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 Louisiana
Pet sitting and dog walking need no degree or state exam, but a few registrations come up in every state. Here is what Louisiana's own agencies say, checked October 7, 2026. Rules change, so follow each link before you file.
1. Register the business
LLCs register with the Louisiana Secretary of State through geauxBIZ. A person, LLC or partnership can register a trade name with the Secretary of State. DBAs are filed at the parish level with the local Clerk of Court.
Source: Louisiana Secretary of State: Business Filings FAQ
2. Sales tax on pet sitting
Not taxable
Pet care is not among the 10 categories of services that the Louisiana Department of Revenue lists as subject to sales tax. Check with the department and your parish tax collector.
Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue: How many services are subject to sales tax in Louisiana?
3. Licenses for boarding and pet care
A May 2021 Louisiana Legislative Auditor report found that no state entity regulates animal facilities, including boarding facilities. Parishes and municipalities set kennel licenses for people keeping five or more dogs (R.S. 3:2772), so check with your parish or city.
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.