Frequently Asked Questions

• How does "in-home pet sitting" work?
• Do you keep pets in your home?
• Will we meet our actual pet sitter?
• What do you charge?
• How long does a typical visit last?
• Do you work on weekends and holidays? Is there an extra fee?
• How much notice do you need for scheduling?
• Do you offer overnight stay service visits?
• My dog has never spent a single night alone! Will he be okay without someone staying overnight?
• My pet needs insulin shots twice a day. Do you do that?
• My dog gets very stressed when we board her and usually has lots of accidents (sometimes the kennel even has to throw her bedding away). Will my house be a disaster when we get back?
• I've never handed my keys over to a total stranger. How can I be sure your employees are honest?
• Will you come out ahead of time to meet us?
• Do I have to get a key to you each time we need your services?
• If I include a tip / gratuity in my check, will it go directly to my sitter?
• What is your cancellation policy?
• Do you walk other clients' dogs together with my dogs?
• We aren't sure if we are going to travel over the holidays. Can you "pencil us in" just in case?
• Will you water my plants?
• Will you check my pool gauges, empty skimmer baskets, etc.?
• Will inclement weather prevent you from taking care of my pets?
• Will you be able to get into my house if it is snowed-in and un-shoveled? Do you charge extra for this?
• Will you check in on senior citizens during your pet care visit?
• What cities do you provide your services in?
• Are you open on holidays? What days do you consider company holidays?
• Is your service guaranteed?
• Why can’t I just leave my dog’s poop on the ground? Isn’t it good fertilizer?
• Can you clean with my dog in the yard?
• What if my gate is locked?
• I’m concerned that, after cleaning my yard, you won’t close the gate properly and my dog will escape.
• What do you do with my pet’s waste?
• Can I pay a lower price since I have a small dog?
• What is your snow policy regarding dog waste removal?
• What if we’re going on vacation and I need to suspend my service or skip a day?
• I’m having a party and I want to have my yard cleaned up right before the party. Can I add another service day this week or have my regular service day changed for just this week?
• What happens if your staff members go on vacation or cannot physically perform any services due to an illness or injury?

• How does "in-home pet sitting" work?

We come to your home to care for your pets on a per visit basis and can customize our services to suit your needs. We charge per visit so the frequency of visits are up to you.

 

We do all the obvious things such as feeding your pet and providing fresh water, dog walking and/or potty breaks and exercise (and playtime), cleaning kitty litter boxes, entertaining with toys, belly rubs and ear scratches and lots of baby talk!

 

We can administer oral medication as needed and we clean up any accidents that we may find. There may be an additional charge for excessive accidents or difficult to administer medication.

 

We will also bring in your newspaper and mail, alternate lights, put the main trash can out for pick-up, etc.

 

The initial consultation is FREE!

 

• Do you keep pets in your home?

No, we do not keep any pets in our home (other than our own). We would be happy to refer you to others who do in-home boarding or we can recommend quality boarding facilities in the area. Just ask!

 

• Will we meet our actual pet sitter?

Yes! You will meet your actual sitter at the initial consultation or prior to the start date. You may meet more than one sitter at this time so that more than one sitter will be familiar with your needs and become acquainted with you and your pets.

 

• What do you charge?

Our rates vary, depending on the circumstances: the time involved, the type of care required, and the distance the sitter will be traveling. We may charge a little more for a large number of pets just because there is more care involved and it will require additional time. We always try to be as fair as possible when calculating your rate. We can give you an estimate before the initial consultation and will confirm the rate after the consultation.

 

Additional fees may apply for weekends, holidays, emergency scheduling, etc. We understand that you may need to call late at night or early in the morning in the event of an emergency. While most people graciously include gratuity for such circumstances, we hope you will understand it may be necessary to charge an additional fee for our extra effort. We DO NOT charge an additional fee for inclement weather. We will be there to take care of your pets through any amount of rain, sleet, or snow!

 

Rates are subject to change at any time. For customers who acquire new pets after the initial consultation, we are happy to come by and meet your new pet! Please understand that a standard visit charge may apply to any visits that are after the initial complimentary "meet and greet". This applies to key pick-ups, new pets, "get reacquainted" visits, etc. Thanks for your understanding.

