In India, the pet care market is growing, and so is the need for temporary pet care services. However, the lack of professionals, clear regulations, and public awareness prevents this need from being fully addressed. Existing platforms that seek to bridge this gap often prioritize expanding their databases of pet-sitters at the expense of quality profiles, and do not facilitate communication between pet owners and pet-sitters after an initial connection. This paper examines the workflows and challenges involved while soliciting and providing temporary pet care in Indian cities, and the aspects of urban Indian pet-sitters’ services that influence pet owners’ decisions and experiences. Through interviews with pet owners and pet-sitters, critical requirements for an intervention were identified: (1) detailed information about pet-sitters for pet owners; (2) guidance on pets’ behavior for pet-sitters; and (3) regular updates for pet owners during the care period. Based on this, a mobile application prototype is proposed, featuring (1) nuanced profiles of pet-sitters and pets; (2) training and ongoing support for pet-sitters; and (3) streamlined communication between pet owners and pet-sitters before and during the sitting engagement. User feedback during a pilot think-aloud study indicated that the platform’s detailed profiles and support for communication can improve the temporary pet care experience for both pet owners and pet-sitters. These insights can inform future digital product designs for temporary pet care in India and beyond.