Pet Boarding
More Pet Owners, like you, prefer home-based Pet Boarding as an alternative to Commercial boarding facilities.
Sitter Compatability Guarantee
All Sitters are Police Checked & Vet-supported
Customer Support
Daily Photo Updates on Wellness & Activity
What is Pet Boarding?
Pet Boarding also known as Pet Minding, Pet Watching, Dog Babysitting, Dog Minding, or Pet Sitting which is a service where your pet stays overnight at Pet Sitter's home for a given time frame.
How do I find Pet Boarding near me?
1
Download the PetCloud App, post a job and select the best sitter for you.
2
Meet your chosen Pet boarding Host at the proposed location of care before the stay.
3
Seamlessly book and securely pay using the PetCloud digital wallet.
4
Pack your bags, drop off your Dog and relax knowing they are in the best care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Many sitters on PetCloud host pets overnight in their own home, so your pet keeps a home routine with fewer animals around. Find out how it works on our minding at the sitter’s home page.
Pet boarding is overnight care for your pet at a sitter's home while you're away. On PetCloud, your pet stays as a guest in the sitter's home rather than in a commercial facility.
Pet boarding on PetCloud costs from $50 to $85 a night per pet. Sitters set their own prices, shown on each listing, and are more likely to offer a discount for long stays and multiple pets.
It depends on how many pets you have. Boarding is charged per pet per night, while house sitting is a flat nightly rate from $50, so house sitting can work out cheaper for multi-pet households.
Yes. Many sitters on PetCloud board cats as well as dogs. Ask whether the sitter has other pets, and bring your cat's litter tray, food and bedding.
You can board your pet at a sitter's home, have a house sitter stay at your home, or book daily home visits. The right choice depends on your pet's needs and how they cope with change.
Search by suburb on PetCloud or post a job with your dates and your pet's needs. Compare hosts' listings and reviews from confirmed bookings, then arrange a meet and greet.
Many can. Tell the host about your pet's needs, medication and routine before you book, and use the meet and greet to show them what to do.
You pay when you confirm the booking. Your payment is held securely and released to the host after your 24-hour quality check window. A booking fee of 10%, capped at $40, applies.
Pet boarding means your pet stays at the sitter's home. Pet sitting is broader: it can mean boarding, a house sitter staying at your home, or a sitter visiting to feed and check on your pet. Boarding is priced per pet per night, from $50 to $85, while house sitting is a flat nightly rate from $50.
No. PetCloud's platform, training, and framework focus on prevention of pet injury, escape, or illness, while insurance focuses on claims after an incident has occurred. Pet owners are responsible for vet bills during a booking, so check what your own pet insurance covers. Sitters on PetCloud are independent, so if insurance matters to you, ask your sitter whether they hold public liability insurance.
The sitter should start searching straight away, contact you, and follow PetCloud's emergency steps. Call the local council, nearby vets and pounds, and post in local lost pet groups. An up-to-date microchip is the fastest way to get a lost dog home, so check your details before the booking (see PetCloud's microchip registry). To prevent escapes, use the Property Safety Checklist at the meet and greet to check fences, gates and gaps.
When should you book Pet Boarding?
When you want to book your pet to stay in Sitter’s private family home to experience love and affection, and sleeping on the end of a bed at night.
In what locations can I find Pet Boarding?
Whether you are in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay, Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin or even Alice Springs – PetCloud has Dog sitters nationally, right across Australia.
What makes PetCloud different?
PetCloud’s strong focus on animal welfare and human safety is due to guidance from Senior Vets, Foster Carers, Animal Inspectors, and Dog Trainers. PetCloud has been helping Dog Sitters to lead the industry in providing a safe standard of holiday care.
When you book Pet Boarding through PetCloud the benefits are:
- Daily photo updates on Wellness & Activity sent by the sitter to you
- Meet in person before your card is charged
- On-demand video vet consults during your booking
- National Customer Support.
- Compatibility Guarantee – Find a Great Match or we'll help you find better or happily refund you.
If you'd like to connect with a reviewed and verified Dog sitter near you, PetCloud’s unique Dog Jobs Board is the fastest way to connect with a local sitter. All you do is Post a Job this will send out an alert in a 25km radius and available Sitters will apply.
You can also do a location based search by typing your suburb into the search bar to filter for listing of home-based Dog sitters near you.
What does a Pet Boarding Host do?
Professional Pet Boarding Hosts are responsible for all basic animal care while their clients are on holidays or travelling for work.
