Policies
53Boarding, Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Policy
Boarding:
All dogs must be well socialized and get along well with other dogs and resident cats. During your meet and greet, we will determine if your dog is suitable to board with us. In the event we find your dog will not do well in a boarding environment, we will offer to come to your home for daily visits.
You must provide the following items when bringing you pet to board:
- Food in a labeled container with full feeding instructions
- Treats if on a special diet otherwise we always have goodies on hand to share 😊
- Crate- we do offer crates however your pet may be partial to their own and will provide better comfort if this is the case.
We provide stainless steel feeding bowls along with blankets, towels and toys. Unless your dog has a special sleeping arrangement such as an orthopedic bed, we recommend leaving these items at home. The Walking Dog will not be held liable for lost items such as toys and blankets. We will make sure that your pup is comfy, dry and clean!
Playtime will be in an open fenced in area with other dogs that may be boarding. In the event your dog causes injury to another dog while in our care, The Walking Dog will not be liable for such injuries or medical fees caused by such. We will take all measures to prevent such an event from occurring but please understand that although dogs are domesticated, they still may possess instinctive behaviors to protect themselves if they feel threatened.
Feeding of your pet will always be done separately from other dogs to avoid any possible food and or resource guarding.
Dogs must be housebroken. Crates may be used for cases where your pet is not properly house trained.
It’s a Dog’s Life! And stuff happens, especially on adventure walks. If your pet is boarding with us and happens to get a bit too dirty for being allowed back in the Sitters house, we may have to bath him or her for an additional $25 charge.
Dog Walking:
A dog walking visit, we come to your home and take your pooch for a walk around the neighborhood, yard or whatever designated area you have. We do refrain from walking our friends on roads with heavy traffic due to the increased risk of injury with cars. Each visit is no less than 20 minutes. We will refresh for pups water and give some treats if that is authorized by you. Please note that the length of outside time may vary due to extreme weather conditions. In the event this occurs, we will make sure your pup gets playtime indoors.
The Walking Dog does not use retractable leashes for dog walking services. Please provide a sturdy nylon, leather or fabric leash along with a supply of waste bags. Waste bags will be disposed of in your designated garbage container.
Pet / House Sitting:
A daily pet sitting / drop in visit includes feeding, walking and of course playtime. Each visit is no less than 20 minutes in length. We will also include mail intake, rotation of lights and watering of plants and flowers.
An overnight visit is when a sitter stays with your pet through the night and includes the last pet sitting visit of the night and first pet sitting visit of the next morning. We will also include intake of mail, watering of plants and flowers and rotation of lights so your house has that “lived in look” while you are gone. We provide trash removal as well. Our sitters will clean up after their stay too. All dishes used will be cleaned and put away and sweeping or vaccuming of the main area of your home will be done. For more extensive cleaning, a request must be made in advance and will incur a separate fee.
Litter Boxes:
Please place your cats litter box in an area where the cat is not restricted to access. The box should be outside of a closet and if in a room that has a door, a doorstopper must be used to keep the door from closing. It is our policy to not flush litter even if the litter states it is flushable. Dirty litter and contents are removed from the box and place in a can that you designate.
Please be considerate of your sitter and let us start our job finding a clean litter box filled with fresh litter. We will adore you forever. Daily litter scooping is included at no extra charge.
Vaccinations and Flea/Tick Prevention Policy:
Current Rabies, Distemper and Bordetella vaccinations as well as a negative stool sample is required. Dogs must be treated with a veterinary recommended flea and tick preventative. Please provide a copy of your pets’ vaccination history for us to keep on file. If your dog will require medication while in our care, please make sure you bring an ample supply of what is needed along with full instructions from your Veterinarian.
Meet and Greet:
This is a free visit done before any services start. It is for everyone to get acquainted, for you to show us your pet’s routine, etc. and for us to answer any questions you have and to discuss the details of our services.
The meet and greet typically lasts around 30 minutes.
Meet and greet visits are done within one (1) week of the start of service. This is so the information is fresh in the sitter’s mind, and the pets have an easier time remembering their sitter.
We require two (2) sets of keys at the time of the meet and greet. (see Keys section for more details.)
If we must return for another visit for additional instructions, there will be a charge based on time.
Key Policy:
The Walking Dog requires you, the homeowner to have a “key safe” kept at your home even if you have an alarm system that we will be entering the home by. If you do not wish to purchase one on your own, you may purchase one from The Walking Dog. We also require an additional key to be kept at our office as a backup. We are not responsible to store your key if a period of 1 year or more lapses from your first initial service. All keys will be properly disposed of.
