How Much Does a Pet Sitter Cost in Australia? (2026 Price Guide)
Thinking about booking a pet sitter but not sure what it should cost? You are not alone. Pet sitting prices in Australia can look very different from one platform to the next — and it is not always clear what you are actually paying for.
This guide breaks down the real cost of every type of pet sitting service available on PetCloud in 2026, explains why prices vary, and helps you understand what good value actually looks like when it comes to the safety of your pet.
Quick Price Summary: Pet Sitting Costs in Australia (2026)
The table below shows the starting price range for each service on PetCloud. Remember — these are starting prices. Each pet sitter on PetCloud sets their own rates independently, so the actual price on a sitter’s profile may be higher depending on their experience, location, and the time of year.
| Service | Starting Price | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Pet Boarding (at sitter’s home) | From $30–$50 per night | Occasional or ongoing |
| House Sitting (sitter stays in your home) | From $30–$50 per night | Once-off |
| Dog Walking | From $45 per walk | Repeat weekly |
| Doggy Day Care | From $45 per day | Repeat weekly |
| Home Visits (once daily) | From $45 per visit | Occasional or repeat |
| Home Visits (twice daily) | From $90 | Occasional or repeat |
| Grooming & Clipping | From $80 | Every 6 weeks |
| Washing & Brushing | From $45 | Fortnightly |
| Dog Training | From $220 | 6-week course |
| Puppy Socialisation | From $450 (6 sessions) | 6-week course |
| Pet Maintenance | From $75 per hour | Weekly, fortnightly, or monthly |
| Special Needs Pet Care | $50–$100 surcharge per day/night | Once-off or ongoing |
| Pet Taxi | From $40 (0–15km one way) | Once-off or repeat |
| Fish Tank Maintenance | From $90 per 2-hour visit | Fortnightly |
All prices are starting prices only. Each sitter sets their own rates independently. A small booking fee capped at $40 applies on top of the sitter’s published price.
What Each Service Actually Includes
Pet Boarding — From $30–$50 per night
Pet boarding is when your pet stays overnight at the sitter’s home. Think of it as a second home for your pet — the sitter’s family feeds them, walks them, and cares for them as one of their own.
Unlike a commercial boarding kennel, your pet is not kept in a cage. They live in a real home, with real people, in a calm and comfortable environment. Many pet owners find their dogs come home far less stressed than after a kennel stay.
Pet boarding can be paired with daily walks or a dog wash as an add-on service.
House Sitting — From $30–$50 per night
House sitting is when a police-checked sitter comes to your home and stays overnight — every night, minimum 8pm to 6am — for the full duration of your time away. Your pets never leave their own home. Your property stays occupied and secure.
All house sitters on PetCloud are police checked and have access to vet-supported training, so you are only ever connected with trusted animal lovers who take the responsibility seriously.
Dog Walking — From $45 per walk
Dog walkers on PetCloud offer 30-minute or 1-hour walks in your suburb. Walks are one-on-one — your dog is not bundled into a group with other dogs they have never met. Dog walkers only walk during the cool of the early morning or evening and will never take your dog off-leash in a public area.
This is a repeat weekly service that is genuinely life-changing for busy pet owners. Dogs of all ages and breeds need fresh air and daily movement to maintain a healthy weight, stay relaxed, and remain happy.
Doggy Day Care — From $45 per day
Day care is perfect for dogs who suffer from separation anxiety or who thrive on company and enrichment activities. Your dog spends the day at the sitter’s home — not alone at yours. There may be one or two other guest pets unless you specify otherwise.
Home Visits — From $45 (once daily) or $90 (twice daily)
A home visit is when a police-checked pet sitter drives to your home, feeds and waters your pets, does a quick full-body check, and locks up. Each visit lasts around 15–20 minutes. This service also covers oral medication or injections if required, with your instructions.
Home visits are ideal for cats, small animals, or any pet who does better staying in their own home rather than travelling to a sitter.
