Kandice VincentThe Top 5 Places for a Good Pet Sitter in Toronto
It’s hard to leave your pet behind, whether it takes just a few hours or several days. In times like this, the best option would be to leave them with someone you can trust, or those who are professional enough to handle them.
Here is our review of the top places for a good pet sitter in Toronto. We covered the basics such as usual services and rates, experience, and contact information.
The Top Places for a Good Pet Sitter in Toronto
Leaving your pet with a sitter is a big decision, especially if you really love your furbaby. The following factors were used to examine each of the places in this list:
How much does it cost to hire a pet sitter in Toronto?
Hiring a pet sitter can be caused by an emergency and is often not included in your pet’s budget plan. Below are some of the usual costs to give you an idea before you hire someone.
Please note that these are only estimates and that they are subject to change depending on the service or specific person you talk to.
1. PAWKEE Dog Walking and Pet Sitting
| SKILLS | ★★★★★ |
| KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★☆ |
| GENUINE CARE FOR PETS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★★ |
Founded in 2017, PAWKEE Pet Setting is owned by two passionate women who have so much love for cats and dogs. This business is experienced with administering medication and listening to a pet’s specific requirements.
Despite their background being exclusively cats and dogs, they cater to other pets such as birds, fishes, hamsters, rabbits, and surprisingly, even reptiles. We believe that it is important to note that they are bonded and insured and are able to offer PROfur insurance to their clients.
The minimum package they have is a 30-minute pet sitting service. We find this convenient for pet parents who have a quick errand to run or those who simply want to give pet sitting a try.
They also have an overnight service for all pets. Their prices are within the usual range and they provide real-time updates to all pet owners.
Dog walking is one of their specialties. They provide solo walks for pets and even group walking sessions for those who are eager to make furry friends.
Honestly, there isn’t much to dislike about this service. We do warn that they have a shorter schedule during weekends and that they charge extra during holidays.
PAWKEE Pet Sitting has 2 locations in Toronto. We recommend them as they treat each pet as a part of the family and can even provide cuddles for your pet should you ask them to!
Pros
- Bonded and insured by PROfur pet insurance
- Caters to other pets such as rabbits, fishes, hamsters, and even reptiles
- Pet sitting can be as short as 30 minutes
- Founders are real pet lovers
- Real-time updates to pet owners
Cons
- Charges extra during holidays
- Shorter operating hours during weekends
Customer Reviews
Took such great care of my cat while I was away
“Joanne and Julie were both great. They took such great care of my cat while I was away. Getting regular updates and pictures everyday made me feel so much better about leaving him at home. I would absolutely recommend PAWKEE to anyone looking for a pet sitter.”
We use their dog walking service multiple times a week and cat sitting when we are away for extended periods
“We love PAWKEE, Jo and Alexa take great care of our pets! We use their dog walking service multiple times a week and cat sitting when we are away for extended periods. PAWKEE provides photo and email updates after their visits which provide peace of mind that our pets are receiving the care we have requested. Their booking service is also easy to use and Jo is always helpful when we need to try and schedule or cancel on shorter notice!” — Daniel Venier, via Google
2. Pawsies
| SKILLS | ★★★★★ |
| KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★☆ |
| GENUINE CARE FOR PETS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★★ |
Pawsies is another Toronto-based dog walking and pet sitting service. They have 2 locations, one dog service area and one cat service area, and they have an app for bookings and scheduling.
Their staff is made up of lifelong animal lovers and pet owners. We like how they don’t brand themselves as cat and dog people, but as a pet caring service that can cater to various animals including, but not limited to, birds, rabbits, squirrels, and even raccoons.
They are insured and bonded with Canada Pet Pro via the Verge Insurance Group. They are also partnered with the City of Toronto’s Blue Paw pet licencing programme, so discounts are available for pet owners who take part in the programme.
What we like most about them is the fact that they have a complimentary meet-and-greet with your pet prior to anything. This is a reflection of how they want to establish a good connection to your pet before they walk, watch over, and/or play with them.
Their pet sitting services are available during weekdays and weekends, but it is important that you book 4 days prior to your target date. They have a limited space so they may not be able to accommodate walk-ins and their office is usually closed during weekends.
