Adding Online Booking to Your Pet Care Website
- Tori Lynn Crowther
- 22 hours ago
- 5 min read
Adding Online Booking to Your Pet Care Website
Direct Booking vs Pet Care Management Systems (Including Pet Sitter Plus)
Online booking can be a huge asset or a serious liability depending on how it’s implemented. For professional pet care providers, booking systems are not just about convenience—they affect screening, contracts, payments, insurance, and client behaviour.
This guide helps you choose the right level of automation without losing control of your business.
1. First Question: Should You Offer Instant Booking?
Before adding any system, decide whether you want:
A. Instant Booking
Clients can book and pay without speaking to you.
Best for:
Established, repeat clients
Structured services (e.g. group walks with strict criteria)
Businesses with clear exclusions already enforced in the system
Risks:
Poor-fit clients
Behavioural or safety issues slipping through
Increased cancellations and entitlement
B. Enquiry-Led Booking (Recommended for Most Pet Care Providers)
Clients submit details → you approve → booking is confirmed.
Best for:
Dog walkers
Behaviour-led services
Multi-dog households
High-risk or high-responsibility work
This protects your time, safety, and insurance position.
2. Option 1: Booking Directly Through Your Website
This usually means:
A booking form
A calendar or availability selector
Optional payment integration
Common Tools:
Wix Bookings
Squarespace Scheduling
Calendly (for consultations only)
Amelia (WordPress)
Pros of Website-Based Booking
Full control over language and boundaries
No third-party branding
Seamless client experience
Easier to integrate with your policies and T&Cs
Cons
Limited pet-specific features
Manual admin for client records
Not ideal for complex services
Behavioural screening often still needed manually
Best Use Case
Website booking works best when used for:
Initial consultations
Meet & greets
Training assessments
Repeat bookings for approved clients
Key Safeguards to Add
If using website booking, never skip these:
Mandatory checkboxes for T&Cs and policies
Behavioural declaration questions
Location confirmation
Clear cancellation and payment terms displayed before booking
3. Option 2: Pet Care Management Systems (e.g. Pet Sitter Plus)
Pet Sitter Plus is an end-to-end business management system, not just a booking tool.
What It Typically Includes:
Client and pet profiles
Vaccination records
Booking requests
Staff scheduling
Invoicing and payments
Report cards
Contracts and agreements
Pros of Pet Sitter Plus
Designed specifically for pet care
Centralised records (excellent for audits and insurance)
Strong admin and scheduling tools
Professional client portal
Scales well as your business grows
Cons
Monthly cost
Learning curve
Less control over user experience
Can encourage “Uber-style” booking if poorly configured
Best Use Case
Pet Sitter Plus is ideal for:
Multi-staff businesses
High booking volumes
Repeat services
Businesses managing routes, rotas, and payroll
4. Controlling Booking Behaviour in Systems Like Pet Sitter Plus
One of the biggest mistakes is allowing open instant booking too early.
Best practice:
Require account approval before booking
Disable self-booking for new clients
Use request-only mode
Manually approve first bookings
Lock certain services behind internal permission
You are running a care service, not a takeaway app.
5. Payments: What to Automate (and What Not To)
Good to Automate:
Invoicing
Deposits
Late payment reminders
Recurring payments
Be Cautious Automating:
Refunds
Credits
Discretionary fees
Automation should support your policies, not override them.
6. Integrating Booking Systems with Your Website
Best practice is:
Website explains services, standards, and policies
“Book Now” button links to your system
Clients are educated before booking
Never dump people straight into a booking portal without context.
7. Online Booking and Legal Responsibility
Remember:
A booking system does not replace contracts
Digital acceptance must be recorded
Policies must be accessible at the point of booking
You are still responsible for screening
Booking software is not a legal shield.
8. Common Mistakes Pet Care Providers Make
Turning on instant booking for everyone
Letting software dictate business rules
No behavioural screening questions
No human oversight
Assuming automation = professionalism
Professionalism is intentional control, not convenience.
9. A Sensible Hybrid Approach (Often the Best Option)
Many successful pet care businesses use:
Website booking for enquiries and consultations
Pet Sitter Plus for approved clients and ongoing services
Manual approval for new dogs
Automation only after trust is established
This balances efficiency with safety.
10. Final Thought
Online booking should:
Reduce admin
Protect boundaries
Improve client behaviour
Support safe, ethical care
If a booking system increases stress, risk, or entitlement—it is configured incorrectly.
Used well, it becomes part of your professional infrastructure, not just a convenience feature.
A note on business and professionalism
This guide assumes one thing: you are running a business, not a hobby.
Pet care is more than a passion—it’s your livelihood, and it deserves the same professionalism, planning, and respect as any other business. Treating it like “just a job for fun” won’t get you the results or freedom you want.
You are allowed to:
Charge enough to make your business sustainable
Set and enforce clear boundaries with clients
Expect respect from clients, peers, and the wider pet care industry
Take your work seriously, even when others don’t
Build a business that supports you, not just every pet and client
Professional success starts with self-respect—and pet care businesses built on self-respect thrive for the long term.
About Tori Lynn C. & The Dog House
Welcome to The Dog House — my cosy corner of the TLC Canine Crusaders Business Hub. I’m Tori Lynn C., the founder of TLC Dog Walking Limited, mentor to professional dog walkers, and lifelong advocate for dogs and the people who care for them. Before building my own dog walking company, I worked as a dog trainer and held corporate roles at Pizza Hut’s Head Office in London and at PricewaterhouseCoopers, based at Embankment Place. Business, structure, and people management have been part of my life for a very long time.
With full time, hands-on experience in the dog industry since 2007, my mission is to guide you through the realities of running a successful, sustainable dog walking business — from client care and safety to wellbeing, confidence, and professional growth.
The Dog House is where I share the honest, behind-the-scenes conversations we all need: the tricky moments, the funny bits, the business lessons, and the mindset work that keeps us thriving rather than merely surviving. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, you’ll always find support, guidance, and a friendly nudge forward here.
You’re never alone in this journey — you’re part of a community of canine crusaders.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for general information and educational purposes only. It is intended to support pet care professionals in understanding common legal considerations when operating a dog walking or pet care business in the UK.
This content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice from a qualified solicitor or legal professional. Laws, regulations and local authority requirements may change over time and can vary depending on location and individual circumstances.
While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date at the time of publication, no guarantees are made regarding completeness or applicability to your specific situation.
By using this website, you acknowledge that:
✓ You are responsible for ensuring your own business complies with all relevant UK laws and local authority rules
✓ You should seek professional legal advice before drafting, using or relying on any contract or legal document
✓ The website owner accepts no liability for loss, damage or legal issues arising from the use of this information
If you are unsure about any legal obligations, contractual terms or liabilities, it is strongly recommended that you consult a solicitor experienced in small business or consumer law.
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