Local service guide
Lexington pet sitting and walking
For pet sitting and walking in Lexington, choose a caregiver after a meet-and-greet, agree on visit times and tasks, and get a written total that includes applicable tax. Ask the walker to follow Fayette County’s leash requirements, and prepare your pet’s tags before the first visit. Match the schedule to feeding, toileting, medication instructions and the time you are comfortable leaving your pet alone. [1] [3] [4]
Choose the care your pet needs
Write down the routine before requesting quotes. For a walk, specify the time outdoors, preferred route and whether the walker should feed your dog afterward. For a drop-in, list food, fresh water, litter or waste cleanup, play and any medication instructions. Ask the caregiver to explain how they will fit those tasks into the booked time.
For overnight care, agree on arrival and departure times, daytime absences and any separate daytime visits. Tell the sitter how long you are comfortable leaving your pet alone. Discuss puppies, senior pets, escape attempts and reactions to unfamiliar dogs during the meet-and-greet, then arrange a trial visit before a longer absence.
Compare the full booking price
Request an itemized quote for your dates and address. Include visit duration, frequency, extra pets, medication tasks, holiday charges, parking or travel charges, and key collection. Ask how the sitter charges for a delayed return and how much notice they require for cancellation. Compare the total for the complete booking.
Kentucky’s pet-care regulation subjects pet-care services to sales tax and exempts services for qualifying ADA service animals. Ask the provider to identify applicable tax in the quote and discuss any qualifying exemption before payment. [4]
Set your budget using written quotes for your care plan. Keep pet registration costs separate from caregiver charges: LFACC’s published license fees cover annual dog or cat licensing. [3]
Check the person who will enter your home
Meet the person who will handle your pet and ask who substitutes if they become unavailable. Request references and evidence of insurance that covers the proposed work. Ask about lost keys, accidental injury and pet escape, including who you would contact and how you would report a problem.
During the meeting, have the caregiver practise the harness, doors and gates with you present. Explain pulling, guarding, hiding and bite history without softening the details. Agree on whether they may transport your pet, introduce other animals or bring another person into your home. Give access through an agreed key or code arrangement and set a return or deletion date.
Set walking boundaries and backup care
Choose a route and state whether you approve dog-park visits. LFACC identifies designated off-leash areas, and Lexington posts park closure notices. Check access to the intended destination before the outing and give the walker an alternative route. [1] [2]
Agree on how the caregiver should adjust outdoor time during unsafe weather and what indoor care should replace it. Specify whether they must contact you before changing the plan. Leave towels and cleanup supplies near the entrance, and explain how to secure your pet before opening an exterior door.
Leave your veterinarian’s details, an emergency contact and written treatment authorization. Discuss transport and payment arrangements for urgent care. Require an update after each visit covering arrival, food, toileting, medication tasks and any concern. Decide who will take over if the sitter cannot reach your home.
Published Fayette County annual pet license fees
Local details that affect your job
Prepare Fayette County licenses before care starts
LFACC requires annual licenses for dogs and cats starting at six months of age and rabies vaccination at four months. It requires proof of rabies vaccination for the license. The published annual fees are $8 for an altered pet and $40 for an unaltered pet; LFACC exempts assistance dogs from annual licensing. Owners can apply online or by mail. LFACC asks owners to allow two weeks to receive a mailed license. Check the records before departure rather than leaving registration to the sitter. [3]
Confirm access before approving a park outing
Lexington’s posted notices, checked October 16, 2026, list a partial closure at Masterson Station Park beginning April 16 and one temporarily closed paddock at Wellington Park beginning February 17. Confirm access for your booking date before approving an outing. Ask the walker to check the intended area and agree on a neighborhood route if it is unavailable. [2]
Use a clear leash instruction
LFACC says dogs found unattended or unconfined on public or private property may be impounded. Put the handling instruction in writing: use the agreed leash and harness for walks, secure gates after yard visits, and obtain your approval before an off-leash park outing. [1]
Match the booking to your care plan
| Your need | Care to discuss | Confirm before booking |
|---|---|---|
| A walk during your workday | A scheduled dog walk | Arrival window, outdoor minutes, leash handling and solo or shared walking |
| Feeding and home care while away | Drop-in visits | Tasks per visit and the longest gap between visits |
| Company overnight | An overnight stay | Arrival, departure, daytime absences and daytime care |
| Medication or difficult handling | A caregiver willing to follow the specific plan | A demonstration, written instructions and backup coverage |
Your hiring checklist
- Write each pet’s feeding, toileting and medication instructions.
- Confirm visit duration, arrival windows and the complete booking total.
- Meet the assigned caregiver and agree on substitute coverage.
- Practise the harness, door locks and gates together.
- Specify approved routes, transport permission and dog-park permission.
- Leave veterinary authorization, emergency contacts and backup access.
- Agree on visit updates, weather changes and key return.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I budget for a sitter or walker?
Get quotes for the same dates, visit lengths and tasks, then compare the complete booking totals. Ask each provider to itemize extra charges and applicable sales tax. Kentucky’s regulation subjects pet-care services to sales tax, with an exception for qualifying ADA service animals. [4]
Can my walker take my dog off leash?
Agree on leashed walks unless you approve a designated off-leash outing. LFACC requires dogs outside to be leashed, behind a fence, or on the owner’s property under the owner’s supervision, and identifies designated off-leash areas. [1]
Which tags should I prepare?
LFACC requires dogs to wear license and rabies tags and cats to wear their license tag. Check your phone number on identification tags and update your microchip contact details before handing over care. [1] [3]
What should an overnight agreement include?
Specify arrival and departure, daytime absences, feeding, walks, sleeping arrangements, home access and updates. Name a backup caregiver and explain who can authorize urgent veterinary treatment if the sitter cannot reach you.
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.