The pet sitter handoff: what to leave with whoever watches your pet

A good sitter handoff is one page plus a digital profile. The page covers what to do today (feeding, meds, walks, where things live). The profile covers what to do if something goes wrong (vet, emergency contacts, medical notes). Together they answer the questions a sitter actually asks at 7 p.m. on day one.

Whether your pet sitter is a teenager from down the street or a professional with a packed schedule, the handoff is what separates a smooth week from a string of panicked text messages. The trick is to leave enough information to be useful but not so much that no one reads it. This guide walks through what goes in the handoff pack, who has access to what, and how to make sure the sitter has a real person to call if something goes sideways.

Start with one printed page

The single most useful thing you can leave a sitter is one printed page taped to the inside of a kitchen cabinet door. Phones die. Apps log out. A piece of paper does not. The page should cover the day-to-day rhythm in the order a sitter will need it.

• Pet name(s), photo, breed, age. So the sitter recognizes who is who if there is more than one pet.
• Feeding times, amount, brand, where the food lives.
• Medication names, doses, timing, where they are stored.
• Walks or yard routine. Length, frequency, route if it matters.
• Quirks and rules. “Does not eat if you are watching,” “cannot have rawhide,” “will try the cat’s food.”
• Where the leash, harness, towels, and cleaning supplies live.

Layer two: the digital profile

The deeper details — vet contact, microchip number, vaccination history, behavioral notes — belong in a digital profile the sitter can pull up on their phone. A shared Driyu profile is one way to do this; a shared note with your partner works too. The advantage of a profile is that you can update it once and everyone — sitter, partner, vet — sees the same current information. Our guide to what to include on a pet profile covers each field in detail.

Emergency contacts and the “if I’m unreachable” plan

The sitter needs to know who to call before they call you. List two people:

• A local backup human — a partner, family member, or neighbor who can physically show up if needed.
• Your vet plus the nearest 24-hour emergency clinic. Names, phone numbers, and rough driving directions. Most sitters do not know where the after-hours clinic is.

Our full guide on pet emergency contacts goes into who to pick and how to ask. If you want a vet decision made on your behalf when you are unreachable, leave a signed note (or get one on file with the clinic) that names the sitter and any spending cap.

Privacy: what the sitter sees vs. what stays private

A sitter does not need everything. They need the routine, the vet, the emergency contacts, and the medical basics. They do not need your full address book or your billing information. If you use a shared profile, look at the privacy controls before you hand off access. On a Driyu profile, you can choose what is visible publicly (for a finder) and what is visible only to people you share the profile with. Our explainer on what Driyu shares covers the per-field toggles for phone, email, city, state, and emergency contacts.

House logistics

A short list of practical details that get forgotten more than they should:

• How the lock works. Where the key is, smart-lock code, the trick to the back door that sticks.
• Trash and recycling day. So bowls and food bags do not pile up.
• Thermostat range. Especially important for senior pets or breeds sensitive to heat.
• Wi-Fi password. Your sitter will appreciate it.
• Whether to let the pet on furniture or beds. Settle the question now, not by text from the airport.

The escape-prevention briefing

The biggest sitter risk is an accidental escape — the front door held open while bags are unloaded, a yard gate left unlatched, a startled cat that bolts when the doorbell rings. Tell the sitter explicitly: which doors the pet does not approach, which gates need to be checked, and what the pet’s collar and tag look like. If the worst happens, your sitter should be able to act on the same plan you would. Bookmark our first-hour guide on the handoff page; that’s what the sitter will reach for if a pet slips out.

A short FAQ

How much information should I leave a pet sitter? Enough to handle the routine, recognize a problem, and reach the right person — usually one printed page plus a digital profile.

Should I share my pet profile with the sitter? Yes. A shared profile is easier to keep current than a paper handout, and you stay in control of what is visible.

What should I do about house keys? Hand them off in person if possible, or use a smart lock with a temporary code. Note the lock instructions on the handoff sheet.

Do I need a backup sitter? Yes — at least an emergency contact. Sitters get sick, lose phones, and run into car trouble like everyone else.

How do I authorize vet decisions if I am unreachable? A short signed note left with the sitter or on file with your vet, naming the sitter and a spending cap, is usually sufficient.

A good handoff is small and complete. One page on the cabinet, one shared profile in the sitter’s phone, two emergency contacts, and a five-minute walkthrough. The result is a sitter who can answer their own questions and reach the right person if something is really wrong — which is the whole point.