Free pet sitter instructions template

What to include in pet sitter instructions

A sitter reads your notes in a hurry, often with an animal at their feet. Put the urgent information first and keep each pet's routine in one place.

1. Emergency contacts

Your emergency vet, regular vet, your own number and someone nearby with a spare key. Add written permission for the sitter to get treatment on your behalf, a spending limit and your pet insurance details.

2. One daily schedule

With two or more pets, merge their routines into a single timeline rather than a separate page per animal. Feeding, walks and medication then appear in the order the sitter will actually do them.

3. Changes for this trip

A temporary diet, a new medication or a delivery on Saturday. Keep these apart from the permanent routine so they stand out.

4. Getting in

Which door to use, where the key is and how the alarm works. Send key, alarm and Wi-Fi codes in a separate message rather than writing them on paper that stays in the house.

5. Tasks and house notes

Bin day, plants, post, the boiler reset, the fuse box and the water shutoff. Write these down and you'll get fewer questions while you're away.

Dog sitter checklist

Before you leave a dog with a sitter, make sure they know:

• What food, how much and when, and where it's kept
• Foods to avoid, including grapes, raisins and chocolate
• Walk times and routes, and when the lead must stay on
• How your dog behaves around other dogs, strangers and children
• Fears such as fireworks or thunder, and what calms them
• Toilet breaks and where the dog sleeps
• Medication: name, dose, time, how to give it, and what to do if a dose is missed
• Microchip number, and who to call if the dog goes missing

Cat sitter notes

Cats can be harder to read, and many hide from a new person, so these notes help a sitter tell normal from worrying:

• What food, how much and when, and where to feed if other pets could reach it
• Litter tray location and how often to scoop
• Indoor or outdoor, and any cat flap settings
• Usual hiding spots, and how long your cat normally takes to warm up
• How to give medication, including any trick that works, such as pill paste
• When to call the vet, such as if your cat stops eating, and how soon
• Microchip number, and what to do if your cat doesn't come home

Questions