FAQs & Policies

Dorothy said it best, 'There’s no place like home!' Boarding facilities and doggy daycares are wonderful in their own way and definitely provide a much needed service, but we can probably all agree that there is nothing quite like curling up in your own bed (or on your owner’s couch or bed!), playing in your own backyard, and being surrounded by the creature comforts of your own home - especially when your humans are away! Having an in-home pet sitter or house sitter also provides peace of mind, knowing that someone is at your home, checking in on the little things while you’re away - grabbing the mail so it doesn’t pile up, watering the plants so they don't keel over, keeping an eye on the house in general so it doesn't fall down, and, of course, ensuring your pet is having the best, safest, most comfortable time possible while you're away.

BOOKING & CANCELING DAILY WALKS & PET SITTING SERVICES:

Pricing: All pricing is listed on our website. Current clients should utilize the Conversation Portal > Private Tab to request bookings time slots. Quotes will be provided for vacation visits. After hours, overnight stay, weekend and holiday pricing are also indicated on the website. Please review carefully and ask for clarification, if needed.

Payment: Owner agrees to pay Sarah The Sitter, LLC the rate for agreed upon pet care/house care services. Most all payments are done via Venmo . If the client doesn't utilize Venmo, they can pay via check. Please read 'How To Book & Cancellations' policy carefully in the next question.

Bookings & Cancellations: It is understood emergencies happen last minute, however the dates and times you've booked with Sarah The Sitter, LLC are specifically being held for you and your pet, so please understand that Sarah the Sitter is turning down other clients in the meantime. Thank you for being amazing clients and understanding the challenges of being a small business! *Sarah The Sitter, LLC reserves the right to waive or adjust this clause on a case by case basis.

BOOKING & CANCELING DAILY WALKS & PET SITTING SERVICES:

To book daily dog walking/ad hoc pet care services, current clients should log into Time To Pet and go to the Conversation Portal > Private tab and submit their booking request with as much detail as possible. Clients can book as far in advance as they wish, for example, if the client has their work schedule months in advance and are confident they want to book a dog walk every M,W and F for the next two months, for example, then they can book for that entirety if they are confident in their schedule. Once the booking is confirmed, everything will be added to Google Calendar and a Venmo invoice will be sent to the client. Payment is due upon time of booking.

Cancellations for daily dog walking/ad hoc pet care services require 7 days notice. To cancel, the client should go to Time To Pet > Conversation > Private tab and send a message regarding the cancellation. If canceled within the required 7 days, a full refund will be given to the client. If not canceled within 7 days, the client forfeits the visit cost.

In the very rare instance that clients need to cancel an ENTIRE month or more of daily dog walking/ad hoc pet care services for whatever reason, they have 5 days from the day they booked to do so otherwise they will forfeit 50% of the cost of the entire booking. Please try to avoid large cancellations such as this. If the schedule has changed drastically for some reason, please reach out to Sarah the Sitter via Time To Pet > Conversation > Private tab as soon as possible to discuss and see what can be done.

BOOKING & CANCELING VACATION SERVICES

To book vacation visits longer than 3 days consecutively, the client should submit their request through Time To Pet > Communication > Private tab with as much detail as possible about when they are leaving and returning and what their desired schedule should look like. A 50% deposit is required to hold your booking. The remaining 50% balance will be due at the start of service. However, the client can always choose to pay in full at the time of booking.

Cancellations for vacation visits/overnight visits are as follows: the client must provide at least THREE WEEKS NOTICE so Sarah the Sitter, LLC can attempt to reschedule those dates and times with another client.

If three weeks’ notice or more is given, the 50% deposit will be returned to the client but a 25% cancellation fee of the total visit amount will be kept by Sarah the Sitter. For example, if the total visit was $300 and the client paid $150 deposit to hold the spot, Sarah the Sitter will refund the client $75 of the deposit and will keep the remaining $75 as the cancellation fee.

If anything less than three weeks’ notice is given, the client will forfeit the full 50% deposit. For example, if the total visit was $300 and the client paid a $150 deposit to hold the spot, Sarah the Sitter will retain the $150 deposit in full.

If anything less than 5 days notice is given, the client forfeits the entire amount of the visit.

We use Time To Pet as our client database! It is 'trusted by over 3,000 of the world's most successful pet sitting and dog walking companies' and allows for secure and accurate, up to date storage of your personal information as well as your pet(s)' vital information. It can be updated by you, the client, at any point in time using either the app or the desktop portal. We absolutely love Time To Pet!

Absolutely!

Being a small business owner in a profession that can feel slightly solitary at times, it is absolutely vital that I connect with and collaborate with others in my profession. I love and welcome all opportunities to meet and refer out to other pet sitters who provide the same level and standard of care that I provide in the event that I am unavailable for service.

In 2023 I started a Cleveland Pet Care Community Night and invited numerous people within the Cleveland area who service our pet care community. The invite was open to everyone from pet sitters to dog walkers to boarding facilities to groomers to dog trainers to pet photographers, to those working in pet stores, etc. We had an amazing turnout and everyone loved getting together to chat, relax, network and share best practices. This has now turned into a substantial gathering every 6 months and I'm so proud of the community engagement and support.

I always recommend that my clients have at least one backup pet sitter in the event that I am traveling or otherwise unavailable.

Please let me know if you need a list of other pet sitters that come highly recommended. We collaborate often and even tag team visits at times, which can be really fun!

Our team works extremely hard, 365 days a year, to provide valuable care to our clients. We all forego travel and time spent with our own families and friends in order to support our valued clients over these busy holiday weekends. I am extremely grateful for the sacrifices my teammates make in order to make this happen, and in order to properly compensate them for this work, we charge weekend and holiday fees. Thank you for supporting small business and understanding how hard we work to ensure your pets are loved and cared for during these special times of year.

Weekend fees are an additional $13 per visit. Holiday fees are an additional $16 per visit. Holidays include: New Years Eve, New Years Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, Labor Day Weekend, Fourth of July Weekend, and Memorial Day Weekend.

Why should you chose an in-home pet sitter/house sitter?

What types of pets do you care for?

What cities fall within your service area?

What are your hours of operation?

How To Request a Booking & What Is Our Cancellation Policy?

Do you do an introductory visit/meet & greet?

What type of database/app do you use?

Are you bonded & insured?

Do you collaborate with other local pet sitters?

Are you a member of professional pet sitting/house sitting organizations?

What are your Weekend & Holiday Fees