Does the NDIS Pay for Pet Sitting? | PetCloud

Does the NDIS Pay for Pet Sitting?

Ordinarily not. However:

All pet owners have the responsibility of caring for their pets regardless of whether or not they are a participant of the NDIA. Pet sitting is not regarded as a disability specific support and would not be considered a reasonable and necessary support in the majority of requests for it to be included in a participant’s statement of supports.  Part 5 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Supports for Participants) Rules 2013 advises that a support cannot be funded if it relates to day-to-day living costs that are not attributable to a participant’s disability support needs.

If however, the support is identified as a support and a cost that is ancillary to another NDIS funded support then this may be considered.  In the case of a Participant being admitted to hospital or institution they can complete a ‘Change in Circumstances’ plan review request form and email it to enquiries@ndis.gov.au along with any supporting evidence to ensure requests for supports are considered within the legislative framework.  A participant’s Local Area Coordinator (LAC) Partner or Support Coordinator can also assist with this process as required and they can also provide any advice requiring an immediate short term response.

The NDIA encourages all participants to discuss all support requirements at their Plan Review Meeting so that support needs can be accurately assessed. 


You will need to provide supporting evidence in your application to help the NDIA make a decision based on the following criteria:
  1. Is the support reasonable and necessary?
  2. Is the support is related to your disability?
  3. Will the support will help you pursue your goals and aspirations?
  4. Will the support will help you undertake activities that will increase your social and economic participation?
  5. Is the support is value for money, which means that the costs are reasonable: a) when compared to the benefits to be achieved, for example, whether purchasing the support is likely to reduce the cost of funding other supports in the long term b) when compared to alternative options that may provide you with the same outcome at a similar or cheaper cost
  6. Is the support is likely to be effective and beneficial for you, having regard to good practice and evidence?
  7. Is the support is required to complement the informal supports you have available, by taking into account what is reasonable for families, carers, informal networks and the community to provide?
  8. Is the support is most appropriately funded or provided by the NDIS?
  9. Is the support is not more appropriately funded by another service system, agency, person or body, such as the education system or the health system?
The NDIS do not fund a support if:
  1. it is likely to cause harm to you or others
  2. it is not related to your disability
  3. it duplicates other supports delivered by the NDIS
  4. it is considered a day-to-day living cost (for example, rent, groceries or utility costs like your water bill) that are not attributable or caused by your disability support needs
  5. providing the support would be against the law
  6. it consists of income replacement
  7. it is the responsibility of other service systems to provide (for example, your state government, the education system, or the health system). These different systems have different responsibilities, and are designed to complement each other to form a government safety net. Like all Australians, NDIS participants continue to have access to these systems. We can’t fund a support if it’s the responsibility of another service.
These assessments are made in relation to section 34 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Act 2013 and part 5 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Supports for Participants) Rules 2013.  More information about reasonable and necessary supports can be found on the NDIS website at: https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/how-ndis-supports-work-menu/reasonable-and-necessary-supports

If you want to contact PetCloud in relation to getting pet-related household assistance, then you can Get a Free Quote or Request a Free Callback.

5th October 2021 NDIA Response to PetCloud: Please note the NDIA are only able to provide general advice in relation to this query, as a participant’s individual circumstances guide the supports that are able to be funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).