Pet Maintenance — From $75 per hour
This is one of PetCloud’s most unique services — and one of the most valuable for busy or senior pet owners. A pet professional visits your home and performs a 7-point P.E.T. S.C.A.N.™ health check, scoring your pet out of 5 and then performing two preventative care tasks per hour of your choice.
The scan covers paws, ears and eyes, teeth, skin, coat, anal glands, and nails — the kind of regular maintenance that catches problems early and dramatically reduces unexpected vet bills. Sessions can run up to 5 hours and can cover multiple pets.
Grooming & Clipping — From $80
A basic tidy-up of the face, feet, and hygiene area, plus a full body brush, shampoo and conditioner, blow dry, towel dry, and ear cleaning. This is not a full breed-style clip — it is a regular maintenance groom to keep your pet looking and feeling their best between professional groomer visits.
Dog Training — From $220
Dog training on PetCloud is delivered by qualified, registered positive reinforcement trainers over a 6-week course. Services range from puppy critical socialisation and basic obedience through to behaviour modification for complex cases including reactivity, fear, and severe anxiety.
Getting your dog trained by a positive reinforcement trainer early is one of the best investments you can make in your relationship with your pet.
Puppy Socialisation & Desensitisation — From $450 (6 sessions)
Puppy socialisation during the critical brain development window — from 3 weeks to 14 weeks of age — is key to raising a well-adjusted adult dog that is not constantly triggered and reactive. This 1-on-1 weekly course covers desensitisation tasks, toilet training, bite inhibition, leash introduction, and a homework plan.
Special Needs Pet Care — $50–$100 surcharge per day or night
Does your pet need close monitoring or frequent care? This may include a pet recovering from surgery, a pet with an ongoing medical condition, or a new puppy that needs feeding and toileting every two hours. A special needs surcharge applies on top of the base service price.
Pet Taxi — From $40 one way (0–15km)
Pet taxi is perfect for getting your pet to and from grooming appointments, vet check-ups, or for airport pick-up and drop-off at the start and end of boarding stays. Prices are distance-based: from $40 for 0–15km, $55 for 15–25km, $70 for 25–30km, and $99 for 30–40km, one way.
Why Do Pet Sitter Prices Vary?
There is no fixed price for pet sitting in Australia. Every pet sitter on PetCloud sets their own rates independently — the prices on PetCloud’s services page are a rough guide only. Here is what causes prices to move up or down.
Location
Sitters in inner-city or metro areas — particularly those near major airports — tend to charge more than sitters in outer suburbs or regional areas. This reflects higher costs of living and greater demand during peak travel periods.
Time of Year
Prices often rise during peak holiday periods like Christmas, Easter, and school holidays when demand for pet care is highest. If you are travelling during these times, book early and expect to pay a little more.
Your Pet’s Needs
A young, healthy dog with no special requirements is straightforward to care for. A senior dog on daily medication, a pet recovering from surgery, or an anxious dog that needs extra attention will generally attract a higher rate — and rightly so. Good sitters charge what their time and skill are worth.
Experience and Qualifications
A sitter who has completed PetCloud’s vet-developed training, has years of experience, and has a long history of five-star reviews may charge more than someone just starting out. That premium is often worth paying.
What About the Booking Fee?
PetCloud charges a small booking fee on top of the sitter’s published price. This fee is capped at $40 — no matter how long your booking is or how much the total comes to. This fee covers the cost of running the platform, maintaining the police check system, and providing customer support before, during, and after your booking.
Is a Cheaper Pet Sitter Always a Worse Choice?
Not necessarily. But price should never be the most important thing you look at when choosing a pet sitter.
What matters far more is whether the sitter:
- Has passed a live, biometric identity-linked police check through an ACIC-accredited provider
- Has completed animal care training
- Has strong, genuine reviews from other pet owners
- Is happy to do a meet-and-greet with your pet before the booking
A cheap sitter on a platform that does not properly verify its sitters is not a bargain. It is a risk. In January 2026, A Current Affair on Channel 9 aired a story about a pet owner who came home from holiday to find thousands of dollars’ worth of belongings stolen — by the person he had paid to look after his pets. You can read more about what to look for in our guide: How to Find a Safe Pet Sitter in Australia.
