· What can I expect from The Pet Au Pair?
The mission of The Pet Au Pair is to provide quality, customized, and professional pet care on the occasions when you can’t do it yourself. You can expect your pets and your belongings to be treated with the utmost care and respect. You can expect that services you require will be preformed honestly and timely to the best of my ability.
· What is a free initial booking consultation?
Your free booking consultation allows us all to get to know each other and see if The Pet Au Pair is the right fit for your pet and vice-versa. During the consultation, you’ll fill out paperwork that helps me understand your pet’s routines and any additional services you may require (setting out trash for your curb-side pick-up date, cycling lights, bringing in mail, etc.). This is your time to ask questions about services and fees before booking a reservation for your pet.
· What services do you provide?
The Pet Au Pair engages in general husbandry and exercising of your pets, including feeding, medicating as necessary, daily dog walking, midday potty breaks, and one-on-one play and exercise all customized to meet your pets needs. TLC is standard! Please visit the Services page for more information.
· What will you do with my keys?
Keys are transferred at the time of the booking consultation. The Pet Au Pair will keep your keys in a secured safe during your reservation and afterward until your next appointment. If you prefer to transfer your keys later or have them returned, a fee is required for the transfer appointment. I will not leave your keys in your residence on the last day of your reservation. This is a precaution in case there is a delayed flight or some other unexpected event or emergency.
· What are your normal hours?
Normal operating hours are from 6 am to 8 pm, meaning that the last appointment will be scheduled no later than 7:30 pm. Potty breaks and daily dog walks will be late morning to early afternoon – 11 am to 3 pm, approximately.
· Can you pick up my package on the doorsteps and let the plumber in?
Of course I’ll bring in the mail and any packages on your doorsteps! I cannot, however, be responsible for attending to or watching over any visitors or service personnel you might request while you are away from your home. It is within your best interest to keep all visitors to a minimum while you are away for security purposes. Any visitors you do have will be required to sign The Pet Au Pair’s Visitors Log so that you, I, and any insurance companies or safety and emergency personnel know who has entered your home and when they did.
In case of emergency, The Pet Au Pair reserves the right to call necessary services and/or safety and emergency personnel to correct problems that might occur while you are away (such as deficiency of the heating and/or air conditioning, burst/frozen pipes, a sounding fire alarm, etc.)
· How are your fees assessed?
Fees are based on blocks of time – one low rate for all your pets. A few services are on a fee-for-service basis, such as nail trims and teeth brushing. You will find The Pet Au Pair’s fees to be competitive with other pet sitters and boarding facilities that serve the greater southeastern Madison area.
· Cancellation policies?
Holidays: 0% refund
0-48 hours: 0% refund
3-7 days: 80% refund
8+ days: 100%
Daily dog walks – no charge if cancelled by 9 a.m. morning of the scheduled walk; otherwise full amount will be charged to your account.
· Why am I being asked for a deposit?
A deposit is required at the time of booking a reservation to ensure sitter availability for your pets. Your account balance is due prior to receiving service, and late fees are otherwise assessed. If there are unforeseen circumstances that require longer visits than planned (for example: cleaning up hairballs, accidents, or pet spills) or extra services, your account will be charged for that time. Any additional charges will be invoiced and payment is expected within 14 days. Likewise, if I’m unable to perform a service (your dog wouldn’t allow me to trim its nails, for example), your account will be credited/refunded.
· Are you experienced?
Yes! I have worked with animals for over 10 years now. I started in wildlife rehabilitation volunteering nights and weekends for The Marine Mammal Center and Wildlife Rescue, both in the San Francisco Bay Area. Between the two facilities, I rescued, rehabbed, treated, and had the pleasure of releasing back to the wild injured and orphaned species from the smallest of field mice to sea lions and elephant seals weighing hundreds of pounds.
Additionally, I managed a domestic animal shelter in New England and served as a veterinary technician for a busy four-doctor surgical animal hospital in Massachusetts. Those positions afforded the opportunities to learn about cat and dog behavior, training techniques, and handling techniques.
Just like you, I have pets of my own who have trained me well! I know what your pets want and need – lots of personalized attention and TLC!
· Do you have insurance?
What you really want to ask is – Can The Pet Au Pair be trusted? Without a doubt! I will treat your pets and belongings as if they were my own. Of course, The Pet Au Pair is insured with Liability and Care and Control insurance with a Personal Property Endorsement through Pet Sitters Associates LLC.
· Instead of pet sitting, can I board my pet at your home?
No. The Pet Au Pair does not have either the facilities to board or the licenses to operate as a kennel. Most animals prefer their home surroundings and routines.
· What types of animals do you care for?
Generally, dogs, cats, caged pets, small birds, and a few exotics. I’ve had experience handling and rehabbing hundreds of different animals including mice, squirrels, skunks, opossum, ducks, geese, pigeons, sparrows, starlings, finches, fur seals, harbor seals, elephant seals, and sea lions. Though you might not have a harbor seal swimming in your bathtub, my experience serves as a basis for learning what your pets require.
· Why am I being asked for my pet’s vaccination information?
Rabies is a lethal and communicable disease. Vaccination is required by Wisconsin state law and is designed to protect you and your pets. The Pet Au Pair is unable to care for cats and dogs that are not vaccinated against rabies, even under the auspices of an attending veterinarian. If your pet has not been vaccinated for health reasons, I recommend asking your attending veterinarian if they offer boarding services.
Other vaccinations for distemper/parvo, panleuk/calici/rhinotracheitis (FVRCP), bordetella (kennel cough), leukemia (FeLV), etc., help protect your animals from communicable diseases. The Pet Au Pair recommends that animals are kept current on basic vaccines in case an emergency or medical condition requires that your pet is transferred to the care of a veterinarian and/or kennel.
· You can’t pet sit for my dog that doesn’t wear a collar and/or tags?
No. From a legal stand point, your dog or cat is required by law to wear both a city/town license and a rabies tag if he moves off of your property. Nationwide, once lost, your pet has less than a 20% chance of getting returned to you without ID. The best approach is to have your name, address, and phone number on the dog, as well as have a microchip implanted under its skin. That way, both professionals who know to look for the microchip ID and your neighbors who may not can still return your pet.
· Will you feed my outdoor cat?
The Pet Au Pair is not liable for an animal that is not confined in your residence.
Depending upon your city/town laws, it may be illegal to let your cat roam. You may also be required to license your cat. Regardless, it is highly recommended that your cat wear a safety breakaway collar with ID tags as well as a microchip ID implant. Nationwide, your cat is worse off than your dog – once lost, it has only a 3% chance of getting returned to you without ID.
· My pets have access to the outdoors through a pet door – they need it for when I get stuck late at work. Can you pet sit and/or offer daily walks in this case?
The Pet Au Pair is not liable for animals that are not confined in your residence.
· Why can’t you play with my dog off-leash in my yard protected by an underground fence?
The Pet Au Pair is not liable for animals that are not confined in your residence. I will be happy to leash walk or play with your leashed dog in your yard. But unless you have a secure aboveground fenced area, your dog cannot be unleashed.
· I have more questions!
Please do not hesitate to call The Pet Au Pair at 608-346-2616 or at info@petaupairwi.com
(608) 346-2616
info@petaupairwi.com
