Local service guide
Calgary pet sitting and walking: Plan your care
For pet sitting and walking in Calgary, choose where care will happen, then agree on visit times, supervision, transport and emergency instructions. Calgary exempts care at your home and sole-purpose walks with immediate return from municipal business licensing; kennelling at a provider’s business premises requires a licence. Request a written care plan and an itemized quote for your booking. [1]
Choose care around your pet’s routine
Write down feeding, toilet breaks, exercise, litter cleaning, medication and companionship needs before requesting quotes. Specify visit windows and the longest absence you will accept. For travel, include departure and return times so the sitter can account for coverage on the first and last days.
For drop-ins, ask how much time the sitter will spend with your pet and which tasks they will complete. For overnight care, request arrival and departure times, daytime visits and planned absences. Ask whether the sitter will sleep at your home and whether another person will handle any visits.
Meet the person who will handle your pet. Show them doors, gates, feeding supplies and walking equipment. Discuss pulling, escape attempts and reactions to other animals. Ask them to demonstrate the harness fit, and consider a trial visit before arranging a longer absence.
Check the credentials for your arrangement
Calgary does not require a municipal business licence for care at the animal owner’s premises or for a walker who collects an animal solely to walk it and returns it afterward. Businesses that do not need a municipal licence still need a Business ID and land use approval. [1]
Confirm where your pet will spend the booking, including stops between collection and return. Calgary requires a business licence when an animal walker, daycare or similar operator kennels one or more animals at its commercial or home-based place of business for any length of time. The City reviews home-based boarding applications before approval. [1]
For boarding, request the applicable licence details and confirm the care address. Ask about liability insurance covering the service you want, medication experience and emergency transport. Request a substitution plan if the assigned sitter cannot attend. Check each point rather than assuming a licence answers questions about insurance or care skills.
Agree on walking routes and group size
Calgary allows off-leash activity in designated areas marked by signs. On pathways, handlers must use a leash no longer than two metres, keep dogs on the right except when passing, and maintain control without obstructing other users. Choose equipment and a route that follow those rules. [3]
For group outings, ask about dog numbers, introductions and collection routines. Calgary requires a professional dog walker permit for more than six dogs off leash at once. In off-leash areas, handlers must keep dogs under control, in sight and able to return when called. Discuss how the walker will meet those requirements with your dog. [2] [3]
Clarify whether the quoted walk duration means exercise time or the full collection-to-return period. Specify whether you authorize vehicle travel and name the destination. Agree on how the walker will secure your pet during transport and what alternative care you want if weather or footing makes the outing unsuitable.
Compare quotes and prepare the handover
Request quotes for the same dates, visit lengths, pet count and duties. Ask providers to itemize transport, additional pets, medication, holiday bookings, key collection and any tax. Confirm cancellation terms, missed-visit procedures and charges for extending care if your return changes.
Leave labelled food, written medication instructions, cleaning supplies and access instructions. Provide your veterinarian’s details, an emergency contact and authority for treatment and payment. Agree on updates covering completed care, missed meals or doses, and concerns that require a phone call. Test the key or entry code with the sitter before leaving.
Calgary requires City licences for cats and dogs aged three months or older. Check your pet’s licence and identification before handing over care. Give the sitter the licence information, a current photo and instructions for contacting you if your pet goes missing. [5]
Calgary’s published 2026 pet-licence fees
Local details that affect your job
A stop at the walker’s home changes the licence check
Ask whether your dog will return home after its walk or stay at the walker’s premises. Calgary exempts sole-purpose walking with immediate return from municipal business licensing, but requires a licence when the operator kennels an animal at its place of business for any length of time. Request credentials for the full itinerary. [1]
Check the permit for a large off-leash group
For more than six dogs off leash at once, ask to see the professional dog walker permit. Applicants must provide at least one accepted qualification: a related Calgary business licence, at least one year of employed or self-employed dog-walking experience, or relevant training certification. The application also asks about waste removal, park arrivals and departures, and screening new dogs. Ask the walker to explain those procedures for your pet. [2]
Check the mapped area at a fenced destination
The City lists fenced off-leash locations at Beltline / Connaught Park and Sue Higgins Park. City off-leash areas are shared multi-use spaces, and handlers must leash dogs on paved pathways within them. Agree on the destination and ask the walker to check the site map and signs before releasing your dog. [4]
Match the arrangement to the checks
| Arrangement | Before you agree | Local rule |
|---|---|---|
| Drop-ins or overnight care at your home | Set visit windows, overnight hours and daytime absences. | Care at the animal owner’s premises does not require a municipal business licence. |
| Sole-purpose walk with immediate return | Confirm exercise time, route and collection arrangements. | This walking arrangement does not require a municipal business licence. |
| Boarding or daycare at the provider’s premises | Confirm the address, supervision and applicable licence details. | Kennelling at the operator’s place of business requires a municipal business licence. |
| Group off-leash outing | Ask about dog numbers, screening and recall. | More than six dogs off leash at once requires a professional dog walker permit. |
Your hiring checklist
- Specify care dates, visit windows, duties and the longest acceptable absence.
- Meet the assigned sitter and consider a trial visit.
- Confirm care addresses, transport plans, insurance and applicable credentials.
- Record group size, approved destinations and off-leash permission.
- Get an itemized total and written cancellation, substitution and extension terms.
- Prepare access instructions, supplies, veterinarian details and emergency authority.
- Agree on visit updates and a phone contact for urgent concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I budget for sitting or walking?
Request an itemized quote for your exact dates, visit lengths, pet count and duties. Include transport, medication and any extension of care in the discussion. Ask for the booking total and payment terms. The chart shows pet-owner licence fees, which are separate from the price you pay a sitter or walker. [5]
Does my sitter need a Calgary business licence?
Check where care happens. Calgary exempts care at your premises and sole-purpose walks with immediate return from municipal business licensing. Kennelling at the provider’s home-based or commercial business premises requires a licence. Ask about the full itinerary before requesting credentials. [1]
Can my walker let my dog off leash?
Agree on permission before booking. Calgary allows off-leash activity in designated areas marked by signs. Handlers must keep dogs under control, in sight and able to return when called. They must use leashes on paved pathways, including those within off-leash areas. [3] [4]
How should I arrange medication care?
Provide your veterinarian’s written instructions, storage directions and a dose record. Ask the sitter to explain their experience with the required method and their response to a refused or missed dose. Name the person they must contact before changing instructions, and consult your veterinarian about any proposed change.
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.