Choose a pet sitter only after checking references, communication, insurance, emergency planning and the exact environment your dog will use. For paid boarding in Portugal, ask for the DGAV accommodation registration number. If pickup or transport is sold as part of the service, ask how the operator meets DGAV animal-transport requirements. Meet the sitter and resident dogs before the stay, and do not book if answers remain vague.
Start with this pet sitter checklist
A reliable sitter should be comfortable giving specific, verifiable answers before taking your dog. Use this list before paying a deposit.
- Meet the sitter in person or by live video before the booking.
- See the rooms, garden, gates, sleeping area and separation spaces your dog will actually use.
- Ask for recent references you can contact, not only screenshots of reviews.
- Confirm experience with your dog’s age, size, medication and behaviour.
- Ask for proof of liability or professional insurance and note what it covers.
- Get written prices, cancellation terms, daily routine and emergency authority.
- Check how boarding and any paid transport are registered or authorized.
- Meet resident dogs safely and confirm that physical separation is possible.
- Agree how often you will receive photos, messages and incident updates.
- Do a short trial visit or daycare session before a long stay.
Verify Portuguese boarding and transport requirements
Paid pet care is not made trustworthy by a social profile alone. Ask which legal category covers the accommodation and transport being offered.
Boarding, hotels and daycare
DGAV says accommodation for boarding with or without profit, including hotels, day-care centres and ATL facilities, is subject to mera comunicação prévia. The procedure includes a declaration from the veterinarian responsible for the accommodation. A registration number is then placed in DGAV’s official accommodation lists.
If a person regularly boards paying clients’ dogs at home, ask how that specific address and activity are classified and registered. Do not accept “I am only a pet sitter” as a complete answer when the service functions as paid accommodation. The precise treatment of a particular setup should be confirmed directly with DGAV or the relevant regional service.
Paid animal transport
DGAV states that transport of live vertebrate animals connected with an activity intended to produce profit requires transporter registration and authorization. Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 and Portuguese Decree-Law 265/2007 form the main framework. EU rules contain distance-related exceptions to some transporter duties, including for journeys up to 65 km, but welfare rules still apply and Portuguese implementation matters.
Ask whether collection and return are included in the price, who drives, how the dog is restrained, how the vehicle is ventilated and what authorization or exception the operator relies on. If the answer is “the trip is short, so no rules apply,” verify that claim with DGAV before booking.
Inspect the place where your dog will stay
You should know where your dog will sleep, eat, exercise and be separated if something goes wrong. A polished handover at the gate is not enough.
Ask to see the actual care areas before the booking. Look at exterior doors, garden fencing, balcony access, windows, storage of food and medication, flooring, temperature, ventilation and quiet resting areas. Check whether dogs can be separated by two secure barriers rather than a lightweight baby gate.
A sitter is entitled to reasonable privacy in a private home, but a blanket refusal to show any place where your dog will stay should make you pause. This is a practical trust standard, not a statement that clients have an unrestricted legal right to enter someone’s home.
Check resident dogs and the safety plan
Resident dogs do not need to love every dog, but they must be safely managed and compatible with the planned arrangement. “They will sort it out” is not a safety plan.
Arrange a calm introduction on neutral ground. Ask how the sitter handles guarding, overstimulation, feeding, toys, doorways and rest. If a resident or visiting dog is reactive, ask what triggers are known and how contact is prevented. A competent sitter can explain gates, rooms, crates where appropriate, walking rotations and supervision without becoming defensive.
Ask directly whether any dog on the premises has caused an injury and what changed afterward. Do not rely on rumours or social posts; assess documented incidents, disclosure, management and the suitability of the setup for your dog.
Recognise seasonal and inexperienced sitter red flags
Inexperience is not automatically disqualifying, but vague answers and missing safeguards are. Seasonal availability should never replace basic professional preparation.
- No references, or references that cannot be contacted.
- Slow, inconsistent or contradictory communication.
- Generic answers about feeding, medication, heat, escapes or emergencies.
- No proof of basic pet-care knowledge, insurance or written terms.
- Reluctance to meet, show care areas or discuss your dog’s routine.
- No clear answer about DGAV boarding registration or paid transport.
- Too many dogs for the available people, rooms or separation spaces.
- Promises that every dog is friendly or that supervision is always perfect.