 

Payment is expected on or before the first scheduled visit unless otherwise specified.

 

• How long does a typical visit last?

A standard visit lasts approximately 30 minutes. When we have light schedules, we may stay longer. Sometimes, we can stay for an entire hour if we have the time, but, we can only promise up to 30 minutes. Please understand that emergency / unscheduled visits may be of shorter duration as we sometimes have to work the visit into our already booked schedule. We also offer service visit options that last longer than 30 minutes for an additional charge.

 

• Do you work on weekends and holidays? Is there an extra fee?

Yes, we work 7 days a week and every holiday! Weekends are subject to an additional charge of $5 per service visit. Holidays are subject to an additional charge of $10 per service visit.

 

• How much notice do you need for scheduling?

We like to have as much notice as possible but we try to accommodate short notice scheduling (less than a week) whenever we can. We realize that sometimes our clients are unable to avoid short notice scheduling, emergencies, travel for work, etc. so we try to do our best to accommodate those needs.

 

Just remember that the sooner you schedule, the better the odds of securing the time you need. Because once we are booked, we don't have much leeway.

 

Please understand that "emergency / unscheduled visits" require extra effort on our part and may be subject to an additional fee of $10 per service visit. Please be aware that the visit time may be shorter if we are having to work the visit into our already busy schedules. Rest assured, we will do everything we can to be there when needed in an emergency.

 

We greatly appreciate the extra fee being included in your payment for short notice scheduling.

 

NOTE: An "Emergency / Unscheduled Visit" is considered as such with less than 24 hours notice.

 

• Do you offer overnight stay service visits?

Yes. We offer "Partial Overnight Sitting & Care" service where we will come to your home for a 2-3 hour evening visit and then a 30 minute visit the following day.

 

• My dog has never spent a single night alone! Will he be okay without someone staying overnight?

We have found over the years that MOST all pets do PERFECTLY fine being left at home, without someone staying overnight. It is actually a VERY rare pet that needs someone to stay overnight. Elderly or ill pets who need to go outside in the middle of the night may need an overnight caretaker but pets without special needs should do absolutely fine on a per visit basis. The most important thing is an established routine. When your pet realizes the sitter is coming when expected and all their needs are being met, they relax and are content. They then associate the special "sleeping buddy" partnership with their owners.

 

Pets who become destructive due to severe separation anxiety from their owners should be evaluated by a veterinarian to see if this issue can be alleviated by medication or training. Pets with this type of disorder are actually very rare. Content pets are always the happiest pets and, in many cases, separation anxiety can be effectively treated.

 

• My pet needs insulin shots twice a day. Do you do that?

We decide whether or not we will administer any type of shots on a case-by-case basis. Contact us to discuss it further.

 

• My dog gets very stressed when we board her and usually has lots of accidents (sometimes the kennel even has to throw her bedding away). Will my house be a disaster when we get back?

Most pets will generally do much BETTER being left at home (as compared to a kennel) where all the sights, smells, and sounds are familiar.

 

Many pets do not do well in a kennel type of environment because they are confused and do not know where they are and they worry they have been abandoned by their owner. Additionally, the sounds of all the other animals can be stressful to them and can cause behavioral changes that otherwise would not occur (such as soiling, not eating, etc.).

 

There are many reasons why pets have accidents (including medical reasons), but, most pets who do not normally have accidents at home will not start having them while you are away. This is very rare.

 

Should your pet have an occasional accident while in our care, no worries, we will take care of that. We will make every effort to have your home looking just as it did when you left.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Excessive soiling due to medical issues or improper training may be subject to additional clean-up fees. We greatly appreciate any gratuity you may include for pets who are prone to accidents or for excessive clean-up. Puppies generally require more care and clean up so there may be an extra charge for puppies.

 

• I've never handed my keys over to a total stranger. How can I be sure your employees are honest?

We hope that once you meet us, you will see that we are honest, dependable, and trustworthy people. Because we realize that this isn't always enough for some people, we are bonded and insured to give you peace of mind. We are confident in our services and our sitters and know you will be also.

 

Please be sure to see our testimonials!

 

• Will you come out ahead of time to meet us?

