Here at Tailster we’re always looking for pet carers from all over the UK. You don’t necessarily need any previous professional experience – having your own pets is a great experience too. Not only do we accept first-time carers but we also invite professional pet carers onto the site too.
We don’t just approve any old pet carer – who are we looking for?
How do you get started with becoming a pet carer?
All you need to do to get started as a pet carer is go to the homepage, and click the ‘Become a Carer’ button. Follow the step by step instructions, making sure to include a picture of yourself, a unique and as much detail as possible about your experience and your drive to become a pet carer.
Our assessment is made up of a variety of questions and situations that will help our approvals team gage your knowledge and experience in the area. As well as taking our assessment, we require you to upload Photo ID, Proof of Address and Card Verification as part of our security checks. You don’t have to provide these before your application is reviewed but you won’t be able to have your account approved without providing them, so to ensure your profile is approved as quickly as possible you can check out our checklist.
We review all profiles and assessments individually, which can take up to 2 working days. If all is well, you’ll receive an email confirming that your profile has been approved, and if not, we’ll contact you and advise on what adjustments should be made so that you can apply to become a carer again.
What services can I offer to owners and do I have to offer all of them?
Dog Walking, Dog Sitting, Dog Boarding, Cat Sitting, Small Animal Care and Doggy Daycare.
No, you can choose and many or as few services as you want and are able to provide.
What happens next?
If you are an approved pet carer then you are ready to start quoting. You will be classed as self-employed and can take on as much or as little work as you’d like. We will email you with all the pet care listings in your local area and if you think you’re suitable then you can quote a price for that care and the owners will get in contact with you if they’re interested. If everything goes well, we suggest a meet and greet and then the owner will book the care through the site. This means that the booking will be covered by our insurance and we can take our commission from the payments. 
How do I get my first booking?
Like most things, there isn’t an exact science behind getting your first booking but there are definitely ways of improving your chances.
- Quote multiple times a day and keep on quoting – don’t be defeated when you don’t get a reply straight away.
- Make the quotes personal by adding a personalised message alongside the price.
- Create a Tailster.me link. This is a personalised, sharable link that takes owners directly to your page to request a quote. This is great for when you’re out and about on dog walks and you want to advertise your services. Here is a handy link that explains how to get that set up.
- Be contactable – don’t leave messages from owners sitting in your inbox for days with no reply as then they have time to chat to other carers.
- Make your profile stand out from the crowd – need some tips? We can help here.
- If you have any references from previous pet care jobs then add *can supply references on request* into your About Me so that owners know that they can get some feedback from past care you’ve provided.
There are lots more info on our really handy FAQs pages – but do get in touch with us if you need any help at all!