About SitterNation

SitterNation is an online marketplace that connects pet owners with vetted local pet sitters, dog walkers and in-home boarders. Our sitters are in the Chicago suburbs today; we are expanding to new metros. Sitters keep 100% of what they earn (there is no sitter fee), and pet owners pay an 11% service fee capped at $50 per booking. Bookings, messaging, secure payments and visit updates happen in the web app and in the iOS and Android apps. SitterNation is run by SitterNation Inc.

A good fit if…

  • You want a vetted local sitter in the Chicago suburbs.
  • You want care in a sitter's home or in yours — boarding, house sitting, drop-in visits, dog walking or daycare.
  • You want to see real rates, reviews and care details before you book.
  • You are a sitter who wants to set your own rates and keep 100% of them.

Not a fit yet if…

  • You need instant or same-day booking — requests wait for the sitter to accept.
  • You need a kennel or a vet-staffed facility — care happens in a sitter's home or yours.
  • You are outside the Chicago suburbs — we are expanding, but sitters are not everywhere yet.

How sitters are vetted

Every sitter on SitterNation goes through the same steps before their profile can accept bookings. They create an account and verify their identity through Stripe Identity, matching their name and date of birth to a government ID. They add real profile photos, describe their home and the services they offer, and set their own rates. They complete the sitter safety course and pass its quiz, which covers dog body language, stress signals and how to respond to them. Finally, a member of the SitterNation team reviews the whole profile and approves it, or sends it back with requested changes, before it goes live.

Sitters are independent providers, not employees. Their profiles show their services, rates, photos and reviews from completed bookings so you can judge the fit yourself before you reach out.

How booking and payment work

You send a booking request for the dates and service you need, and the sitter accepts or declines it. For a first booking with a new sitter, the app walks you through scheduling a meet-and-greet so you and your pet can meet the sitter before you commit. Once the sitter accepts, you pay securely through Stripe; the sitter never sees your card details.

Pet owners pay an 11% service fee on top of the sitter's rate, capped at $50 per booking. Sitters keep 100% of the rate they set; SitterNation takes no commission and charges no sitter fees. Tips are optional and go entirely to the sitter.

When a sitter cancels

If a sitter cancels a booking, you are refunded in full, and our team will help you find a replacement sitter where we can. You can also search for another sitter yourself and send a new request at any time.

Refunds and disputes

Cancellations are handled under the booking and cancellation policy shown to you when you book. Refunds go back through Stripe to the original payment method. If something goes wrong during a booking, or you and your sitter cannot agree on how to resolve a problem, contact us through the app and we will help you resolve it.

Illness or emergency while your pet is with a sitter

Before a booking starts, your sitter can see the care instructions you have added to your pet's profile, including feeding and medication details, your veterinarian and your emergency contact. If your pet becomes ill or is injured during a booking, sitters are asked to contact you first through in-app messaging and, if you cannot be reached or the situation is urgent, to use the vet and emergency contact from your care instructions. Keeping those details current is the best thing you can do to prepare for the unexpected.

Editorial standards

Our guides are written by the SitterNation team, drawing on what we see across real bookings and on the questions owners and sitters ask us. Every guide is reviewed before it is published, carries the date it was last updated, and is revised when the rates, fees or policies it describes change. We do not accept paid placements, sponsored content or affiliate links in our guides. A named reviewer slot is reserved on each guide for veterinary and professional review as we expand that program.

If you spot something out of date or inaccurate, tell us and we will fix it.

Contact

Questions, feedback or a problem with a booking: reach us through the contact page. SitterNation is run by SitterNation Inc.

Last updated .