Jordan EllisLeaving your furry best friend behind when heading out of town can be stressful. As pet parents, we all want to ensure our companions receive the exact love and detailed care they deserve while we are away.
Finding the best pet sitter in Columbus can feel overwhelming with so many great local options available. You need a reliable professional who understands your pet’s quirks and respects your home.
To help you narrow down the choices, I have rounded up some of the most trustworthy local experts. Let’s dive right into these fantastic options that will keep your pets safe and happy.
How much does pet sitting cost in Columbus?
Pet sitting services in Columbus are typically priced by visit duration, ranging from twelve dollars for a quick drop-in to thirty-eight dollars for an extended stay.
| Visit Type | Duration | Cost |
| Quick Stops | 15 – 20 min | $12 – $18 per visit |
| Standard Visits | 30 min | $20 – $24 per visit |
| Extended Visits | 45 – 60 min | $28 – $38 per visit |
1. Capital City Pet Sitters
Website: http://www.capitalcitypetsitters.com/
Address: 3232 Brookview Way, Columbus, OH 43221, United States
Contact: (740) 746-3256
Hours: Daily: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Choosing a caregiver who treats your animals like family becomes much easier when dealing with a dedicated owner-operated business.
Capital City Pet Sitters guarantees personal accountability while offering a practical flat-fee structure that covers up to three pets without any extra charges. Finding reliable sitters, like finding reputable dog trainers, often means navigating complex pricing tiers, so this straightforward approach is highly refreshing.
The team handles everything from administering medications to bringing in your mail while you are away.
My sister hired them last year, and she loved how consistent the care felt throughout her entire vacation. It feels great knowing your animals are in capable hands without worrying about surprise fees popping up on your final bill.
However, it’s important to note that they strictly offer day sitting and don’t provide any overnight services.
“Cats Looked Really Happy”
This was our first time using a pet sitting service and everything was great!
Rob watched our three cats while we were on vacation. His help really took a lot of the stress out of our trip, and the cats looked really happy in each set of photos he sent.
We’re so happy that we decided to use Capital City Pet Sitters and will absolutely be using them in the future!
Cassie Jester | Google Review
“Very Reliable and Trustworthy”
Capital City Pet Sitters is a great pet sitting service. They’ve done a great job on multiple occasions watching my cat Fefe while I’ve been away. Rob was good with providing a daily update and photo each day he checked in on Fefe, which was much appreciated. He even graciously brought in the two 60lb packages that were left at my door while I was gone! They’re very reliable and trustworthy and I will definitely be planning to use their services into the future.
Julian Frias | Google Review
2. Fur Star Pet Care
Website: http://furstarpetcare.com/
Address: 618 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43215
Contact: [email protected], +16144391621
Hours: Daily: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Leaving your pets in the hands of someone new can be nerve-wracking, so total transparency is crucial.
Fur Star Pet Care, a woman-owned business operated by Jeanette, provides remarkable peace of mind through live GPS mapping alongside detailed photo updates. Knowing exactly where your companion is at all times completely changes the dynamic of hiring out pet care.
Their teammates undergo rigorous background checks to ensure maximum safety for your household.
The services are highly customizable to meet the specific needs of your family, whether you need a quick check-in or overnight care.
Plus, getting those real-time alerts on your phone makes it feel like you are right there with them on their daily walk.
The only slight drawback is a thirty-five-dollar charge for the initial meet and greet, though this fee directly credits toward your final pet sitting reservation total.
“Wonderful’
I love Fur Star! I have 2 cats (1 with diabetes who requires insulin injections) and they take great care of them when I’m away. Each visit is documented (including with pictures) and they update you on everything they do during the visit. The website is really easy to use to book appointments and to communicate with the owner, Jeanette (who is awesome!), if any questions come up. If you are looking for a pet sitter, Fur Star is wonderful and I highly recommend them!
Sara Fanning | Google Review
“Caring Pet Sitter”
Jeanette and her team are FIRST CLASS pet sitters! From start to finish, the process is wonderful. Their website is so user friendly to schedule the visits, they are always so prompt and responsive and we LOVE getting the pictures of our two cats, and they send such wonderful feedback after the visit explaining everything they did and how the pets were. It’s such a relief to have an honest, reliable, caring pet sitter!
Erica Leighton | Google Review
3. Happy Tails Pet Care LLC
Website: http://www.happytails-petcare.com/
Address: 5830 N High St, Suite 106, Worthington, OH 43085, United States
Contact: [email protected], +16148005542
Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Establishing a deep bond of trust with your caregivers requires consistency and dedication over time.
Happy Tails Pet Care LLC has been operating since 2013, with over fourteen thousand completed walks, uniquely offering their vacation drop-in services exclusively to their recurring dog walking clients.
