Petme sitter guide · London

Turn local walks in Hackney into steady pet-sitting income

Hackney's dog walking centres on Victoria Park and London Fields, with Hackney Marshes and the Regent's Canal towpath beyond. Much of the borough is flats and converted terraces, so a sitter with space at home can offer boarding and day care alongside walks.

Hackney sitters work across London Fields, Dalston, Clapton, Stoke Newington and the streets around Victoria Park. The Overground runs through Dalston, Hackney Central and Homerton, so a round can link several of these areas without a car. This guide covers what a new Hackney sitter needs to know.

Up to 90%
of every booking kept by the sitter
20,000
in Protection Plan per booking
200k+
pet parents on the platform
4.9 / 5
average sitter rating
Earnings snapshot

What Petme sitters actually earn in London

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 London. Sitters set their own price within these bands, and most active sitters earn £516 to £1,118 per month, depending on the mix of services and how many overnight stays they take.

ServiceRate rangePer
Dog walking£15 to £25walk
Drop-in visit£15 to £25visit
Pet boarding (at sitter's home)£38 to £58night
House sitting (at owner's home)£45 to £65night
Doggy day care£26 to £45day

Top London cities for sitter demand right now:

London FieldsDalstonClaptonVictoria ParkStoke NewingtonHomerton

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

The practical side

Everything sitters in Hackney 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 London. 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 Hackney

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

Owners who travel over summer, Christmas, Easter or the October half-term need a dog boarded or a home sat while they are away. Broadway Market fills the streets by London Fields on Saturdays, so plan weekend walks around the crowds if you take weekend work.

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 Hackney start while holding another job and only go full time once their calendar fills naturally.

FAQ

15 questions, answered straight

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

Do I have to choose between pet sitting and dog walking in Hackney?
You control the mix. Turn dog walking on next to pet sitting, set what each is worth to you, and let Hackney owners pick. Declining a request never affects the other service.
How much do pet sitters earn in Hackney?
Earnings depend on the services you offer and the hours you put in. As a worked example at Hackney rates, eight dog walks a week at the lowest walk rate come to about £516 a month, and four nights of house sitting a week at the top rate to about £1118. 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 Hackney?
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 Hackney rates that week comes to about £135. 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 Hackney?
Dog walking pays £15–£25 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 Hackney?
Boarding at the sitter's home pays £38–£58 per night, and house sitting (you stay at the owner's home) pays £45–£65 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 that covers every booking automatically.
How fast do payouts arrive in Hackney?
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?
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.
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 Hackney. 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 Hackney 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.
Where do Hackney sitters walk dogs?
Victoria Park is the anchor, with London Fields, Hackney Marshes and the Regent's Canal towpath filling the rest. Naming the parks you really use in your profile shows local owners where their dog will walk.
Is Hackney good for boarding as well as walking?
It can be, if your home suits a dog. Much of Hackney is flats, so boarding works best from a ground-floor flat or a house near a park. You choose which services you list, and offering boarding or day care lets you accept requests for owners' trips as well as daily walks.
Do I need a car to sit in Hackney?
No. The Overground and dense bus network cover the borough well, and most rounds are walkable. A car only helps if you want to extend service into Walthamstow or Leyton.
How much can I earn pet sitting in Hackney?
Hackney pays London rates: about £15-£25 per walk, £38-£58 per night boarding, £45-£65 house sitting and £26-£45 day care. You set your rates and keep up to 90% of each booking.
Ready when you are

Apply to become a Petme pet sitter in Hackney

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