Holiday pet care in the UK

Holiday pet sitting, sorted early
Book a trusted sitter before Christmas and summer fill up.

Peak weeks book out first. Christmas, New Year, Easter and the summer holidays are the dates sitters fill earliest, so the rule is simple: book early. Choose home boarding, in-home house sitting or drop-in visits, all with a 0% owner fee, cashback on every booking, and £20,000 vet protection included.

Find a holiday sitterBook early. 0% owner fee. £20,000 vet protection.
Up to 90%
of every booking kept by the sitter
£20,000
vet expenses covered per booking
200k+
pet parents on the platform
4.9 / 5
average sitter rating

Plan ahead

Holiday pet sitting in the UK: book early

The single most important rule for holiday pet care is to book early. Christmas, New Year, Easter and the summer holidays are the busiest weeks of the year for UK sitters, and the best-reviewed hosts fill their calendars first. Sorting your sitter weeks or months ahead, rather than days, is what keeps a holiday from turning into a scramble.

There are three formats to choose from. Home boarding has your dog stay overnight in a vetted host's home. House sitting keeps your pet in your own home while a sitter stays there, which suits cats and homes that benefit from looking lived in. Drop-in visits send a sitter round each day to feed and check on cats and other independent pets while you are away.

Some sitters set higher festive rates for peak weeks. Those rates reflect demand and are the sitter's own pricing, never a Petme platform fee. Petme adds a 0% owner fee on top at any time of year, so the rate you see on a profile is the rate you pay, with cashback credited back after the stay completes.

Your choices

Holiday pet care options

Pick the format that fits your pet and your trip. All three carry the same 0% owner fee, cashback and £20,000 vet protection, and the earlier you book the more choice you get over peak weeks.

Book early to secure peak dates

Christmas, New Year, Easter and summer are the first weeks to sell out. Securing your sitter early is the single best thing you can do for stress-free holiday pet care.

Home boarding

Your dog stays overnight in a vetted host's home with one family, not a kennel run. A natural fit for dogs that settle best in a real household routine.

House sitting

A sitter stays in your own home, so your pet keeps its routine and the house looks lived in. Good for cats and for owners who would rather not move their pet.

Drop-in visits

A sitter calls round each day to feed, refresh water, clean the litter tray and check in. Ideal for cats and independent pets over a few days away.

£20,000 vet protection

Every confirmed booking includes vet protection up to £20,000 for accidents or illness during the stay, built in at no extra cost rather than sold as an add-on.

Festive pricing is the sitter's

Some sitters set higher rates for peak weeks, and that is their own pricing. Petme still adds a 0% owner fee on top and credits cashback after the stay.

Timing

When should you book holiday pet care?

Christmas and New Year slots go first, and the most popular sitters are often fully booked by autumn. Summer holiday dates start filling from spring, as families plan trips months ahead. The pattern is consistent: the earlier the peak week, the earlier you need to lock it in.

Once you have shortlisted a sitter, arrange a meet-and-greet ahead of the dates so your pet and the sitter get to know each other. A written booking on Petme then secures both the sitter and the rate, so there are no surprises when the holidays arrive.

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Common questions

Holiday pet sitting questions, answered

How early should I book a pet sitter for Christmas?
Book your Christmas pet sitter as far ahead as you can, ideally by early autumn. Christmas and New Year are the busiest weeks of the year for UK sitters, so the most popular hosts are often fully booked months before December. Securing a meet-and-greet and a written booking early locks in both the sitter and the rate.
How much does dog boarding cost at Christmas in the UK?
Home dog boarding in the UK typically runs £25 to £55 a night, and many sitters set higher festive rates over Christmas because demand is high. That increase is the sitter's own pricing, shown on their profile, not a Petme platform fee. Independent UK pricing guides put peak-season boarding at the upper end of that band, so booking early helps you lock in a lower rate.
What are my options for pet care over the holidays?
You have three main options on Petme: home boarding, where your dog stays in a vetted host's home; house sitting, where a sitter stays in your home so your pet keeps its routine; and drop-in visits, which suit cats and independent pets for a few days away. Each is booked with a 0% owner fee and £20,000 vet protection included.
Who looks after my cat while I am away for the holidays?
For cats, drop-in visits or house sitting are usually the best fit, because cats prefer to stay in their own home. A drop-in sitter calls round each day to feed, refresh water, clean the litter tray and check on your cat, while a house sitter stays overnight in your home. Both are bookable on Petme with the sitter's own rate and no owner fee on top.
Is holiday pet sitting safe?
Yes. Every Petme booking includes £20,000 vet protection for accidents or illness during the stay, sitters carry profile reviews and verified identities, and you can arrange a meet-and-greet before the dates. Keeping the booking and payment on Petme is what activates the vet cover and the support that come with a confirmed stay.
Does Petme charge a holiday surcharge or owner fee?
No. Petme adds a 0% owner fee at any time of year, including over the holidays, so the rate on a sitter's profile is the total you pay. Some sitters set higher festive rates for peak weeks, but that is their own pricing rather than a Petme surcharge, and every completed booking still credits cashback back to your account.
Can I get last-minute holiday pet sitting?
It is possible but harder over peak weeks, because the best-reviewed sitters fill up first. If you are searching late, widen your area, stay flexible on the service type, and message several sitters at once. Booking early is always the safer route, but Petme shows live availability so you can see which sitters still have your dates open.
What is included with a holiday booking on Petme?
Every holiday booking includes £20,000 vet protection, a 0% owner fee, and cashback credited after the stay completes. You also get in-app messaging with your sitter, photo and update sharing during the stay, and the option of a meet-and-greet beforehand. Walks and drop-in visits typically run £8 to £20 each, set by the sitter.

Ready to book

Book your holiday pet sitter early

Home boarding, house sitting and drop-in visits across the UK, all with a 0% owner fee, cashback on every booking and £20,000 vet protection. Secure your peak-week dates before they fill, or check what boarding typically costs first.

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