What should I leave for a pet sitter?
Leave a short, current handoff that lets the sitter identify each pet, follow the usual routine, find what they need and know which question to ask when something changes. A useful note is specific without pretending that a written page can make medical, safety or emergency decisions for you.
This guide is for an ordinary drop-in, overnight or in-home pet-sitting handoff in the United States. It is a planning aid, not veterinary advice, a boarding contract or a substitute for the sitter's own agreement and emergency policy. No purchase, account or email signup is needed.
Start with one profile for each pet
Do not write “feed the pets” as if a multi-pet household had one routine. Make a separate profile for every dog, cat or other pet, then add the places where their routines interact. The American Animal Hospital Association's pet sitter instruction guidance recommends a detailed profile and current photos, especially when a sitter does not already know the pets.
- Identity: name, nicknames, species, age, appearance and one current photo. In a multi-pet home, say how to tell similar pets apart.
- Normal pattern: usual meal times, water setup, walks, litter routine, sleep place, play and quiet time. Record what normally happens, not an ideal schedule you rarely follow.
- Preferences and boundaries: favorite hiding places, handling they accept, doors or rooms they avoid, and interactions with people or other animals. “Do not open this door” is more useful than a vague warning.
- Existing care instructions: list the current label or veterinary instruction exactly as provided, where the item is kept, and who to contact if the sitter is unsure. Do not create a new dose or change a treatment in this note.
- Identification and records: note where the collar, tag, microchip record, insurance details and veterinary records are stored. Keep the originals and sensitive account information private.
Send the sitter a current photo of each pet and label files clearly. A photo can help identify a lost pet; it cannot establish health, temperament or a safe interaction by itself.
Turn the routine into actions the sitter can check
Good pet sitter instructions answer “when, where, how much and what changes the plan.” Use ordinary language and one line per action. The Rover preparation checklist separates dog care, house care and sitter communication; keeping those jobs separate makes a handoff easier to use.
Food and water
- Write the food location, container label, meal time and the portion method you already use. If portions are measured by a scoop, identify that scoop.
- List approved treats and any foods the pet must not receive. In a multi-pet home, say who eats where and whether bowls must be separated or supervised.
- Describe the normal water setup and when it is refreshed. Do not impose a new restriction because you are away.
Toileting, walks and play
- For dogs, record the usual outside times, route or yard boundary, leash and gate location, and what the sitter should do if the normal route is unavailable.
- For cats, record litter-box locations, which box belongs to which area, the normal scoop routine and where the waste supplies are kept.
- Name the familiar toys or activities, where they are stored and the supervision they normally need. A sitter should not introduce a risky new toy or activity from a generic list.
Sleep, alone time and interactions
Say where each pet settles, which doors stay closed, and whether pets are separated when no one is watching. If a pet is working through an established alone-time routine, link the existing alone-time reset plan rather than improvising a new training protocol. Follow the pet's familiar cues; do not promise that a sitter can solve distress during one stay.
Add the home instructions that change the care
A sitter may need household information as well as pet information. Keep these details bounded to the stay and agree on them before the sitter arrives. The AKC Pet Insurance template includes home-alone instructions, contact details, command words and a reminder to update the sheet.
- Access: entry method, alarm or lock instructions, parking or building rules, and a backup contact. Never leave a code in a public document.
- Locations: food, litter, leashes, carriers, cleaning supplies, waste bins, lights, shut-off points and the first-aid or record location. A labeled shelf is better than a paragraph describing a hidden drawer.
- Boundaries: rooms, balconies, gates, plants, appliances or visitors that are off limits. Include what the sitter should do if a door or gate does not latch as expected.
- House tasks: list only the tasks you and the sitter agreed to, such as mail, bins, plants or curtains. Extra duties are a separate agreement, not an assumption hidden in the pet note.
- Communication: choose the check-in channel, the times that are useful, and the situations that require a call rather than a text. State when you may be unreachable and who is next.
If the sitter is staying in your home, confirm sleeping arrangements, privacy boundaries, Wi-Fi expectations and whether anyone else will enter. A clear agreement protects both the household and the person providing care.
Use a separate handoff for a multi-pet household
Multiple pets add identity and coordination problems that a single generic checklist hides. Make the following visible at the top of the note:
- Who is who: one photo and one distinguishing detail for every pet.
- Who eats where: exact bowl or room assignments, timing, and whether a door must be closed between pets.
- Who can interact: pairings that are routine, pairings that need supervision, and any separation rule when the sitter leaves.
- What changes if one pet is missing: the first safe place to check, the contact sequence, and when to stop searching and call the agreed professional or emergency contact.