They will also:
- Supervise pets ensuring they are safe and happy
- Give daily nose to tail body checks for lumps, scrapes, ticks, and bumps
- Give first aid attention to hot spots or scrapes
- Do daily feeding, putting out fresh water in cleaned bowls every morning and evening. Owners provide all food.
- Brushing and washing pets if requested as an extra
- Transporting pets to Vet or Grooming appointments
- Administering medicine or parasite control provided by the Owner
- Taking dogs on walks, and providing exercise through play
- Cleaning kitty litter boxes, puppy pads,or picking up stools in the yard and placing in the wheelie bin
- Providing a daily photo update to the Owner with a small wellness & activity summary.
- Notifying owners and taking pets to the vet if they should become sick or suffer an injury
Pet Boarding Hosts are Police Checked on PetCloud
On PetCloud we display Digital badges that show what verifications and qualifications Sitters have obtained.
Professional Pet Boarding Sitters are trained in Animal Care and can spot warning signs if your Dog needs veterinary attention.
They are experienced in understanding what is normal behaviour for Dogs versus behaviour such as;
- Odd eating habits.
- Excessive thirst.
- Rough or dry coat.
- Lethargy.
- Vomiting.
- Unusual stool.
- Sudden weight loss.
- Cloudy or red eyes.
- Scooting or dragging rear
- Emergency symptoms
Professional Pet Boarders will always have a Meet & Greet in advance
Having a Meet and Greet property inspection at the Dog Sitters home in advance of the stay allows:
- Dog Sitters and Owners to take joint responsibility to ensure the property is escape-proof and hazard-free and suitable for the size and type of Dog, and if not, discuss whether a solution exists to resolve if possible.
- Both Sitter and Owner to observe interactions to try and predict whether all Dogs, Children, and Sitters will likely be compatible.
PetCloud’s home-based Pet Boarding is Vet-supported
PetCloud is a technology platform and does not insure bookings. Pet sitters on PetCloud are independent and can buy their own public liability insurance, so ask your sitter whether they hold a policy. If a Pet swallows an object or suffers injury due to the fault of the Sitter and requires surgery, the Vet bill can amount to as high as $16,000, and pet owners are responsible for vet bills for their pets during a stay, so check your own pet insurance before you book. For minor concerns, sitters can use an on-demand video vet consult.
What types of Pets can be booked for Pet Boarding?
Domestic animals such as cats and dogs, pocket Dogs/ rodents such as guinea pigs, rats, mice, rabbits, frill neck lizards, turtles, hobby farm animals such as alpacas, horses, pigs, chickens, ponies, and goats. Of course it all depends on the unique needs of the animal or animals and their portability. Reptiles such as snakes are required to remain in the home of the Owner to abide by the conditions of the reptile permit / licence.
How do I identify a great Dog Boarding Host?
Great Pet Boarding Hosts:
- Invites you to a full property tour well in advance of the boarding start date
- Hold their own public liability insurance
- Have passed a Police Check (PetCloud checks this)
- Have a high number of repeat clients and
- Five star reviews, and
- Prompt in reply and clear communication with you
- Have done a Animal Care Course, such as our industry leading RSPCA Qld Accredited Pet Sitting course - as this course trains sitters in animal care to the standard that the RSPCA expects
Also take note of great traits that Home-based Pet Boarding should have.
What Verifications do Pet Boarding Hosts have?
Each PetCloud Pet Boarding Host has clear digital verification badges that display the police verifications they have attained.
What Training do Pet Boarding Hosts have?
Each Pet Boarding Host are offered the online pet care training course created by RSPCA Vets. Once they have completed the course, their profile will display an accredited badge. If they have not done the course, they will not have the badge.
Professional Pet Boarding Hosts are trained in Animal Welfare standards
Professional Pet Boarding Hosts are trained by a recognised industry Animal Care course and when they complete this course they will be allocated a digital badge. They are experienced in working with all types of Pet types, breeds, and temperaments and will know how to tailor your Dog’s care based on their unique likes, triggers, fears, and habits.
PetCloud's Pet Boarding Hosts uphold the Animal Welfare 5 Freedoms that are internationally accepted standards of Dog care that affirm every living being's right to humane treatment which are:
- Freedom from hunger and thirst.
- Freedom from discomfort.
- Freedom from pain, injury and disease.
- Freedom to express normal behaviours.
- Freedom from fear and distress.
What interview questions do I ask Pet Boarding Hosts?
PetCloud will provide you with a set of interview questions and checks when you join. It’s free to join.
How does Pet Boarding work?
