Whether it's a neighbor feeding the cat for a weekend or a sitter staying with your dog for two weeks, the trip goes better when they don't have to text you every few hours. A good pet sitter checklist answers the questions before they're asked, and it covers the rare moment when something goes wrong. Here's what to leave, plus a few things most owners forget.
The basics for every pet
- Your pet's name, age, breed, color and markings, and a recent photo
- Microchip number and the company it's registered with
- Your contact information and travel dates, plus a local backup person who has a key
- Your regular vet's name, phone and address, and the nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital
- Pet insurance company and policy number, if you have it
Food and daily routine
- What they eat, how much and when. Pre-portioned bags or a marked scoop prevent guessing.
- Treats that are allowed, and how many
- Foods and items they must never have. Many common foods are dangerous for pets; your vet can tell you which ones matter for yours.
- Walk times, routes and leash habits (pulls, reactive to other dogs, slips out of a harness)
- Litter box location and how often to scoop
- Where they sleep, and where they hide when they're nervous
Medicines and health
- Each medicine's name, dose and time, written down even if the label says it. A simple check-off sheet helps the sitter avoid a missed or doubled dose.
- How you get the pill down: in a treat, in cheese, or the method your vet showed you
- Allergies and health conditions, and what's normal for your pet (appetite, energy, bathroom habits)
- Signs that mean "call the vet," which your vet can help you list for your pet's conditions
The house
- Keys, door codes and alarm instructions
- Doors and gates to keep closed, and rooms that are off-limits
- Where supplies are: food, litter, bags, cleaning spray, the carrier, the first-aid kit
- Wi-Fi, trash day and anything quirky about the house
If something goes wrong
This is the part most owners skip, and the part a sitter needs most.
- Vet authorization: call your vet before you leave and ask how to authorize care while you're away. Some clinics keep a form or a card on file. Say how much you're willing to spend before they call you.
- If your pet gets lost: leave a printed lost pet flyer with a photo, plus a list of who to call (your local shelter, animal control, the microchip company), and ask the sitter to call you right away.
- Poison or injury: note the emergency animal hospital's number and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's line, and write down where the carrier is.
- Evacuation: if you live where storms or wildfires can force people to leave, tell the sitter where to take your pet and what to grab.
A day-by-day log
Ask the sitter to jot down each day: fed, medicines given, walks, litter, anything unusual. It takes a minute, gives you peace of mind and is useful to the vet if something changes.
Don't forget the long-term plan
A sitter covers a weekend. But who would take your pet if you were in the hospital, or for good? Talk to that person now, and write down what they'd need to know. If you want it to be legally binding, ask an attorney about options in your state.
Leave your family's emergency information too
You can write all of this on a few sheets of paper and leave them on the fridge. If the sitter is also watching your kids or an older relative, leave the people's medical information as well. Get the free ER-Ready Kit: the one-page Emergency Health Summary, the "Where should I go?" guide and interpreter wallet cards, in English and Spanish.
The Ambos Health team
General information, not veterinary or legal advice. In an emergency, call your vet or an emergency animal hospital.