There’s a new sitting service in The County, but it’s not for kids. This one caters to four-legged family members.
Katie Nickerson, building on a successful business she owned in southern Maine for 12 years, opened Presque Isle’s Pet Sitter two weeks ago.
In-home pet sitting is trending nationwide, and experts say the arrangement minimizes pets’ anxiety by keeping them in familiar environments. The business offers a service that’s hard to find in northern Maine, where owners struggle to find animal care.
“There’s big business in pet care, because most people care more about their pets, I think, than they care about themselves,” Nickerson said. “When I moved here, I found that there was a need for in-home pet care.”
Nickerson operated Southern Maine’s Pet Sitter in South Portland for 12 years, and was struck by the dearth of pet sitting services when she came to Presque Isle two months ago.
An internet search reveals more than 20 sitters in southern Maine, but few north of the Bangor area. Leash and Lead, also in Presque Isle, is one. Platform Care.com lists a handful of local pet boarders, but in-home care is not specified.
The pet care industry is booming in the U.S. and elsewhere, including in-home sitting, according to national pet service marketing platform PetWorks.
Unfamiliar environments can cause anxiety, and pets tend to feel calmer in their own homes among sounds and smells they’re used to, said Kevin Kinyon, platform co-founder.
Sitting is a trend to watch in 2026, according to Florida-based cat sitting company Meow Franchising. More owners are prioritizing low-stress care at home because “most cats do best in familiar surroundings, with consistent routines.”
That’s what Nickerson — who is insured and sits for both dogs and cats — found when she first launched her southern Maine business.
The idea formed while she was working at a veterinary practice, she said. People expressed a need for someone to care for their animals in their homes, including pets on medication.
“I started out by helping out a couple of people from the vet’s office,” Nickerson said. “From that, word-of-mouth spread. People just talked, and before I knew it, I had a client list of 35.”
Nickerson and her partner, Easton native Caleb Bomar, wanted to escape southern Maine’s more hectic and expensive lifestyle, so they decided to come north.
With four years of veterinary work and 12 years of sitting experience, Nickerson wants to fill a needed niche.
A lot of anxious cats and dogs don’t do well in kennel environments, which can be noisy and contain a lot of unfamiliar smells, she said. Many also don’t do well on car trips. Pets tend to be more comfortable at home, and in-home sitting also helps when they need medication or treatment.
“It really just takes a lot of the pressure off the animal. They can just continue to do their thing in their space,” Nickerson said. “The only thing they see is a new human in the space, instead of being in an entirely new environment where there are different smells and noises.”
During 20- to 30-minute drop-in visits, she will leave fresh food and water, take the dog out or clean the cat litterbox, and give the animals attention and play. She also does overnight stays, which also include some home duties like bringing in the mail and watching the house.
Tracie Thomas of Mapleton — and the family cat, Simba — were Nickerson’s first local clients. She heard about Nickerson from a friend and said they “made an instant connection.”
Thomas said she and her husband travel frequently and sometimes struggle to find someone to check on Simba.
“Simba has faced some medical issues and we always worry when we leave that he may have an emergency,” Thomas said. “Imagine our relief to have found someone that will come to Simba’s home and make sure he is comfortable and happy in his own environment.”
Nickerson generally charges $20 for a drop-in visit or $100 a night, but will negotiate, she said. For information, reach her at 207-653-9544 or knickerson207@gmail.com.
As for how she wants to grow, Nickerson said she would eventually like to expand into a business space where she can provide pet care. And because there’s such a need, she and another local pet sitter are exploring collaboration options.
With several dogs and cats at home, she thoroughly enjoys working with pets and feels she’s found her niche.
“[I love] all the different personalities that the pets have,” she said. “They each have their own specific little quirks. They just make me smile.”