Questions & Answers |
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Click on any question...  |
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Are you a cat person or a dog person? |
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Can my pet stay outside while I'm gone? Do you expect me to call you when I return? Can I have a friend or neighbor help with jobs? Can I volunteer to help out with your service? Are you qualified for birds and exotics? Do you do aggressive pets? Is there any pet or breed you would not care for? What if my animal bites? Have you ever been bitten? What happens when it snows? What if my property is vandalized when I'm gone? Do you employ others? Do you advertise? Do you recommend kennels? What type of food do you recommend? What happens if you can't get in? Are you comfortable using alarm systems? I'm at 'airport security' without my passport, can you help me? What if I'm at work and realize that I left my purse or the stove on? If I'm dissatisfied for any reason, what should I do? I have a new puppy can you help in potty training? I have a rescue dog in training can you fill in if I need to leave? Why do you use pinch collars? Do you take pets in? My dog has never been alone, how do you handle this? What emergency resources do you have? What happens in an emergency situation? How do you handle payment for an emergency situation? Is pet sitting lucrative? How can you be friends with your competition? |
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We are "Animal" people! We love all animals and have experience in caring for animals of all types... hence the motto "Large or small... We care for All" |
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We do this FULL TIME as
our profession... not as a hobby
or for extra cash. |
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Our experience includes
personally having many animals, domestic & exotic, share our home over the years, involved in foster & rescue
work (including puppy mill & wildlife rescues), veterinary experience,
first aid & first responder trained.
We are also supporters of the local rescue groups and humane societies. |
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Yes, we do... We adhere to the highest level of Industry standards. We have also added additional standards that we felt were important to our business. |
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References are available upon request... We do have testimonials posted on our website and in our brochure. |
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We care for all types of animals... domestic & exotic. |
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Yes, quite a few... everything from minor meds to injections as well as administering 'fluids'. We have clients with pets that are diabetic, heart issues, grand mal seizures, Cancer, paraplegic & MS... to name just a few. |
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Our client base is diverse... it includes workaholics,
vacationers, convalescents, etc. |
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An interview is your opportunity to ask me questions, whereas,
the New Client consultation is where I gather the information needed for me to care for the needs of your pet and property. |
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All questions can be answered through my website, brochures and over
the phone.
My time is valuable as is everyone else's therefore if you feel the need to have a personal interview there is a fee due at the time of the interview. This fee is refunded on the first invoice if my services are secured. |
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It is strongly recommended to have a
New Client consultation but recognize that occasionally it may not be
possible... then other arrangements
are made. |
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No, we have no problem if
a client only needs us for a one time visit. Many of our clients use
our service for a midday play, an evening visit
if they are working late or wish to dine out before coming home or for
a number of other reasons. We will come as often as you feel your pet needs
us... it varies from situation to situation, typically clients request
one to two visits a day for cats and two to three visits a day for dogs.
Once again this is based on your pet's needs and pricing is on a 'Per
Visit' basis ! |
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None, really... advance notice is nice but is not always
an option. |
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Our service covers the needs of the pets and property
(food & water,
snackies, meds, brushing, playtime/exercise, maintain litter box/cage,
TLC, mail & papers, plants & gardens, bird feeders, lighting & drapes
adjusted and ensuring the property is secure). |
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It's not necessary, as it is part of the service we provide. |
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Not at all, we've helped maintain water treatments & minor
cleaning functions for hot tubs & pools. |
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Of course, that's part of maintaining the property while you're away. |
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Not typically, if you require us to be onsite while
they're there... that
would need to be scheduled
and there is a fee for that. If you trust them, we can be there
to let them in and return later to make sure all is secure. |
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Most deliveries are usually left on the doorstep...these are brought in. Items that need to be signed for can be picked up for the client with no problem. Special freight items, if manageable; can be picked up or we can notify the shipping company for a good time to redeliver or ask them to hold the item until the client returns. |
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Sure, not a problem... our service is available to
pet owners and non pet owners alike.
