Pet services: say what exactly you’re looking for

Pet services: prices and how to book in the United States

In the United States a 30-minute pet sitting visit usually costs $20 to $30, and overnight care $75 to $120. Grooming, boarding and vet services are priced differently, so describe your pet and the service you need in a request on BlaBlaPrice to get current offers.

Licences and certification

Pet sitters and dog walkers may need a local business licence, which the listings we found put at about $25 to $550 depending on the state. Dogs need an annual licence in many places, with fees in the listings from $5 to $40 a year. Certified pet sitters pay an exam application fee of $275. If a seller breeds or sells animals commercially, USDA APHIS requires an Animal Welfare Act licence or registration, so ask to see it.

Season and holiday booking

Our price sources show no seasonal pattern for pet services, but boarding and overnight care are booked by the night, so plan ahead for the late-November and December holidays. Ask walkers how they handle cold weather and snow in Chicago and New York from December to February, and heat in Phoenix from June to August.

How services are priced

Dog sitting and walking are usually priced per hour or per visit, boarding per day, and house sitting per month, where listings range from $500 to $2,500. Grooming depends on the size and coat of the animal, so give those details. Ask whether the price includes food, medicine and extra walks.

What to write in your request

Name the service you need, such as dog training, grooming, boarding, a home-visit vet or pet sitting at home, and describe your pet's species, size and age. Add the dates or times, the number of pets, the city and your budget. For example, write "two medium dogs, three nights in December, Phoenix". The clearer the request, the more relevant the offers.

On BlaBlaPrice you describe the service in your own words in a chat, and you can add a photo of your pet. The AI reads the request, asks for missing details and looks through sellers' websites and price lists in the United States, then shows the prices and businesses it found. Sellers registered on BlaBlaPrice reply in the chat with their own offer, and your contacts stay hidden until you decide to share them. If you only need walks, see dog walking, or start on the home page.