This distinct model ensures that your animals are already completely familiar and comfortable with their handler. Your dog gets to spend their time with a trusted friend rather than a total stranger.
There are many dog sitters in Columbus, but very few specialize in this level of routine care for high-energy puppies or senior dogs.
They also provide incredibly detailed visit reports alongside their tracked walks.
However, because their sitting services are strictly exclusive to existing walking clients, this isn’t an option for someone needing a quick vacation booking.
“Wonderful”
I have used Happy Tails for about 4 years to take care of my cat when I’m away. Each cat sitter has been communicative and friendly. I appreciate the care they give to my cat as she is slow to warm up. I always know that my cat is well taken care of. I highly recommend using Happy Tails for all your pet needs! They are wonderful.
Noelle Rowe | Google Review
“Have Never Been Disappointed”
We’ve been using Happy Tails for years for daily cat visits when we go out of town and have never been disappointed! Regardless of the individual who comes (our sitter hasn’t changed often, so we’ve gotten to know each of them well), their kindness and care with our cat and home have been phenomenal. Looking forward to continuing enjoying their services for the years to come!
Joshua Lisheid | Google Review
4. Barker, Meowski & Tweet
Website: http://bmtpets.com/
Address: 2547 Maxim Ln, Columbus, OH 43235, United States
Contact: 614.446.1819, 773.206.5656
Hours: Daily: 7:00 AM – 9:30 PM
Caring for a wide variety of animal breeds requires a specific level of specialized knowledge and genuine passion. Founded by Mike Seidel, leveraging his background in wildlife rehabilitation, and managed by Olivia Carney, Barker, Meowski & Tweet delivers bonded and insured care to over six hundred clients.
My neighbor hired them last month for her elderly cat and raved about their gentle, knowledgeable approach.
Plus, knowing the team includes a Certified Professional Trainer gives pet parents an incredible sense of security. It’s rare to find a team that handles different species with such high levels of confidence and care.
They happily arrange complimentary, no-obligation meet and greets before you commit to any structured vacation care schedules.
Just keep in mind that any scheduling requests made with less than a full twenty-four hours of notice are subject to an additional fee.
“Truly Care About Pets”
I have been a client of Barker, Meowski and Tweet for several years. The BMT team truly cares about pets and they are wonderful caregivers to our pets when we are away. Their prices are competitive and they are willing to deliver services on a schedule that works best for our pets. I would recommend BMT to anyone looking for a dog walker or pet-sitter service.
Jerry Stephens | Google Review
“I Can Relax a Little Bit More”
I cannot say enough good things about Barker, Meowski, & Tweet! I always get anxious leaving my cat at home alone when we go on trips. Now that I have started using BMT, I can relax a little bit more. They are very responsive whenever I have a request or a question. Every time we leave, Jana is always the one who comes over and looks after our cat. She really cares about our pet, stays a while to play with her, and sends daily pictures and updates. I would recommend BMT to anyone who needs pet sitting services!
Kathryn Hoisington-Shaw | Google Review
5. Hands N Paws
Website: http://www.myhandsnpaws.com/
Areas Served: Columbus, Ohio
Contact: (614) 636-6644
Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Guaranteeing that someone will always be available to check on your animals takes a highly coordinated effort. Under the management of founder Benny Di Franco, Hands N Paws uses a highly structured, team-based pet care model that ensures reliable coverage every single day of the year.
They support this robust system with an intuitive mobile app designed for seamless booking and automated updates. Also, having guaranteed backup coverage means you never have to panic if a primary caregiver gets sick or has a personal emergency.
The staff handles everything from standard walks to twelve-hour overnight sleepovers, and they even have experience with reptiles. So, you can truly unplug and enjoy your time away from home with total peace of mind.
That said, one distinct requirement to consider is that they mandate the use of physical lockboxes for home access during your scheduled dates.
“Wonderful Experience”
This was our first time using Hands N Paws. It was a wonderful experience… the pups were happy to see the sitter and she interacted with them in a relaxed manner that put them at ease. Feeding them and letting them out to go potty relieved my concerns for the pups while I’m away. Thank you, thank you!!
Carla Wimmer | Google Review
“Highly Recommend Their Services”
This was my first experience with Hands N Paws and it was great! I contacted them a few days before I was to go out of town (my previous cat sitter had recently retired) and a friendly rep was over the next day to get things set up and scheduled. While away, I was able to check on my kitties by the daily updates and pictures they provided on their secure website. Really gave me peace of mind. And the kitties enjoyed them too! I highly recommend their services and will be using them for sure in the future.
Kim Shoaf | Google Review
