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 Pennsylvania
Pet sitting and dog walking need no degree or state exam, but a few registrations come up in every state. Here is what Pennsylvania's own agencies say, checked October 7, 2026. Rules change, so follow each link before you file.
1. Register the business
A sole proprietor using a name other than their own must file a Registration of Fictitious Name with the Department of State and publish notice of it. LLCs are formed with the Department of State.
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, Fictitious Names
2. Sales tax on pet sitting
Depends on the service
Pennsylvania says animal grooming services are taxable. We did not find an official statement on pet sitting or boarding; check with the Department of Revenue.
Source: PA Business One-Stop Hub, Animal Groomers
3. Licenses for boarding and pet care
Pennsylvania requires a kennel license for any place that keeps or transfers 26 or more dogs a year, or any boarding kennel. A boarding kennel is any place open to the public that houses dogs for pay, including day care, with each dog's visit counted. Check with the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement before boarding dogs in your home.
Source: PA Department of Agriculture, PA's Dog Laws
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.