Properties need looking after, too! |
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No... not at this time. |
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Walking your dog is included in the visit if its part of your pet's routine.
If we're hired to walk your dog specifically it is considered a visit so
therefore included. |
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Transporting the pet for such appointments is available for a fee. |
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No, we have chosen not to increase the client's cost factors during these periods... However because we are extremely busy during these 'peak' times, our standard 30 minute visit is usually shortened to 20 minutes in order to be able to service all of our clients needs. |
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Be sure to call the pet sitter so we don't show up at an inopportune time. :-) |
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We realize that life
is unpredictable at work and at home... therefore,
we do not penalize our clients for circumstances beyond their control. A cancellation fee applies only to the major holidays if under 72 hours. |
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There are no hidden charges and any additional charged items are covered in our brochure and on this website. |
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Payment is due at the time
services are rendered either with cash or check... |
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Tipping is not mandatory or expected but if you appreciate a job well
done and choose to do so then it's a nice surprise and is greatly appreciated. |
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Give us a call and we continue visits until you can return. |
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That is entirely up to you... there is a great advantage to us keeping a
copy on hand. We have a client base of almost 300 & about 90% have me keep a key since life can be so unpredictable. All keys are safety coded & kept in a safe when not in use. There is no way to identify a key to a clients property should one be lost or stolen. |
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If we have a key, just give us a call and we'll be there. If we do not
have a key you will need to leave us one in a discreet location... we prefer
the first option. |
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Not really recommended unless the pet is used to
being left outdoors, has access to water & shelter and has a secured area or yard. |
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The service we provide you as our client gives you peace of mind
knowing that your pet and property is well taken care of. Likewise, we
do appreciate a call from you when you return as it gives us peace of mind knowing you have returned safely and that your pet is back in your loving care. |
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We 'strongly' discourage this practice due to past experience... it is
more likely than not, to have to deal with 'problems' that arise from a
third party not performing the tasks requested of them. Often a 'lack of
communication' from the third party inhibits our being able to monitor
the pets properly. Without 'communication' as to the pet's condition or
what took place during a visit, possible 'problems' may go unnoticed.
If you choose to involve a third party, we have developed a procedure that should help eliminate third party issues. |
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Given the nature of our business we do not offer
a volunteer program. If you are interested in volunteering, contact local rescue groups and humane societies... they have volunteer programs. Or check with a local veterinarian, some of them offer a mentor program. |
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Yes, of course. We have owned or cared for birds from canaries & parakeets to parrots & macaws, a wide range of reptiles and critters such as sugar gliders and chinchillas. |
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Depending on the type & level of aggression; this is determined on a pet by pet basis. |
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No, we do not single out any specific breed... The only time we would refuse a pet/breed, is in a matter of severe aggression or if they have been specifically trained for aggressive behaviors or for fighting. |
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• If your pet
has been known to bite, we would need to determine the nature of the
behavior that precipitates the biting. This is done on a pet by pet
basis. • Disciplinary biter: (Teeth
against the skin or a snapping bite that could break the skin) - The
most common of bites, usually from over excitement or the pet's way
of expressing their displeasure (Remember, pet's can't 'talk' about
what's bothering them). • Fear biter: (Mild to severe
injury possible) - This kind of bite is a reaction to something that
causes the pet to be fearful or overly stressed. |
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Yes. I sustained severe injuries from a ‘fear biting' 8 pound cat and a mild injury from a 'food aggressive' 160 pound dog. All professions
have their 'hazards'... a Carpenter can be
injured by his tools, a Steel Worker could suffer from a fall, Firemen
could get burned, Policemen could get shot... Animal Professionals could
get bit! Professionals know the nature of their business and the associated risks. |
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Weather conditions have never interfered with our servicing our clients
and we are routinely out before the plows. |
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We will contact you and the local authorities concerning the incident.
