All Pets
Fido’s Playground
Susie Hunt and her team come highly recommended by their loyal regulars. They provide tailor-made, at-home care for a range of pets: from dogs and cats to guinea pigs, birds, tortoises and more. Home visits and walks are 30-60 minutes and arranged according to the pet’s needs. Rates start from €13 for one animal, 30 minutes, with different packages or block bookings available. They can also stay overnight in your home for €48 per 24 hours, independently of the number of animals, and bring their own bedding and food. Owners are kept updated with regular photos and videos. Fido’s also waters plants, picks up post and helps the place look occupied, even if you don’t have pets. Susie has third-party liability insurance for dog walks. She started out managing livestock on a farm in Zambia before transitioning to domestic animals and Barcelona. She’s also a qualified dog listener, advising on behavioral issues as well as performing Reiki, animal communication and healing work. fidosplayground.com
Catalin Ciprian of TC Dog Care.
Dogs
TC Dog Care
Catalin Ciprian is well regarded within the Barcelona dog-loving community and frequently recommended. He offers daytime walks, as well as boarding at his house (yes, house) in the center of town. He takes up to five boarders at a time and dogs get access to a big terrace, their own room and 3-4 walks a day, including a morning trip up Montjüic. Altogether, dogs get around 4-5 hours exercise a day unless they need less (i.e. seniors). Training sessions are €60, doggie day care is €40 a day and overnight stays are €50. All rates are plus VAT, supplements apply at night or on public holidays, and medical and liability insurance is included in the price. Catalin started out rescuing street dogs in his native Romania before setting up TC Dog Care in Amsterdam and finally moving to sunnier climes. He keeps owners updated with regular photos, chats and videos, and has a Facebook page with pictures of his home. As well as dog care, he runs individual or group training sessions to tackle behavioral issues or help dogs adapt to the city, collaborates with various shelters and rescue organization and is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals. tcdogcare.com
Residencia Canina Dosrosas
Finca Can Carreras, Dosrius
Up in the hills behind Mataró, Dosrosas offers a range of rooms and kennels of varying sizes. Spaces are shared with another dog, unless they really need to be alone, pets are assessed beforehand and owners encouraged to visit prior to booking. Dogs spend daytime hours in 150-square-meter play areas, interacting with their roommate and/or qualified, experienced staff. To avoid upset stomachs, owners are asked to provide the dog’s usual food. Rates vary, from €23 per animal/day for a kennel in low season, to €32 for a heated room in winter high season. Rates are plus VAT and discounts apply for a second animal or long-term bookings. Pick-up and drop-off can be arranged from Barcelona for a fee. Dosrosas offers a range of complementary services, including grooming, intensive care and puppy and senior care. They also provide daily updates, have liability insurance and a local vet on hand for emergencies if yours isn’t available for consultations. residenciacaninadosrosas.com
El Gatuari
Cats
El Gatuari
El Gatuari is a non-profit cat café in Gràcia set up by Enric Sintes and Meritxell Jaén to help those rescue cats that struggle to find their forever home. Their team is experienced with animals and they also offer a year-round, at-home cat sitting service, whether your cat is adopted or not. Owners sign a contract, and a home visit is carried out prior to booking to get to know the feline client, its home, needs and whether it will allow strangers to administer medication, if necessary. Visit duration is flexible, from 30 minutes minimum, according to the cat’s needs and includes feeding, changing litter and play. Updates, photos and videos are provided via WhatsApp. Prices start at €15 within a reasonable distance, and a personalized quote can be prepared on request. El Gatuari´s sitters are covered by their insurance during the visit. gatuari.cat
Catisfaction Pet Sitter
Originally from Uruguay, Alejandra Raineri stated fostering cats in Brazil in 2011, before getting into cat sitting and moving to Barcelona. Since cats are happiest in their own home, she carries out one-hour visits to change food, water and litter, provide affection and play and clean eyes and nose, if necessary. Photos, videos and daily updates are provided and she comes highly recommended by her clients. She can also water plants and pick up post. Visits cost €12, with discounts for block bookings, and part of the payment is donated to street cats. petbacker.es
Other Pet and House Sitters
It’s becoming increasingly popular and feasible to have your pets cared for without putting them into kennels. A number of online platforms list pet and house sitters, including TrustedHousesitters, Rover.com (formerly DogBuddy) and Gudog, among many others. While you’d expect sitters to be animal lovers, it’s important to be aware that levels of experience and backgrounds vary greatly. That doesn’t mean they won’t take great care of your pet, but always check whether and how people are vetted or assessed, whether there’s any insurance and who’s responsible if anything undesirable does happen. Also, what customer support the platform provides and what communication you can expect to have with sitters.
Whether your pet is staying at home or away, always arrange a visit beforehand and meet sitters in person. Ask about feeding, routines, exercise, discipline, administering medication, awareness of any relevant legislation or potential issues and whether your pet will be sharing with others. Get recommendations, check sitters’ ratings and reviews and, most importantly, see whether your pet goes back happily next time.
Kate Williams.
Kate Williams is a freelance writer, editor, translator and Director of The Writer Stuff. She left her native England for Barcelona in 2003 and never looked, or went, back. When she isn’t writing or discovering all the cool stuff going on in the city, she enjoys hiking in the Catalan countryside, kayaking on the Costa Brava, and volunteers at a local animal sanctuary. You can read more by Kate here.
Updated July 21, 2023.