POLICY

Reservations for existing clients are to be made via our website, text message or call to 662-260-1621, or via email. Reservations are NOT to be considered accepted until a response from Alexandria Neal has been received and confirmed. Kritter Sitterz LLC is dedicated to providing your pets with the most personal and loving care, and we will not overbook our schedule at any time to “squeeze” clients in. NO EXCEPTIONS.

If you are not an existing client, please contact us before attempting to make a reservation.

EMERGENCY OR SHORT NOTICE RESERVATIONS

Kritter Sitterz LLC considers a reservation made with less than 72 hours notice from the date of the first needed visit a “short notice” reservation and a reservation request made within 24 hours notice of the first needed visit an “emergency” reservation. Kritter Sitterz LLC understands that unforeseen emergencies sometimes do happen and we will do everything we can to accommodate the needs of you and your pets during difficult times. However, during times that may be busier than others, we may need to invoke a $25 per day surcharge to cover the cost of having to bring in additional help.

RECOGNIZED HOLIDAYS AND HOLIDAY SURCHARGE

Kritter Sitterz LLC recognizes these dates, weekends and weeks as holidays:

The entire week of Spring Break for any local school district in our service area.
Easter Weekend, including Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday
Memorial Day Weekend (Friday-Monday)
July 4th Weekend (Friday-Monday)
Labor Day Weekend (Friday-Monday)
Thanksgiving Weekend (Thursday-Sunday)
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day
Note: There will be a $10.00/ day surcharge added to any services scheduled during Kritter Sitterz LLC recognized holidays. NO EXCEPTIONS!

PAYMENTS

Kritter Sitterz LLC will provide you with the total due for your scheduled visits prior to your departure. Payment is due on or before your first scheduled visit. Payment can be made via cash, check or money order. Payment must be left for the pet sitter to retrieve at the time of the first visit, or your emergency contact person will be contacted to take care of your pets for the remaining scheduled visits.

RETURNED CHECKS

There will be a $35.00 charge for any returned checks. If a returned check is not rectified within three business days from the date the check was returned, an additional $10.00 per day will be added to the outstanding invoice. Further pet-sits will be required to be paid in cash or money order only prior to your departure. NO EXCEPTIONS.

CANCELLATIONS – NON-HOLIDAY VISITS

Kritter Sitterz LLC requests that all cancellations of non-holiday scheduled visits be made at least 72 hours prior to the first scheduled visit. Any cancellations made with less than 72 hours notice will result in a cancellation fee of 50% of the total of the originally scheduled service, due in NET 15 days. Please understand that when a cancellation occurs there is no guarantee that Kritter Sitterz LLC will be able to fill the time slots you booked, so there will be no exceptions to this policy.

CANCELLATIONS – HOLIDAY VISITS

Kritter Sitterz LLC requests that all cancellations of service scheduled during holidays be made at least 15 days prior to the first scheduled visit. Cancellations not made at least 15 days prior to the date of the first scheduled visit will result in a cancellation fee of 75% of the total of the originally scheduled services, due in NET 15 days. Holidays are peak times at Kritter Sitterz LLC and we reserve spots on a first-come, first-served basis and other clients may have been denied service based on the time slots held for your pets. Please understand that when a cancellation occurs there is no guarantee that Kritter Sitterz LLC will be able to fill the time slots you booked, so there will be no exceptions to this policy.

EARLY RETURNS

There will be NO refunds given for early returns. Please understand this policy is in effect to ensure that we adhere to our strict no overbooking policy, which means we may have turned away other clients to ensure that your pet received the care they deserved during your original requested dates of service. A credit toward future scheduled visits may be issued, based on the circumstances of the early return, and is solely at the discretion of Kritter Sitterz LLC. We will ALWAYS consider family emergencies and weather-related evacuations as credit-worthy circumstances.

EXTENDED-VISIT REQUESTS

Requests to add extra visits to previously scheduled services AFTER they have already begun will be charged an additional $25.00 surcharge per day. This is in addition to any other applicable surcharges already calculated (HOLIDAY OR EMERGENCY RESERVATION). Because of our no over-booking policy, the surcharge is in place to pay for backup pet sitters to handle the extra workload, if necessary.

CLIENT PROFILE AND EMERGENCY CONTACT

Kritter Sitterz LLC will require each client to sign a service contract and complete a client profile detailing the care instructions of your pets and your home, as well as complete emergency contact information. The client will be responsible for updating their client profile with the most current pet and household information as circumstances change. The emergency contact should have access to your home and be aware of times that they may have to provide care for your pet in the event that Kritter Sitterz LLC is unable to fulfill the service visits due to any unforeseen circumstances or client’s refusal to abide by policies set forth in the contract.

