I'm interested in becoming a sitter, but I'm wondering what to do about pet rent. Where I live I currently pay for my 1 dog, but if I become a sitter do you think I'll have to pay for a second dog even if I'm watching a dog for just a few days a month? Or is the second dog considered 'visiting' ad thus exempt from pet rent?
That is a question for your landlord, not for other sitters. It all depends on their rules and policies. You may also want to ask about running the business out of your apartment, some places don't allow that.
I completely agree with Cari. It completely depends on your landlord and their individual policies. Landlords often charge extra for dogs because they have the potential to create more problems - not just damage, but also neighbor complaints from barking, landscape maintenance from digging or pooing, miscellaneous problems from inconsiderate dog owners (not you :) ). But also, dogs are huge liabilities for landlords. If your landlord has insurance that covers dogs, this may explain the additional rent as well. Some dog breeds are harder (or even impossible) to cover under their insurance. Check your lease agreement to see how many dogs you can have. If you had to identify how many dogs you have, it's likely they wouldn't want you having more dogs (at least not without asking). It's safest to just ask. If you think they'll say no, then it's safer to not do dog sitting. Ask anyways. The answer is always no if you don't ask. :)
I have never heard of pet rent. I guess it is like a security deposit paid monthly to offset the costs of repairs and maintenance after you move. I'm sure the owners are correct that additional people and or pets do cause wear and tear on a place. The landlord or person in charge would have to answer that. I'll wager that if they can charge you for one and you pay, they will charge you for whatever they can.
Pet rent is a way for landlords to get around the inability to charge a non-refundable deposit (which is illegal in many areas). If they aren't allowed to charge a non-refundable deposit, many places turn to pet rent as another option, since it allows them to pocket the money from responsible pet owners to either pad their earnings or cover damages from less responsible tenants.