Yes, there is a free initial interview that is done before you leave your pets. At this interview all of the specific details of pet and house care are recorded on a contract form, and the pet sitter gets to meet you, your pets and your family.

During each visit the pet sitter will take care of the pets as specified in the contract, including exercising, feeding and medicating the pets as needed. Also, on each visit other duties are performed, such as bringing in the mail and newspapers, watering plants, curbing garbage, cleaning litter, alternating lights, opening or closing shades, and anything else the client specifies.

How do I prepare my home and pets for a pet sitting service?

• Preparation can make a big difference in how smoothly things go for your pet when the pet sitter comes to visit. Here are some tips:
• Make sure the pet sitter has a phone number where you can be reached.
• If inside services are requested, provide the pet sitter with a house key in addition to garage door openers.
• If you have new keys made, try them out to make sure they work.
• Clean food and water dishes before leaving town.
• Provide extra food, litter and other supplies just in case you’re not able to return when planned.
• Clean out the refrigerator to avoid smelly food spoilage and wash the dishes in the sink to prevent ants, flies or other pests.
• Adjust the thermostat to keep the house comfortable for the pet during your absence. In warm weather, a closed-up house can get dangerously hot in a short time.
• Leave a list of phone numbers in case the pet sitter needs to contact service or maintenance companies while you are away; i.e., plumber, electrician, cleaning service, yard maintenance, pool service, etc.
• Tell the pet sitter of any household areas that are off-limits to your pets or to the pet sitter. Secure access to those areas before leaving home.

You can help your pet sitter be a better friend to your pet by helping to make sure there are no problems while you are away. Planning and preparation in the following areas will smooth the way:

• Tell the pet sitter about all health problems your pet may have—major or minor.
• Provide written verification that your pet is up to date on its vaccinations.
• Make sure your dog’s collar fits—otherwise he may slip out of a too-large collar while being walked.
• If your dog is not accustomed to walking on a leash, practice with him before you leave.
• Make a list of your pet’s favorite hiding places. This will prevent the pet sitter from worrying if your pet is not where expected—the sitter will know where to look.
• Provide your own preferred method of flea control, even if your pets are currently flea free. Fleas multiply rapidly and can become a problem very quickly.
  If you own both dogs and cats, do not ask the sitter to “just ignore the cats;” i.e., not charge, during pet-sitting visits. Our sitter’s professionalism, ethic responsibility and conscience would not allow the oversight of a cat in need of food, medical care or human attention.
• If your dog growls or snaps at a pet sitter during a “get-acquainted visit,” understand that the pet sitter may ask that you make other arrangements for your dog’s care during your absence.

For cats, the average visit is approximately 30 minutes, for dogs it is approximately 40 minutes. The service includes feeding for all of the animals, clean up, litterbox cleaning for the cats, walking for the dogs and of course—playtime!

Yes, we can give medication as well as fluids or insulin.

We try to provide you with the same pet sitter when you schedule, however, there will be times when that person may not be available. In that instance, we will provide you with another equally qualified pet sitter who will have all the information about your home and pets.

In the unlikely event that the pet sitter is unable to make a visit, please make sure to send us a notification and we will address the issue.

We are familiar with all of the local area veterinarians, and can readily transport a pet to any vet.

In all of our years of pet sitting, neither rain, nor snow, nor ice, nor hurricane has kept us from making our scheduled visits. If it is a severe storm such as ice or snow, we may decide to postpone the visit for a short time to wait for driving conditions to improve, since it is better to arrive a little late than not at all.