If you love pets, being a professional pet sitter is one of the most rewarding careers. It gives you the opportunity to be a fill-in pet parent when the animal’s owners are out of town or away at work.
However, because of the variety of duties your job entails, you also face multiple liability risks. Not only is the life of the pet in your hands, but any damage caused to the owner’s home while you’re there could also become your financial responsibility.
Even when you’re outside of the home, the animal is in your care, custody, and control, so you may be held liable for any injuries sustained—or caused—by the pet.
Without pet sitting insurance, you could end up paying these expenses out of pocket. To give you an idea of how much these kinds of claims might cost you, check out the list of recent industry payouts below:
- A dog broke its right leg after jumping out a dog sitter’s car and landing wrong.
Total Payout: $2,950
- A pet sitter was walking a client’s dog when it drank contaminated water and required medical attention.
Total Payout: $3,150
- A dog sitter was heading outside with two dogs. They lunged at, and injured, a person walking by.
Total Payout: $7,800
- While on a walk with a pet sitter, a dog got loose from its leash and got hit by a car after running into traffic.
Total Payout: $7,650
- A pet sitter was supposed to administer insulin to a diabetic cat, but accidentally gave it to the wrong one. Both cats required medical attention from a vet.
Total Payout: $8,500
- While walking a dog at the park, a dog sitter was unable to stop the dog from biting another dog and the dog’s owner
Total Payout: $22,650
- A pet sitter was walking a dog when a jogger ran by and the dog bit them on the hand and stomach.
Total Payout: $46,350
- A child was bitten on the face while a dog sitter was walking the dog outside.
Total Payout: $90,000
- While being cared for by a pet sitter, a dog attacked the neighbor’s dog and bit off the neighbor’s finger when he tried to break up the fight.
Total Payout: $98,700
- A pet sitter damaged the toilet in a client’s home and left it running, allowing water to spill over and cause significant water damage.
Total Payout: $105,450
Most of these claims were simple accidents. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how careful you are, mishaps happen while you’re pet sitting. Like most people, you probably don’t have thousands—or hundreds of thousands—of dollars just sitting around. That’s why pet sitting insurance is so important.
You protect the pets you care for, as best you can, no matter if you’re cat, rabbit, ferret, snake, gerbil, or dog sitting. Make sure you do the same for your finances.
To learn more about pet sitting insurance from PCI, click here.