Of course! We will provide an initial consultation, free of charge, so that you may get to know us and so that we can meet you and your pets and learn their routine. Pets also like to be "introduced" to new people in their home by their owners. This way, they know we are "okay".

 

We will get general information at this time including veterinary information, emergency contacts, feeding instructions, medication instructions (if required), etc. We will also need a key at this time. If applicable, we will also need a security/parking pass and alarm code information.

 

The initial consultation takes approximately 30 minutes. Please have all information handy so that we are able to complete the initial consultation within a half hour so that we can stay on schedule for the pets in our care.

 

• Do I have to get a key to you each time we need your services?

No. We prefer to keep a key on file so that the exchange of keys is not necessary, particularly in an emergency. We also do not like for keys to be left outside because of the obvious risk. If you prefer to leave a key for us, we will work with you.

 

We will pick up and return your key free of charge for the FIRST scheduled visit(s). After that, there will be a standard visit charge to pick up and/or drop off a key for any reason (including locks being changed, a move, etc.).

 

For your convenience, you can drop your key off at our address to avoid this fee.

 

• If I include a tip / gratuity in my check, will it go directly to my sitter?

Of course! Your sitter will get any tip / gratuity that you are kind enough to include. If more than one sitter cares for your pets during the period, the tip / gratuity will be split equally and fairly. Please know how very much we appreciate any extra that is included, no matter how large or small the amount.

 

• What is your cancellation policy?

Unlike most professional pet sitters, we do not have an official "cancellation policy". We have found that most clients who cancel at the last minute are understanding of how this affects us and compensate us accordingly. We work by appointment and this is how we make our living and once the appointment is filled, we can't fill it with another when cancelled at the last minute.

 

We are most appreciative and grateful when the monetary loss for us due to cancellation is taken into consideration by our clients. We trust that our clients will be fair in these situations just as we want to be fair and understanding when our clients occasionally have to cancel on short notice.

 

Although, if cancellations occur often, we may have to charge a fee. Thank you for your understanding.

 

NOTE: The only time you will be charged for a service visit that you have attempted to cancel is if we are already at your residence when you attempt to cancel the service visit.

 

• Do you walk other clients' dogs together with my dogs?

No. We do NOT walk other clients' dogs together with your dogs. Every dog walking & pet sitting service visit is 100% private.

 

• We aren't sure if we are going to travel over the holidays. Can you "pencil us in" just in case?

Holidays are our busiest time and we often have a "wait list" of people wanting to book us for the holidays. Therefore, we do not schedule anyone for holiday periods unless the dates are confirmed. We do not schedule clients who say "we are going away for Thanksgiving so put us down".  We need actual dates and the number of visits per day in order to schedule your services.

 

Even though we do not have a policy regarding holiday cancellations, we greatly appreciate our clients who realize how much a cancelled holiday booking affects us.

 

If cancellations happen often, a cancellation policy and fee charge may be applied.

 

• Will you water my plants?

Yes, certainly. All we ask is that you let us know up front which plants will need to be watered so that we can allow enough time for pet care and plant watering. Because summer is our busiest time, we need to arrange for the extra time it will take for watering in order for us to stay on schedule.

 

We do not mind watering a couple of plants as part of the normal visit but more than a couple of indoor plants (or any outdoor watering) may be subject to an extra charge. Please be very specific about which plants will or will not need to be watered (as none of us are "plant people" by nature so you have to help us out).

 

• Will you check my pool gauges, empty skimmer baskets, etc.?

We are not pool professionals but we will do our best to accommodate your needs. We do not accept any responsibility for any duties requested of us outside of our normal services.

 

Please be aware that there may be an additional charge for pool requests (or any other requests outside of our regular services) as this is not included in the standard rate. We also ask that you provide adequate tools for removing full skimmer baskets (such as a rod with a hook on the end), a convenient outdoor trash can for depositing the debris, etc.

 

We also ask that you provide detailed instructions regarding any additional request that is not covered during the initial consultation and/or telephone scheduling and we always appreciate any gratuity for requests that are in addition to our regular services.

 

• Will inclement weather prevent you from taking care of my pets?

No. We have 4x4 vehicles with off road tires and we will be there to take care of your pets through any amount of rain, sleet, or snow!

