The holidays are a high-demand time for pet sitting, and cat and dog sitters tend to book up fast. Scheduling early can help you get your first-choice sitter, but how early is early enough? How soon do you really need to book holiday pet sitting?
In most areas, booking 4 to 6 weeks in advance of your care date should give you plenty of options. But you might consider scheduling extra early for the winter holidays, which tend to be especially busy.
In this article, we’ll review which holidays are busiest, how much time to give yourself for peace of mind, and what to do if you end up needing last-minute holiday pet care.
High-Demand Holidays for Pet Sitting
Not all holidays are alike. Some seasons of celebration are especially busy for pet sitters, while others offer latecomers a little more wiggle room. During high-demand holidays, you may also be more likely to encounter higher rates.
To secure the pet sitter you want, consider booking well in advance for the following public and bank holidays.
| Holiday | Region | Demand |
| Christmas Day and Boxing Day | UK-wide | High |
| New Year’s Day and Hogmanay (1st and 2nd January) | UK-wide (2nd January in Scotland only) | High |
| Easter Weekend (Good Friday and Easter Monday) | Good Friday: UK-wide Easter Monday: England, Wales, and Northern Ireland |
High |
| Summer Bank Holiday (First Monday in August) | Scotland | High |
| Summer Bank Holiday (Last Monday in August) | England, Wales, and Northern Ireland | High |
| Early May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May) | UK-wide | Moderate |
| Spring Bank Holiday (Last Monday in May) | UK-wide | Moderate |
| St Patrick’s Day (17 March) | Northern Ireland | Moderate |
| Battle of the Boyne/Orangemen’s Day (12 July) | Northern Ireland | Moderate |
| St Andrew’s Day (30 November) | Scotland | Moderate |
And, while the following periods aren’t standalone bank holidays and might not always come with holiday rates, they can still lead to high demand due to school holidays and seasonal events. For example, a sitter might charge more on Guy Fawkes’ Night, as many people will be out and dogs may be more likely to be anxious due to fireworks. But they may also charge more on weekends, as most displays don’t take place on weekdays.
Bear in mind that school term dates differ between nations. For example, in Scotland, summer holidays run earlier than in England, NI, and Wales, from late June to mid-August rather than late July to early September. Consider booking four to six weeks in advance (so, while the kids are still in school) for these dates.
| Other Busy Seasons & Events | Region / Nation | Time |
| February half term | UK-wide | Mid-to-late February |
| Easter school holidays | UK-wide | Late March to Mid-April |
| May/Whitsun half term | England, Wales, and Northern Ireland | Late May to Early June |
| Scottish summer holidays | Scotland | Late June to Mid-August |
| Summer school holidays | England, Wales, and Northern Ireland | Late July to Early September |
| October half term (Tattie Holidays) | UK-wide (Often 2 weeks in Scotland) | October |
| Guy Fawkes/Bonfire Night weekend | UK-wide | On or around 5th November |
Pro tip: To see sitters with holiday availability, enter your dates into Rover’s search field and look for the “confirmed availability” tag on sitter profiles.
When To Book Extra Early
Some factors can make it especially important to book pet care early for holidays. In the following situations, some pet parents book eight or more weeks ahead for peace of mind.
- High-needs pets. Some cats and dogs require a little extra care, and finding the right sitting situation might take extra time. That might be the case if your pet is elderly, needs medication or special diets, has specific exercise needs, has anxiety, or doesn’t play well with other pets.
- Multiple pets. If you have multiple pets who will need care (including a mix of dog and cat accommodations), consider getting started early. Some services can accommodate both cats and dogs, while others will take only one or the other.
- Maximising options. Booking early can help give you the widest possible range of care options. You can even try out a short stay and get your pet used to their sitter before your trip.
- You want your pet to be the only client. Booking earlier increases your chances of finding solo care. Tip: Select “Accepts only one client at a time,” “Doesn’t own a dog,” and “Doesn’t own a cat” in the filters on the Rover search page.
What If You Need Last-Minute Holiday Pet Sitting?
Even the best planners can get surprised by last-minute changes. If you need a last-minute holiday pet sitter, take a deep breath and decide where you can be flexible and where you can’t. Here are some helpful tips for finding pet care pronto.
- Reach out to multiple sitters. You may not have time to wait for a response from one sitter before contacting another. If this is the case, be clear up front when you reach out. Let the potential sitter know that you are contacting multiple sitters due to the short timeframe, but that you are particularly interested in their service.
- Consider prioritising Star Sitters. Star Sitters are famously speedy—reach out to these candidates first to give yourself the best chance of scheduling.
- Broaden your search radius. If this is an emergency, consider widening your search radius to include more options. Or if you can travel partway with your pet, consider options along the route or even at your destination.
- Be ready to schedule a meet-and-greet. Try to keep a clear schedule so you can fit in a meet-and-greet, whether virtual or in person, and have your list of questions ready.
- Consider a different kind of care. If you’re looking for house sitting but can’t find a sitter on short notice, could you make pet boarding work, or vice versa? Would your cat be comfortable with drop-ins instead of a house sitter?
