Careers 

  • You may be the right fit, if you….
    You - do not own pets at this time, and are looking to fill that position with the companionship with other pets.
    You - Have the ability to work with:

    • Reactive dogs,

    • Pets with medical limitations,

    • Pets that may need medication administered

    You - Have the physical ability to walk several miles a day, lift more than 50lbs, and can navigate stairs.

    You - have shown a natural instinct around pets and animals that provides a unique ability to communicate and work with pets. You have been termed as naturally empathetic by friends or people close to you.

    You - are highly organized, and understand personal time management skills.

    You - feel like the regular employer-employee relationship hasn’t been the right fit within your lifestyle/scheduling routine OR you are looking for a change of pace with more individuality. This comes with more personal responsibility sure, but also more freedom to live life on your own time.

    • PetPals is looking to fill 1-2 full time weekday schedules per area zone.

    • PetPals is looking to fill 1-2 part-time weekday schedules per area zones or for overnight/boarding capable folks per area zone.

  • Inquire About Part-Time and Full-Time Positions

    Interested in joining our team? Fill out the form to learn more about available opportunities. We work with independent contractors who set their own financial goals and choose the level of work needed to meet them.

    Availability may vary based on demand in your area and the services you are able to provide.

    Part-Time & Full-Time Overview

    To remain an active Pal, you must earn a minimum of $400 per month.

    Common part-time monthly earnings:

    • $1,000 - $2,500 bi-weekly

    Full-time monthly earnings potential:

    • $2,500 - $3,500 bi-weekly

    To meet full-time work status, overnight care/boarding care should be considered as a capability.

  • This work is about the community.

    Our motivation is to engage within the community by supporting the community. With our incredible client base, we aim to give back in a whole new way. Our services not only ease anxiety in pets but also animals by establishing familiar face on an intrapersonal level. Our Pals often become part of the family, stepping into the best friend role for pets and animals.

    The job also is on the ground level of the community. We work to take care of homes, ensure the safety and well being of home and animal, support neighborhoods through difficult times, and empower new pet families by supporting their needs.

  • Society often supports the notion of the 9-5 work week, breakfast lunch and dinner, where time rules the operation of daily life. Not at Pet Pals.

    We don’t have an office for a reason. We don’t want to be stuck behind a desk wasting away a beautiful day of adventure. We believe that work should be rewarding, empowering, engaging, and most importantly, fun.

    Your mental health and physical well-being are our #1 priority. The job gets you outside, in the community, physically active, and connected with the Self and the Here and Now. This work is not just about the animals but questions if work should be viewed differently entirely. Work smarter, not harder.

    So, what does work mean to you? Lets make that happen.

  • Pet Pals is an administrative company that offers work to available IC’s. No work is scheduled unless approved by you, which puts you in charge of your own finances, independence, and motivation to work. Take the lead and learn what it means to be your own boss.

    When it comes to how you are paid, you are paid per service performed. PetPals takes a small portion of each service as our processing fee in exchange for connecting you with clients, scheduling, and marketing on your behalf.

    Pals will “stack services”, by approving multiple clients per day for the same bracket of time, to work consistent hours each week/month. This can look like working weekdays from 7-3pm and is largely dictated by the Pals availability and financial goals.

  • Work should be accessible, fun, and leaves you feeling motivated at the end of the day, not burnt out. We started Pet Pals because we believe independent work should have choice and autonomy.

    Set your availability with only a few clicks and we will work to fill the gaps in your schedule with puppies, kittens, hiking opportunities and the potential to stay overnight. Yes, get paid to sleep.

    Your availability is set by the first of every month, and we book services on your spare time.

  • Unlike other pet care companies, our approach is a unique and collabative relationship. A realistic timeline of building and establishing relationships takes commitment and a level of personal dedication to meet personal financial goals.

    So lets talk about how this works by setting some timelines down. It takes 1-2 weeks to onboard and get cleared to start in the field. By the first month we will have set up shadow services, where you can gain hands on expereince in the field with other Pals. This ensures you know your team and the unique approaches for different clients.

    By the second month, we expect to have introduced you to several new clients and have started establishing your comfort levels and availability/work style. You may be working to still build your initial client base by supporting the team where we need help.

    By 90 days we hope to have been able to get your financial goals met regularly and will have a formal meeting as a team to discuss your needs, availability, goals, and work interests.

PetPals is an administrative company that works with independent contractors and clients in the community to provide dog walking and pet sitting services. There is a growing need for professional pet service providers in Portland, OR. What sets us apart from other dog walking services is our dedication to ethical practice, high standards of care, and the training to perform services.

Our high standards of care mean we don’t just provide handling and first-aid training for our walkers but go above and beyond to ensure walkers, clients, and animals’ safe well-being. We hire independent contractors to ensure each walker is privately licensed, insured, and protected for their safety and that of the community.

Independent Contractor Defined | Internal Revenue Service. (n.d

Career Interest Application

Our Ideal Pal

Successful Pals at PetPals tend to be individuals who:

  • Are self-directed and organized, with the ability to manage their own schedules, routes, availability, and client commitments

  • Communicate clearly, professionally, and proactively with both clients and administrative support

  • Exercise independent judgment when accepting services, setting boundaries, and planning sustainable workloads

  • Value consistency and understand the importance of reliability in long-term pet care relationships

  • Are comfortable operating as an independent business owner, including planning income goals, managing expenses, and maintaining required documentation

  • Appreciate structure and systems, while retaining autonomy over how services are performed

PetPals is best suited for individuals who prefer ownership over their work, rather than traditional employee-style oversight.

Minimum Requirements

To be considered for partnership with PetPals, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be 21 years of age or older

  • Have prior pet care experience (professional experience or equivalent hands-on experience strongly encouraged)

  • Be able to pass a background check

  • Have a reliable mode of transportation

  • Be physically capable of lifting up to 50 lbs

  • Be willing to establish an LLC, liability insurance and pet first aid & cpr certifications within 4 months of contract signing. A 90 day check-in will be conducted to gauge each new contractors ability to commit to to these requirements.

What to Expect

PetPals operates as a contractor-based care network. Pals choose which opportunities align with their availability and business goals. PetPals provides client coordination, operational systems, and administrative infrastructure to support consistency and continuity—without directing how services are performed.

Requesting an informational meeting does not guarantee onboarding, contracted work, or minimum service volume. All partnerships are formed based on mutual alignment, availability, and current care needs.

If this sounds aligned with how you want to work, please complete the application form below to request an informational Zoom meeting.