Pet Sitting Meet-and-Greet Checklist: Questions to Ask New Clients
Last updated: 03 October 2026
This one is written for sitters, not owners: what to ask, what to look at, and what to write down before you leave.
Before you arrive
Three questions save a wasted trip: the exact dates and times, how many animals and what kind, and whether there’s anything they haven’t told you yet — a dog who doesn’t like strangers, a cat who needs medication twice a day, a house with a construction site next door. Ask on the phone. People answer honestly when they’re not standing in front of you.
What to look at when you’re there
You’re checking whether the job is doable, not whether the house is tidy.
- How do you get in, and does the lock work when you do it rather than them?
- Where does the animal sleep, eat, and go out?
- Where is the food, the leash, the litter, the trash bags, the cleaning supplies?
- Is there anything that would be dangerous if the animal got loose or anxious — a gate that doesn’t latch, a window that opens, a front door onto a main road?
- If there are other people in the building, who else has a key?
What to ask face to face
- Walk me through a normal day.
- What medication, and what happens if a dose is refused?
- What does this animal do when they’re stressed, and what helps?
- How do they behave with strangers in the house?
- What should I do if something goes wrong and I can’t reach you?
- Who else can make a decision if I catch you at a bad time?
The awkward ones you should ask anyway
- If you’re delayed, what do you want me to do — wait, come back later, or count it as a visit?
- If something gets damaged while you’re away, how do you want to hear about it?
- Is there anything in the house I shouldn’t touch, or shouldn’t let the animal near?
What to write down before you leave
Not afterward, in the car. Before you leave. The details you half-remember are the ones you’ll need and won’t have: the code for the side gate, which of the two identical cats is the one on medication, the neighbor’s name, the name of the person who has the spare key.
When to say no
If you can’t get a straight answer about access, if the animal’s needs are beyond what you can safely handle, if the house feels unsafe, or if the owner talks down to you — say no now. It’s much easier to decline before you’ve agreed than to unwind it later.
What to send afterward
A short message the same day: thank you, here’s what I understood, here’s what I need from you before the first visit, and here’s when I’ll confirm. It takes five minutes, and it sets the tone for everything that follows.
Then the paperwork
Everything you collected goes onto an intake form the client signs, and the terms go into a service agreement. The pack we sell has both, plus a one-page meet-and-greet checklist you can fill in during the visit rather than trying to remember it all.
This is general information for pet sitters, not legal or tax advice. Requirements differ by state and city — check with your own state or local authority, and have any agreement reviewed by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.