Caregiver handoffs

Questions to ask a pet sitter before the first visit

Ask a prospective sitter how they handle your actual routine, missed visits, emergency communication and secure access. Walk through one ordinary care window together before deciding whether the arrangement is a good fit.

By Paw Handbook editorial team · Published October 11, 2026 · Educational guide · Not clinically reviewed

Start with the work, not a general promise

Describe your pets, the expected visit windows and the tasks you need covered. Ask who will perform the visits and whether another person might substitute. A useful answer tells you how the work will happen. 'I love animals' may be sincere, but it does not explain how two pets with different instructions will be kept separate or what happens when traffic delays a visit.

Ask the sitter to explain the routine back

Show the supply locations and your current written instructions. Ask the sitter to describe the sequence in their own words. Listen for assumptions about meals, walks, cleanup or access to rooms. This is a rehearsal for communication. If your pet has special care needs, ask your veterinary team what experience or preparation a caregiver should have.

Agree on a contact and exception plan

Ask what the sitter does if a visit is missed, a pet cannot be found in the home or your phone goes unanswered. Decide when you expect an ordinary update and which situations require a call. Keep clinic and emergency hospital contacts available. Discuss urgent care decisions and authorization with your clinic in advance, rather than asking a checklist to settle them later.

Keep access details out of broadly shared notes

Arrange keys or access instructions through a method you and the sitter agree on. Do not put an alarm code into a care-library worksheet, a public message or a printout that may be photographed. Ask how keys and private details will be handled after the booking. The care sheet should contain what the sitter needs for the pets, with sensitive entry information handled separately.

Decide what evidence you need

Ask for references and any documentation relevant to the service being offered. Read the booking terms, cancellation policy and scope of coverage before committing. AAHA's caregiver preparation guidance supports discussing routines and special needs; the questions here are an editorial framework for that conversation. A completed questionnaire does not certify a sitter or guarantee a safe visit.

Quick checklist

• Visitor identity and substitution policy clear
• Care windows and specific tasks agreed
• Delayed or missed visit procedure explained
• Communication and clinic contact plan written
• Private access details handled separately

Common questions

Should every sitter answer these questions the same way?

No. Judge whether the answers fit your pets, schedule and care needs. A business's terms and your veterinarian's guidance may add requirements.

What should I do after choosing a sitter?

Make a dated handoff sheet and rehearse one care window. Update the final copy when the instructions change.

Source and scope

AAHA: Preparing your pet for boarding supplies the veterinary context referenced here. The questions, examples and organizational checklists are editorial suggestions. We have not presented them as veterinarian-authored or clinically reviewed. Your veterinary team should advise on individual health, handling and treatment questions.