Do not infer a pet's behavior from a breed label or from another animal in the home. If the sitter has not seen a particular interaction, arrange a calm introduction or preserve separation.
Make the emergency path explicit without writing medical advice
Emergency information should help the sitter reach the right person quickly; it should not turn a blog checklist into a treatment protocol. Write the current contacts and the decision authority you have actually arranged:
- regular veterinarian: name, phone and address;
- closest appropriate emergency clinic and its current phone number;
- local alternate who can reach the pets or speak with the sitter;
- the person authorized to make decisions if you cannot be reached, if such authorization has been arranged;
- your travel dates, time zone and the point at which the sitter should call rather than wait.
Ask the veterinarian or emergency provider what process applies to your pet and keep their instructions with the records. Do not paste private medical records, login credentials or a guessed dosage into a public page. The BTH pet emergency preparedness checklist can help you organize recovery details, but it is not a clinical protocol.
If a pet is in immediate danger, the sitter should use the appropriate local emergency or veterinary service. A completed handoff does not guarantee a safe outcome and does not replace professional help.
Walk the handoff together before the first stay
Send the note early enough for the sitter to ask questions. If possible, meet at the home and let the sitter observe one ordinary meal, walk, litter routine or separation setup. Ask them to repeat the one step most likely to be misunderstood. A written answer and a real handoff are different evidence.
For equipment, show the actual item and the maker's current instructions. For example, if a sitter will put on a harness, use the matching model and version; the BTH harness orientation guide is a reminder to identify openings, not a universal fit or safety approval.
Agree on what “done” looks like for check-ins: a message, a photo if welcome, a food or litter confirmation, or simply a note that the pet is settled. Do not make a sitter produce public proof or ask a grieving or stressed household to manage unnecessary updates.
Copy a private pet sitter handoff note
Copy the fields below into your own private notes. Repeat the pet block for every animal, fill unknowns with “ASK,” and remove anything the sitter does not need. Store access codes, medical records and personal contacts in protected storage rather than posting them online.
Stay
Dates and time zone:
Owner reachable at:
Backup contact and role:
Check-in method and expected times:
Pet: name / photo / distinguishing detail
Usual food, time and portion method:
Water location and refresh:
Toileting, walk or litter routine:
Sleep and alone-time setup:
Handling, triggers and off-limits areas:
Approved activities and supervision:
Current care instructions and where the source record lives:
House
Entry and alarm instructions (store privately):
Food, litter, leash, carrier and cleaning locations:
Rooms, gates, visitors or appliances to avoid:
Agreed house tasks:
Emergency path
Regular veterinarian and phone:
Emergency clinic and phone:
Authorized decision contact:
If the owner is unreachable, call / do not wait when:
What remains unknown and who will resolve it:
Handoff confirmation
What we practiced together:
Sitter's question still open:
Owner's next check before leaving:
Date this note was last reviewed:
Keep the note current when food, access, medication, household members, routes or contact numbers change. An old checklist is not evidence that today's arrangement still fits.
If the sitter handoff is part of a relocation, pair this note with the BTH moving-with-pets guide for loading-day and arrival responsibilities. Keep travel logistics separate from the sitter's daily care instructions.
Questions people ask before leaving a pet with a sitter
How detailed should pet sitter instructions be?
Detailed enough to identify each pet, repeat the ordinary routine, locate supplies and reach the right person when something changes. Use short action lines and labels rather than a long story. Leave unknowns visible and resolve the ones that change safety or access.
What should I leave for a dog sitter for one night?
Leave the dog's food and water routine, outside schedule, sleep and alone-time setup, leash and gate details, emergency contacts, entry information and one current photo. Confirm whether the sitter is visiting or staying overnight; those arrangements are not interchangeable.
What changes when I have two or more pets?
Add an identity block and a feeding or separation plan for every pet. State which interactions are supervised and what happens when the sitter leaves. Never assume pets with similar names, bowls or markings will be obvious to someone new.
Should I include medication instructions?
Record only the current instructions from the responsible veterinary or care source, where the item is stored and who to contact when the sitter is unsure. Do not invent a dose, alter a treatment or rely on this article for a medical decision.
Do I need a printable form?
No. A private note on paper or a device works if the sitter can retrieve it and the information is current. The fields above are a starting structure, not a requirement to buy a form or share an email address.
Sources and scope
BoxToHeart prepared this handoff guide from the linked AAHA, AKC Pet Insurance and Rover planning resources, checked September 15, 2026. Their checklists are source material, not endorsements of BTH and not a substitute for a sitter's contract, a veterinarian, an emergency clinic or local rules. The fields, examples and private note are editorial planning aids; we did not observe a sitter stay, test an emergency response or measure an individual pet's health or behavior.