Policy and Procedures
Farm and Family Pet Care provides loving at home pet care while owners are away. Whether you go on vacation, a business trip, need a midday visit to walk, feed or cuddle, or medicate your pet; Farm and Family Pet Care will be there when you can’t be.
Reservations & visit times: Scheduling is on a first come first service basis and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. We usually do our visits between 6:00am and 9:00am in the morning, 11:00am and 2:00pm in the afternoon and 5:00pm to 9:00pm in the evening. Farm and Family Pet Care will visit as close to the requested times as possible. However, if an unforeseen situation arises, the time may be adjusted. It is best to plan a couple of weeks in advance in order to obtain services on the dates you desire. An in-home interview is required, prior to reservations, for all new clients. While we can tentatively pencil in your dates we must meet you and your pets and access your needs before we make a commitment to providing your pets’ care. During this initial meeting we will also review and complete forms and sign agreements. It is very important you call the office and not your sitter when scheduling an appointment or for returning home calls. This will prevent any missed appointments and will allow us to schedule efficiently.
Holiday charges:The following holidays have an additional $5.00 charge per visit. 100% goes directly to the sitter. Christmas eve, Christmas day, New years day, 4th of July and Thanksgiving.
Holiday Cancellations: Please understand that pet sitting services and kennels receive more requests for reservations than they can handle during these holiday time periods and we may have turned away other clients because we have reserved time for you during a busy season. If you cancel five days or less before any holiday, you will be charged for half of the visits. Exceptions may be made for emergency situations.
Keys: If you are not already doing so, consider letting Farm and Family Pet Care retain your house key. In the event of an unexpected trip, you’ll be glad you did. Please provide us with 2 keys, one for your sitter and another to be kept at the office in case your sitter is unavailable for any reason. If you choose not to have us retain a key, picking up and returning your keys requires two extra trips and there will be a $10.00 charge per trip for time and mileage. A second option for key return is via U.S. mail. To cover costs, the charge for this option is $5.00. Please check the key you provide to us.
Confirmation Call (Prior to out-of-town-Departure): Farm and Family Pet Care will make confirmation calls or e-mail no less than two days before each departure in order to verify that all information (dates, contact numbers, etc.) is still correct. Since phone mail messages or e-mails are not 100% reliable, please make sure we speak personally or e-mail is acknowledged by us. (Please do not depart town with out this). This is to ensure your pet’s needs are carried out as intended.
Medications: Farm and Family Pet Care will attempt to administer medications as directed but cannot be held responsible for complications that arise as a result. Excessively shy cats with medical problems can be a serious risk. If you have such an animal, this must be thoroughly discussed.
Vaccinations/Immunizations: For the safety of other customers Farm and Family Pet Care requires that all pets have the necessary vaccinations and immunizations before service begins. We may ask to see immunizations records and/or expiration dates for rabies vaccinations. If a Farm and Family Pet Care sitter is bitten or exposed to any disease or ailment received from the client’s pet(s) which has not been properly or currently vaccinated, the client will be responsible for all costs and damages that may incur.
Access to your Home by Others: We all want our pets to have all the love and attention they deserve, but please be advised that if there are other persons entering and leaving your home, Farm and Family Pet Care can not be held liable for any damages to property or pets as a result. Please inform us at the time of the consultation of anyone who may have access to your home while you are away. This includes cleaning services, repairpersons, friends, family and neighbors. Please also notify the person(s) in your home that we are coming so that your visitor, as well, is not surprised by our entrance.
Household Emergencies: Please leave the name and number of a trusted maintenance company or a person you can rely on to attend to any household emergencies that may arise during your absence. This includes but is not limited to; leaking pipes, malfunctioning water heaters and heating and air units.
Fences: Fenced in yards are wonderful play spaces for pets, however, no fence system is totally secure. Farm and Family Pet Care does not accept responsibility or liability for any customer’s pets that escape, are injured or become lost, fatal or otherwise, when pets are left out or given access to a fenced in area. This includes electronic, wood, metal or any other fence types.
Leashes: All dogs will be required to be on leash during outdoor walks.
Pet and house clean-up: Farm and Family Pet Care will properly dispose of pet waste and do our best to clean up any accidents your pet may have. We are not responsible for carpet/flooring stains created by your pet(s). We do request that you provide plastic bags, towels, cleaning products, paper towels, trash bags and indicate where you would like the waste disposed of.
Animal Behavior: Animals behavior can be unpredictable. Farm and Family Pet Care does not accept responsibility or liability for animal behavior, normal or otherwise, which results in injury to the client’s animals.
Inclement Weather: Primarily severe storms, hurricanes etc. You entrust Farm and Family Pet Care to use our best judgment in caring for your pets(s) and home if we are servicing you at the time of inclement weather. We will try to carry out your instructions to the best of our ability. The care we provide to our customer’s pets and their safety is our first concern. We have requested the name and phone number of a person living nearby (with access to your home). This should be a person close enough to walk to your home if roads are impassable (for example, a neighbor). If we are physically unable to drive to your home this information is needed so that we can contact this person to request their assistance to check on your pet(s). Please remember that garage door openers are not operational in the event of power outages. In the event that the customer does not provide a nearby emergency contact with access to your home the customer realizes that Farm and Family Pet Care will provide service but not until conditions allow us to reach your home safely.
The inclement weather plan will be as follows: 1) Every effort will be made to drive to your home; 2) The service schedule may be changed, interrupted, or altered due to circumstances; 3) If it is not possible to drive safely to your home, your emergency contact will be notified, 4) You will be notified that the above-mentioned contingency plan has been activated.
Emergency Contact: Name of Emergency ____ Contact:______________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________
Phone:__________________________________________________________________
Early Returns: We understand your plans change and we are very flexible if notified. If you return home early, please notify us immediately. If, however, you do not notify us of an early return and we make a trip and find you home, the regular per visit charge applies.
“Honey, I’m Home” calls: Please remember to call when you have returned home safely! Otherwise, Farm and Family will need to continue visiting to assure the safety and well-being of your pets. Additional trips will be added to your bill at the regular rate. Please call at ANY hour and leave a voice message that you have returned.
Unforeseen purchases: Any additional necessary costs such as food, litter, cleaning supplies or other necessary items that contribute to the health and well being of your pet will be purchased by Farm and Family Pet Care. We will retain a receipt and the customer will be responsible for reimbursement of these items. A $10.00 trip fee will be applied.
Gratuity: 100% of all gratuities go directly to your sitter.
Referral: Nothing compliments our services like a referral does! To show our appreciation Farm and Family Pet Care will apply a $16.00 credit to your account for each referral that uses our services. The referral must use our services in order for the credit to be applied.
Privacy Policy: All of your information will be kept private and confidential. Farm and Family Pet Care highly respects our clients’ entrusting us with the care of their home and their loving pets.
Payment: Farm and Family Pet Care accepts cash or checks. Payment is due at the time of or prior to the first visit. Please make all checks payable to Farm and Family Pet Care.
Return Check Charges: There is a $35.00 fee for any returned checks.
Late Payments: There is a 10% late charge fee for all late payments. Payments are considered late if not received at the time of the first visit. There is a 3-day grace period following the date of the last visit before 10% late fees are charged.
I, ________________________________ have read, understand and agree to the policies and guidelines of Farm and Family Pet Care. I further understand that a copy of this form will be kept on file for documentary purposes. All policies and guidelines are subject to change at the discretion of Farm and Family Pet Care.
Pet Owner Signature___________________________________Date________________________
3-3-07
3-3-07