How to choose a trustworthy pet sitter in the Philippines

A practical checklist for picking a pet sitter you can trust, from verification and reviews to the meet-and-greet and the questions worth asking.

3 min read · Oct 14, 2026

How to choose a trustworthy pet sitter in the Philippines

Leaving your dog or cat with someone new is a big step. The good news: a little preparation makes it easy to tell a great sitter from a risky one. Use this checklist before you book.

1. Start close to home

A sitter who lives near you can come quickly if plans change, visit more than once a day, and already knows the area for walks. On PurrfectBuddy, sitters only wave at requests inside their service radius, so the people you see are nearby. You can also browse pet sitters by city.

2. Check verification, reputation and reviews

Look for three signals on a sitter's profile:

Verified badge. Our team has reviewed the sitter's profile.
Reputation score. Every sitter starts with the same points and loses them for things like cancelling a confirmed booking or ignoring invitations. A high score means they show up.
Ratings from other owners. Read the comments, not just the stars. Tags such as "On time" or "Pet came home happy" tell you what owners noticed most.

A new sitter with no reviews yet is not a red flag. Everyone starts somewhere. Just lean more on the meet-and-greet.

3. Match experience to your pet

A sitter who is great with calm adult cats may not be ready for a strong puppy or a senior dog on medication. Check the species they accept, the services they offer (walking, feeding, overnight care, medication) and how many pets they take at once.

4. Chat before you confirm

Use the chat to ask:

Have you cared for a pet like mine before (size, age, temperament)?
What would you do if my pet stops eating or seems sick?
Can you send photo updates, and how often?
Where will my pet stay, and who else lives there?

Clear, specific answers are a good sign. Vague replies or pressure to pay outside the app are not.

5. Do a short meet-and-greet

If you can, have the sitter meet your pet before the booking. Watch how your pet reacts and how the sitter handles them. Show them where the food, leash, litter and cleaning supplies are.

6. Share everything in writing

Put feeding times, portions, medication, your vet's number and an emergency contact in your pet's profile so the sitter always has it. Keep your pet's anti-rabies vaccination up to date. It protects your pet, your sitter and everyone they meet.

7. Agree on payment up front

Know the total before the sitting starts. On PurrfectBuddy you see the sitter's rate and the total for your dates before you confirm, and you can pay with GCash.