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 Ohio
Pet sitting and dog walking need no degree or state exam, but a few registrations come up in every state. Here is what Ohio's own agencies say, checked October 7, 2026. Rules change, so follow each link before you file.
1. Register the business
Sole proprietors do not file to form, but one using a name other than their own must register a trade name or report a fictitious name with the Secretary of State (Form 534A, $39). LLCs are formed with the Secretary of State.
Source: Ohio Secretary of State, Business FAQ
2. Sales tax on pet sitting
Not taxable
Ohio's rule says kenneling or boarding an animal is not taxable storage when the service includes care and feeding that are not billed separately. We did not find a statement on pet sitting specifically; check with the Ohio Department of Taxation.
Source: Ohio Admin. Code 5703-9-05
3. Licenses for boarding and pet care
The Ohio Department of Agriculture licenses high-volume dog breeders, dog brokers, and pet stores, not pet sitters. Ohio law separately requires dog kennel owners to register with the county auditor. Check with your county auditor and city.
Source: Ohio Department of Agriculture, Commercial Dog Breeding
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.