How to Choose a Pet Sitter You Can Actually Trust
What to ask, what to check, and the small signals that tell you a sitter is the real thing.
Handing your pet to someone else is a genuine act of trust. A little structure in how you choose makes that much easier.
Start with verification, not vibes
A warm first impression is nice, but it isn't evidence. Look for a sitter whose identity has been verified, who has reviews from real bookings, and who can show any relevant training or certifications.
On the Kingston's app, providers are ID-verified by our team before they can take bookings, and their reviews come from completed jobs — not anonymous comments.
Always do a meet-and-greet
Meet before the first booking, ideally where the care will happen. Watch how your pet reacts, and how the sitter responds to your pet rather than to you.
Questions worth asking
- How many pets do you care for at once?
- What is your routine for walks, feeding and rest?
- What do you do if my pet won't eat, or seems unwell?
- Which vet would you go to in an emergency, and how quickly could you get there?
- How and how often will you update me?
Good sitters answer these easily, because they've thought about them before.
Be clear about your pet's real needs
Share the unglamorous details: medication timing, anxiety triggers, reactivity to other dogs, escape habits, what "normal" looks like for your pet. A sitter can only prevent problems they know about.
Warning signs
- Reluctance to meet in advance.
- Pressure to pay outside the platform — it removes your protection if something goes wrong.
- Vague answers about emergencies.
- No questions about your pet. Someone who cares will ask a lot.
Keep payments and messages in one place
Booking and paying through a platform means there's a record of what was agreed, a way to raise an issue, and protection if a booking goes wrong. In the Kingston's app, payments are secure and disputes are reviewed, with the payment held while that happens.
Before they arrive
Leave written instructions and your vet's number, and make sure your pet's ID details are up to date — including the tag on their collar. It costs nothing and it's the one thing that matters if a pet slips a lead in an unfamiliar street.
Give your pet a way home
One scan reaches you — no app, no subscription, no monthly fees.
Order a smart tag