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Frequently Asked
Questions |
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What does For
Pets' Sake Do?
For Pets' Sake
is a convenient, secure alternative to commercial boarding/kenneling facilities. We
provide your pet(s) with love and attention in the familiar and safe
environment of your own home while you are at work, out of town, on
vacation, or simply when you cannot be there. By choosing our
service, there is less stress for YOU and YOUR PET(s) because we
come to YOU. Our individual loving care and attention helps
maintain the routine that your animals need.
Our
experienced, reliable, ADULT sitters will walk, exercise, brush and play with
your pet(s), feed them and freshen water, clean litter boxes
(daily), aide with crate training, administer medications, retrieve mail/papers/ packages,
rotate lights and curtains (for that lived-in look), water plants
(seasonal), put out the trash, and leave detailed notes of each visit that will outline
your
pet(s) attitude and demeanor. We also do doggie
transports (i.e. to and from the vet or groomer). |
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What kinds of
pets do you service?
Any and all
kinds and in any combination. Including: dogs, cats, birds,
fish, hamsters, gerbils, ferrets, rabbits, iguanas, mice, horses,
exotics, and more. |
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What areas do
you service?
We service most
of the Western Montgomery County area and some of the Chester County area as
well. Please visit our
Location Availability page for more
information. |
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Are you and
your sitters Bonded and Insured?
Yes, we most
certainly are! Each sitter is also thoroughly screened. |
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What does
"Bonded and Insured" mean?
A
bond is a form of insurance that can cover any theft, or damage
caused due to negligence, or any problems related to job
satisfaction.. Therefore, a BOND is a promise of performance.
Being INSURED means that FOR PETS' SAKE has liability coverage for
personal injuries and property damage. What's THAT mean?
Example: A person trips and falls in your home and hurts
him/herself. If the FPS sitter wasn't insured, then the claim
could get filed against your homeowner's insurance. Since all
the sitters at FPS are fully insured, a claim such as this would get
filed against our insurance, not yours. Thankfully, in 18
years we have NEVER had to file a claim!! |
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Is the
information I give to my sitter confidential?
Yes,
Absolutely! We at FOR PETS' SAKE are committed to keeping all
information we receive from our clients and staff confidential and
will not disclose any of your personal information including your
mailing address. We will only use your information as a means to
take good care of your pets and home while you are away. |
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How much
notice do I need to give For Pets' Sake?
We
appreciate as much notice as possible, especially for weekend
service, holidays, long weekends, and during the summer season. We
take service requests on a first-come, first-served basis.
Typically, we are able to fulfill all of your requests, but we do
recommend calling as far in advance as possible. |
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How soon can
I get set up with For Pets' Sake?
Typically,
we can get a new client relationship set up in as little as
3 to 5 days depending on the time of year and the assigned Pet Sitter’s
schedule. |
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Why a sitter
consultation?
We like to know that your pets and our sitters have a good rapport
before the sitter comes in and that the chemistry and comfort levels
are right for everyone! We want you to get to know the
sitter and feel trusting and confident in our service. |
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Will you take
care of my pets without my meeting the sitter?
I’m sorry, but unless we have already met you and your pets we will
not take care of them without a prior meeting. This is for both
your safety and the safety of the sitter who will be coming in your
home while you are away. We are sometimes available for last-minute
sits and if we have space available and time to set up an initial
interview we will do our absolute best to help you. |
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Will I get
the same sitter each time I ask for service?
We
prefer to have the continuity of the same sitter with the same pets
and will do everything we can to make that happen for all of your
service requests. Generally, there will be two sitters who
will be familiar with you and your pets - a "primary" sitter and a
"backup" sitter. If your primary sitter is not available,
the backup will be sent. We do our best to inform you in advance
about which sitter will be conducting your visits. In extremely rare instances, it is possible that another
FPS staff sitter could be assigned without prior notice, such as in
the event of illness or injury to your assigned sitter. It is FPS
policy to ensure your pets and your home are never left unattended.
All pet sitters are expected to behave in a respectful, honest, and
professional manner at all times. |
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How much
notice for cancellation do you need?
A minimum of 24-hours prior to the beginning of service, or as much notice as possible, so we may
consider other reservations. With less than 24-hours notice there is
a small cancellation fee. |
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Is there a
service agreement to sign?
Yes. We require a signed agreement that you consent to let us into
your home to care for your animals and that you are aware of and
understand our policies/procedures. |
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Can I hire my
sitter directly without first calling the
For Pets' Sake Office?
No!
Please do not place our staff in the
uncomfortable position of offering them pet sitting or dog walking
employment apart from FOR PETS’ SAKE. Our sitters are contractually
prohibited from soliciting or accepting employment directly from our
clients.
It is a
liability issue for both you and our sitters. We thank you in
advance for honoring this policy. |
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How do you
work your fees/rates?
This will be discussed prior to your consultation. Rates are based
on proximity to our central radius (Audubon/Lower Providence/
Phoenixville) and how many pets you have in your household that will
require any kind of care. Variations in rates will apply to
different types of circumstances, which will be discussed in
advance. (Every household is a little bit different.) |
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What kind of notice is given if no one can show up?
We ALWAYS
show up. Period. |
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Is there a
discount for people who have a multiple pet household?
