At Oly Paws, our goal is to provide exceptional care for the pets of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater.

Oly Paws is a professional pet care company based in downtown Olympia, Washington. We offer daily dog walks, vacation pet care, and backyard pet waste removal. We offer our clients professionalism and reliability. Our clients enjoy a stress-free experience knowing that their pets are in good hands.

We are looking for an employee to assist primarily with daily dog walks, as well as occasional pet sitting visits, as needed. Everything is organized in a smartphone app that includes client and pet details, access codes for client homes, time tracking, and more. You will be required to use this app while on shift.

Position Description

We are looking for a part-time dog walker/pet sitter to work 1-3 days per week. Shifts are generally 3-6 hours, typically starting around 8 or 9am and concluding around 12 to 2pm. As we get busier, afternoon shifts may also be available. In total, you can expect to work 5-15 hours per week. If you want more hours, there is room to grow and take on more shifts after you’ve gained some experience. Compensation is $17-$18 per hour, depending on experience, plus mileage reimbursement, tips, and bonus opportunities.

In this role, you are expected to be an excellent communicator (both with Oly Paws management and with clients), organized, timely, empathetic, and of course good with animals! You should be able to consistently walk up to 4-7+ miles per shift. This is a physically demanding position. You will need to have your own reliable vehicle, automotive insurance, smartphone with a data plan, and a clean driving/criminal record.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent

• Able to consistently walk 4-7+ miles per shift (8,000-14,000+ steps)

• Able to maintain physical control of large dogs at all times

• Reliable vehicle and automotive insurance

• Valid driver’s license

• Clean driving record (no tickets or at-fault accidents within the last 2 years)

• Comfortable walking shoes and apparel for any weather (we walk rain, shine or snow!)

• Able to pass a criminal background check

• Smartphone with data plan

• Good with animals (we primarily work with dogs and cats)

• Ability to commit to 1-3 shifts per week (weekdays)

• Excellent communication skills

• Honesty and integrity

• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgment while working alone

• Willingness to consent to GPS tracking while on walks/at a client’s home for pet sitting. Walks are tracked via GPS so the client can see where we’ve been with their pups! Rest assured that GPS tracking is only enabled during actual services, when a service timer is running on the app.

• Willingness to pick up and safely dispose of dog waste, both out on walks and occasionally from clients’ back yards. You will be provided with the necessary equipment.
  
  

Preferred Attributes

• Convenient access to our service area (Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater)

• Previous experience working with animals

• Previous experience in customer service or client-facing role

• Willingness to take on occasional short evening and weekend pet sitting shifts. These are typically 1-2 hour shifts on evenings and weekends. Not required, but please let us know if you’re willing to take some of these on!
  
  

Compensation & Benefits

• Starting at $17.00 to $18.00 per hour DOE

• Opportunity for raises at 3 months and 6 months

• Full mileage reimbursement at $0.67/mile; this will add substantially to your take-home pay and should cover 2-4x the cost of gas, depending on your vehicle

• Opportunity to earn tips from clients

• Opportunity to earn bonuses

• Paid training; during your first week the owner (Austin) will accompany you on most/all of your walks, helping you get used to the role and the animals

• Paid 30-minute lunch break for any shifts exceeding 5 hours

• Flexible schedule
  
  

Location

Oly Paws is located in downtown Olympia, but we work out in the field at clients’ homes. Our service area is within ~5 miles of downtown Olympia, which covers the majority of West Olympia, central Olympia, Tumwater, and parts of Lacey.

A typical shift may include stops at 4-6+ clients’ homes, spread throughout our service area. Most visits will be daily dog walks, where you’ll enter the clients’ home, pick up their dog, and walk them for 25-60 minutes in the dogs’ neighborhood. Occasionally you may be asked to transport dogs to a nearby trail or dog park, but the majority of services are in the clients’ neighborhood. There will also be some daytime pet-sitting visits, checking up on cats or dogs in their homes.

Your shifts will include substantial drive time. Your shift begins at your first client stop, and ends at your last client stop. You will be paid hourly + mileage reimbursement during your shift, but not for the commute to or from your first and last stops (as this is essentially your commute to and from work).

Shift Example

To better understand the role, consider this example shift:

Tuesday: 4 hour shift

Shift begins at 8:45 am, when you arrive at your first client stop.

8:45 am: 25 minute drop-in pet sitting visit for 3 cats. Check our internal smartphone app for details, access code, feeding instructions, etc. Start app timer and GPS tracking. Feed cats, clean litter boxes, check mail, etc. Take a few pictures, and prepare a brief post-visit report for the client. Send the report and pictures via our app, stop the timer, and lock the client’s door on the way out.

Drive 4 miles to next client

9:20 am: 60 min dog walk for 2 dogs (same household). Check the app for details, and start the timer/GPS tracking for your walk. Enter the client’s home, leash the dogs, and leave for a 60-minute neighborhood walk. Pick up any dog poop and ensure the dogs are happy and safe on their walk! Snap a few pictures, prepare a brief post-walk report, and end the timer/visit as you’re leaving the client’s home.

Drive 6 miles to next client

10:30 am: 40 min dog walk for 1 dog. Same as above.

Drive 5 miles to next client

11:30am: 25 min dog walk for 1 dog. Same as above.

Drive 5 miles to next client

12:15pm: 25 min dog walk for 1 dog. Same as above.

Shift concludes at 12:45pm.

In this example you worked a 4-hour shift, and drove a total of 20 miles in between client stops. You would be paid your hourly wage for a 4 hour shift, plus $13.40 for mileage reimbursement ($0.67/mile x 20 miles). You may also earn tips from clients (this varies).

To Apply

To apply, please fill out this Google Form

Any questions, please email hello@olypaws.com

Disclaimers

Oly Paws is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, or sexual orientation. We welcome all applications from a wide range of candidates. Selection for roles will be based on individual merit alone.

The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

This position description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of the organization.

Part-Time Dog Walker/Pet Sitter 5-15+ hours/week