Our Policies
Office Hours: 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday
Typical walk visits are scheduled between 11am and 3pm. Services may be scheduled outside of these times when necessary, especially for Pet Sit visits. (Additional fee may apply.)
+Please note, we may not receive or respond to phone calls, texts and/or emails outside of the posted office hours. We will respond as soon as possible the next business day. If we are actively walking or sitting for your pet and you must contact me, TEXT or CALL me as that is the fastest way to reach me.
Scheduling
Please contact us at least 24 hours before the needed appointment. Appointments with less than 24 hours notice (if we can accommodate them) will incur a fee of $5 per visit, due with regular payment.
How our scheduling works: Each client is given a window of time in which we will attend to their pets (for example 11 AM to 1 PM). This means we will see your pet during that time but it may not be the exact time every day. For example, if your pet is third on our list we may visit that pet at 11:30 most days. However, if the second appointment for the day has canceled we may visit your pet at 11:00. If you wish to adjust the time at which we visit your pet, please know that we will make every attempt to accommodate your request but it may not be possible. If you need to change your appointment time due to time sensitive medication let us know IMMEDIATELY so that we can work with other clients to adjust their schedules as well.
Payment Policy
We accept cash, check and PayPal payments. There is a $25 fee for returned checks. Payments made 3-5 days late will incur a 5% late fee. Payments 6-10 days late will incur a 10% late fee. Any payments over 10 days late will incur a 25% late fee. We reserve the right to discontinue service if payments are not made as scheduled. You will be notified in writing if we suspend service pending payment.
For dog walking: If paying by cash or check, please leave payment for the walker on the last service day of the week*. (For example, if we walk Monday, Wednesday and Friday, payment is to be left for pick up on Friday.) A receipt will be left by the sitter at that time. If you are paying via PayPal an invoice will be sent on the last day of service. Payment is due within two days.
*If you need to be billed bi-weekly please talk to us and we will do our best to make this arrangement. The same policy will apply (cash/check being left on last day of service or PayPal invoice sent on last day of service, due within two days).
For pet sitting: Cash and check payments are to be left for sitter on the first day of visit but will not be deposited to our bank until the last day of service. A sales receipt will be left by the sitter. PayPal invoices will be sent on the last day of service and are due within two days.
Cancellation Policy
We know things come up and you may not need our service from time to time. Please notify us via text or phone call as soon as you have decided you will not need the service. If we feel this becomes excessive you will be notified that we may need to cancel your service. Please understand that by accepting you as a client we often had to turn others away. If you find you do not need us on a regular basis please let us know immediately rather than canceling your service day by day. This will allow us to help other clients who may be on the waiting list. You may still use our service on an “as needed” basis when our schedule allows.
Cancellation for mid day walks: Cancellation must be made before 9:00 am on the day of the appointment to avoid a cancellation fee. Failure to do so will result in a 50% charge. If we arrive at the home and are not needed or are unable to gain entry to the home you will be charged the full amount of the walk. If we arrive to your home and are not needed or are unable to gain access to the home three times we will discontinue service effective immediately and you will be sent a final invoice due within 24 hours.
Cancellation for Pet Sitting: 24 hour advanced notice is required. Failure to do so will result in a charge of 50% of the first day’s pet sitting fee.
Weekend and Holiday Policy
We make every effort to ensure your pets’ needs are met, including weekends and holidays. There will be weekends that we are unavailable. We post those dates in advance on the CALENDAR page of the website, www.k9pluspetservices.com as well as on the Facebook page.
Please schedule weekend and holiday appointments as far in advance as possible. Appointments on the following days: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve will be billed at a holiday rate that includes an additional $10 per visit. Regular “mid-day walks” will not be scheduled on holidays (with the exception of Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve).
Inclement Weather Policy
In the case of bad weather, if your walks or visits are not essential, you are staying home from work or your planned trip is canceled, please let us know as soon as possible so we can adjust our schedule. In the case of snow and/or ice you will not be charged a cancellation fee.
Please provide us with the contact information for an alternative caregiver that lives close by. In the event that we are unable to make it to your home, we need to make sure your pet is cared for and will contact your alternative caregiver for assistance. We will make every effort to get to your home and will keep in touch to let you know what is going on.
If it takes additional time to reach your home due to road conditions, lack of cleared access, etc we may have to cut your walk time short so that we can keep to our schedule. Your pet will get a potty break of 10-15 minutes. We will notify you via the dog walker log and/or email should this be the case.
In case of extreme cold or heat the walker may deem it necessary to limit the amount of time your dog is outside. If that is the case adequate time will be given for potty breaks and the remainder of the visit will be spent inside for playtime or TLC
Key Pickup or Drop Off: There will be a $20 fee for key pick up or drop off. Please be sure to have a key available during the initial meet and greet appointment to avoid paying an additional fee.
Consultations: A 30 - 45 minute meet and greet is mandatory for all new walk/pet sit clients at a cost of $18 for walking clients, $20 for sit clients payable at time of meeting. Training consultations are $75 for 30-60 minutes, payable at time of meeting.
AGGRESSIVE DOGS or DOGS WITH EXTENSIVE BITE HISTORY: Jessica does not work with dogs that are aggressive with humans or other dogs OR dogs that have a bite history. This will be determined on a case by case basis. Please know that "puppy nipping" is NOT biting. If you think your dog is aggressive please contact Jessica to discuss your concerns and schedule a consultation. Often "reactivity" is confused for "aggression". If your dog has bitten someone please be prepared to discuss the incident in detail. If Jessica is unable to assist in your training or walk/sit needs she will refer you to someone who may be more suited to help. Thank you for understanding. If we find out after being hired that your dog has a bite history, we reserve the right to discontinue service immediately.