Pet House-Sitting: How to Travel Free by Caring for Pets Abroad

Free accommodation in exchange for looking after someone's dog, cat or chickens: pet house-sitting has become one of the most popular ways for animal lovers to travel slowly and cheaply. Owners get a trusted person at home and pets that stay in familiar surroundings instead of a kennel; sitters get a real home in a new neighbourhood, often for weeks at a time.

How pet house-sitting exchanges work

The idea is simple. Homeowners who are travelling post a listing describing their home, their animals and the dates. Sitters browse the listings, apply, and the two sides talk before agreeing. No rent changes hands: the sitter's payment is the accommodation, and the owner's payment is the care.

The best-known platform is TrustedHousesitters, founded in the United Kingdom in 2010. By 2023 it had around 110,000 members in some 130 countries. Both owners and sitters pay an annual membership (from about $129 a year in the US at that time) and there are no further fees for individual sits. Members can use ID and reference checks, reviews left after each sit, a 24-hour support line and a veterinary advice line.

Understanding the pet's daily routine

A sit is a job with a schedule. A young dog may need two or three long walks a day; a pair of older cats may need little more than meals, litter trays and company in the evening. Farms and smallholdings can add horses, goats or hens. Before applying, read the listing closely and ask about:

• feeding times, portions and any special diet
• exercise, and whether the dog is good with other dogs on walks
• medication and how to give it
• how long the animals can be left alone, which shapes how far you can explore each day
• the owner's vet, and what to do in an emergency

A video call before you commit is the best way to meet the animals and see the house. Be honest about your experience: owners would rather hear it now than discover it later.

Costs and practicalities beyond the free room

House-sitting removes the biggest travel cost, but not all of them. Budget for membership, flights or trains to reach the sit, food, and a back-up place to stay if dates shift. Agree in advance on household costs such as heating and internet, whether you may use the car, and who pays for any vet visit.

Visa rules matter for international sits. Some countries treat unpaid work in exchange for accommodation as employment, so check the official immigration website of your destination before you accept a sit abroad.

Slow travel at a pet's pace

The reward is a different kind of trip. Instead of a hotel in the tourist centre, you live on a residential street, shop at the local market and walk the same dog through the same park every morning until the neighbours start to say hello. Long sits suit remote workers, retirees and anyone happy to explore in half-day trips between feeding times.

Start with a short sit close to home to see whether you enjoy it, build a few reviews, then apply for the longer and more sought-after sits abroad.

A good handover before the owner leaves

Ask to arrive a day early if possible. Walk through a normal day together: morning, afternoon and evening routines, then the exceptions such as a delivery or a vet appointment. Write down emergency contacts, where the supplies are kept and how the owner would like to receive updates: a daily photo is usually welcome. Agree on what happens if a flight is delayed so the animals are never left alone between arrivals.

Related reading

• Willow the travelling cat: a campervan journey

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