Get paid to hang out with dogs and cats in your neighbourhood.
Time: Mornings, evenings, weekends
Pet owners spend on their animals even in a downturn, and the demand is hyper-local: someone two streets over needs their dog walked Tuesday at noon. Walking fills weekday days; overnight sitting and holiday boarding are the high-ticket items — a single Christmas week can earn $500+. Startup cost is nearly zero, and reviews compound: every happy owner refers two more.
Set up Rover, a post in local Facebook groups and a Kijiji listing on the same day. Use bright, well-lit photos and mention your neighbourhood by name.
Price the first walk 30–50% off to remove risk. The goal isn't profit on walk #1 — it's the review and the standing weekly booking behind it.
Take a pet first-aid course online, get basic liability insurance, and collect a vet-emergency contact for every animal you watch. Parents of pets are exactly as careful as parents of kids.
After each visit, send the owner 2–3 cute photos. Ask for a review on your profile. That photo-text habit is what makes your profile convert.
Sell 10-walk bundles and 'week away' sitting packages. Recurring bundles smooth your income and cut the back-and-forth of single bookings.
Add 20–30% for stat holidays, March break and Christmas week. Boarding in your own home is where the real money hides.
The biggest pet-care marketplace; payments and booking protection handled for you.
Canadian pet-sitting marketplace — a second source of bookings alongside Rover.
Affordable liability coverage that reassures owners of anxious pets.
Canadian pet first-aid certification — a genuine differentiator on your profile.
Make a neighbourhood flyer for building lobbies and vet-clinic boards.