Absolutely! We charge a set visit rate for one pet (see previous
question) and an additional $2.00-$4.00 per visit for each additional pet,
depending on circumstances. Rates will vary slightly based on type of pet
(i.e., horses, etc.) and their particular needs, depending primarily on the time involved to
do the service properly and with T.L.C. (i.e., how much
additional care each animal may need, be it a cat/dog/bird/
horse/gerbil/etc.) |
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How long is a
typical visit?
Our visits are a minimum of 30 minutes in length. (Longer visits can be
arranged, but must be discussed in advance.) We want to
be as fair with our rates as possible and have the time to care for
your pets and home as conscientiously as we can. |
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I am not a huge proponent of crate training, but I also believe a
young dog should not have the complete run of the house. I
could close off an area in my kitchen with a baby gate during the
day. Do you see any drawbacks in doing this?
Crate
training is quicker and easier to use to get your pup house-broken
than leaving him in a larger area. Free rein of the kitchen
could require a lot more clean up, and that cleanup could be
necessary for a much longer period of time. Odors get set in
quickly. Habits start to form. Puppies could learn to
associate the "kitchen" as the area to do....well, you know, and
that is the last thing that you want. Once bad habits form ,
it becomes more difficult to train pups to go outside. Additionally,
chewing (cabinets, rubs, loose tiles, etc.) could be a problem.
And, it just simply isn't as safe as crate training your pup. |
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Do you
provide Overnight Service?
Yes. We realize that some pets do not do well when left alone
overnight. We have sitters available who will come to your
home and spend the night. Typically, our sitters arrive at 7
PM and depart at 7 AM. If you think you might be interested in
scheduling overnight service, please
Contact US
for more
information. |
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Do you
have a minimum number of days that I would need in order to sign up
for weekly dog walking service?
No.
For our
Monday through Friday Mid-Day Clients we do not require a minimum
number of visits. However, if you schedule 3 or more days a week
(every week) you might be eligible for a slightly discounted rate.
We ask that as much as possible these be the same set days every
week so that your dog and the your sitter can have a regular weekly
schedule. |
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Do you walk
in the rain, snow, or cold weather?
Yes, of course. No matter what the weather is like, dogs need
to be walked. During severe weather conditions, we take every
measure to ensure that your dogs are let out without any danger to
them, or your sitter. |
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How am I
billed?
We do NOT bill. We request that the client leave us payment
(cash/check) upon our first visit to be picked up by the sitter and
returned to the office. This is one way that we try to keep our
administrative costs lower than the competition. |
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Do you have
references?
Yes, of COURSE! Numerous references are included in the very
thorough and informative information packet we will supply to you
during the FREE Get Acquainted Consultation. You can also
visit our
Testimonials
page to read what some of our clients had to
say. |
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How long have
you been in business?
For Pets'
Sake was launched in 1993 in Lower Providence Township (Audubon) and
we have been going strong ever since.
In 2008 we celebrated 15 years of outstanding service. Summer
of 2010 will mark our 17th year of pet sitting. |
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What if my
pet needs emergency care?
We request your vet’s information (address and telephone number) and
recommend that you contact them so that they are aware of your
absence. Please relay that For Pets' Sake will be caring for your
 pet(s) and if they are not available to treat them, we will call an
emergency vet open 24-hours. There is an Emergency Medical
Authorization form included in the initial information packet. |
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Are there any
extra costs on holidays?
Yes. There is a $5.00 per visit charge for service on
holidays including: New Years Eve, New Years Day, Easter, Memorial
Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and
Christmas Day. |
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What
advantages does the use of a pet sitting service offer over a
kennel?
Your pet will feel
more comfortable being in a familiar environment.
An animal can
become agitated, disoriented, and even depressed when they're placed
into an unfamiliar environment such as a kennel.
Your pet can maintain the same diet and feeding habits to which he
is accustomed.
A sudden change in
diet and feeding schedule can cause your pet to experience
intestinal problems such as diarrhea. Your pet may also be more
reluctant to eat in a new environment and could become malnourished
if your trip is prolonged.
It's more convenient for the pet owner.
Taking a dog to a kennel usually means a visit to your vet to get
updated medical records and proof of vaccinations. The
paperwork then has to be transported along with all the necessary
supplies to the kennel. This can be very time consuming,
particularly for a short trip. With a professional pet sitter, you
just leave the supplies out along with instructions.
You don't have to
worry about kennel pick up hours.
Kennels have set hours of
operation and may not even be open to the public on certain days
(such as Sunday). If you return from your trip on a weekend, you
may have to wait an extra day to pick up your pet.
A pet sitter can do
the necessary tasks to make sure your house looks occupied.
This can
include bringing
in the mail, taking out the trash, rotating the lights, watering the
plants, and more.
Your pet isn't exposed
to communicable disease from other animals.
No kennel
cough!
At a kennel, animals are kept in close
quarters. If an animal should become ill, your pet could also
be infected. Using the services of a professional pet sitter can
help to keep your pet healthier while you're gone.
Your pet receives
one-one-one attention.
Kennels can be impersonal. With a pet sitter, your pet receives love
and undivided, personal attention - at no extra charge! |
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