What You Need to Start Dog Walking in Australia — ABN, Insurance, and Police Check

To start a dog walking business in Australia legally, you need three things before your first paid booking: an ABN, public liability insurance, and a police check. Everything else — pet first aid, equipment, a profile on a platform — builds on that foundation. This guide walks through each requirement in plain terms so you can launch without surprises.

1. Getting your ABN

The Australian Business Number is a single identifier the Australian Taxation Office uses to track your business activity. If you're being paid to walk dogs — even casually, even through a platform — that income is business income under ATO rules, and you should have an ABN.

Without an ABN, whoever pays you (or the platform remitting your earnings) is technically required to withhold 47% of your payment under the no-ABN withholding rule. Platforms like TruePath require one before you can withdraw earnings.

Registering is free and straightforward:

1. Go to abr.gov.au and click "Apply for an ABN"
2. You'll register as an individual sole trader (most dog walkers don't need a company or trust structure)
3. You'll need your tax file number (TFN), home address, and date of birth
4. The process takes 10–15 minutes; your ABN is usually issued immediately

You don't need an accountant to do this. You don't need to register a business name unless you want to trade under a name other than your own. You don't need to do anything else with the ABN except quote it when platforms ask for it and include it on any invoices you issue.

GST: do you need to register?

Almost certainly not at the start. GST registration is only required once your turnover exceeds $75,000 per year. A dog walker doing 20 walks per week at $32/walk grosses around $33,000/year — well below the threshold. You can voluntarily register earlier if you want to claim GST on business expenses, but for most new walkers this adds accounting complexity without much benefit.

2. Public liability insurance

Public liability insurance is the single most important financial protection a dog walker can have. It covers you if a dog in your care bites a person, attacks another dog, causes a car accident, or damages someone's property. These incidents are rare — but when they happen, the costs can be significant. A dog bite resulting in a hospital visit and lost income claim can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars.

What to look for in a policy

Not all public liability policies are created equal. For dog walkers specifically, check:

• Coverage limit: Minimum $5M; $10M is strongly preferable for urban areas where third-party injury claims can be substantial
• Care, custody and control (CCC) cover: This is the critical clause. Standard public liability policies often exclude property in your care — meaning a dog you're walking. Make sure your policy explicitly includes animals under CCC
• Dog-on-dog incidents: Confirm the policy covers injury to other dogs caused by the dog in your care
• Business use: The policy must be a commercial/business policy. Your home contents or renters insurance does not cover your business activities

Australian providers

Cost range: $500–1,200/year for a sole trader dog walker, depending on the coverage limit ($5M vs $10M), whether you include CCC, and the number of dogs you typically handle at once.

3. ACIC National Police Check

A National Police Check confirms your criminal history for the purposes of working with animals and clients. Most serious dog walking platforms — including TruePath — require one before you can be approved to accept bookings. It's also a trust signal: many dog owners explicitly ask whether their walker has a police check before committing to a booking.

What it checks: Your criminal record across all Australian states and territories, including any pending charges.

What it doesn't check: International records.

Cost: Approximately $40–60 depending on the provider.

Where to get one:

• Australia Post (in-store service, widely available)
• ACIC-accredited online providers (quicker, results usually within 1–5 business days)
• Some platforms initiate the check on your behalf as part of the application process

How long it's valid: Police checks don't have a statutory expiry, but most platforms treat them as current for 12 months. TruePath requires a current check as part of the application.

The check is straightforward if you have no criminal history — most applicants have their results within a few business days. If something does appear on your record, the platform will assess it on a case-by-case basis.

4. Pet first aid certification

Pet first aid is not a legal requirement to walk dogs in Australia, but it's genuinely useful and it's a meaningful differentiator when clients are comparing walkers. Knowing how to respond to a dog choking, sustaining a cut, or going into shock during a walk can make a real difference in an emergency.

Several organisations offer pet first aid courses in Australia:

• TAFE NSW and some state equivalents offer accredited animal care units that include first aid
• Pet First Aid Australia — specialist short courses (one day, online + practical)
• Red Cross Australia — some locations offer pet first aid modules
• Private pet care trainers — various short courses marketed specifically to dog walkers

A one-day pet first aid course typically costs $100–200. Some platforms, including TruePath, list first aid certification on your profile as a visible trust badge.

5. Physical requirements and honest self-assessment

Dog walking sounds easy until you're 4 kilometres into a walk in 32°C heat, managing a 45-kg Rottweiler who wants to chase a cyclist. Before you commit to dog walking as a business, be honest with yourself about:

Fitness level: You will walk 3–8 km per walk, sometimes multiple walks per day, in all weather. If you're not currently active, build up to it before taking back-to-back bookings.

