He says when he first broke news to his mother that he is taking up pet sitting as a job, she thought it was a cove-up for some illegal deals. “I had struggled with unemployment for long.

If a pet sitter is needed overnight, the rate typically increased to $45 to $75 for each evening sitting. For long-term stays, the average rate charged is around $250 to $400.

Youths who have specialised in tending to pets are now making a fortune out of the new career trend. Some earn Sh1,200 per hour to play with a cat or get the same amount to walk a dog on a leash ...