I ask that you have enough food and supplies on hand for your pets during your absence. This includes paper toweling, plastic bags for waste disposal, etc. If you miscalculate and run out of food or supplies, a shopping charge of fourteen dollars ($14.00) will be added to your bill if I have to go to the store (of my choice) to purchase food or supplies. This is in addition to the actual cost of the food or supplies.

If I receive a check from you that has bounced, I will charge a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) per check. This fee must be paid along with the original sitting fee before any services can be performed. If the check bounces while I am sitting for your pets, payment will be expected upon your return in the form of cashier's check or money order. For every future booking with me, you must either allow ten days for the check to clear before the visits are performed, or you can pay with cashier's check or money order.

I allow one hour for the preliminary, courtesy interview. During this interview, I normally receive all necessary instruction on the care of your pet(s). If you feel that additional time is necessary to be spent with the pet(s) to gain further background, or supervised complex instructions are needed, I can provide that time but it will be chargeable to your bill at the rate of $14.00 per hour spent in this activity. I do not break up this rate for say, an additional ten or fifteen minutes past the initial one hour period. If a visit goes over by fifteen minutes, the additional charge remains $14.00. I will automatically include this fee in your total. It is up to you to ask questions if you are unsure of this policy. If I receive less than 4 days notice, you will be charged an additional $10.00. If I arrive at your home for the interview and you either are not home or inform me that you need to reschedule, a charge of $14.00 will be added on to your total bill for the additional trip to your home. If I receive false information on your pet(s) or you have miscalculated the care that needs to be given to your pet(s), I may need to stay longer than scheduled or may need to schedule additional visits while you are away to accommodate your pet(s). This is done in your pets best interest and upon making this decision, you will be notified either the day of (for one-time daily visits) or upon return home (for extended length of absence) and charged for that additional time at the rate of $14.00 per hour. For example, you schedule your dogs to have three visits every day for a week while you are on vacation. Upon arriving at some of the visits, I realize that they have gone to the bathroom in the house (could not "hold it"). I will try to accommodate this by adding in another visit for the well being of the animals. Another example could be that you have gone through all of the tasks that should be performed in the half-hour visit during the initial interview; however, upon arriving at your home, I realize that it will take me longer than one-half hour to complete all of your requested duties. I will then stay for additional time to finish. Sometimes, after a few visits, I can adjust to the routine, and then get these jobs done in less time.

I require that all dogs that I walk be kept on a leash.

I do give medications to pet(s). If your pet has medical needs, please let me know as soon as possible, so that I may accommodate you.

When you move, please call me to reschedule for a moving visit, as I will need to come over before resuming any further visits. Please have two sets of any necessary house keys ready for me. I will charge you our base rate of $14.00 for this one hour visit. If you feel that additional time is necessary to be spent with the pet(s) to gain further background, or supervised complex instructions are needed, I can provide that time but it will be chargeable to your bill at the rate of $14.00 per hour spent in this activity. I do not break up this rate for say, an additional ten or fifteen minutes past the initial forty-five minute period. If a visit goes over by fifteen minutes, the additional charge remains $14.00. I will automatically include this fee in your total. It is up to you to ask questions if you are unsure of this policy.

All pet sitting visits are to be paid in advance. Payment must be made during the initial client interview, when the first booking is scheduled. If the new client cancels the booking for one reason or another with Pet Sitting Pal, the money (minus $14.00 for new client processing) will be credited towards their next booking with Pet Sitting Pal. If I feel uncomfortable with your pet(s) or the environment, I can decide not to take the job at any time during the initial interview. Also, if certain circumstances present themselves before or during the visits which render an unsafe or uncertain environment, Pet Sitting Pal has the right to cancel all visits and find appropriate care for your animal through instructions by the Client. if the Client has not provided this information, Pet Sitting Pal has Client's permission to find proper accommodations for their pet(s). In such case, the Client will be responsible for covering all related costs. After the first booking has been completed by Pet Sitting Pal, there are no further charges for cancellations, change of dates, plans or early returns. However, if you return from a trip early and do not call me to cancel the visit, and I show up for the call or are in transit to the call, you will be charged. Any cancellation at least six hours prior to a visit will not be charged. My recorder is on twenty-four hours a day for this purpose. Calls made between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. will be considered having given notice at 6:00 a.m. If you wish to cancel an early morning visit, and do not want to be charged for it, you must call before 9:00 p.m. the previous night. Prices are subject to change without notice. Payment is expected at the time of service.

