Opening the door to an apartment in Duc Nhuan Ward, HCMC, Linh Nhi embraced the owner’s two British Shorthair cats before starting her clean-up.

The 29-year-old woman got rid of the leftover food, added fresh kibble, and cleaned the litter box.

Once the basic chores were done, she spent time playing with each cat, brushing the fur, trimming the nails, cleaning the ears, and checking the skin for any fungus or scratches.

After about an hour, she took photos and videos to send to the owner, providing a detailed report on the cats’ food consumption, digestive condition, and overall health status.

With almost 10 years of experience in raising cats and having worked at a pet café and caring for over 30 animals, Nhi launched an "in-home pet-sitter" service at the beginning of March this year after noticing that many people going on trips preferred leaving their cats at home to avoid the stress of pet hotels.

Each visit, lasting about an hour, costs VND80,000 (US$3.08) plus transport costs.

Before taking on a job, Nhi asks owners for the type of food their pets eat, their meal size, and any medications or supplements currently in use.

She also asks where the animals usually hide, where the food is kept, where the pet carrier is, and the contact info of their regular veterinary clinic. "When handing over the keys and their pet, owners are entrusting not just their home, but a family member to me," she says.

Nhi cares for a cat at a client’s home in August 2026. Photo courtesy of Nhi

Nhi is one of many "pet-sitters" operating in HCMC, specializing in taking care of dogs and cats when their owners are away.

Depending on their clients’ requirements, pet-sitters visit their homes one to two times a day to feed, change water, administer medication, and keep the pets company, and usually charge VND50,000-100,000 per hour.

In many European countries, pet-sitting has become part of the pet care ecosystem. This service is projected to grow fastest in the Asia-Pacific due to a rising number of pet owners and increasing spending levels.

Grand View Research, a market research firm, estimates that the global pet-sitting market was worth $2.69 billion in 2024 and could reach $5.14 billion by 2030.

Vietnam does not have statistics for this service, but the pet care industry is expanding in general.

The Vietnam Veterinary Association forecasts that the country will have about 16 million pets by 2027.

An online survey by market research firm TGM Research shows that 45% of surveyed pet owners view their pets as family members, while 55% plan to increase spending on them over the next three years.

Tran Sinh, director of the HCMC Pet Service Training Academy, says pet-sitting services began appearing in major cities like Hanoi and HCMC about a year ago, and are growing at a rapid pace.

Quoc Thang, 25, of Phu Dinh Ward, HCMC used to send his cat to a pet hotel whenever he was away, but discovered that the barking of dogs and unfamiliar environment agitated the animal, causing it to lose its appetite after returning home.

Through his friends' recommendations, he switched to hiring an in-home petsitter for VND50,000 per hour.

Thanks to the surveillance cameras installed in his apartment, he feels comfortable handing over the keys to the pet-sitter, and monitors his pet's eating and playing schedule from afar.

But since the industry is still unprofessional, the job does involve risks for both parties. Le Tuyet Ngan, an office worker from Go Vap Ward, who works part-time as a pet-sitter, faced an unexpected incident late last year: A client hired her to care for a pair of cats, but failed to mention that the female was pregnant.

While the owner was visiting their hometown, the cat went into labor, delivered three kittens, and was attacked by the tomcat. Ngan had to intervene and separate the two animals.

Following that incident, she has made it a rule to only accept cats over two months old, healthy, and vaccinated, and refuse pets that are pregnant or seriously ill.

Two cats that Ngan fed and cared for in September 2026. Photo courtesy of Ngan

Besides, home security is also a factor. Before taking on a job, Nhi always tells her clients to put their valuable assets in a locked private room, and when she works in apartments that do not have surveillance cameras, she video calls the owners throughout her work.

For the pet-sitting profession to develop, Sinh believes that love for animals is not enough, and pet-sitters need to be equipped with basic veterinary knowledge such as how to check a pet’s mucous membranes, monitor its breathing, and examine its feces to quickly detect signs of illness.

In the long run, the market needs reputable intermediary agencies to select personnel, provide professional training, and establish contracts that clearly define legal responsibilities in order to protect the rights of both homeowners and workers, he adds.