Pet sitting is a popular way to earn money in North America. But recently, New York City residents were surprised to hear that without a kennel license, pet sitting is illegal in their municipality. The city’s health code does not permit boarding, feeding and grooming animals for a fee without a license, which can’t be issued for private homes. This regulation was brought to citizens’ attention late last year, when the Health Department sent a letter to the popular pet sitting App, Rover, claiming that their users were breaking the law.
So what does this mean for pet sitters? Rover has plans to get the law overturned. In the meantime, pet sitting can still take place within the home of the pet parents seeking services. “Commercial boarding of animals in homes is illegal,” says NYC Department of Health spokesman Julien A. Martinez. “But the Health Code does not apply to a pet sitter who someone hires to come into their home to walk/feed/attend to their pet while they are not there.”
Contact your state’s Department of Agriculture to find out the laws in your area.