Dog walking is available in groups of three or more. We add that their starting rates are very affordable across all services.
Overall, we find that Pawsies is a reliable service. They also provide insulin injections and even plant watering on the side, in case you need them to help you on these as they visit your pet.
Pros
- Caters even to squirrels and raccoons
- Insured and bonded with Canada Pet Pro
- Complimentary meet-and-greet with pet before service rendering
- Dog walking for groups of three or more
Cons
- Limited space, may not be able to accept walk-ins
- Office is closed during weekends
Customer Reviews
Very professional, willing to make reasonable accommodations, and they clearly love animals
“Our dog is rambunctious and full of energy, to put it nicely. Walks with Pawsies has been a great outlet for him as he gets to walk and play with his pals. He’s a runner so He’s much more manageable when I get home and I get a peace of mind knowing he’s been out during the day. I love that Pawsies is very professional, willing to make reasonable accommodations, and they clearly love animals.” — Nishad Khatun, via Google
We appreciated the quality, daily updates we received while away
“Pawsies is fantastic! They took great care of our cat Coco…beyond general feeding and litter changing, to engagement and play-time with her as well. She is generally a skittish cat, but was able to feel super comfortable with Jane from the start :)..we appreciated the quality, daily updates we received while away, as they put our minds to rest. Would recommend!” — Tina Galanos, via Google
3. Barks N Purrs Pet Services
| SKILLS | ★★★★☆ |
| KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★☆ |
| GENUINE CARE FOR PETS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ |
Established in 2007, Barks N Purrs has received awards such as the 2014 Best Dog Walker and 2016 Best Dog Boarder by Toronto Pet Daily. They also received the 2017 Best Dog Walker award by blogTO.
Their awards perfectly reflect how good they are at handling and managing dog walks. We note that their services are exclusively for cats and dogs, including puppy play.
Home-Style boarding is one of their most prominent services as this provides a lot of pet care inclusions. This can either be in a home with other pets or an exclusive home for a dog with special needs.
We do note that the home-style boarding is exclusively for their dog walking clients and that it comes with requirements such as a well-socialised, spayed or neutered dog, and others.
It is also worth mentioning that their boarding rates start cheap and that they have additional services for convenience, such as a pet taxi.
For cats, they offer home visits with a minimum of 30 minutes per visit. A maximum of 2 visits per day can be booked by the owner and they will do an extensive check on your cat and provide you with updates and photos during their visit.
Of course, a downside of this service is that they aren’t that knowledgeable in terms of caring for other animals. We also warn that they are only available during the first half of the day during weekends.
Barks N Purrs is the perfect place for you if you have a cat and/or dog. They will attend to your pet’s overall needs, including their play and emotional wants.
Pros
- Award-winning dog walking and boarding service
- 15 years of experience
- Pet taxi is available
- Starting boarding rates are cheap
Cons
- Have strict requirements in accepting dogs for home-style boarding
- Exclusively for cat and dog pets
Customer Reviews
A joy to work with
“Barks n Purrs has been my cat sitter for many years. They’ve always been reliable and a joy to work with!” — Carmel Terner, via Google
The owners and staff have a true love of animals
“
“Best dog walking service in Toronto! The owners and staff have a true love of animals. I have been using the dog walking services since 2013 and fully trust Barks N Purrs with my dog. I have had a few dog walks and each one has loved my dog. My favourite part of the service is receiving a daily picture and report of my dog. I highly recommend Barks N Purrs” — Jasmine Samra, via Google
4. Flying Duchess
| SKILLS | ★★★★☆ |
| KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★☆ |
| GENUINE CARE FOR PETS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ |
A pet first-aid certified and relatively new service, Flying Duchess is one of the well-known pet sitting services in Toronto. They have a total of 16 pet sitters that you can choose from.
Like most pet sitting services, most of their knowledge is about cats and dogs. However, they are one of the few services in the area who are able to perform sitting services for pets such as birds and rabbits.
They are also pretty good at dog walking. They have different packages depending on your dog’s age, needs, social skills, and more.
Every private dog walk includes an initial meet-and-greet, leash and outfitting, and even towel rub-downs. Usuals such as potty breaks, fresh water, and play are part of the package as well.
