A UK Pet Care Agreement is a comprehensive written contract between a pet owner and a professional pet carer that sets out the terms on which care services are to be provided for one or more animals in England and Wales. It is broader in scope than a simple pet sitting agreement: it covers the full range of professional pet care services, including daily dog walking, feeding, day-time supervision, overnight home boarding, medication administration, grooming, and companionship. The agreement protects both parties by documenting the services to be provided, the fees and payment terms, the pet’s welfare and health requirements, the carer’s authority to authorise emergency veterinary treatment, the allocation of liability, key holder access arrangements, and the cancellation policy.

The primary piece of legislation governing the welfare of animals in the care of another person in England and Wales is the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Section 9 of the Act places a positive duty on any person who takes responsibility for an animal — including a professional pet carer — to take all reasonable steps to meet the five welfare needs of the animal: a suitable environment, an appropriate diet, the ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns, appropriate social interaction with other animals, and protection from pain, suffering, injury, and disease. A written agreement that documents the carer’s welfare obligations provides evidence of their awareness and discharge of these statutory duties.

Where a pet carer provides overnight boarding at their own home as a commercial activity, a local authority licence is required under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. The licensing regime, which replaced the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963, assesses welfare standards and issues star ratings. Non-residential services such as dog walking and day-time care at the owner’s home are generally exempt from the licensing requirement, but carers should confirm their position with the local authority.

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies where a pet carer provides services in the course of a business to a consumer. The Act implies into every consumer services contract a requirement that the service be performed with reasonable care and skill (section 49), and renders unfair terms unenforceable (section 62). Liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence cannot be excluded (section 65).

Liability for injuries caused by the pet to third parties during the care period is governed by the Animals Act 1971. The pet carer, as temporary keeper of the animal, may bear strict liability for certain injuries. Public liability insurance is essential for professional carers.

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 govern the processing of personal data exchanged between the parties. A well-drafted agreement should include a data protection clause confirming that personal data will be used only for the purpose of delivering the agreed services.

A formal written Pet Care Agreement should be entered into whenever a professional pet carer in England or Wales is engaged to provide any paid pet care service, regardless of the duration or nature of the engagement. The following are the most common situations in which such an agreement is essential.

When a pet owner is going on holiday, a business trip, or an extended period away from home and needs a professional to provide daily care, feeding, dog walking, or overnight boarding for their dog, cat, rabbit, or other animal, a written agreement protects both parties and documents the full scope of the services that will be delivered.

When a professional dog walker or pet carer is building a client base and needs a standard-form agreement that clearly sets out the services offered, the fee schedule, the cancellation policy, and the limits of their liability — particularly important when the carer holds a local authority licence and is required to maintain written records of client engagements.

When the pet has known health conditions requiring medication administration, special dietary management, or particular handling protocols, and both parties need a written record of those requirements so that the carer cannot be held responsible for undisclosed conditions.

When the service involves the carer entering and staying at the pet owner’s home and holding a key or access code, making it important to document the terms of that access, the carer’s obligation to maintain the security of the property, and the return of keys on completion.

When the pet owner’s pet insurance policy requires documentary evidence that the animal was in the care of a named individual for a defined period, particularly for the purpose of making veterinary claims arising during the care period.

When peak-period bookings are taken — for Christmas, Easter, school holidays, or summer — and the carer needs a cancellation fee provision to protect against revenue loss from last-minute cancellations.

When the carer’s public liability insurance provider requires written client agreements to be in place as a condition of coverage, or when the carer wishes to demonstrate professionalism and compliance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to prospective clients.

Parties and Pet Details — Identify the pet owner and the pet carer by their full legal names, street addresses (including postcode), telephone numbers, and email addresses. Record comprehensive details of the pet to be cared for: name, species, breed, approximate age, colour and distinguishing features, and microchip number. Under the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015, all dogs must be microchipped and registered; confirming the microchip number in the agreement assists recovery in the event the pet becomes lost during the care period.

Scope of Services — Define the services with specificity. State whether the engagement covers dog walking, feeding, day-time supervision, overnight home boarding, medication administration, grooming, or a combination. Specify whether services will be performed at the owner’s home, the carer’s home, or both. Vague service descriptions create the potential for disputes; clear definitions of what is and is not included protect both parties.

Service Period and Schedule — State the start and end dates of the engagement and the daily schedule, including visit times and duration. If the service is ongoing rather than for a fixed period, set out the notice provisions for bringing the arrangement to an end.

Fees and Payment Terms — State the fee clearly as a fixed total, a daily rate, or an hourly rate, specifying whether it is inclusive or exclusive of expenses such as pet food or grooming products. Set out when payment is due and the accepted payment methods. Reference the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 so the owner is aware that statutory interest applies to overdue sums.

Pet Health and Dietary Instructions — Require the owner to disclose all known health conditions, medications, allergies, and feeding requirements before the service begins. Undisclosed conditions that cause harm to third parties or other animals in the carer’s care may expose the owner to civil liability. Confirming the pet’s vaccination status is important where the carer also looks after other animals.

Veterinary Authorisation — Name the registered veterinary practice, provide its address and telephone number, and specify the financial limit up to which the carer may authorise emergency treatment without prior consent. An emergency contact clause ensures that the carer can always reach a person with authority to approve veterinary expenditure if the owner is unreachable.

Animal Welfare Act 2006 Compliance — Include an explicit acknowledgment of the carer’s obligations under section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and list the five welfare needs the carer will meet. This demonstrates statutory awareness and provides the owner with assurance about the standard of care.

Liability and Limitation — Exclude the carer’s liability for loss arising from undisclosed pre-existing health conditions or owner-supplied equipment. Require the owner to indemnify the carer against third-party claims caused by the pet. Cap the carer’s liability at the total fees paid, subject always to the mandatory exceptions under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (no exclusion of liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence).

Key Holder and Security — Where the carer will access the owner’s home, document the access arrangements and the carer’s obligation to maintain the security of the property and return keys on completion.

Cancellation Policy — Specify the notice period required to cancel and the cancellation fee payable for late cancellation. A genuine pre-estimate of losses provision ensures that the cancellation fee is enforceable as a liquidated damages clause rather than an unenforceable penalty under Cavendish Square Holding BV v Makdessi [2015] UKSC 67.