Pet Care for the Elderly at Home
Practical help so you can keep the pet you love at home
Pets are family, and having to give one up because the daily care has become too much is heartbreaking. At Starling Homecare, a family-run and CQC-regulated provider, our trusted carers take on the practical side of looking after a pet, the walks, the cleaning up, the trips to the vet and cover during a stay in hospital, so you or someone you love can carry on enjoying their company at home. We currently offer pet care support in St Albans and Harpenden, delivered by the same friendly, carefully vetted carers who provide our home care.
What is pet care support at home?
Pet care support is practical help with looking after a pet when age, illness, reduced mobility or a spell in hospital make it harder to manage. Our carers take on as much or as little as you need, from walking the dog and cleaning up to feeding, grooming and trips to the vet. The aim is simple: keep your pet well cared for, and keep them where they belong, at home with you.
Help when walking the dog is too much
When walking the dog becomes too much, the distance, the weather, or an unsteady lead, our carers can take over the daily walks. We walk your dog safely and locally, around the parks and green spaces of St Albans and Harpenden, at the times that suit your routine, so they stay happy and well exercised without the worry falling on you.
Help cleaning up after your pet
Looking after a pet can leave a fair bit to tidy. Our carers help with cleaning up after them: litter trays, cages and hutches, the odd accident, muddy paws and bedding, along with topping up food and fresh water. It keeps the home fresh and comfortable, and takes a tiring job off your hands.
How We Can Help With Your Pet
- Walking the dog, at a time and pace that suits
- Feeding, fresh water and treats kept to routine
- Cleaning up litter trays, cages, hutches and accidents
- Taking pets to the vet, or waiting in for a home-visit vet
- Looking after pets while you are in hospital or recovering
- Grooming help, brushing and keeping them comfortable
- Collecting food, litter or prescriptions when needed
Who pet care support is for
Pet care support suits anyone finding their pet harder to manage: after a fall or surgery, with reduced mobility or arthritis, during a stay in hospital, or when memory changes make a daily routine easy to forget. It also helps families who live further away and want to know a parent and their pet are both looked after.
Pet care support works well alongside the rest of our home support. Where it helps, it can sit with personal care for help with washing and dressing, or domestic support and housekeeping to keep the home comfortable. We keep things flexible, so support can be adjusted quietly as life changes.
Why families choose Starling for pet care
Pet care support with Starling is never a faceless service. We are a local, family-run and CQC-regulated provider, and the same small team of carers visits wherever possible, so your pet gets used to them and you build trust over time. Our carers are carefully chosen, background-checked and insured, and we treat your pet with the same care we would our own.
Every arrangement is overseen by a dedicated named care manager who knows your situation and is on hand whenever something changes. For many families, knowing a trusted person is calling in regularly to look after both their relative and a much-loved pet brings as much reassurance as the visit itself.
Frequently asked questions about pet care support
What does pet care support include?
It covers the practical side of looking after a pet: walking the dog, feeding and fresh water, cleaning up after them, grooming, taking them to the vet, and looking after them while you are in hospital or recovering. We take on as much or as little as you need, shaped around your pet and their routine.
How often can you visit?
That is led entirely by what suits you and your pet. Some people want a daily dog walk, others a few visits a week, and some need short-term cover during a hospital stay or recovery. We plan visits around your pet’s existing routine so it feels natural for them.
Can you take my pet to the vet?
Yes. We can take your pet to the vet on your behalf, or wait in with you when a home-visit vet calls, and keep you updated on what was said. If you would like to come along, a carer can help you get there and back too.
Will the same carer visit each time?
We keep visits as consistent as possible so your pet gets used to the same trusted people. Continuity matters as much to animals as it does to people, so your pet gets used to the same friendly faces, and we plan our rotas with that in mind while making sure cover is in place when someone is away.
Do you offer pet care support in St Albans and Harpenden?
Yes. We currently offer pet care support in St Albans and Harpenden and the surrounding villages, and we are extending it across the rest of Hertfordshire over time. If you are nearby and unsure, it is always worth asking.
What pets can you help with?
We most often help with dogs and cats, and we are happy to help with small pets too, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, birds and fish. We do not handle dangerous, large or exotic animals. If you are unsure whether we can help with your pet, just ask and we will be honest about what we can do.
Is pet care support regulated care?
Pet care support is practical, non-regulated help, rather than a CQC-regulated activity like personal care. It is delivered by the same carefully vetted, insured and trained carers from Starling Homecare, a family-run and CQC-regulated provider, so you get the same standards and the same trusted people looking after your pet.
Pet Care Support FAQs
How much does pet care support cost?
Pet care support is charged like any other care visit, from 30 minutes, from £34, with no hidden fees and travel to and from your home included. The rate you are quoted is the rate you pay, and we will give you clear pricing before anything starts.
Our care funding guide explains costs and the help available in Hertfordshire.
What does pet care support include?
It covers the practical side of looking after a pet: walking the dog, feeding and fresh water, cleaning up after them, grooming, taking them to the vet, and looking after them while you are in hospital or recovering. We take on as much or as little as you need, shaped around your pet and their routine.
How often can you visit?
That is led entirely by what suits you and your pet. Some people want a daily dog walk, others a few visits a week, and some need short-term cover during a hospital stay or recovery. We plan visits around your pet’s existing routine so it feels natural for them.
Can you take my pet to the vet?
Yes. We can take your pet to the vet on your behalf, or wait in with you when a home-visit vet calls, and keep you updated on what was said. If you would like to come along, a carer can help you get there and back too.
Will the same carer visit each time?
We keep visits as consistent as possible so your pet gets used to the same trusted people. Continuity matters as much to animals as it does to people, so your pet gets used to the same friendly faces, and we plan our rotas with that in mind while making sure cover is in place when someone is away.
Do you offer pet care support in St Albans and Harpenden?
Yes. We currently offer pet care support in St Albans and Harpenden and the surrounding villages, and we are extending it across the rest of Hertfordshire over time. If you are nearby and unsure, it is always worth asking.
What pets can you help with?
We most often help with dogs and cats, and we are happy to help with small pets too, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, birds and fish. We do not handle dangerous, large or exotic animals. If you are unsure whether we can help with your pet, just ask and we will be honest about what we can do.
Is pet care support regulated care?
Pet care support is practical, non-regulated help, rather than a CQC-regulated activity like personal care. It is delivered by the same carefully vetted, insured and trained carers from Starling Homecare, a family-run and CQC-regulated provider, so you get the same standards and the same trusted people looking after your pet.
Do we have to commit long term?
No. There are no long-term or fixed-term contracts, and every package carries our 90-day risk-free guarantee: you can cancel at any time.
How to Get Started
- Think about what type of help would make life easier
- Check if you or your loved one might be eligible for support
- Speak with us. We can guide you through options and next steps
Arranging Pet Care Support Is Simple
Starting care can feel like a big step. We keep it calm and straightforward, and we are here from your very first call to help you explore what might feel right, whether that is with us or simply pointing you in the right direction.
1. Talk to us
Get in touch by phone or request a callback. We will listen, answer your questions and help you understand the options, so you can decide in your own time.
2. A home visit and initial consultation
We arrange a visit to understand your routines, your home and what matters most to you. Together we agree an initial consultation and shape the support that feels right.
3. Your care begins
A small, familiar team starts your care, arriving at the agreed times and staying involved as your needs change. We remain your trusted adviser throughout.
Whenever you are ready, we are here to help.