Bookings, deposits and client texts for a pet sitting business, with these forms ready to sign on your phone.
Pet Sitting Business: BookingBookings, deposits and client texts for a pet sitting business, with these forms ready to sign on your phone.
How to start a pet sitting business in Connecticut
Pet sitting and dog walking need no degree or state exam, but a few registrations come up in every state. Here is what Connecticut's own agencies say, checked October 7, 2026. Rules change, so follow each link before you file.
1. Register the business
An LLC registers with the Connecticut Secretary of the State. A sole proprietor's trade name is filed with the town clerk in the town where the business is mainly done, not with the state ($20 fee, notarized).
Source: CT.gov Business
2. Sales tax on pet sitting
Depends on the service
Pet boarding and pet day care are taxable. DRS says pet sitting at the pet owner's home is not taxable, and dog walking on its own is not taxable. Check with DRS.
Source: Connecticut Department of Revenue Services
3. Licenses for boarding and pet care
The Department of Agriculture licenses commercial kennels, places that board or groom dogs or cats. A 2020 legislative research report says boarding three or fewer dogs or cats in your own residence does not need this license (CGS ยง 22-344). Above that, it does.
Source: Connecticut Department of Agriculture
4. Also worth checking
- Your city or county: a local business license, and home-business (zoning) rules if dogs stay overnight in your home.
- Insurance: ask an agent about liability coverage and bonding for pet sitters.
- Paperwork: a written service agreement, a veterinary release and a key agreement for every client.
Free forms for your first clients
Pet Sitting Contract TemplateThe agreement a client signs before the first booking: services, rates, deposit, cancellations, vet care, home access and behavior.Dog Walking Contract TemplateFor regular walks: schedule, leash and equipment, solo or group walks, bad weather, cancellations and payment.Pet Sitting Client FormEverything to collect from a new client before the first visit: contacts, feeding, medications, vet, behavior and routine.Veterinary Release Form for Pet SittersLets the sitter get a pet seen by a vet when the owner can't be reached, with a spending limit the owner sets.Key Release Form for Pet SittersHow keys and entry codes are handed over, stored, used and returned, and who pays if one is lost.Pet Sitting Meet-and-Greet ChecklistWhat to cover when meeting a new client and pet: the walk-through, health and safety, and the paperwork.Pet Sitting Invoice TemplateA one-page invoice: services by date, fees, the deposit received and the balance due.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.