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Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
How does this service work?
How many
visits a day does my pet need?
How
will I be charged for services & when do I pay?
What
specific services do you offer? Will
my pets and I meet the pet sitter before service starts? What
happens when I get back from my trip? Will
people I don't know come to my home? What
if the pet sitter is not available during the time I will be away? What
if the pet sitter has a personal emergency during the time I am away? Is
tipping a pet sitter customary?
Our client, Maggie
How does this service work? [back to top]
Your
personal pet sitter arrives at your home for each 20-30 minute visit
(depending on service purchased).
During this time, your pets are played with, cuddled, loved and talked
to. Dogs can be walked upon request and all
standard pet care is administered: Feeding, watering, litter scooping
for cats and clean up of cages or accidental messes in the house.
Runs are also scooped. We
also offer overnight service (limited). A pet sitter stays overnight in your
home from approximately 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. or from 7:00 pm - 7:00 am and provides the same services as
during a normal pet sitting visit. If an additional visit is
required later in the day, it can be provided at a discount. Sorry,
no overnight service can be guaranteed during busy holiday periods. Home
care is included with all pet sitting fees. This means that your mail and newspapers
and any package deliveries left at the door will be brought in. In
addition, indoor and outdoor plants can be watered and your trash taken
out on pick-up day and cans brought back in. We are happy to set
your security alarm.
How
many visits a day does my pet need? [back to top]
How
many visits a day your pet(s) require will be determined according to
the type of pet(s), how they are confined and if there is availability
of doggie-doors (pet doors). Special needs, such as medications or special
treatments and the time schedule for these are also taken into
consideration. Some homes require one visit
per day, others two or three. We
offer discounts to pet owners that own only one dog and 20 minute visits
for households with 1-2 cats only. These details will be discussed with you during
your initial consultation to decide whether one, two, three or more
visits are needed on a daily basis.
How will I be charged for services & when do I pay? [back to top]
Services
are charged according to the type of service and our fee schedule. Please click
here to view our current rates. All services include pet
and home care. You save money by having more than one pet, up to
four, covered
in the fee (caged birds and aquariums are
considered one pet each). There is a nominal surcharge for each
pet over four to cover the additional time required. Payment
is due at the time of the first visit for the entire pet-sit assignment.
You will leave your payment by check or cash in your home at the time you
leave, or pay online before service begins with Paypal.
What specific services do you offer? [back to top] VIPet
Sitter Service™ specializes in caring for your pets in your own home during weekend
get-aways,
vacations anytime of the week or year and holiday travel. We also
look after your pets during times of owner illness or injury where
routine care for your pet might be disrupted or impossible to give until
your recovery. We offer:
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Personalized pet sitting in your home
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Overnight stay service in your home (limited availability)
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Midday dog walking and puppy potty breaks
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Administer medications, including injections and IV
subcutaneous hydrations
(Note: your cat must not hide or be overly shy of people for this
service)
Will my pets and I meet the pet sitter before service starts? [back to top] Yes!
In fact, this is a requirement before pet sitting services can
begin. All new clients will be scheduled for a free initial
consultation and interview. During this time, the service owner,
Cindy Correa, will
meet with you and have an opportunity to interact with the pets and
be able to go over all contracts, policies and guidelines. Home
care and pet care details, including how many visits a day, will be
discussed and your pet sits are scheduled accordingly. If
associate pet sitters working for VIPet Sitter Service will be caring
for your pets, a short "meet and greet" can be scheduled on
request.
All associate pet sitters are background checked through ADP Screening and
Selection Services. Each individual has gone through a
25-visit orientation period with the owner (and senior pet sitters) on
all aspects of home and pet care. This is done by having pet sitters
accompany the senior pet sitters on assignments until they are ready to
perform duties according to VIPet standards. On-site
orientation is ongoing for
all homes where special circumstances, instructions, or more complex
procedures exist. The
consultation and initial paperwork will only need to be done once.
After that, simply call or use the web site to order pet sit services in the future!
What happens when I get back from my trip? [back to top]
If
you have been out of town on a trip, you are required to call upon your
return to let the pet sitter know that you are taking over the care of
your pets. If
the pet sitter does not hear from the owner or other designated
responsible party, pet sitting services will continue as previously
scheduled and will be charged at the applicable current rates. By
the same token, if you are stranded due to airport delays, poor weather
or other reason that delays your expected return home, you can rest easy
knowing that your pets will not be abandoned and care will not be
suspended. Make every attempt to contact the pet sitter by
telephone or email immediately if a problem arises to update the status
of your situation.
Will people I don't know come to my home? [back to top]
Absolutely
not! We take the security, safety and privacy of your home very
seriously. Currently, there are two owner-operators that personally
supervise or perform services for the care of your pets and home.
Our associate pet sitters are provided with a complete instruction file
and are in direct contact with the owner during assignments. In some
cases, the owner personally orients or trains associate pet sitters at homes where
special needs or instructions exist. Any situation where
coverage is needed and another party will take over care will never be
initiated without your knowledge and prior approval. VIPet
Sitter Service™ carries commercial liability insurance and is bonded for
your added protection and peace of mind.
What if the pet sitter is not available during the time I will be away?
[back to top] Pet
sitters take vacations too! At times, pet sitters will also be
out-of-town or unavailable during the time you need service.
The staff pet sitters normally cover each other and stagger time off
whenever possible. However, for rare times when a sitter is not
available, you will be referred to one our trusted pet sitting service colleagues
who are also members of the
organization Pet Sitters International that will deliver a similar
standard of care. If
you are an established client of VIPet Sitter Service™, you will receive
a notification by mail in the form of a newsletter or postcard at
least two or more weeks in advance of a planned vacation. This will give
ample time to contact us and allow us to arrange for alternate pet care,
which includes coverage by our own staff sitters when available.
What
if the pet sitter has a personal emergency during the time
I am away? [back to top]
While
this situation is unlikely, it is possible that a pet sitter can
experience a personal emergency. Our own pet sitters are prepared
to cover each other as needed in case of emergencies. However,
if another professional pet sitting service needs to be involved, you will be contacted as soon as
possible to be advised of the situation.
Is Tipping a pet sitter
customary? [back to top]
Gratuities
are customary, and are a nice show of appreciation in this most unique
service. Each
pet sitter is given their full gratuity. Every pet sitter at VIPet Sitter Service considers
exceptional pet and home care to always be
part of our job.
Thanks
for visiting and we look
forward to hearing from you soon!
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