North American pet sitters report stronger revenue growth
Bottom line
Pet sitting businesses in North America are reporting stronger revenue, according to Pet Sitters International’s 2026 State of the Industry Survey. PSI said average gross revenue for U.S. member businesses reached $112,423 in 2025, up from $100,537 in 2023, while Canadian businesses averaged CA$166,118, up from CA$100,764. The survey, conducted from January 20 to March 11, 2026, drew responses from 24% of nearly 4,000 active PSI members and points to continued expansion among largely small, independent operators. PSI also said 68% of respondents expect revenue growth in the coming year. (petsit.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the report is a reminder that more pet parents are relying on a broader network of non-veterinary caregivers in the home. PSI’s data suggest these businesses are becoming more established and more professionalized, with roughly half of respondents operating solo and the other half using staff or partners. That makes pet sitters an increasingly relevant touchpoint for medication routines, behavior observations, chronic disease monitoring, and referrals back to veterinary teams when something changes between visits. The trend is unfolding within a still-growing U.S. pet services market: APPA says the “Other Services” category, which includes pet sitting and dog walking, accounted for $13.5 billion in 2024, and total U.S. pet industry spending reached $158 billion in 2025. (petsit.com)
What to watch: PSI said it plans to release additional survey results and trend data later in 2026, which could offer a clearer read on staffing, service mix, technology adoption, and how quickly independent operators are scaling. (petsit.com)
Pet sitting businesses in North America posted another year of revenue growth, adding fresh evidence that the pet services segment is still expanding even as consumer spending remains selective. Pet Sitters International’s 2026 State of the Industry Survey found that average gross revenue for U.S. member businesses rose to $112,423 in 2025 from $100,537 in 2023, while Canadian businesses climbed to CA$166,118 from CA$100,764. PSI also said more than two-thirds of respondents expect revenue to keep growing. (petsit.com)
The new figures build on a longer recovery and growth arc for professional pet sitting. PSI’s own historical data show average U.S. gross revenue rising from $94,563 in 2022 to $100,537 in 2023 and then to $112,423 in 2025, while Canadian averages moved from CA$91,909 in 2022 to CA$100,764 in 2023 and then to CA$166,118 in 2025. The association surveys its members every two years, positioning the report as a benchmark for a niche that is still dominated by small businesses rather than large chains. (petsit.com)
The survey offers a few clues about what that growth looks like on the ground. In the U.S., PSI said member businesses served an average of 113 households and completed 4,200 visits in 2025; in Canada, the averages were 158 households and 3,229 visits. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said their 2025 gross revenue increased from the prior year, and 35% reported net profit margins of 21% or more. Just over half of respondents were solo operators, while 49% said they worked with a business partner and/or staff, suggesting a sector that is still fragmented but increasingly structured. (petsit.com)
PSI framed the results as evidence that pet sitting is becoming a more durable career path. In its June 16, 2026 announcement, CEO Adam Foster said the findings reinforce the profession’s momentum, while President Beth Stultz-Hairston pointed to a membership base spanning young adults to retirees. PSI said the online survey ran from January 20 through March 11, 2026, and was completed by 24% of the nearly 4,000 active members contacted. (petsit.com)
Broader pet-care industry data point in the same direction, while also adding some caution. A July 2026 benchmarking report from The Dog Gurus, IBPSA, and PocketSuite found that 60% of pet-care businesses reported revenue growth over the past year, but 14% of operators took no personal income and 25% said their income was not enough to meet their needs. The report also found many operators underinvesting in marketing and service expansion, even as repeat-customer loyalty remained high. In other words, demand appears resilient, but profitability and scale still vary widely by business model. (prnewswire.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less about pet sitting as a business story and more about who is spending time with patients between clinic visits. As pet-sitting businesses grow, veterinary teams may increasingly interact with trained non-veterinary caregivers who notice subtle changes in appetite, mobility, litter box habits, behavior, or medication adherence in the home. That creates both opportunity and risk: stronger collaboration could support continuity of care, but uneven training or communication could also lead to missed details. A more professionalized pet-sitting sector may push clinics to sharpen protocols around caregiver authorizations, medication instructions, emergency contacts, and when a sitter should escalate concerns to the practice.
The market backdrop helps explain why this matters now. APPA says U.S. pet industry spending reached $158 billion in 2025 and projects $165 billion in 2026, while its industry statistics page says the “Other Services” category, which includes boarding, grooming, insurance, training, pet sitting, pet walking, and other non-veterinary services, represented a meaningful slice of household pet spending. That suggests pet parents are continuing to spend on convenience and support services around the veterinary relationship, not just on food and medical care. (americanpetproducts.org)
What to watch: PSI said more survey findings are coming later in 2026. Those results will be worth watching for detail on staffing, technology use, pricing, service diversification, and whether growth is being driven by higher visit volume, higher rates, or both. For clinics, the practical question is whether pet sitters are becoming a more formal part of the care ecosystem, especially for seniors, chronic disease cases, and households that need in-home support. (petsit.com)