	Rate range	Per
Dog walking	$13 to $22	walk
Drop-in visit	$14 to $22	visit
Pet boarding (at sitter's home)	$33 to $60	night
House sitting (at owner's home)	$42 to $72	night
Doggy day care	$24 to $42	day

Top Lexington cities for sitter demand right now:

Chevy ChaseAshland ParkBeaumontHamburgDowntownTates Creek

Ready to set up a profile and pick your rates? Start your application.

The practical side

Everything sitters in Lexington need to know before signing up

Earnings are only half the picture. Below are the tax, scheduling, protection, and payout realities of running a Petme sitter profile in Lexington. We've written them out the way an experienced sitter would explain them to a friend.

Cashback for high performers

Beyond the up to 90% you keep on every booking, Petme pays cashback on top. The more you sit and the stronger your reviews, the larger the cashback tier you unlock. High-performing sitters with consistent 5-star reviews and steady booking volume earn the biggest bonus. Automatic, no claim paperwork, paid out alongside your normal weekly payouts.

Apply in Lexington

Protection on every booking

The Petme Protection Plan provides up to 20,000 on every reservation. Automatic on every booking. No separate purchase required. The 24/7 support team is there for emergencies, so you are never alone with a problem at 3am.

Seasonal demand

Lexington peaks during Keeneland Spring (early April) and Fall (early October) racing meets, summer (June-August), Thanksgiving, December holidays. UK basketball season drives weekend spikes.

Payouts within 2 days

Petme releases your payout automatically once a booking is marked complete. The money lands in your bank account within 2 business days. No invoicing, no chasing the owner. The platform takes care of it.

Set your own schedule

Accept only the bookings you want. Pause your profile any time. There are no minimum hours and no schedule lock-in. Most Petme sitters in Lexington start while holding another job and only go full time once their calendar fills naturally.

FAQ

Your Lexington sitter questions, answered straight

These are the questions Petme sitters in Lexington actually ask before signing up, and the ones they wish they had asked sooner. Each answer is specific to Lexington, not a generic template.

Are there pet sitting jobs near me in Lexington?

You decide what near me means. The Lexington areas on your profile are the only places owners can request you from, so distance stays a setting rather than a surprise.

Do I have to choose between pet sitting and dog walking in Lexington?

Nothing limits you to one service. Add dog walking to your profile next to pet sitting, price each separately, and owners in Lexington will request whichever they need. You still accept or decline every booking.

Is this pet sitting in Lexington for pet owners or for sitters?

Depends which end you are at. To do pet sitting in Lexington you set your rates here and decide which requests to accept. To have it done, search the owner side by your address and contact a sitter directly.

How much do pet sitters earn in Lexington?

Earnings depend on the services you offer and the hours you put in. As a worked example at Lexington rates, eight dog walks a week at the lowest walk rate come to about $447 a month, and four nights of house sitting a week at the top rate to about $1238. Overnight boarding and house sitting pay the most per booking, drop-ins and walks the least. You keep up to 90% of every booking: Petme's service fee is 10-20%.

What does a typical week look like for a Petme sitter in Lexington?

You set the week yourself. One example: 4 dog walks during weekday lunchtimes, 2 drop-in visits in the evenings and one overnight stay at the weekend. At the lowest Lexington rates that week comes to about $122. Taking more overnight stays is the quickest way to raise it, because they pay the most per booking.

How much do dog walkers make in Lexington?

Dog walking pays $13–$22 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.

How much does overnight pet boarding pay in Lexington?

Boarding at the sitter's home pays $33–$60 per night, and house sitting (you stay at the owner's home) pays $42–$72 per night. Overnight care pays more per booking than any other Petme service, so a few stays a month move your income the most.

How does Petme's service fee work?

Petme takes 10-20% from each completed booking and the sitter keeps up to 90%. The fee covers payment processing, customer support, and the Petme Protection Plan for eligible vet costs.

How fast do payouts arrive in Lexington?

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.

What protections do sitters get on every booking?

The Petme Protection Plan, which can contribute up to $22,000 toward eligible vet costs if something happens to the pet in your care. It is a discretionary fund, not insurance. Petme also offers 24/7 customer support so you're never left handling an emergency alone.

What do I need to start 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.

How quickly can I get my first booking?

It depends on the services you offer, your rates and how many owners near you are looking, so there is no fixed wait. What you control is the profile owners choose from: at least 4 clear photos, a written bio, clear service descriptions and rates in line with Lexington. Opening your calendar over school holidays and Christmas, when owners travel, puts you in front of more requests.

Can I pet sit alongside my regular job?

Yes. You set your own availability and accept only the bookings that fit, so sitting in Lexington can run alongside a full-time job: dog walks fit lunchtime windows, drop-in visits fit evenings, and weekend boarding fits around a Monday-to-Friday week.

What Lexington neighborhoods have the highest sitter demand?

Chevy Chase, Ashland Park, and Beaumont drive booking volume. Hamburg and Tates Creek have growing markets. Downtown has steady weekday demand. In these areas Petme walks pay $13-$22 per walk and boarding $33-$60 a night, with each sitter setting their own rates.

How does the equine industry affect Lexington pet sitting?

Significantly. Horse-farm owners, jockeys, trainers, and breeders travel year-round for sales and races. Keeneland Spring (early April) and Fall (early October) meets drive boarding spikes.

How does the Lexington occupational tax work?

Lexington-Fayette County levies an occupational tax of around 2.25% on top of Kentucky's 4% flat state income tax. Self-employment income is reportable on the LFUCG return.

Do I need a car in Lexington?

Yes. Lexington is car-dependent. Most sitters operate within a 3-4 mile service radius. Many Lexington sitters keep travel manageable by setting a tight service radius around one or two areas such as Chevy Chase and Ashland Park, which you control from your Petme profile.

How does Lexington compare to Louisville?

Lexington rates run similar to Louisville. Lexington has more equine-and-university demand; Louisville has more Derby + UPS/Humana corporate. Typical Lexington rates on Petme run $13-$22 per walk and $33-$60 a night for boarding, and you set your own prices.

When is busy season for Lexington sitters?

Keeneland Spring (early April) and Fall (early October) racing meets, summer (June-August), Thanksgiving, December holidays. Boarding in Lexington pays $33-$60 a night on Petme, so keeping your calendar open through these peak windows is the biggest single earnings lever of the year.

What dog breeds dominate Lexington bookings?

Labs, Goldens, Doodles, Boxers, and rescue mixes lead. Horse-farm households often have working farm dogs (Australian Shepherds, Border Collies). Boarding in Lexington runs $33-$60 a night regardless of breed, and the Petme Protection Plan can contribute up to $22,000 toward eligible vet costs.

Where do I apply as a sitter in Lexington?

Apply at petme.social/us/become-a-pet-sitter. The application covers your pet-care experience and the services you want to offer. After ID verification and a background check, your profile goes live and Lexington owners can message you directly in the app.

Ready when you are

Apply to become a Petme pet sitter in Lexington

The full apply page has the signup form, service-by-service rate setting, and ID verification flow.

Start your application