Weather tolerance: Australian summers are brutal. You'll be outside when your clients are in air-conditioned offices. You need to manage heat, hydration, and sun protection proactively — and know when to shorten a walk for the dog's safety.

Dog handling confidence: Not every dog walks calmly on a lead. You'll encounter reactive dogs, pullers, and dogs who are afraid of traffic or other animals. Experience with a range of breeds is a real asset; being comfortable but not overconfident is the right disposition.

Physical limitations: If you have a back injury, joint problems, or limited upper body strength, be selective about the size and temperament of dogs you accept. This isn't just about your safety — it's about the dog's safety if you lose control.

Your pre-launch checklist

Work through these before taking your first paid booking:

1. Register your ABN at abr.gov.au — takes 15 minutes, free
2. Purchase public liability insurance — minimum $5M limit, confirm CCC cover for animals
3. Complete an ACIC National Police Check — via Australia Post or an accredited online provider
4. Complete a pet first aid course — not mandatory but strongly recommended
5. Set up a simple income tracking spreadsheet — date, client, amount, platform
6. Create your platform profile — TruePath, and optionally others — with specifics: breed experience, suburbs covered, services offered
7. Define your service area — be realistic about how far you'll travel for each walk
8. Set your rates — research what walkers in your suburb are charging before you list
9. Have your ABN and insurance certificate ready — platforms and clients may ask for them
10. Tell your vet and have a plan — know your nearest emergency vet for each area you work in

Tax basics for dog walkers

Your dog walking income is assessable income under ATO rules, declared as sole trader income on your personal tax return. A few important points before you take your first booking:

Keep records from day one: Every booking, every amount, every date. The ATO expects you to be able to substantiate your income. A simple spreadsheet or a bookkeeping app like Wave (free) is sufficient for most part-time walkers.

Deductible expenses: As a sole trader, you can deduct legitimate business expenses against your income. Common deductions for dog walkers include:

• Public liability insurance premiums
• The business-use portion of your mobile phone (you use it to manage bookings and communicate with clients)
• Professional development (pet first aid course, animal behaviour training)
• Equipment you use exclusively for the business (leads, poo bags, treat pouches)
• Vehicle expenses, if you drive to and from walks (logbook method is most accurate)

What you can't deduct: Personal expenses, clothing that's not a specific uniform, or expenses you can't substantiate with a receipt.

Quarterly or annual tax payment: Sole traders typically pay tax in arrears, either quarterly via PAYG instalments (if the ATO puts you into this system after your first assessment) or at the end of the financial year. Set aside 20–25% of your net income as you earn it so tax season isn't a shock.

When to see an accountant: If your dog walking income starts regularly exceeding $30,000/year, or if you're combining it with other employment income, a $200–300 tax return appointment with an accountant is money well spent. The deductions they identify often exceed their fee.

How to manage multiple platforms

Most serious walkers operate on more than one platform. This creates some administrative overhead worth managing proactively:

Separate your earnings by platform in your records: When it comes to tax time, you need to total your income across all sources. Keeping a column per platform in your spreadsheet makes this easy.

Use one calendar for all bookings: Double-booking is the most common operational mistake new walkers make. Whether you use Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or a paper diary, every booking from every platform goes in immediately on confirmation. Block the time before accepting the next booking.

Maintain consistent rates across platforms (or have a deliberate reason for differences): Some walkers list higher on Pawshake to compensate for the commission rate. That's rational. What's less rational is accidentally charging different prices for the same service on the same platform because you set it up at different times. Review your rates quarterly.

What comes next

Once your paperwork is in order, the platform application is the next step. TruePath's application involves a police check (which they can initiate), direct reference calls, and an in-person interview. It's a more thorough process than most platforms — which is the point. Walkers who get through it are able to show clients a genuine quality signal.

The combination of correct legal setup (ABN, insurance, police check) and a platform that communicates those credentials to clients is what separates professional dog walkers who build sustainable businesses from casual operators who struggle to win bookings from discerning owners.

Want to earn this walking dogs?

TruePath walkers set their own hours and rates. Apply once, pass our verification, and start booking walks in your suburb.

Apply to walk

Keep reading

become a walker

How to Become a Dog Walker in Australia (2026) — The Complete Guide

A step-by-step guide to starting a dog walking business in Australia — from ABN registration and insurance to joining platforms and landing your first clients.

become a walker

Dog Walker Insurance in Australia — Providers, Cost, and What You Need

Public liability insurance is essential for Australian dog walkers. Here's what coverage you need, which providers to consider, what it costs, and how platform insurance differs from your own policy.

become a walker

Do You Need an ABN to Be a Dog Walker in Australia?

If you're taking paid bookings as a dog walker in Australia, you need an ABN. Here's what it is, how to register for free in 15 minutes, and what happens if you skip it.