Three things before you start. You work for yourself: you decide which animals to take, at what price and on which dates — Petlify is not your employer, you are an independent contractor. Taking part is free: Petlify is an early beta with no subscriptions and no commission on your services. And we do not guarantee a volume of orders: the platform has only just launched and is recruiting its first sitters in Kyiv, so the first booking may take a while to arrive.
What boarding is — and what it is not
Boarding means the animal lives in your home while the owner is away: sleeping, eating and being walked on its usual routine, in a household rather than a kennel. That is exactly why owners choose a sitter over a pet hotel: one person, one flat, attention that is not divided between twenty cages. The unit of a booking is a night; you set your rate per night, and the owner sees a quote at your prices before sending a request.
It is not «drop off for a couple of hours»: day care and drop-in visits are separate services on Petlify, and you can add them to your profile alongside boarding. And it is not a veterinary clinic: an animal with an acute illness or recovering from surgery is better not taken unless you have experience of that kind of care.
Whether your home qualifies
- Permission. If you rent, talk to your landlord: someone else's animal in the flat without their consent is grounds for a dispute, not a side income.
- Your own animals. A cat that cannot stand dogs, or a dog jealous of strangers, is a «no» to boarding, or a «yes» only for certain guests. Say so honestly in your profile.
- Space. A medium-sized dog needs a place where it is in nobody's way and nobody is in its way. The balcony and windows must be safe for a cat.
- Allergies and household. Everyone who lives with you has to agree to guests with fur.
- Distance to a park or green space: a dog needs walks two or three times a day, and that becomes your daily route.
The meet-and-greet, and why you may say no
Before the first booking there is a meet-and-greet: the owner brings the animal to your home, or you meet on neutral ground. Watch how the animal reacts to your home and your animals, and ask about the routine, food, medication, fears and habits. If something does not feel right, decline straight away. Declining before a booking is care for the animal; declining halfway through a stay is a problem for everyone, and for the animal first of all.
What to charge per night
You set the price, and it depends on the guest: less for a cat or a small dog, more for a large dog, an animal with a special routine or medication, and for holiday dates when demand peaks. Look at what sitters near you list, and start with a rate you can raise later. Sitters on Petlify can add a weekend surcharge. The owner sees a quote at your prices before sending a request, and Petlify does not process the payment or take a commission: how you settle is agreed directly.
What to put in your profile
The profile is what an owner uses to decide whether to trust you with their animal. Photos of the space where the guest will live: the room, the bed, the yard or the balcony. House rules: whether the animal sleeps on the bed, whether there are other animals, whether children are around. Who you take: size, age, cats or only dogs, and whether you take several guests at once. And your experience — your own, friends', volunteering at a shelter. The more specific it is, the fewer questions in messages and the better-fitting the requests.
The first night
The first night is the hardest for the animal and the most important for you. Ask the owner to bring the usual food, a bowl, a toy and bedding that smells of home. Do not change the feeding routine. Take a walk before bedtime, let the animal settle, and do not insist on contact if it hides. Send the owner a short message with a photo — it takes the anxiety out of both sides, and those messages stay in the booking in Petlify.
How to offer boarding on Petlify
- Register and fill in your sitter profile: city, district, an introduction, photos of you and of the space.
- Add the «Boarding» service with a rate per night and say which animals you take.
- Mark the dates in the calendar when you are ready to host.
- Submit your documents for the check — in Ukraine a profile is published after a manual review, usually within a day, and goes live automatically once approved.
- Answer the requests that suit you and decline the rest.
More on what Petlify handles for you and what stays yours is on the Become a sitter page.