- Pressure to pay quickly before questions or a trial visit.
| Ask this | A reassuring answer includes | A red flag sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Where will my dog stay? | A visit, clear photos and a tour of the exact care and separation areas. | “You cannot see anything, but trust me.” |
| What happens after conflict? | Immediate separation, first aid, veterinary contact, owner notification and written notes. | “Dogs work it out themselves.” |
| How is the service registered? | A DGAV accommodation number or a specific, checkable explanation of the activity. | Changing the subject or saying registration never applies. |
| How do you transport dogs? | Secure restraint, ventilation, cleaning and evidence of the relevant authorization or exception. | Loose dogs in a vehicle and no knowledge of transport rules. |
| What does insurance cover? | The insurer, policy type, valid dates and relevant exclusions. | “Insurance is unnecessary because nothing happens.” |
Prepare a written handover and trial stay
A short trial and written handover reveal more than a long sales conversation. Start with a walk, home visit or short daycare session before booking several nights.
- Food quantities, meal times, allergies and forbidden foods.
- Medication dose, timing, administration method and backup plan.
- Veterinarian, emergency clinic and an authorized local contact.
- Microchip, vaccination, insurance and identification documents.
- Recall, escape risks, handling sensitivities and known triggers.
- Permission limits for off-lead time, beaches, vehicles and other dogs.
- Update schedule and events that require immediate contact.
Our dog walk safety guidance and Mafra and Ericeira animal-support contacts are collected in the related guides below, rather than repeated throughout this article.
This checklist was prepared by the Let’s Paws Together dog community in Ericeira and Mafra. When comparing local care formats, review the published details from Jurassic Barks dog daycare and boarding in Ericeira and Tails & Trails pet sitting and home boarding in Santo Isidoro / Ericeira, then apply the same checks to any provider before booking.
Frequently asked questions
These are the questions owners most often need answered before trusting a sitter, home boarder, hotel or daycare.
Should a pet sitter let me see where my dog will stay?
For home boarding, ask to see the actual rooms, outdoor areas, gates and sleeping space your dog will use. There may be reasonable privacy limits, but a blanket refusal to show any care area is a practical red flag. This is a selection standard, not a claim that Portuguese law gives clients unrestricted access to a private home.
Does a dog hotel or daycare in Portugal need DGAV registration?
DGAV states that boarding accommodation with or without profit, including hotels, day-care and ATL facilities, is subject to prior communication. A compliant facility receives a registration number that can be checked in DGAV’s official accommodation lists. Ask how the specific service and address are registered.
Does a pet sitter need authorization to transport my dog for payment?
DGAV says transport of live vertebrate animals connected with an activity intended to produce profit requires transporter registration and authorization. EU rules contain distance-related exceptions to some authorization duties, including journeys up to 65 km, so ask for the operator’s basis and confirm any claimed exception with DGAV.
Is a reactive resident dog automatically unsafe?
No. Reactivity alone does not prove a dog is dangerous. What matters is honest disclosure, compatible introductions, physical separation options, trained handling and a clear plan that prevents forced contact. Do not accept vague assurances that all dogs will simply get along.
What are the clearest pet-sitter red flags?
The clearest red flags are no verifiable references, evasive communication, contradictory answers, refusal to show the care environment, no emergency plan, no written terms, pressure to book quickly and no credible explanation of insurance, boarding registration or paid transport arrangements.
What should I leave with the sitter?
Leave written feeding and medication instructions, veterinary and emergency contacts, microchip and insurance details, equipment, behaviour notes, permission limits and a signed care agreement. Agree how often you will receive updates and what requires immediate contact.
Make the final decision slowly
A good booking feels specific, transparent and calm. You should understand where your dog will be, who will handle them, which dogs they may meet, how emergencies work and which legal basis covers the service.
If you cannot verify the premises, references, safety plan or registration story, do not talk yourself into the booking. Choose another provider and keep your notes factual. If you believe an animal is in immediate danger, contact the relevant authorities rather than making an unverified public accusation.
Official sources
- DGAV: accommodation authorization and operating requirements
- DGAV: prior communication and administrative permission procedure
- DGAV: official accommodation lists
- DGAV: transport of companion animals
- Diário da República: Decree-Law 260/2012 on companion-animal accommodation
- Diário da República: Decree-Law 265/2007 on animal transport
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EC) No 1/2005