12/08/2026
"It's just an hour."
"You're just a pet sitter."
"£400 for a week? That's greed."
"You're staying in my house, why should I pay that?"
"You clearly don't care about animals, just the money"
(NOT MY POST, written by & Tails, BUT HAD TO SHARE. )
These are real comments I've seen aimed at pet care professionals recently.
And honestly?
It's becoming a little disheartening.
Not because everyone has to agree with our prices.
Not because everyone has to use our services.
But because somewhere along the way, it's become acceptable to belittle people simply for running a business
You don't have to choose me.
You don't have to choose someone with over a decade of experience, qualifications, references...
You don't even have to hire a professional pet sitter or dog walker at all.
But let's stop pretending that professional pet care is worth nothing.
When I charge £20 for a walk, I'm not being paid £20 to throw a lead on a dog and wander around for an hour.
That fee helps cover insurance, training, travel, equipment, software, bookkeeping, fuel, taxes, emergency funds, professional memberships, key security, admin and the countless hours spent running a business behind the scenes.
That fee covers the time it takes to walk your dog, drive to and from your house, maintaining a very overused vehicle and unpaid admin to organise said walk.
And after all that?
Yes, hopefully there's some profit left too.
Because despite what some people seem to think, profit isn't greed.
Profit is what keeps small businesses going.
It's what allows us to replace equipment, continue our education, take the occasional day off and navigate the quieter periods that come with self-employment.
Because sometimes those quieter periods aren't planned.
Sometimes it's a week of extreme temperatures where responsible dog walkers are cancelling walks because it's simply not safe to be out.
Income can disappear overnight, but mortgages, rent, insurance and bills don't.
That's exactly why sustainable businesses need profit. Not for luxury, but so we're not all surviving on beans every time the weather decides to become a health and safety hazard.
Use us or lose us.
What often gets overlooked is the level of trust involved in this profession.
We're trusted with house keys.
We're trusted with beloved family pets.
We're trusted to notice when something isn't right.
We're trusted to turn up in all weather, often when people are at work, on holiday or dealing with life's emergencies.
So no, you're not paying for "just an hour".
And no, we're not "just pet sitters".
We're professionals providing a service that takes time, knowledge, responsibility and care.
You can disagree with someone's pricing.
You can shop around.
You can decide a service isn't for you.
But perhaps we could do all of that without tearing people down for trying to earn a living doing a job they love.
We all make choices about where we spend our money.
But behind every small business is a person trying to provide a good service, care for their clients and make an honest living.
A little kindness goes a long way.
💜
