Hiring Guide · Connecticut

CT Professional Pet Sitters & Dog Walkers

What to look for in a professional pet sitter or dog walker in Connecticut, the questions to ask before you hire, and how we do it at Sarah’s Pet Sitting in Cheshire.

By Sarah Updated 3 min read

Sarah's Pet Sitting team member smiling outdoors while holding a gray tabby cat

Quick answer

Good pet sitters in Connecticut screen their sitters, meet you before the first visit, have a backup plan for sick days and snowstorms, and tell you how every visit went. Sarah’s Pet Sitting offers pet sitting and dog walking in Cheshire and six neighboring towns. Before you hire anyone to come into your home, check references, insurance and credentials.

Not sure we come to your street? See our service area or our town pages for Cheshire, Southington, Wallingford, Hamden, North Haven, Meriden and New Haven.

Checklist

Before you call a pet sitter

Whoever you hire, these are the questions I’d ask:

  1. Who will actually come to my home? Ask whether the company uses employees or contractors, how sitters are screened, and whether you’ll meet your sitter first.
  2. What happens if my sitter is sick or there’s a snowstorm? A company with a team should have a backup plan.
  3. How will I know each visit happened? Ask about visit updates, photos and check-in records.
  4. Can I talk to references? Read recent reviews and ask for client references.

Our own guides go deeper: Hire a Professional Pet Sitting Company, How We Hire the Best Professional Pet Sitters and How to Choose Between a Kennel or a Pet Sitter.

How we do it

Pet sitting and dog walking near Cheshire

Here’s how I answer those same questions for my own company.

  1. Local since 2008. I started Sarah’s Pet Sitting in Cheshire in 2008, and my sitters come to homes in our seven towns. Learn more about our team.
  2. Vet tech background. I worked as a veterinary technician before I started the company, and we offer medical pet sitting for pets on medication.
  3. A real team. I have more than 30 professional sitters. Read how we hire our sitters.
  4. Dog walkers near you. Our dog walkers and pet sitters work in Hamden, New Haven and Wallingford as well as Cheshire, so your dog walking comes from someone local.
  5. A meet and greet first. You’ll meet a member of our team before your first service.
  6. Updates every visit. Each visit ends with a visit report and photos, and you can request visits through our client portal or app.
  7. Enough visits. When you’re away overnight, our Policies & Procedures require at least two visits a day for dogs and one for cats. We also offer cat sitting for cat-only homes.

Elsewhere in CT

Live outside our area?

Pet Sitters International has a Pet Sitter Locator that searches for professional pet sitting businesses by ZIP code, and members of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters agree to its Professional Pledge of Conduct. Use the checklist above with any company you call.

Live in one of our towns?

Sarah’s Pet Sitting offers pet sitting visits, dog walking and overnight pet sitting. See our Services & Pricing. You’ll meet with a member of our team before your first service.

Proudly Serving Cheshire, Southington, Wallingford, Hamden, North Haven, Meriden and New Haven

Get Started

or call or text 203-439-0456

Sources (checked Oct. 24, 2026): Pet Sitters International; National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. Not sure we cover your street? Ask through our contact page.