All About Paws Pet Sitting has compiled the following list of the most frequently asked questions for our services.  If your questions are not answered, please do not hesitate to contact our knowledgeable staff.

1. Are you insured and bonded?
Yes, All About Paws Pet Sitting is insured and bonded for your safety and peace of mind, as well as our own. Our insurance is specifically designed for the pet care service industry.

 2. Do you have business signs on your car?
We have magnetic signs on our cars that we remove prior to arriving at your home for vacation care.  We do not want to draw attention to your home, letting others know when you are not there for extended periods of time.  We care about the security of your home.

3. What hours do you provide services?
Visits are generally between 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. Other times can be arranged.

 4. Do you board pets in your home?
We do not provide boarding services at this time.  In order for us to give your pet(s) the highest quality care, we feel it is important for them to stay in their familiar environment.

5. My cat lives outside. Will you come and make sure he/she is okay?
We will not look after outdoor cats. If your cat is an outdoor cat, we request that you keep your cat indoors for the time you are away. Anything can happen and we feel it is just too risky.

6. What if there is an emergency in my home, unrelated to my pet? 
We will do everything possible to resolve the situation without disrupting your trip. We will contact your emergency contact for instruction and if necessary, we will contact you.

7. How far in advance do I need to make a reservation? 
Obviously the more notice we have the better. Holiday periods (spring break, long weekends, summer, Christmas) sometimes book up months in advance. Two weeks advance notice for other times of the year is usually sufficient. We do understand that emergencies can arise, so please give us a call and we will do our best to accommodate you.

8. Do you charge a holiday fee?
Yes, we do on the actual holiday. All About Paws Pet Sitting observes the following Holidays: New Years Eve, New Years Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

9. Do you keep client information/key/alarm codes confidential? 
Yes, we do not share client contact information for marketing or any other purpose.  A more detailed answer to this question will be discussed during our initial consultation.

10. What does the consultation consist of? Is there a charge for this?
We will schedule a time when we can come to your home and meet with you and your pet(s) free of charge.  At this time, we will discuss the particulars of the pet sitting services & exactly what you are looking for.  If you decide after meeting us that you would like to hire us to care for your pet(s), we will need to fill out some necessary paperwork.  The paperwork will include information sheets on your pet, service contract, contact information and a vet release form. I will also want to discuss your daily routine so I will know where to find the items needed for the visits such as food, leashes or litter boxes, medications, favorite toys, etc.  At that time you can give us a key (prefer 2 keys).  Your key will not be marked with any information about you or your address.   We would also require partial payment up front at this time.

11. What information do I need to provide at the initial consultation?
It will be very helpful if you can provide your veterinarian's information, vaccination documentation and contact numbers for you while you are away. All pets must be current on their vaccinations.

12. I have a family member that lives close by and will also visit. Is that okay? 
Many people like to include neighbors, relatives, and friends in pet sitting duties. These well-intentioned actions cause much confusion during a shared responsibility sitting assignment. Most common among the problems are over-feeding, unlocked doors, lost keys, or missed feedings. We absolutely cannot be responsible for any sitting assignment where others are going to share the workload. We advise that anyone considering this split of duties to make only one person responsible for the entire assignment.

13. What happens if the pet food runs out while I am away? 
We will not let your pet go without food. However, it is recommended that you purchase extra food for your pet before you leave. If you miscalculate and run out of food, an extra fee (in addition to the cost of food) will be added to your bill. See our rates section.

14. What happens if my pet gets sick while I am away? 
All clients are required to complete a veterinary release form during the initial consultation. We will not knowingly accept sitting assignments with very sick pets. We firmly believe that sick pets should have someone there with them at all times and be under the care of a veterinarian. If your pet does get sick while you are away, we will do everything possible to seek medical attention. If your pet needs medical attention, we will take your pet to your veterinarian immediately. If your veterinarian is not available, we will transport your pet to the nearest veterinarian or Animal Emergency Clinic. We will make every effort to contact pet owners and receive instructions before we take an animal in for medical care. However, in emergency situations or when the owner cannot be reached, we will not hesitate to take a pet to the veterinarian. All About Paws Pet Sitting is not responsible for costs incurred from veterinary visits. Additional time spent transporting the pet and providing extra care is billed at a rate of $30.00 per hour.

15. Can you let me know how my pet is doing while I'm away?
Yes, we would be glad to send you e-mails (including photos) or voice mail updates.  A daily log is left at every visit to let you know how your pet was doing that day, including their eating habits and/or any unusual behavior displayed by your pet.

16.When should I give a key to my sitter?
Most clients give their sitter a key during the initial consultation. If this is not possible, we will be glad to pick it up for an additional charge of $5. We will be happy to keep your key on file for future trips. Just give us a call and you'll be ready to go.

17. How is payment handled?
For new clients, a 50% payment is due at the time of your consultation to hold your reservation and the remaining 50% is due before or at the beginning of the service.

For repeat clients, a 50% payment is due when you make your reservations and the remaining 50% is due before or at the beginning of the service.

All payments must be in the form of cash or check.

18. What is your cancellation policy?
We have a 7-day cancellation policy for vacation visits. Please call or e-mail us 7 days before your departure if you need to cancel in order to get a full refund. Cancellations less than 7 days before your departure are subject to a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations made less than 3 days before your departure are subject to a 100% cancellation fee unless we are able to fill the spot that you had previously booked.

For dog walking, no refunds will be given for canceled visits once time has been reserved.  Clients must give a minimum of 24 hours notice to receive credit towards future visits.

19. What happens if I will be delayed in returning home? 
It is extremely important that you let us know immediately if you will be arriving home late from your vacation in order for care to be continued. Please note that you will be charged for extra visits.

20. Will you charge me for visits if I come home early? 
You will not be charged for unfulfilled visits if you return home early, but it is extremely important that you let us know immediately if you will be arriving home early from your vacation in order for care to be discontinued. If you do not call us and we show up for our scheduled appointment, you will be charged for the visit.

21. Why do I have to call All About Paws Pet Sitting when I return home?
We need to know you have returned, or we will continue to visit your pet until we get a phone call from you. We don't want to assume that you arrived home at your scheduled time. What if you get delayed? For safety reasons, we will continue to visit your pet until we have confirmation that you have arrived home. This way, you do not need to worry if your flight is delayed or your trip is extended for some other reason.

22. How are keys returned? 
We can keep your keys on file for the future or we can drop them off to you within 5 days of the end of the contract period.

Getting In Touch
Interested in All About Paws Pet Sitting's services?  Please use one of the following methods to contact us:

1.  Use our Consultation Visit Request Form to contact us.

2.  Call us at 708-305-2291.

3.  Email us at allaboutpawspetsit@comcast.net for more information.