FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q.  Do you have a suggested number of visits per day while I am away ?

A.  Dogs:  For dogs we recommend a minimum of 3 visits a day, unless your dog has outside access, and not less than 2 visits a day in that case.  

*Crated pets/puppies require at least 3 visits/day 

Cats and Small Animals:   We will accept a minimum of 1 visit a day.  If something should go wrong while you are gone and it is not attended to quickly, it could become a very major problem.   

Litter boxes and feeding areas need to be cleaned on a daily basis.   

Q.   What is your policy on letting cats go outdoors? 

A.    If your cat is an indoor/outdoor cat, but is confined to the house, we will not let him out while we are there, as there is no guarantee that he will return before we leave. We do not want your cat to be left out doors with no way to get back in.

Q.  Do you have any restrictions on age, condition, or breed? 

A.  Age:  We have the skill and experience to care for special needs pets as well as 'senior' pets. Our in-home pet sitting service is ideal for puppies as they can be especially susceptible to diseases. You will not need to take the risk of your pet being exposed to other animals as he might be at a kennel.

     Condition:  For the health and safety of other pets that we care for, we will not care for pets that are ill with a contagious disease.   If your pet has a contagious disease and you must be away from him, it is best to leave him with a veterinarian. 

     Breed: The breed of your dog is not a factor in our ability to care for him.  We evaluate pets 'individually' for temperament and aggressiveness. (see the next question for more details) 

Q.   Will you pet sit for my animal if he is aggressive? 

A.   We will not pet sit for aggressive animals.   Also, if we feel that our sitters' safety is in question, we reserve the right to discontinue service. These types of pets are better left in a kennel and we can give you the names and numbers of a couple of great ones in our area. 

Q.  I have a visiting pet, can you take care of them as well as my own?

A.  Other pets aside from yours are welcome, however, we will need to meet the pet and have signed consent by the guardian as well.   There will be an additional charge per visit for the visiting pet.

***  Dog Walks are Mon through Fri 10 am until 2 pm ***

Q.  What is required?

A. Dogs MUST be used to being walked.  4POMPC will not walk unruly/untrained dogs, or dogs that choke themselves on their leash.

Please provide proper gear (sturdy, reliable walking equipment, leashes, collars, harnesses, etc.)

Dogs walked off the owners property must have a current city license, ID tag and rabies vaccine tag affixed to pet's collar. 

Please Note:  

All walks must be during daylight hours. We will not walk in unsafe or desolate areas for the safety of the walker and the pet.

We will not walk dogs in stormy weather, extreme heat, icy walkways, high winds or during holidays when fireworks may be discharged.  Walks during the summer may be shortened due to excessive heat. However, we will ensure the pet has been taken outside to do business and and all care needs are met.  

Q.  Will you feed my snake live mice?

A.  No.  We do not perform “live” feedings for exotic pets.   Bugs and worms being the exception.  

Q.  I have a last minute emergency or trip, are you available?

A.   New clients MUST have their initial Meet Greet before we can schedule care for your pets.  Once you are in our Time To Pet Scheduler you may put a service request in if you happen to have a last minute need for pet care.  However, once our schedule is full we will not accept any more requests so it's always best to put dates and times in as soon as you know you will need them.

Q.  Do you need my house key and how is it secured?

A.  We have found that most of our clients want us to have their key on file. That way, if they have an emergency or a last minute trip, we can accommodate them immediately. We can also leave your key in a designated secured place or return it later.  To ensure our ability to gain access to your pets, we  require the use of your door key (and a second key for emergency backup) We can not accept garage door openers and garage codes as the only method of entry. Those may not work if the electricity should go out or batteries fail. We will accept garage door openers or key pads as an alternative method, just not the only method.   If we keep your key on file it is in a lock box and coded.

Q.  Do you have a cancellation policy?

A.   We appreciate plenty of notice of a cancellation. It affords us the time to re-book that time we held in reserve for you.    Holiday cancellations require at least 48 hour notice for charges to be waived.

Clients returning early or leaving late will be responsible for the dates and visits that they reserved. 

   ***Payment for holiday pet sitting is required in full at time of booking.***  

Q.  Will I receive a report to let me know how my pets did during your visit? 

A.  Yes.  You will receive a text or email via our Time To Pet Scheduler that will include details and pictures of each visit.  

Q.  What if I'm delayed getting home? What will happen with my pets?

A.   We ask that you contact us when you depart and return so that we know everything is on schedule. 

We understand that things can happen to delay your return and expect to hear from you if you need continuing visits.

Q.  I have a neighbor, friend, family member, willing to help with some of the visits, will you agree to fill in when they cannot?

A.  No.   We do not share visits with other people, family or companies.  We have this policy in place to avoid communication, coordination errors and in order to ensure home and pet security.  Additionally, our insurance will not cover our services if the home and pets are being cared for by people not affiliated with 4POMPC.