For both sitting and walking services, they provide daily updates and reports. Their reports are quite unique, as they send in actual audio clips where they narrate the status of your pet.
We do warn that most of their sitting services are mostly short visits within the day. They do have a premium live-in offer, but we see it as a costly service.
We also note that they do not operate during weekends, which can be a dealbreaker for many.
All said, we still recommend Flying Duchess for their extensive care towards pets. They have a good number of staff and you can count on them to provide standard pet sitting services.
Pros
- Pet First-Aid certified
- Total of 16 sitters to choose from
- Can cater to birds, rabbits, and turtles as well
- Audio reports about pet status
Cons
- Does not have own facility to hold pets
- Does not operate during weekends
Customer Reviews
The communication with the pet sitter is very good
“Flying Duchess has provided excellent care for our pets, including a cat that required daily insulin injections. The communication with the pet sitter is very good, we like getting daily updates. We have peace of mind while on vacation knowing that our pets are in good hands.”
— Joanna Jackson, via Google
The daily reports put our minds at ease so we can enjoy our time away
“We have been using Flying Duchess for over 7 years now and we could not be happier with their service. All the sitters are lovely and take good care of our girls. The daily reports put our minds at ease so we can enjoy our time away. Their admin staff are extremely helpful and if something unforeseen happens like your lock box breaks, they deal with it immediately. We highly recommend Flying Duchess Pet Sitters.” — J Ferland, via Google
5. Hound + Kitty
| SKILLS | ★★★★☆ |
| KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★☆ |
| GENUINE CARE FOR PETS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ |
Hound + Kitty is obviously a cat and dog pet service. Most of their services are geared towards cats and dogs, but their pet sitting service is open for various kinds of pets.
Probably the best thing about this service is that they have flexible hours, so they are able to provide evening and weekend services, 12-hour daycare, and long-term boarding.
We also like how they expand their skill set by assisting in boosting a dog’s confidence and helping them to build their social skills. They are eager to promote a pet’s physical and overall well-being, which guarantees how much they care for pets.
Either solo or in groups, their dog walks are performed with optimal care and supervision. Their text hotline is open 24/7, so you can ask them for updates about your dog or even post a general inquiry any time of the day.
They also have travel and vacation care services, which make them an optimal choice for those who need long-term yet customisable pet sitting. Detailed updates along with photographs of the pets are sent to clients for their peace of mind.
They are bonded, insured and first-aid certified as well. This provides extra security not only for the health and safety of the pets, but also for the security of the client’s home.
The only negative thing we can say about this service is that their expertise is on cats and dogs, so we don’t really find them knowledgeable about other animals. We add that most of their services are basic and they can still do more in terms of exploring other activities.
In conclusion, Hound + Kitty made the cut because of their thorough process and genuine concern for animals’ well-being. We recommend them as one of the most trustworthy cat and dog sitting services in Toronto.
Pros
- 24/7 text hotline
- Provides 12-hour daycare for puppies and kittens
- Pet First-Aid certified
- Long-term boarding is available
Cons
- Not that knowledgeable for other pet or animal care
- Can still expand their sitting services and inclusions
Customer Reviews
Elizabeth has an incredible setup and you can tell is a genuine animal lover.
“The level of service and care for the animals at Hound and Kitty is beyond amazing. We got lots of pictures and updates on how our cats were doing during their stay. Elizabeth has an incredible setup and you can tell is a genuine animal lover. I would highly recommend Hound and Kitty to anyone looking for a place where you can board your fur babies with complete confidence and peace of mind that they will receive top-notch care during their stay! I’d give it 6-stars if that were an option!” — Aaron Murphy, via Google
Excellent service
“Excellent service, I highly recommend Hound and kitty. Elizabeth took care of our 6 month old french bulldog for a week. We are so happy we can go away for a week knowing Elizabeth will take good care of our puppy like it’s her own.” — DSQUARE Salon, via Google
FAQs about pet sitting in Toronto
And that wraps up our list of the top places for good pet sitting in Toronto. We hope that this helped you learn more about pet sitting and gave you an idea where to go, just in case.
For dog parents, we have a specific review about the best dog boarding services in Toronto. You may read more about them here.
