PSI Overview
Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s leading educational association and largest membership organization for professional pet sitters, has been educating pet sitters and dog walkers and elevating the pet-sitting industry for three decades.
PSI has 4,000+ member pet-sitting and dog-walking businesses in the U.S., Canada and more than a dozen other countries.
Pet Sitters International (PSI) was founded in 1994 by Patti J. Moran, author of the industry’s premier reference book, Pet Sitting for Profit.
According to PSI's latest member survey*:
- PSI members offer services for cats (97%), dogs (93%) and many other pet types.
- 90% of PSI members surveyed indicated they are women.
- 66% of PSI members have been in business for six or more years.
- The average gross revenue for PSI member businesses in the U.S. was $100,537 in 2023, up from $94,563 in 2022. The average 2023 gross revenue for Canadian pet sitters was $100,764 CAN, up from $91,909 CAN in 2022.
PSI provides its members with education and business resources, networking opportunities, access to group rates on business insurance and bonding, and more. Learn more about PSI member benefits.
Pet parents can search for a PSI member pet sitter in their area at www.petsit.com/locate and download a free Pet-Sitter Interview Checklist.
Some of Patti Moran and PSI's contributions to the industry include:
- Partnering to provide the first-ever business insurance for professional pet sitters
- Publishing the first magazine for professional pet sitters, now called Pet Sitter’s World (click to view a sample issue)
- Establishing celebrations to honor pet sitters, including Professional Pet Sitters Week™ (first full week of March), Thank Your Pet Sitter Day (the Wednesday of PPSW), Pet Sitter Safety Month, and Pet-Sitter Education Month
- Hosting the industry's first international conference, now called Pet Sitter World Educational Conference and held each fall, and adding an online summit each spring
- Recognizing a Pet Sitter of the Year™, the industry's highest honor
- Offering the first—and only—knowledge-assessed certification exam specifically for professional pet sitters (PSI members can earn the CPPS-Certified Professional Pet Sitter® designation)
- Creating Take Your Dog To Work Day®, and later, Take Your Pet To Work Week® and Take Your Cat To Work Day®, to promote pet adoptions
- Adding new online learning opportunities for busy pet sitters, including a full list of online courses and an online learning subscription
In March 2024, PSI celebrated its 30th business anniversary. Click on the image below to view a timeline of the past 30 years.
For more information about PSI, visit the PSI Press Room.
*Source: PSI’s 2024 State of the Industry Survey. View more industry stats online.