Email & In App Communication with Our Team of Sitters
Our sitters check in when they arrive to your home with our Walking Dog App and you are notified by email. When the sitter is finished caring for your pet, you will receive a check out notification via email. You can click the link and see a picture of your pet and an update. We are happy to provide an email update with a picture and note about the sit so you know your favorite furry friend is being cared for. If you are traveling to an area where service isn’t available, please inform the sitter and office staff. If for any reason you are not able to contact your sitter, please email the office at support@thewalkingdog.com.
We have a backup for all team members – both cat sitters and dog walkers – and there is always a “buddy sitter” available in the event your sitter becomes ill or has a family emergency. We also recognize that sitters and pets bond, so every attempt is made for you the client to work with the same sitter on an ongoing basis. Please note, our sitters also take vacations with their families and request time off for other reasons. If your favorite sitter isn’t available, one of our managers will step in and cover the sit. Each team member is trained in all aspects of pet care and will deliver the same quality service you are accustomed to receiving from The Walking Dog.
Veterinary Care Policy:
The Walking Dog requires you to provide your Veterinarian’s contact information. In the event of a medical emergency where you cannot be contacted, you authorize The Walking Dog to provide transportation, for an additional fee, via our veterinary ambulance service *VetMedics to your Veterinarian’s office or the nearest veterinary emergency facility furthermore authorizing veterinary medical care. The Walking Dog will not be held financially responsible for veterinary care. We urge you to contact your Veterinarian and let them know you will be traveling and hiring The Walking Dog to care for your pet while you are away.
Inclement Weather Policy:
In the event the weather becomes inclement whether it be extreme heat, cold, snow, etc., The Walking Dog reserves the right to shorten outdoor play and walk time to ensure the safety of your pet. We will give your pet enough time to eliminate outdoors but then make sure they get time to have some playtime indoors.
Video and Photo Consent Policy:
While your pet is in our care, we may take pictures and or video to be used for advertising, publicity and promotion via our website and social media sites. If you wish to NOT have photos and or video taken of your pet while in our care, you must inform The Walking Dog in advance.
Hours of Operation:
Office hours are 8am-5pm Monday-Friday and 8am-1pm Saturday. The office is closed on Sunday. All calls received outside of normal business hours for pet sitting and dog walking services will be returned on the following business day.
Hours for pet sitting visits are between 7:30 am-8pm.*
Hours for dog walking and drop in visits are between 10am-4pm*
**Visits requested outside of normal business hours may be made but will incur an additional fee
Pick up and drop off hours for your pet at The Walking Dog are:
Monday-Friday 8am-10am and 3pm-5pm
Saturday and Sunday 8am-10am
* All pets must be picked up at or before 10am or you will incur boarding charges for that day.
Payment & Cancellations Policy
Payment:
Please note a valid credit card is required on file to book The Walking Dog services. Payment may also be made in the form of cash or check. Please note all returned checks will incur a $35 fee.
Cancellations:
Cancellations for all services must be made within 48 hours. No exceptions. Cancellations made after 48 hours will incur a $50 cancellation fee. We book our staff accordingly and having enough advance notice allows us to serve other pets.
Special offers and promotions:
Special offers and promotions are valid for up to 1 year after purchase and are subject to availability. The offer can be used in whole or in part throughout the 1 year period. There is a minimum required stay of 2 days.
You have up to 14 days from the date of purchase to receive a 100% refund. Any cancellation requests after that date will not be refunded.
Please have your scheduled dates in mind when purchasing the offer. We do book up quickly during the summer and holidays. We cannot guarantee availability for the dates requested.
After booking your reservation on the Do Timely App you will get a confirmation email and or call back from us to verify the booking.
Once reservations have been confirmed you will have up to 48 hours before the reservation date to cancel and reschedule for another time. Late cancellations will require an additional $50 charge for rebooking.
Boarding:
A 50% deposit is required when you arrive with your pet. The remaining balance is due upon pick up of your pet.
Dog Walking:
Payment is due on the last day of the week when services end. We encourage you to purchase a dog walking membership package. This will facilitate payment and keep track of dog walking sessions for the entire month. Please note dog walking sessions are not carried over from month to month. Packages will be charges on the 1st of the month.
Pet / House Sitting:
A 50% Payment is required to book in advance. Full payment is due on the day service ends.
Memberships:
Full payment is due when your subscription is purchased. The Walking Dog does not refund any monies if services are not used within the subscription time frame.
Dog Walking Packages:
Packages are paid in full at time of purchase. All packages expire 30 days after purchase. Unused walks may not be transferred over to the following month.
Tipping Sitters:
Our staff really appreciate receiving a tip for a job well done. You can add a tip onto your invoice or leave a tip in your home with the Sitter’s name on it. Sitters are given 100% of the tips they earn.
