The 6 Best Pet Sitting Apps and Services in NYC

New Yorkers are known for being on the go. You may find yourself leaving town often, whether it’s for work, family, or a vacation. But throw a somewhat helpless non-human creature into the mix, and this can pose a problem. Pet sitting in NYC is popular and often, necessary, to make sure our furry friends are taken care of while we’re away. Whether it’s a day, a week, or more, having someone stay with your pet helps you get peace of mind.

According to Pet Sitters International, pet sitting is the act of caring for a pet in its own home while the owner is away. Dog walking is a form of pet sitting as well, but in the case of this article, we’ll be focused on the full-time care provided when an owner is away for an extended period of time. Your pet will feel happier being in your pet-friendly home than going to a boarding facility or kennel because they’ll be able to stay in a familiar environment with their regular routine. For some pets, health issues or temperament may require a pet sitter, anyway.

You can find many different pet-sitting options in NYC, but it can be hard to tell what’s right for you. To help you make your decision, we want to break down our favorite pet-sitting apps and services in NYC and rank them based on their benefits, disadvantages, and what they’re best known for. That way, you can make the best decision for you and your fur friend based on what matters most.

Let’s take a look at our favorite pet-sitting apps and services in NYC.

Rover

Rover is one of the most popular apps for dog walking in New York City. The app also facilitates dog-sitting services from its database of thousands. It’s free for pet owners and makes it easy to find the right sitter or walker for you, then set up an in-person meeting before enlisting their services. The Rover app is highly recommended for a busy New York pet owner who may be more flexible with who they hire to pet sit since every walker and sitter is pre-reviewed by the Rover team.

Pros

• Easy scheduling and payment
• Reimbursement for any pet injuries
• “Badge” system to help promote quality sitters

Cons

• Less personal
• May lack consistency in quality

Wag

 

Another commonly used pet-sitting app in NYC is Wag. It’s known for being a strong competitor alongside Rover for its database of thousands of local walkers and sitters and in-app scheduling and payment system. While Rover’s contractors earn a little more than Wag contractors, the pet-sitting services provided by both are high quality. You can set up meet and greets with your upcoming sitter to make sure they are acclimated to your dog and vice versa. Then, while you’re away, you’ll receive regular photo and text updates within their messaging system. There aren’t many differences between Rover and Wag, though it should be noted that Wag does background checks on each of its contractors and provides training before they offer their services through the app.

Pros

• A Wag-provided lockbox for key storage
• Built-in home insurance up to $1 million
• GPS-tracked walks

Cons

• Provides less compensation to the contractor
• Negative customer service reviews
• Less personal

Care.com

Also known for its house-sitting services, Care.com offers NYC pet owners an easy online tool to find the right pet sitter to take care of your furry friend while you’re away. With this website, you can post a specific, personalized listing for the exact service you’re looking for along with any qualifications required or detailed information about your pet that the sitter should know. That way, you’ll be receiving responses to your request rather than seeking out sitters and having to reach out to them. That said, Care.com guarantees you should receive a response within three days, so make sure you plan the sitting services you need in advance.

Pros

• Personalized listings that you manage
• Well-established, long-running web service
• Sitters pay a fee to join, so applicants are serious

Cons

• May take time to receive responses
• Vetting is your responsibility

Trusted Housesitters

Trusted Housesitters is a website built for house sitting which often includes pet sitting, too. While their entire system isn’t app-based, you can use it a lot like Care.com in that as a pet owner, you can create an account and listing that outlines exactly what you need in a pet sitter and what you’re willing to pay. From there, applications are sent to your inbox. The best part about Trusted Housesitters is that their applicants have had background checks when joining the site’s database, so you know that your own personal vetting process is already starting one step ahead. The toughest part is that memberships on both the sitter and pet owner side come with a fee, usually starting at $129 for an entire year. That said, you can think of your membership as coverage for unlimited pet and home care from pre-checked sitters.

Pros

• Personalized listings
• Background-checked sitters

Cons

• Membership fee
• May take time to receive responses

Tailster

This is a British-based app, but it is available and easy to use here in the United States as well. It operates similarly to Rover and Wag, but since it is less popular for pet sitting in NYC, there are fewer pet sitters to search through. Tailster goes the extra mile when it comes to insurance though. As a pet owner, enlisting services through their app means you’re automatically covered under the company’s insurance policy, which includes emergency vet care and millions in public liability, as well as small things like loss of key coverage. Go to Tailster to find an app with a built-in photo messaging system, GPS tracking for walks, and easy online payments.

Pros

• A great insurance policy
• Online payment system

Cons

• Reviews detail negative user experiences on their app
• Fewer users in the United States

Fetch! Pet Care

Add Fetch! to your list of pet-sitting apps in NYC, because it has a lot to offer. Like other apps, it provides photo sharing, GPS tracking for walks, and a database filled with pet lovers to look after your fur baby while you’re away. On top of that, Fetch runs both a mandatory background check and interview before allowing contractors to use the app — so you know you’re on the safer side of potential risk in a pet-sitting situation. Instead of overnight stays, Fetch specializes in check-ins wherein a pet sitter will come by to feed, water, walk, or simply show your pet some love — that includes gerbils, too. Instead of posting a listing yourself or scanning through their whole database, Fetch matches you with a pet sitter based on the needs and schedule you provide to them.

Pros

• Save time by matching with a sitter
• Reliable background checks and interviews

Cons

• Pet-sitting rates are timed, so the more check-ins you need, the more you pay
• No in-app payment system

The Pet Nanny NYC

This well-established pet-sitting service is a small business run by founder Catherine who has been walking dogs and pet sitting in NYC for over 20 years. Reviews run pretty positive, and her services are prominently featured in local news stories in regard to pets and rescues. The founder has a promise on their site that anyone who reaches out in need of pet rehabilitation or training, regardless of whether they are a client, can receive that for free. This is something many owners may want when dealing with the challenges that come naturally with caretaking of an animal — and given today’s overcrowding in NYC shelters, is desperately needed.

Pros

• Long-running small business
• Personal relationship between client and sitter
• Free training and rehabilitation

Cons

• Only serves Manhattan-area clients, mainly the West side of the borough
• Rates are not posted online

Pet Sitters International

This is less an app or service than an easy tool to help you find the right pet sitter for you. Many qualified, veteran pet sitters pay their dues to be part of Pet Sitters International, where they not only receive networking opportunities, education, and industry news but another place to advertise their services online. As an NYC pet owner, it may be beneficial to check out Pet Sitters International to see if there are any local small-business-owning pet sitters in your area (like the Pet Nanny above) whose services you can procure for your own furry friend. Their site also comes with a pet-sitting checklist to help provide you with questions to ask during a meet-and-greet or interview with a potential pet sitter.

Pros

• Online database of local businesses
• Trust in the quality and vetting of PSI

Cons

• IRL communication as opposed to online
• Sitters’ quality, protocols, and reviews may vary

Ultimately, your choice of a pet sitter is up to you, but these apps and pet-sitting services in NYC can help you narrow down your search and find the right temporary pal for your pooch or kitty. If you’re prioritizing reliability, go with someone whose been verified through a background check and interview with you. If you’re more concerned with last-minute scheduling needs, an app like Wag or Rover may be a good option thanks to their huge databases of contracted sitters and walkers. It always helps to install a pet camera so you can check in on your pet yourself while you’re away and make sure you’re getting the service you paid for.

No matter what, you’re doing your part to make sure your furry friend is well taken care of while you’re away, so you can return home to a happy, loving pet.