All pet sitters on PetCloud are police checked before they can take a single booking — regardless of how much or how little they charge.
How to Get the Best Value from a Pet Sitter
Here are four simple tips to get the most out of your pet sitting budget:
- Book regular weekly services. Dog walking and day care are recurring services. Many sitters appreciate consistent, reliable bookings — and building a long-term relationship with a sitter you trust is far better than scrambling to find someone new every time.
- Book early for peak periods. Christmas, Easter, and school holidays book out fast. The best sitters fill their calendars weeks in advance during these periods. Book early to avoid paying a premium at the last minute.
- Do a meet-and-greet first. A meet-and-greet is free. It lets your pet and the sitter get comfortable with each other before the booking begins — and it helps you confirm you have made the right choice.
- Consider Pet Maintenance as a long-term saving. Regular preventative care — checking paws, ears, teeth, skin, coat, and nails — is far cheaper than emergency vet bills. PetCloud’s Pet Maintenance service is one of the smartest investments a pet owner can make.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a pet sitter cost in Australia?
Pet sitting costs vary by service. Pet boarding starts from $30–$50 per night. Dog walking starts from $45 per walk. Home visits start from $45. Day care starts from $45 per day. House sitting starts from $30–$50 per night. Each sitter sets their own prices independently. A small booking fee capped at $40 applies on PetCloud on top of the sitter’s rate.
How much does a dog walker cost in Australia?
Dog walking on PetCloud starts from $45 per walk, for a 30-minute or 1-hour walk in your suburb. Prices are set independently by each walker and may vary by location and experience.
How much does pet boarding cost in Australia?
Pet boarding at a verified sitter’s home on PetCloud starts from $30–$50 per night. Your pet stays in a real home — not a cage — and is cared for as part of the sitter’s family. Prices may be higher in inner-city areas or during peak holiday periods.
How much does house sitting cost in Australia?
House sitting by a police-checked sitter on PetCloud starts from $30–$50 per night. The sitter stays in your home overnight every night, caring for your pets and keeping your property secure.
How much does doggy day care cost in Australia?
Doggy day care on PetCloud starts from $45 per day. Your dog spends the day at the sitter’s home with company and enrichment — ideal for dogs with separation anxiety.
How much does a home visit pet sitter cost in Australia?
A single daily home visit on PetCloud starts from $45. Twice-daily visits start from $90. Each visit lasts approximately 15–20 minutes and includes feeding, watering, a health check, and lock-up.
Why do pet sitter prices vary so much?
Because each sitter on PetCloud sets their own rates independently. Prices vary based on location, time of year, the sitter’s experience, and your pet’s individual needs. Inner-city sitters and bookings during peak holidays tend to be priced higher.
Is there a booking fee on PetCloud?
Yes. PetCloud charges a small booking fee on top of the sitter’s published price. This fee is capped at $40 regardless of the booking length or total value.
What is the going rate for pet sitting in Australia in 2026?
In 2026, starting prices on PetCloud are: pet boarding and house sitting from $30–$50 per night; dog walking, day care, and home visits from $45; grooming from $80; dog training from $220. A small booking fee capped at $40 applies. Prices may be higher depending on location, season, and your pet’s needs.
Is a cheaper pet sitter always a worse choice?
Not always — but price alone should never guide your decision. What matters most is whether the sitter has passed a proper ACIC-accredited police check and has completed animal care training. Every sitter on PetCloud meets these standards before accepting their first booking.
Ready to Find a Verified Pet Sitter Near You?
Every pet sitter on PetCloud has passed a live biometric identity-linked police check through an ACIC-accredited provider. You can browse sitters, see their published rates, read reviews from real pet owners, and book with confidence — all in one place.
See all services and prices — or find a verified pet sitter near you today.