VETERINARIAN CARE AUTHORIZATION

Kritter Sitterz LLC will have each client sign an authorization form allowing us to approve emergency veterinarian care for your pet in case of illness or injury. Kritter Sitterz LLC will keep a copy of the authorization in the client file and ask that the client provide one to your pets’ veterinarian for their patient file. Kritter Sitterz LLC will make every effort to contact you and your emergency contact person prior to authorizing veterinarian care, but in the event you or your emergency contact cannot be reached, Kritter Sitterz LLC reserves the right to act in the quickest and best interest of your pet. In case your veterinarian is not available for emergency care, your pet will be taken to the nearest available emergency vet. Kritter Sitterz LLC will not be financially liable for any care provided by your veterinarian for your pet in your absence.

VACCINATIONS

Kritter Sitterz LLC requires that all pets under our care have an up-to-date veterinarian recommended vaccination history on file. ALL PETS MUST HAVE A CURRENT RABIES VACCINATION! This is required for our liability insurance, for the safety of your pet, for our safety and for the safety of all the other pets in our care. There will be absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy. A copy of your pets’ vaccination record must be provided prior to the first scheduled visit. Kritter Sitterz LLC reserves the right to routinely check with your veterinarian prior to any future scheduled service to verify that your pets vaccinations are kept current based on veterinarian recommendation.

VISIT POLICY

Kritter Sitterz LLC will visit all pets at least one time per day. We will not provide every other day service. NO EXCEPTIONS. This is for the safety of your pet, as independent as it may be, and also for the safety of your home and Kritter Sitterz LLC, as a company.
Kritter Sitterz LLC will make every effort to visit your pet within a two-hour time frame of preferred time of service or your pets’ regular schedule when you are home.

Kritter Sitterz LLC has three set time frames throughout each business day:

Morning visits will be made from 7:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Mid-day visits will be made from 11:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Evening visits will be made from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Note: Pets with special physical or medical needs will be prioritized in the schedule.

Visits (depending on package chosen) will vary from 10-30 minutes in duration. If a regularly scheduled visit takes longer due to unforeseen circumstances, you may be charged for the additional time.

Visits will normally include two potty breaks, feeding/watering/medication as directed, play and affection time, food and water dish cleaning, treat (if allowed), litter box maintenance, cage maintenance as applicable, mail and newspaper retrieval, light and blind/curtain alternation, plants watered, quick inside house check and quick perimeter check as accessible.

Any dog(s) whose yard does not have an above-ground fence will be taken out to potty on a leash. This includes pets with invisible fences. Kritter Sitterz LLC cannot guarantee the reliability of the underground fence, nor the battery life on the collar; therefore, those pets will also be taken out to potty on a leash to ensure their safety and reduce Kritter Sitterz LLC’s risk of liability.

Kritter Sitterz LLC will not be held liable for any damage done to your home by your pets while they are under our care. The client must provide a pet safe area for their pet to live in during the client’s absence, whether that be a gated-off area of the home, a pet safe room or a kennel large enough to safely accommodate the pet. For safety, all collars and tags will be removed prior to placement of pets in the kennel for any period of time.

All pet supplies (collars, tags, leashes, harnesses, etc.), food, treats, medications, emergency travel kennel/carrier and toys must be provided by the client. Please make sure that you have ample food and medications to last the duration of your absence. If Kritter Sitterz LLC has to replenish food or medication, the client will be responsible to financially reimburse Kritter Sitterz LLC for the cost of food and/or supplies, as well as a $25.00 convenience charge to cover gas, travel and lost time costs.

Kritter Sitterz LLC will do a quick room-to-room check on the inside of the house to make sure windows are secure, lights on timers are working properly, no pipes have burst, heating and air conditioning are operating properly, thermostats are set at comfortable positions for your pets and any plants that you have requested to be watered are thriving. We will also do a quick perimeter check of the accessible area of the outside to make sure no packages have been delivered and left without signature, gates are securely latched, and pool skimmers are cleared, if applicable.

CLEANING SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS

While potty accidents, hairballs, vomit, muddy paw prints and tracked-in leaves or grass are not uncommon for the pet sitter to deal with, the pet sitter will NOT carry cleaning supplies in our vehicle for several reasons, including but not limited to, the following reasons:

It’s not safe for us to transport cleaning agents in our vehicles, which are subject to extreme heat and/or cold, depending on the time of the year
We transport animals in our vehicles and we will not subject our clients’ pets to the possibility of ingesting any spilled cleaning solutions
We do not want to risk the possibility of using cleaning materials that may be harmful to our clients’ flooring, furniture or fabric.
Please leave out paper towels, preferred cleaning solutions (vinegar and water spray is very good at odor removal), broom, dust pan, plastic or paper bags and any items you would wish us to use in case of a potty or “dirt” emergency.

