pawshake.comPawshake - Experienced pet care with peace of mindLoving pet sitters who treat your pets like familyAt Pawshake, we connect pet parents with friendly, reliable and vetted pet sitters. So whether you are going away, need someone to drop in to check on your pet while you’re at work or take your dog for a sniff around the block, we’ve got a pet loving sitter for you.Loving home environments - no cages!Your pets will stay in loving home environments and be treated just like family. Pawshake pet sitters are able to cater to your pet’s needs and are also a great alternative to dog boarding kennels or catteries.Get daily updates about your pet and relax knowing that they will get plenty of love and attention while you are away.Convenient, safe and flexible pet careSimply, search for a sitter, arrange a free meet and greet and then confirm your booking online. Payments are held securely by Pawshake until the booking is complete. There are no subscription fees and you only pay for the sitter you choose. Pet parents can also leave a review at the end of each booking to share their experience with other pet parents.The Pawshake Guarantee All bookings are covered by The Pawshake Guarantee which includes veterinary coverage, Happiness Guarantee and in-house customer support.
pawshake.com (pawshake.com) has 6,520 customer reviews on Five Star Index, with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.
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KellieP
I was able to find someone local to care for my dog. It felt safe booking via pawshake knowing the sitters were verified by a business and weren't random people plucked from the internet. I turned to pawshake after being told by 3 local doggy day care centers they had waiting lists and were very selective about the type of dog they would accept. So it was great that our dog could spend the day in a safe calm home environment.
rory K.
Good communications.
Nicola W.
If you’re a pet sitter don’t use paw shake. My daughter was a pet sitter who had excellent reviews and recently had a pet owner from hell who had unrealistic demands and trust issues Was expecting my daughter to leave main patio door of the rented accomodation open all day until late evening even when she was leaving the house which in my view breaches health and safety She also had on a daily basis interference from family members It came to a head 7 days in she was asked to leave . After my daughter reported it to pawshake they weren’t objective very biased towards the owner and my daughter was taking off the platform . As a pet owner using this platform I was disgusted with the owners and pawshake lack of humility and decency. I no longer use this platform and advise others to do the same.
Response from pawshake.comMay 30, 2026
We're sorry you feel this way. The sitter in question was not removed from Pawshake because an owner had "unrealistic demands" or because of a disagreement about care preferences. Following an investigation, we established that the sitter unilaterally altered the agreed care instructions without the owner's permission by repeatedly closing an external access point that the cat relied upon for entry to the property. This resulted in an elderly cat being left locked outside and unable to access its home as intended. The owner was understandably distressed by the situation, particularly as they were overseas at the time and reliant on the sitter to follow the agreed care plan. We also received written confirmation from the sitter acknowledging that she had not been truthful with the owner about these actions. Pawshake's role is to protect both pet owners and sitters, but ultimately the welfare of the pet must come first. Sitters are expected to follow agreed care instructions or raise concerns with the owner before making changes. Where there is a significant lapse in judgement that places an animal's welfare at risk, we have a responsibility to act. It is unfortunate that this review is based on second-hand information rather than your own direct experience of the incident or the investigation. The objective process that led to the sitter's removal is not accurately reflected in your account of events. While we appreciate that family members naturally wish to support one another, our decisions are based on the evidence available to us, the welfare of the pet involved, and the sitter's own admissions regarding what occurred. We wish her all the best for the future. Pawshake Support
Miss Alison M.
No problems at all and a lovely experience with photos and videos sent to underline how well all was going, I am definately going to use Courtney and co.'s help again when needed!
Tinny C.
Ik ben zeer tevreden over de duidelijke communicatie met Pawshake. Het was de eerste keer dat ik via Pawshake een kattenoppas zocht. Ik kon kiezen uit een aantal profielen en koos daarbij degene die mij het hardst aansprak. Ik moest pas na het kennismakingsgesprek betalen en zo de reservatie vastleggen . Ik heb er een goede ervaring mee en zal zeker in de toekomst nog beroep op hen doen. Zeer aan te raden.
Hedwig S.
Goede contacten gevonden
Tracey
I'm a sitter on pawshake as I am on other apps ... this is the WORST one I'm on..... they read and control your messages! Will deactivate your account over the smallest thing! I have my own insurance and qualifications but pawshake like to hog the credit and will deactivate your account because they can't take your 20% iv had one accident through a booking with pawshake and they didn't payout but had No problems with my dog walking/sitting insurance..... so it was a good thing i was also independent... they hate to see you succesed without them.
Response from pawshake.comMay 17, 2026
Hi Tracey, I’m sorry to hear you feel this way. Pawshake does not “read and control” private messages in the way described. Communication is monitored only where necessary for safety, policy enforcement, or support resolution purposes, in line with standard marketplace practice. We also do not deactivate accounts “for the smallest thing”. Profiles are only unpublished where there are repeated missed enquiries, policy or safety breaches, or issues that impact response reliability and the experience of other members using the platform. Regarding insurance, sitters are welcome to hold their own cover. However, when you use Pawshake’s platform to connect with clients and accept bookings, you agree those bookings must be made and managed through the platform. This is what ensures payment protection, support, and safety systems for both owners and sitters. If your profile has been removed for breaching those terms of use, you cannot say you were not warned. We understand not everyone will agree with how a managed marketplace operates, but these systems exist to maintain trust, consistency, and accountability for all users. Kind regards, Pawshake Support
Chloe H.
Really disappointing experience trying to sign up as a pet sitter on Pawshake. I’ve used platforms like Rover and Kiwi House Sitters before with no issues, but Pawshake won’t let me complete address verification, even though I’ve provided multiple documents confirming my address, because they don't meet the correct standards. I’m in NZ on a working holiday visa, staying in a boarding house, and don’t have a NZ bank account yet, which has made address verification impossible despite having documents confirming my address. Customer service has been very frustrating and completely unhelpful. Most replies feel automated and don’t address any of the details I’ve already explained in previous emails. I only wanted to offer dog walking and home visits, not boarding, so it’s disappointing to be blocked from using the platform over this. Really disappointing experience compared to other pet sitting platforms I’ve used.
Response from pawshake.comMay 17, 2026
Hi Chloe, I’m sorry to hear you’re disappointed with your experience signing up on Pawshake. To clarify, the address and identity verification requirements are not set by Pawshake. They are **New Zealand regulatory and financial compliance requirements**, applied through our payment provider, Stripe, and must be met in order to offer services and receive payouts on any platform operating in this space. Because these are regulatory requirements, neither Pawshake nor Stripe are able to override or manually approve documents that do not meet the required criteria. We understand this can be frustrating, particularly where certain document types (such as tenancy agreements or non-bank-issued statements) are not accepted. However, we are unable to bypass or work around these requirements, and sitters must provide an eligible document in order to proceed. We have provided guidance on alternative acceptable documents throughout your interactions with our team, and we remain happy to assist if you are able to submit one that meets the verification standards. Kind regards, Pawshake Support
