Local service guide
Laval pet sitting and dog walking
For pet sitting and dog walking in Laval, choose care around your animal’s feeding, exercise, medication and supervision needs. Ask for a written schedule, meet the person who will handle your pet, and agree on emergency arrangements before booking. For walks, specify a leash no longer than 1.85 metres, Laval’s published maximum outside designated off-leash areas. [1] [2]
Choose care that covers the whole absence
Start with a care schedule rather than a service label. For a walk, specify the time outdoors, whether the walker handles other dogs, and whether collection and paw cleaning count toward the booking. For a drop-in, list feeding, fresh water, litter or toilet care, medication and companionship. Ask the sitter to confirm which tasks fit within the proposed visit.
For an overnight booking, agree on arrival and departure times and daytime absences. Ask how long your pet would spend alone between the overnight stay and any daytime visits. If you choose boarding, visit the care location and discuss sleeping arrangements, separation from other animals, escape prevention and who supervises your pet when the main caregiver leaves.
Compare written quotes for the same work
Request a total in Canadian dollars for your exact dates and care plan. Ask the provider to itemize additional pets, medication, transport, extra visits, holiday charges, applicable taxes and cancellation terms. Confirm how they charge for a delayed return. Compare quotes only after each provider has agreed to the same visit length and responsibilities.
The official sources used here publish animal rules and permit fees, rather than sitter or walker prices. The municipal fee chart below concerns owner registration expenses. Obtain a service quote for your booking rather than treating those fees as a care budget. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Check the caregiver and prepare a handover
Arrange a meeting with the person who will enter your home and handle your pet. Practise fitting the harness, opening doors without an escape and following your walking instructions. Ask about experience with your animal’s behaviour and care needs. Request references and proof of insurance that covers the booked activities, including boarding or transport if you plan to use them.
Leave written feeding quantities, medication instructions from your veterinarian, emergency contacts and permission to seek veterinary care. Agree on whom the sitter should contact first, how you will handle payment for urgent treatment and who can provide backup care. Share key or entry-code instructions through an agreed private channel, and test access before departure.
Ask for an update after each visit with arrival and departure times, completed tasks and any concerns. Decide how the sitter should report a missed meal, medication problem, escape or missed visit. For weather disruptions, agree on a shorter outdoor outing and indoor care when appropriate for your pet, with any medication or exercise changes referred to your veterinarian.
Set the walking route and park permissions
Laval identifies its dog parks and exercise areas as the only public places where dogs may run off leash. The city requires handlers to keep dogs leashed until inside the exercise area, remain inside with them, supervise their behaviour and collect waste. Specify whether your booking permits these visits or calls for a leashed route. [2]
For a park outing, ask the walker to name the destination and explain any vehicle travel. The city lists Parc Binet at 5497 Avenue Clarendon in Chomedey and Parc canin Falco at 180 Avenue Sauriol in Laval-des-Rapides. Use the city’s listings to check the proposed destination; ask how much of the booking your dog will spend travelling. [2]
Tell the walker about reactivity, fear, illness and previous incidents before agreeing on a route. Laval bars dogs showing aggression, dogs at risk, dogs declared potentially dangerous, dogs with illness symptoms and females in heat from its dog exercise areas. For a dog that should avoid group contact, request an individual leashed walk in an appropriate permitted area. [2]
Laval annual animal permit fees for owners aged 18 to 64
Local details that affect your job
Check registration before the first visit
Laval requires owners to register a cat or dog within 30 days of adoption, moving to the city or establishing their principal residence there. Owners must keep the permit current and have the animal wear its municipal tag. You can apply through Mon dossier under Permis et certificats d’autorisation, or arrange an appointment at the municipal multiservice counter. Before departure, check the tag and give the sitter your current contact details. [3]
Ask a home boarder about municipal capacity
Laval’s animal guidance allows up to four animals, including no more than two dogs, with a special permit allowing up to eight animals, including four dogs. Before booking care in a residence, ask how many resident and visiting animals will be present together and what municipal authorization applies to that address. Ask the host to resolve capacity questions with the city before accepting your pet. [1]
Check the provincial permit for larger boarding operations
Québec requires a keeper permit for 15 or more cats and dogs, counting the species together, subject to its stated exception for young animals kept with their mother. The provincial guidance includes boarding premises and homes, requires permit display at covered locations, and tells applicants to check municipal restrictions. For a larger boarding operation serving Laval, ask to see the applicable permit and confirm local authorization as a separate step. [4]
Match the booking to the care you need
| Your plan | Care to discuss | Confirm before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise during your workday | Scheduled dog walk | Time outdoors, other dogs, route and collection time |
| Feeding and care while you are away | Drop-in visits | Tasks per visit and the gaps between visits |
| Care at home through the night | Overnight sitting | Arrival, departure and daytime absences |
| Care at the provider’s premises | Boarding | Supervision, sleeping space, other animals and applicable authorization |
Your hiring checklist
- Write down dates, arrival windows, visit duration and the maximum agreed time alone.
- Meet the assigned caregiver and practise handling, harness fitting and home access.
- Confirm individual or group walks, the route, park permission and any transport.
- Request references, relevant insurance details and a backup caregiver plan.
- Leave food portions, veterinary medication instructions and emergency authorization.
- Check the municipal tag and permit before handing over care.
- Agree on the full price, cancellation terms and charges for a delayed return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my walker let my dog off leash in a regular park?
Laval identifies designated dog parks and exercise areas as its only public off-leash locations. Agree on the destination beforehand. The handler must keep your dog leashed until inside the exercise area and remain there to supervise. [2]
Does a microchip replace the municipal tag?
No. Laval requires your cat or dog to wear its municipal tag alongside the registration requirement. The city describes the tag and microchip as complementary identification. Check that your pet has its tag before care starts. [3]
Does every sitter need the provincial 15-animal permit?
The Québec keeper permit applies at 15 or more cats and dogs, subject to the stated counting exception. This threshold does not replace municipal restrictions or establish permission to board animals at a particular address. Ask the provider which authorizations apply to the proposed care location. [4]
What should I ask about medication?
Give the sitter your veterinarian’s written instructions and ask them to explain how they will follow them. Confirm the dose schedule, storage, recordkeeping and whom they should contact after a missed or refused dose. Resolve questions with your veterinarian before you leave.
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.