We will ensure that your pet(s) are safe and take additional measures as required to ensure their safety. We will make sure that your property is secure when we leave and if possible, correct any damage done to your property or make arrangements in your behalf to secure third party repairs or services. |
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Not at this time... Providing our Clients a dependable service with the quality and scope that we expect from ourselves is not easily found in someone who does not fully rely on this industry for their living. We enjoy knowing our customers on a more 'personal' level and feel that this allows us to provide a higher quality of service tailored to their needs. If it ever becomes necessary to employ others there would be extensive screening to protect the interests of our clients and ourselves. |
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Yes. We use a variety of methods to advertise our service however most
of our business comes from word of mouth referrals from satisfied clients,
veterinarians, fellow pet professionals and others. |
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Yes. We have referred many clients to kennels when
their needs are best satisfied with this format. We also receive clients
that have been referred to us by kennels as well... some may prefer to board their dog(s) while having us care for their cats (or other pets) and their homes while they are away. |
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Good question! After doing extensive research into
the 'Pet Food' industry,
we highly recommend the 'Premium Foods' and Products of 'HEALTHY PET NET' |
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We 'always' get in... "Have crowbar, will travel" (heh, heh, heh...). Just kidding... Actually, we have a very comprehensive approach to ensuring
that we can access our |
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Yes. We are familiar with most alarm systems and have many years of experience
working with, building and installing alarms and alarm systems for Residential, Commercial and Industrial applications. |
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Yes. If you are at our local airport,
we can get your passport from your home and
bring it to you, otherwise we can FedEx it to your location or arrange for a courier to bring it to you. |
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You wouldn't be the first and certainly not the last
to call us with this concern! |
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LET US KNOW! |
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Of course we can! We have helped many of our clients
in the training of their 'K9kids'. We can schedule as many visits as you would like during a day in order to keep your puppy's training reinforced and consistent. |
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Yes. We have worked with 'emergency rescue' dogs on their 'commands'
response to help keep their training on track if their handler or partner needs to be away for any reason. |
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Because they WORK! They may look 'mean' but they do not cause any harm or physical damage to the pet that can result from using a standard 'choke chain'! The pinch collar acts just like 'grandma's cheek pinch' when you were misbehaving... it got your attention! They are actually very humane and allow for better control of the pet and reduced effort from the handler. (Note: Just make sure that all 'prongs are blunt edged!) |
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We do not offer on site boarding... all of our clients
kids stay in their own environment. |
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We find that in a lot of instances, leaving the TV
or radio on gives the pet a sense of comfort in thinking that someone
is still at home. Many of our clients pets particularly seem to enjoy
Animal Planet and yes... Sesame
Street too! |
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We have a comprehensive mix of resources that we can
draw on in Primary Veterinarians, 'On-Call' Veterinarians, Emergency Hospitals, etc. |
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That depends on the nature of the emergency...
Our first aid and first response training allows us to deal with most situations immediately. If it is life threatening: We get to the primary Vet or if they are unavailable to the nearest emergency clinic first then contact the client. If non-life threatening: We contact the client and the primary vet and take the course of action deemed to be appropriate for the situation. Many situations can be dealt with first hand through phone consultation with your vet. |
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It is best for you to make prior arrangements
with your vet should the situation arise. Another effective method is putting contact and payment information in a sealed envelope labeled 'For emergency only'. This can be left on the counter or refrigerator and available if needed. The sealed envelope will be where you left it upon your return unless there was a problem. |
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That depends on your definition of lucrative... If lucrative to you is easy money and little work, then NO! If lucrative to you is working 7 days
a week 365 days
a year and |
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The professional pet sitters have always recognized
the benefit of networking with fellow professional pet sitters, there by; we have gotten to know each other fairly well and do not see the need for aggressive business practices. On many occasions we offer suggestions or help one another out when the need arises. |
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First time clients pay at the consultation and for
subsequent