What is a fair wage?
On Petsitting24, you can find suitable care for your pet for certain periods of time or on a regular basis. Since prices for pet sitting / pet care can vary greatly, the question arises as to how the price differences come about and what remuneration is fair for a private or professional caregiver.
1. Hobby or income
Professional pet sitters make a living from taking care of your furry housemates. The hourly wage of a professional caregiver is therefore quickly double that of a private individual. Why? In addition to their income, the professional must also cover social security contributions, pension contributions, holiday/sick/public holiday pay, insurance, permits and infrastructure with the remuneration.
2. Qualifications
If you are a private pet sitter, you are expected to have experience with animals, to enjoy working with them and to have a passion for animals. If you entrust your pet to a professional provider, you can also expect at least some animal-specific training as a pet carer/trainer or further training in, for example, behavioural psychology.
3. Infrastructure
Can your pet benefit from quiet rooms, outdoor and training facilities, or a fetch and carry service, or can it enjoy the family cosiness of a private household? It goes without saying that a professional infrastructure is significantly more expensive than a blanket in front of the fireplace, a run in your own garden or a leisurely walk in the nearby forest.
4. Intensity of use
1 or 2 visits a day to the animal's home, full-day care at the animal's home, the duration of the walk, alone or in a pack of 3, 5 or even 10 dogs? All of this is reflected in the price. Do you have a dog that is not pack-compatible and has to be walked alone? Then a walk with a professional will quickly cost four to five times as much as with a private person.
5. Place of residence
Of course, as with all wage issues, the place of residence and supply and demand affect the price, especially for professional providers.
6. Indicative prices (approximate averages)
- Dog walking, one dog, private individual: from CHF 20.00 per hour
- Dog walking, pack of 5–10 dogs, professional: from CHF 35.00 per hour
- Dog walking, one dog / professional: from CHF 55.00
- Pet sitting / pet care at home (once a day): from CHF 25.00
- Pet sitting / pet care at home (twice a day): from CHF 55.00
Often the journey is free over a short distance, beyond that, the travel times are charged in line with the care times. You can find out which additional services are included in the price (e.g. emptying the letterbox, watering plants) from the caregiver of your choice.