 

• Will you be able to get into my house if it is snowed-in and un-shoveled? Do you charge extra for this?

Yes. We have no problem walking through high amounts of snow and we DO NOT charge extra for this.

 

• Will you check in on senior citizens during your pet care visit?

Yes. We would be happy to check in on them and make sure they are doing well.

 

• What cities do you provide your services in?

Alsip, Bedford Park, Beverly, Blue Island, Bridgeview, Brookfield, Burbank, Burr Ridge, Chicago Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Countryside, Crestwood, Darien, Downers Grove, Evergreen Park, Frankfort, Hickory Hills, Hinsdale, Hodgkins, Homer Glen, Hometown, Indian Head Park, Justice, Lemont, La Grange, La Grange Highlands, La Grange Park, Lockport, Lyons, McCook, Merrionette Park, Midlothian, Mokena, Mount Greenwood, Oak Forest, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Summit, Tinley Park, Western Springs, Westmont, Willow Springs, Willowbrook, Woodridge, Worth.

 

• Are you open on holidays? What days do you consider company holidays?

Yes. We are open on holidays, although, we do charge an extra fee for services rendered on holidays. We consider New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Catholic Easter Sunday, Orthodox Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day After Thanksgiving Day (Black Friday), Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day to be company holidays.

 

• Is your service guaranteed?

Yes. We stand behind our service 100%. Our goal is to have your complete satisfaction. If we fail to do so, call us immediately so we can remedy any concerns.

 

• Why can’t I just leave my dog’s poop on the ground? Isn’t it good fertilizer?

Actually, dog waste is incredibly hazardous. Unlike horse and cow manure, dog (and cat) waste is protein based, which means that it burns/kills vegetation. The bacteria found in dog waste can live for months in the soil, contaminating our water supply and posing a threat to children who play in our yards and parks.

 

• Can you clean with my dog in the yard?

If your dog is friendly, we would love to have his or her company while we work. However, if your dog does not enjoy our company, and we believe our safety is at risk, then we will not be able to clean your yard unless your dog is restrained or confined.

 

• What if my gate is locked?

If your gate is locked, and no arrangements have been made to access your yard, then we will not be able to clean your yard. We will never climb or jump fences, or damage a lock. We understand your desire to keep your property secure. There are a number of options available that will allow you to keep your yard locked, and at the same time allow us access to clean your yard.

 

• I’m concerned that, after cleaning my yard, you won’t close the gate properly and my dog will escape.

We completely understand your concern, and that’s why we take this issue very seriously. We will double check that the gate or door is securely closed every time we use it.

 

• What do you do with my pet’s waste?

We pick up all dog waste, put it in a plastic bag, seal the bag, and dispose of it in your garbage or remove from your property (whichever you prefer).

 

• Can I pay a lower price since I have a small dog?

We charge the same for small dogs as big dogs because even though their piles are smaller, they are harder to find. Since we spend just as much time cleaning up after small dogs as big dogs, we charge the same.

 

• What is your snow policy regarding dog waste removal?

We do work all Winter. Although, if there is a snow fall accumulation of 1″ the day before or on your service day, we will come back the following week. In certain areas, there might be snow drifts caused by wind. If heavy snow occurs, we might be forced to postpone your service until the following week. We will continue to pick up your dog’s waste on top of snow to prevent accumulation.

 

• What if we’re going on vacation and I need to suspend my service or skip a day?

No problem! Just give us a call at least 24 hours in advance so we can skip your yard while you’re away. You will not be charged for the skipped service days, and you can resume your service when you get back.

 

• I’m having a party and I want to have my yard cleaned up right before the party. Can I add another service day this week or have my regular service day changed for just this week?

We will do everything we can to accommodate your request and help you get ready for your party. In order to do this, we need as much advance notice as possible to schedule.

 

• What happens if your staff members go on vacation or cannot physically perform any services due to an illness or injury?

If we ever cannot physically perform any services due to an illness or injury, we are extremely fortunate to have close friends and family that are willing to help us in light of such events. If we ever go on vacation and our close friends and family are not available to help us, we will notify our customers in advance so that they have enough time to make alternate arrangements for the care of their pets.