If you're running a dog walking or pet sitting business on a handshake and a group text, you're not alone — a lot of pet care businesses start this way. You love animals, clients found you through word of mouth, and formal paperwork felt like overkill for something that started as a side hustle.
But "informal" and "unprotected" often mean the same thing. Here's why a simple written contract matters more than most new pet care business owners realize, and how to put one in place without hiring a lawyer to draft it from scratch.
What Actually Goes Wrong Without a Contract
Most pet care businesses don't run into trouble because they did something wrong. They run into trouble because nothing was written down when something unexpected happened. A few real-world scenarios:
- A dog gets spooked during a walk, slips its collar, and runs into traffic. Who's responsible for vet bills?
- A client cancels a week of boarding the night before and expects a full refund.
- A dog with "no known aggression issues" bites another dog at daycare — and the client says you never asked about behavior history.
- A key goes missing after a sitting visit and the client wants the locks rechanged, on your dime.
In every one of these situations, a contract doesn't make the problem disappear. What it does is set expectations in advance, so both sides know who's responsible for what before anything goes wrong — instead of arguing about it afterward.
"But I Have a Verbal Agreement"
Verbal agreements can technically be enforceable in some situations, but they're hard to prove and easy to misremember. Six weeks after a conversation, you and your client may have very different memories of what was agreed to about cancellation policies, extra pet fees, or what happens if the dog needs emergency vet care.
A written agreement isn't about distrust — it's about clarity. Most clients actually feel more confident hiring a pet care provider who has real paperwork, because it signals you run this like a legitimate business, not a favor between neighbors.
What a Basic Pet Care Contract Should Cover
At minimum, a solid service agreement should address:
- Scope of services — exactly what's included (walks, feeding, medication, overnight stays) and what costs extra
- Payment and cancellation terms — deposits, late fees, and your cancellation window
- Emergency authorization — what you're allowed to do if a pet gets sick or hurt and the owner can't be reached
- Liability language — what you are and aren't responsible for
- Property access — how keys, garage codes, or lockboxes are handled and returned
You Don't Need to Draft This From Scratch
The good news: you don't need a lawyer on retainer to get this right. CoveredKit's Dog-Walking Service Agreement is attorney-drafted specifically for walkers and sitters, and covers the scenarios above in plain English — no legal jargon, just fill in your business details and go. If you also offer boarding or overnight stays, it's worth pairing with a dedicated Boarding & Overnight Agreement, since overnight care carries different risks than a 30-minute walk.
For most growing pet care businesses, the simplest move is the Pet Pro Protection Kit, which bundles the service agreement, liability waiver, boarding agreement, and new-client intake form together — so your whole client onboarding process is covered from the first inquiry to the first booking.
A contract won't prevent every bad day. But it will make sure that when something goes sideways, you and your client are working from the same page instead of pointing fingers.
This is general information, not legal advice, and reading it doesn't create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by state and situation, so have a local attorney review your contracts before relying on them.