Pet Owners and Pet Boarding Hosts join the PetCloud website free. Pet Owners can Post a Job and this will send out a job alert in a 25km radius and available sitters will apply. You review their profiles, and then click to request a Meet & Greet with the Sitter you select.
When do I pay for my Booking and how?
After the Meet & Greet, but before the stay begins if the Sitter clicks “Preapprove”in your message thread with them, you will be shown a button to pay. The Sitter will only have payment released at the end of the stay by PetCloud. Never pay Pet Boarding Hosts directly.
How much does Pet Boarding cost?
As a rough guide, pet boarding of dogs is $20-$40 a day on average, depending on the services involved and depending on whether they are in metro, or regional areas.
When you create a booking, the PetCloud platform will provide you with an upfront estimate. Pricing is based on home-based pet boarding and is not a commercial boarding facility. For this reason, our prices are affordable and many Pet Owners prefer home-based pet boarding.
The average cost of a 20-minute home visit is $40, while overnight Dog-sitting costs $20-$55. Discounts may be given if there are multiple Dogs, and longer stays.
Vet Nurse Dog sitters will often charge more for 24-hour Supervision, additional Dogs, and bookings over public holidays when demand is high from many Dog Owners going away on holiday.
Every booking makes an impact
Read more about the impact you make when you book Dog Sitting for your Dog through PetCloud.
Why choose home-based Pet Boarding?
PetCloud Pet Boarding Hosts keep pet safe and happy in a home environment. That’s why all our members are home-based. Vets agree that home is the one place all pets feel safe and happy, you can travel with true peace of mind.
PetCloud has different types of services that our home-based Pet Boarding Hosts offer:
- Pet Sitters who offer overnight care for your pet in their home,
- House Sitters to come and stay overnight in a Guest bedroom at your home for a period of time if you own multiple Dogs or large Dogs,
- Pet Sitters who do Home Visits to your home where Home-based Pet Boarding will drive over & call in once or twice a day for 20 minutes to feed and top up water in your Dogs bowls.
Puppy Boarding Hosts
PetCloud has Puppy Sitters who will have your puppy stay at their loving home. Use the Advanced Search filter to specify your puppy’s needs.
Senior Pet Boarding Hosts
Use PetCloud’s Advanced Search Filters to find Sitters who have homes without steps and ramps for senior pets. If you provide high quality washable Pet Nappies if your pet is incontinent, this will make the stay much easier for your chosen Home-based Dog Boarding Host.
Big Pet Boarding
PetCloud has strong big dog sitters with high fenced backyards. We also have House Sitters who can come to stay at your home with your big dog.
Special Needs Pet Boarding
PetCloud has an advanced search filter on the Search Results screen where Dog Owners can filter to find Vet Nurse Dog Sitters who have had their Vet Nurse Qualifications verified and have been allocated a Vet Nurse digital badge.
Dog Owners love our local Dog sitters whether it’s because it’s easier to meet in person or they want someone who already knows the best dog walks, many people are looking for local Dog sitters in particular.
Pet Owner Reviews
Members across Australia tell us their lives have changed thanks to Dog sitting. From local Dog sitters who tell us it’s filled a gap in their life left by the loss of their own Dog, to dedicated Dog Owners who can finally take a well-deserved break, there are so many touching reviews.
Post a Job and available Pet Boarding Hosts will apply
Can Pet Boarding Hosts care for special needs pets?
Yes. Pet boarding guests booked through PetCloud recognise that every pet is unique, with different needs. When you book Pet Boarding via PetCloud, you can expect your pet’s specific needs to be met providing that you disclose this upfront to the host at the Meet and Greet, well in advance of the stay.
Whether your dog has a disability, is Senior, requires vaccinations, oral medication or other special attention, you can bring it up at the Meet & Greet. During this meeting, it also helps to provide your Host with a list of important details. In this way, your Pet Boarding Host will discuss expectations and whether they feel they can meet them to ensure your pet receives exactly the care you would like.
How do I become a Pet Boarding Host?
Do you know how to soothe a timid dog, tire out an energetic dog, or reward an obedient dog?
If so, you could have what it takes to offer Pet Boarding through PetCloud! As a PetCloud Dog Minder, you’ll be able to:
- Set your own work hours
- Set your own services and prices
- Grow your Pet Care business
- Work from the comfort of your own home
- Be a part of a pet-loving community that spans across Australia
- Decide what quantity and which breeds or sizes of dogs you’d like to care for
- To learn more about providing Pet Boarding through PetCloud, visit our “Become a Sitter” page. We’re always on the lookout for new pet lovers, and we’d be thrilled to hear from you!
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