Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 2

What types of pets do you care for?

Accepted Answer

I'm most accustomed to caring for domesticated pets such as dogs, cats, & small household pets (i.e. birds, bunnies, hamsters, etc.), however I am open to caring for a variety of pets. If you have an animal that falls outside of this scope, please feel free to reach out and we can discuss your specific needs to see if a partnership would be a good fit.

Question 3

What cities fall within your service area?

Accepted Answer

Our main service areas are: Lakewood, Rocky River, Gordon Square, Ohio City & Tremont. Our extended service areas will incur an additional drive time fee (anywhere between + $5 to 10) and include: Bratenahl, Fairview Park, West Park, Westlake & Bay Village.  *We do not service Downtown Cleveland or far East, South, West side suburbs.

Question 4

What are your hours of operation?

Accepted Answer

We take bookings 24/7, 365 days a year. Please contact me to discuss your specific needs.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

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 SERVICESTo book vacation visits, 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. Payment is due 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, and the client has paid in full, the client will receive the entire payment amount back with the exception of a 25% cancellation fee. For example, if the visit total was $300 paid in full, Sarah the Sitter will refund the client $225 and will keep $75 as the cancellation fee.If anything less than 3 weeks notice is given (up to 5 days before the visit), and the client has paid in full, the client will receive 50% of the total payment back and Sarah the Sitter will keep 50% of the total. For example, if the visit total was $300 paid in full, Sarah the Sitter will refund the client $150 and keep $150.If anything less than 5 days notice is given, the client forfeits the entire amount of the visit. A one time courtesy credit may be given by Sarah the Sitter at the company's discretion.

Question 6

Do you do an introductory visit/meet & greet?

Accepted Answer

Yes, of course! Once we decided that service is needed we will schedule a complimentary 30 minute meet & greet at your home so I can meet your pets, get the lay of the land, gather last minute information, and discuss any questions you may have.

Question 7

What type of database/app do you use?

Accepted Answer

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!

Question 8

Are you bonded & insured?

Accepted Answer

Yes, our entire team is bonded & insured through Pet Sitters Associates, LLC.

Question 9

Do you collaborate with other local pet sitters?

Accepted Answer

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!

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Yes, I am a proud member of Pet Sitters International and am also a member of TrustedHousesitters.

Question 11

What are your Weekend & Holiday Fees

Accepted Answer

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.

FAQs & Policies