I do not recommend that clients with outdoor cats use my service. I cannot assure you that I will be able to have your cat indoors at the exact time of our visit in order to provide food and water. Also, if the cat is outside all day and it does not return for the nightly containment, the food that would be put outside cannot be guaranteed it will be around to allow your cat first "dibs" on it. Other animals will obviously have access to this food, and therefore your cat could starve; and since I cannot wait around for your cat to come home, I cannot be sure that it has eaten properly. Your cat could also be struck by a vehicle or taken in by a friendly person and I cannot accept that degree of responsibility. If you understand this risk and still want service, please contact me.

Although, my service includes brushing on a routine basis per your request, I do not include bathing, grooming, flea dips, trimming, ear washing, or any other personal hygiene. If your pet is very fussy about being brushed, or it's afraid of the brush, I will try my best, but will stop if it becomes impossible for me to complete the task. If your vacation is lengthy and your pet requires a trip to the groomer, I can accommodate you if arrangements are made in advance of your departure. Please ask me about my Pet Taxi service as this is also very convenient to my clients for routine veterinary visits.

Many people like to include neighbors, relatives, and friends in the pet sitting duties. These well-intentioned actions can cause much confusion during a shared responsibility sitting arrangement. Most common among problems include: overfeeding, unlocked doors, lost keys, or missing some feedings altogether (not to mention a pretty bad scare, if one walks in on the other during a visit). I absolutely cannot be responsible for any sitting assignment where "others" are going to share the workload. I advise anyone considering this split of duties to make only one person, or me, responsible for the entire assignment. If I am contracted to sit for you and find out that someone else is sharing the responsibility with me, I have the right to IMMEDIATELY discontinue the remainder of the pet sitting assignments for that booking. I will attempt to notify you at your emergency contact number. If I get a message system, I will announce that I am discontinuing visits. it will then be your responsibility to cover the remaining days that you will need visitation to your pets. Once again, I absolutely cannot be responsible for any sitting assignment where I am not the only sitter involved. I cannot take the chance of having myself in any danger from a door left unlocked and a stranger waiting inside for the next person to enter, and I cannot afford to be held liable for any mishaps, such as those stated above. If I arrive at your home and there are additional pets that I was not originally aware of, I will call your emergency contact person and boarding facility to arrange for your pets care. I will discontinue care of your pets during that time and that visit will be charged for along with any time taken to arrange for travel and drop-off of your pets. The remaining monetary amount will be credited to your account. If arrangements cannot be made, Pet Sitting Pal may no longer honor you as a client in the future.

During those days when the weather is sub-tropic or there is a heat advisory, I will not walk your pets. The same goes for extreme frigid conditions when it is unsafe to be outside for an extended period of time. I will let them out to relieve themselves and then bring them back inside for the remainder of the visit. Veterinarians strongly advise that it is unhealthy, if not downright dangerous, for animals, especially older ones, to exercise during such hot or cold conditions. It is far better for your pet to rest, drink liquids and stay indoors when conditions become unhealthy for humans, or in the other case scenario, to stay inside where it's warm.

Unless arrangements are otherwise made, my normal visiting hours are from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. (last visit is from 8:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.). During a busy time, if you wish your pet visited later in the day, I MAY be able to arrange your visit last. Normally speaking, all visits are accomplished during that fourteen hour period each day.