SHARING PET CARE AND ADDITIONAL PEOPLE IN HOME

IMPORTANT: Kritter Sitterz LLC will not share pet care with anyone else in your absence. If you have contracted with Kritter Sitterz LLC to care for your pets, then we ask that you do not have anyone else enter your home for the sole purpose of caring for your pets at the same time. This is for our liability insurance and for our safety. We will not share the care of your pet with your relatives, neighbors, cleaning service, landscaper, or anyone else. We will not be held liable for any harm, damage or neglect to your home or pet that is not a direct result of any negligence on the part of Kritter Sitterz LLC.

If someone else will be in your home during the same time frame of our contracted schedule, please provide their name and make and model of their car so that we are aware of their presence in the home. In instances where someone else will be in your home, we will ask for a liability waiver to be signed.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

Kritter Sitterz LLC will always put the best interest and safety of your pets as our number one priority, as well as the safety of our staff. If inclement weather (heavy rain causing poor visibility, snow, ice or damaging winds) prevents us from traveling safely to your home, we will contact your emergency contact person to care for your pet. If travel is possible, but the temperature (with wind chill) is below 10 degrees, we will travel to your home to care for your pets, but will not perform any outside walks with your pets.

OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE

Kritter Sitterz LLC will not turn dogs or cats outside for the day if the temperature is below 35 degrees or above 85 degrees (unless there is a properly insulated dog house, heater, fan, shaded area, or other adequate shelter and access to food and water)

EMERGENCIES

In the case of a natural disaster, act of war or act of God (hurricane, flood, tornado, earthquake, terrorist attack, etc.) all attempts to reach your pet to make sure they are ok will be made, AS LONG AS IT IS SAFE FOR KRITTER SITTERZ LLC TO TRAVEL. If the local authorities will not allow travel or if the roads are not accessible, we will attempt to reach your pets at the very first and safest opportunity. We will always make attempts to contact you in the meantime to apprise you of the current situation and updates. If it is possible for your emergency contact to reach your pets, we will make every attempt to coordinate care for your pets with them.

KEYS AND ALARM/GARAGE CODES

Kritter Sitterz LLC must be provided a working key or code to an exterior lockbox that holds a key at the initial consultation that allows access to two exterior doors, OR a key to one exterior door and a garage code that allows access to an interior door. If an exterior lockbox code is provided, the homeowner will be responsible for making sure the key is in the lockbox prior to any departure in which Kritter Sitterz will be coming to care for owner’s pets. Even if you provide a garage code for entry, a working key for at least one exterior door will be required in case of a power outage or if the opener battery malfunctions. If you do not allow Kritter Sitterz to keep a copy of your key on file, a $15.00 trip-charge to return your key to you will be assessed.

If a key is not provided at the meet-and-greet, a waiver of liability will be provided with your service contract releasing Kritter Sitterz LLC of any liability for keys left “under mats” or in any other hidden location outside of your home. Kritter Sitterz LLC will keep possession of any key to your home until you return home. We will not leave any keys under mats, rocks or hidden outside.

Please let your alarm company know that you will have a pet sitter coming into your home and the possibility of your alarm being inadvertently set off will be heightened. Kritter Sitterz LLC asks that you walk us through arming and disarming your security system to familiarize us with the process and also provide us with the “code word” for your alarm company in case we do accidentally set off the alarm.

END-OF-LIFE INSTRUCTIONS

Kritter Sitterz LLC will require that each client designate special instructions in the unlikely event that their pet expires while in our care. We will honor our clients’ instructions to the letter, and will communicate immediately with the client if that situation should arise. We understand that this is a difficult topic to discuss, but feel that because the relationship between our clients and their pets is a lifelong commitment, we want to be sure to treat your pet with the same loving dignity and respect at their life’s end as their own family would.

PHOTO/DIGITAL IMAGE POLICY

Kritter Sitterz LLC will periodically take photos of your pets. We use these photos in text updates to our clients, in our client profile database, on our website, social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and in our company marketing literature. If you do not want photos of your pets to be used on our website and social media pages, please indicate that direction on our service contract and it will be honored. We will still send photos of your pet to you via text, if you wish, and we will keep updated photos of your pet in our database.

COMMUNICATION

Kritter Sitterz LLC will communicate with our clients via voice call, text message or email. We will attempt to provide you an update on your pets’ well-being at least one time per scheduled daily visit.

PRIVACY POLICY

Kritter Sitterz LLC will NEVER share your name, phone number, address or any other private information with ANYONE outside of Kritter Sitterz LLC without your expressed written permission.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Kritter Sitterz LLC reserves the right to make changes to our policies and procedures at any time.