How to evaluate a Pet Sitter on PetCloud

Tip: Before confirming booking with a Pet Sitter, we recommend requesting the other party for a free in-person Meet & Greet. This way, you can see whether the Pet Sitter is a good fit for you and your pet.

The trust that pet owners place in pet sitters — welcoming them into their homes and leaving their pets in their care - is something we take seriously, and this verification process is a key part of upholding that trust.

Finding the right pet sitter is a team effort. PetCloud's verification process gives you a strong, trusted foundation — but you know your pet better than anyone. Here's how the Police check and Biometric check works, and what you need to do to complete the picture.

Pet Sitter Identity & Police Checks are outsourced to a Government Accredited Provider

PetCloud is widely regarded as Australia's safest pet sitting booking platform - because unlike other platforms where IDs and police checks are self-uploaded and self-declared, every pet sitter on PetCloud is instead verified through an ACIC-accredited organisation using live biometric testing against the Australian Government's Document Verification Service (DVS), delivering government-grade, identity-linked national police checks. Combined with quality animal welfare and pet safety training developed in collaboration with a board-registered veterinarian, PetCloud gives pet owners genuine peace of mind that the person caring for their pet is who they say they are.

The biometric liveness component confirms the person applying is genuinely the person in those documents, something a standard police check cannot do. It is virtually impossible to bypass or falsify. If a check returns a disclosable court outcome — violence, theft, drug trafficking, animal cruelty — that individual cannot have a live listing on PetCloud.

Profile Verification

Every sitter must also provide:

A recent, clear headshot
A verified mobile number and email address
A valid address, confirmed via Google Maps
A current Australian Driver's Licence (required for Pet Taxi services)

Training

All sitters are offered training through PetCloud's Pet Professional Academy, covering responsible dog walking, animal care for cats and dogs, pet emergencies, local council laws, pet transport, and the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001. Assessment requires a 100% pass mark. Look for the badge on their profile.

What Checks and Training Cannot Tell You

A passed police check confirms a person's background at the time of application. It is not a guarantee of that person's future moral compass. It is also not a guarantee of suitability for your specific pet, your home, or your situation. Verification tells you a sitter is who they say they are.

Completing Pet Professional Training doesn't tell you whether they're the right fit for your dog's separation anxiety, your cat's medication schedule, or the specific needs of your household. That part is yours to assess — and it matters just as much.

Your Responsibility as a Pet Owner

PetCloud gives you the tools. You make the call. Before booking any sitter, you should:

1. Read the reviews critically Look beyond the star rating. Strong reviews mention daily photo or video updates, how the sitter handled something unexpected, attentiveness to routine and medication, and repeat bookings from the same owner. Check the dates — recent reviews carry more weight.

2. Match the sitter to your pet's needs Check their experience with your species and breed. How many other animals do they take at once? Do they have their own pets? What does their home environment look like? Be specific about your pet's needs when you reach out — a good sitter will welcome the detail.

3. Complete a Meet & Greet — in person, at the sitter's property This is your most important step, and it's your responsibility to do it before confirming any overnight or extended booking. Use it to:

Observe how the sitter interacts with your pet
Inspect the property — fencing, gates, hazards, space
Ask how they'd handle an emergency, and which vet they'd use
Confirm your pet's routine, diet, and any medical requirements
Trust your instincts — and watch your pet's reaction

A sitter who is reluctant to meet before booking is a red flag.

4. Confirm everything in writing Use PetCloud's messaging system to document feeding schedules, medication, emergency contacts, and access instructions. This creates a clear record and keeps your booking covered under PetCloud's insurance protections.

5. Pay through the platform Never pay a sitter directly by cash or bank transfer. Keeping payment within PetCloud is what activates your insurance coverage. Off-platform payments remove that protection entirely.

The Bottom Line

PetCloud's verification is the strongest foundation available — biometric identity checks, criminal history screening, and vet-endorsed training. But no platform check can replace your judgment as a pet owner. The meet & greet, the questions you ask, and the decision you make are yours. We give you the confidence to start. You take it from there.

Ready to find a sitter? Post a free job at https://www.petcloud.com.au/guest/post-a-job and receive applications from verified, police-checked sitters near you.