A meet and greet is your chance to interview the sitter, see how they handle your pet, and fix any escape risks at home before the stay starts. Take this list with you, and listen for specific, practical answers rather than general reassurance.
PetCloud developed these questions with Senior Veterinarian Dr Mandy Paterson, who also helped create PetCloud's Property Safety Checklist and Pet Professional Training Course. They focus on what matters most in holiday care: reducing the risk of injury or escape.
Questions to ask a pet sitter, by the four checks
1. Identity - is this person who they say they are?
- Is your identity verified on your profile, and does the name match the one you'll use on the day?
- Who else lives with you, or will be around my pet during the stay?
- Will anyone else care for my pet if you are unwell or called away?
2. Character History - can I trust them in my home?
- Can I see your police check, and when was it done?
- Can you give me references from other pet owners?
- Why do you enjoy being a pet sitter?
A police check shows someone has no recorded history. It is one useful check, not a guarantee - which is why it sits alongside the other three.
3. Knowledge and Skills - do they know how to keep my pet safe?
- What pet care training have you completed?
- What experience do you have with my breed, my pet's age, or this type of pet?
- Have you given medication before? How would you give my pet theirs?
- How do you stop a dog slipping out when you open doors and gates?
- What signs of heatstroke or bloat would you watch for, and what would you do?
- How would you introduce my dog to your own pets?
4. Care and Competence Reviews - what do other owners say?
- How many reviews do you have from confirmed bookings?
- Have you cared for a pet like mine before, and how did it go?
- Is there a past client I could speak to?
On PetCloud, reviews can only be left after a confirmed booking, so they reflect real stays.
Questions about the stay itself
- How long will my pet be left alone each day? Do you work or have other commitments?
- Will there be other pets or children at home during the stay?
- Where will you walk my dog, and will they be on a lead?
- Where will my pet sleep?
- What will you do if my pet won't eat or seems unsettled?
- How often will you send updates? Sitters on PetCloud post daily photo updates through the app.
- How quickly do you usually answer messages and calls?
- Do you have a car and licence in case of an emergency?
- What is your cancellation policy? Each sitter sets their own, requiring 1 day's notice by midday, 7 days or 14 days for a full refund.
Questions about emergencies
- Where is your nearest 24-hour emergency vet?
- What would you do if my pet became unwell or injured?
- What would you do straight away if my pet escaped?
- Do you have my vet's details and my pet's medical history?
Vet bills during a stay are the owner's responsibility, so share your pet insurance details. For minor concerns, sitters on PetCloud can use the on-demand video vet consult. In an emergency, the sitter takes your pet to the nearest open emergency vet.
Your meet and greet checklist
- Check the four badges. Identity, police check, training and reviews show as badges on the sitter's profile. See verification badges.
- Do the property safety check together. Use PetCloud's Property Safety Checklist to walk the yard and home for gaps in fences, gates, pools, toxic plants and anything your pet could escape through or swallow.
- Watch the handling. Ask the sitter to take your dog for a short walk and try basic commands like sit, stay, leave it and come.
- Check your pets get along. If the sitter has their own pets, watch them together.
- Agree the emergency plan. Swap vet details, your insurance information and a backup contact.
- Agree on updates and routine. Feeding times, walks, medication, and anything else you'd like reported.
Red flags to watch for
- They won't meet in person before the booking.
- They can't or won't show their police check or verified identity.
- They want to be paid outside the platform.
- They brush off the property safety check.
- Your pet seems frightened of them, or they handle your pet roughly.
What a good sitter will ask you
A good sitter will interview you too. Be ready to share your pet's feeding routine, medication, vaccination history, vet details, behaviour quirks and fears - such as storms, fireworks or other dogs - and any escape habits.
About the vet behind these questions
Dr Mandy Paterson, B.V.Sc. (Hons), M.Ed., Ph.D. · Registered with the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland (certificate 1441)
Dr Mandy Paterson is a Senior Veterinarian who worked with PetCloud to create these pet sitter interview questions, PetCloud's Property Safety Checklist and the Pet Professional Training Course for pet sitters. Her guidance shapes what owners are asked to check at a meet and greet, with the aim of decreasing the risk of injury or escape to pets in holiday care.
Pet sitter interview FAQs
Ask questions that cover four checks: Identity (are they who they say they are), Character History (their police check and references), Knowledge and Skills (their training and experience with your type of pet), and Care and Competence Reviews (what other owners say after real bookings). Then ask about your pet's routine, updates, and what the sitter would do in an emergency or if your pet escaped.
PetCloud developed these questions with Dr Mandy Paterson, B.V.Sc. (Hons), M.Ed., Ph.D., a Senior Veterinarian registered with the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland. Dr Paterson also helped create PetCloud's Property Safety Checklist and Pet Professional Training Course, with a focus on decreasing the risk of injury or escape to pets in holiday care.
A meet and greet is not required, but it is strongly recommended. It is your chance to interview the sitter, watch how they handle your pet, check your pets get along, and walk through the property together with PetCloud's Property Safety Checklist. You are only charged once you confirm a booking.
A checklist the pet owner and sitter complete together at the meet and greet. It walks you through fences, gates, pools, hazards and anything a pet could escape through or swallow, so problems are fixed before the stay begins.
Look for the verification badges on the sitter's profile, which show identity verification and police check status. You can also ask to see the police check in person at the meet and greet. A police check is one useful check, not a guarantee, which is why it sits alongside identity, training and reviews.
The pet owner is responsible for any vet bills during the stay, and your own pet insurance is usually the main cover. Agree on an emergency plan at the meet and greet. For minor concerns, sitters on PetCloud can use the on-demand video vet consult; in an emergency, the sitter takes your pet to the nearest open emergency vet.
You do not have to book. You can meet another sitter instead, and you are only charged once you confirm a booking.
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