Pet Sitting Jobs in Columbia

Get paid to look after pets in Columbia

Turn free hours around Columbia into steady pet care income. Set your own rates and keep up to 90% of every booking.

Petme is live in Columbia. 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
$52+
per night for boarding 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 Columbia

Columbia earns its "Famously Hot" slogan, with July highs near 93°F, heavy humidity, and about 72 days a year at 90°F or above. Sitters walk at dawn and after sunset through the summer to keep paws off scorching pavement, then take advantage of mild winters when highs sit in the 50s.

When demand peaks

Demand climbs around Fort Jackson graduation cycles, when families travel in for the ceremonies, and follows the University of South Carolina calendar and Gamecock football weekends. Boarding and house sitting lead during travel stretches, while dog walking stays steady for downtown and USC-area professionals.

Know your Columbia areas

Most bookings cluster The Vista to Shandon. Owners look for sitters who know the area and can reach them without a long trip.

Breeds you will meet in Columbia

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

Rates in Columbia

Choose your services, set your own rates

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

Dog walking

$14 to $24 per 30 to 60 minute walk

Drop-in visits

$16 to $26 per 20 to 30 minute visit

Doggy daycare

$24 to $40 per day

Dog boarding

$30 to $52 per night

House sitting

$30 to $52 per night

Where demand is strongest

Columbia areas that book the most

Petme bookings in Columbia come from neighborhoods like Five Points, Shandon, The Vista, across walks, drop-in visits, daycare, and boarding.

South Carolina does not require a state pet-sitter or dog-walker license. Operating in Columbia calls for a City of Columbia business license, and the city leash ordinance requires dogs to be restrained on a leash no longer than six feet in public. Keeping more than three dogs needs a kennel license, so plan multi-dog walks, and any day hosting, around that limit. Pet-care income is self-employment income, reported on Schedule C against the platform's 1099.

Five PointsShandonThe VistaRosewoodElmwood ParkArsenal HillCottontownEarlewoodMelrose HeightsWales GardenUniversity HillHampton
Why Petme

Built for sitters in Columbia

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 Columbia

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

How much can I earn as a pet sitter in Columbia?
On Petme in Columbia, dog walking at $14 to $24 per 30 to 60 minute walk, drop-in visits at $16 to $26 per 20 to 30 minute visit, doggy daycare at $24 to $40 per day, dog boarding at $30 to $52 per night, house sitting at $30 to $52 per night. You keep up to 90% of every booking.
Are pet sitting jobs hiring near me in Columbia?
Yes. Petme recruits sitters across Columbia year-round, from Five Points to Shandon, 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 Columbia 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 Columbia?
It fits part-time schedules well because you are self-employed: no assigned shifts, no minimum hours, and you set your own rate. Many Columbia 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 Columbia?
Most new sitters start with dog walking and drop-in visits, then add boarding or daycare once they have a few five-star reviews and know their schedule.
Where is demand strongest in Columbia?
Petme bookings in Columbia come from neighborhoods like Five Points, Shandon, The Vista, across walks, drop-in visits, daycare, and boarding.
Can I set my own rates and hours in Columbia?
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 Five Points or Shandon. 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 Five Points or Shandon.
When is pet sitting demand highest in Columbia?
Demand climbs around Fort Jackson graduation cycles, when families travel in for the ceremonies, and follows the University of South Carolina calendar and Gamecock football weekends. That pattern shapes pet sitting bookings in Columbia across the year. Columbia earns its "Famously Hot" slogan, with July highs near 93°F, heavy humidity, and about 72 days a year at 90°F or above.
What do I need to start pet sitting in Columbia?
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 Columbia areas you cover.
Which dogs will I mostly look after in Columbia?
Owners in Columbia mostly keep Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, French Bulldog, Goldendoodle. 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.
Are there jobs near Five Points or Shandon?
Yes. You set which parts of Columbia you cover, so you can keep pet sitting to Five Points, Shandon and the streets around them. Owners inside that area send booking requests to the sitters who cover it, and you accept or decline each one.
Nearby cities

Pet sitting jobs near Columbia

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

AugustaCharlotteGreenvilleCharlestonSavannahAthens
New to pet care? Start here
How to become a pet sitter in the USPet sitter earnings and getting startedIs pet sitting worth it as a side hustle? The take-home mathHow to start pet sitting and land your first booking
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Start earning in Columbia

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

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

Pet sitters near me in Columbia

Browse verified Petme pet sitters near you in Columbia: 0% owner fee, cashback on every booking, and $22,000 Protection Plan.

Dog walking jobs in Columbia

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

Doggy daycare jobs in Columbia

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

Cat sitting jobs in Columbia

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

Board, host daycare, and do drop-ins too. Set your own rates and 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 Columbia

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