Meet & Greet
HAPPY TAILS schedules a complimentary Meet & Greet for all new clients, to meet you and your pets and familiarize ourselves with your home and pet care routine. There is no charge for this consult. If future consults are requested for anything other than a new pet – i.e. feeding or routine changes/instructions that cannot be communicated by email, or you want to meet a sitter – a consult visit will be scheduled at regular visit rates.
Visit Times
HAPPY TAILS schedules visits with a 2 hour window. In the rare case that an unforeseen situation arises, times may be adjusted. Our clients’ pets are our highest priority, therefore, for the safety and well-being of all pets, HAPPY TAILS cannot provide “every other day” service.
For Pet Sitting Visits:
• Dogs require a minimum of 3 daily visits, for their health and safety. Although not optimal, in situations where the dog(s) have access to a secure outside area via a doggy door, 2 visits will be allowed. In these cases, Happy Tails cannot be responsible for the safety of your dogs while we are not there. Dogs can escape fenced areas, and wildlife can get in.
• Cats require a minimum 1 visit a day, for their health and safety.
Keys
To ensure the best possible service for your pets, HAPPY TAILS requires 2 copies of your house key. Keys are kept in a secured lock system and are coded for customer confidentially. You may also leave 2 copies of your key in a lock box (realtor type) secured in a location outside your home. If you choose not to have HAPPY TAILS retain a key, picking up and returning a key requires two (2) extra trips and there will be a $25 key return fee. The alternative, and least preferred option due to safety concerns, is to leave your key in a predetermined place agreed upon prior to the start of sitting. Please check the key you provide HAPPY TAILS to ensure it works in the lock.
Payment
HAPPY TAILS accepts cash, checks and PayPal.
• New clients – a 25% deposit is required at the Meet-n-Greet consult for the first scheduled pet sit services, with the 75% balance is due on or before the first visit for that scheduled sit. New clients will receive a quote for the total amount due at the time of the meet and greet, and will receive a LeashTime confirmation schedule and invoice following the Meet n Greet.
• Existing Pet Sitting clients – payment is due in full on or before the first visit of a scheduled sit. Existing customers will receive a LeashTime confirmation schedule and invoice within one week of a scheduled service. Payment by cash, check, or credit card/PayPal, is due upon receipt.
• Existing Dog Walking clients – Dog walking clients are invoiced twice monthly. Invoices are emailed 3-5 days prior to each billing period, for walks scheduled on the 1st through 15th of each month, and 16th through last day of month. Clients can also be billed once monthly, if preferred. Payment is due upon receipt.
Please make checks out to Happy Tails.
Returned checks will incur a $25 returned check fee.
PayPal – Invoices can be paid directly via the “Pay Now” button on your invoice,
or send payment to melanie@happytailsanimalcare.com, or 845-661-4357.
Scheduling & Cancellation Policy
• Rush/Short Notice Booking – Any service booked with less than 24 hours notice will be charged a $20 rush fee.
• Daily Dog Walking – Cancellation of a daily walk must be by 7pm of previous day, otherwise you will be billed for that walk. If a sitter/walker is already on the way to a client’s home when client cancels , or arrives at a client’s home and client is there and does not need the walk, or dog is not there, client will be billed for that walk.
• Pet Sitting Visits and Overnights – 5 days notice prior to the date of the first visit is required for cancellations. Failure to provide notice of less than 5 days will result in a $50 cancellation fee.
• Holiday Cancellations – Pet sitting services and kennels receive more requests for reservations than they can handle during the holiday time periods, and we may have turned away other clients because we have reserved time for you during this busy season. Cancellations received 7 days or less prior to a holiday, will incur a $75 cancellation fee.
Early Returns
HAPPY TAILS carefully schedules our time to provide superior service all of our clients. Therefore, there are no refunds or credits for early returns or same day changes to pet care. Once pet care begins, payment is due for the original times scheduled.
Assigned Sitters
HAPPY TAILS reserves the right to utilize any of our sitters/walkers for your visits. This allows us to cover all visits in case of emergencies, sickness, accidents, or scheduling conflicts. Please notify us in advance with any questions or concerns with this arrangement. If you wish to meet a sitter after the initial new client Meet-n-Greet, a consult visit can be scheduled at our regular $25 visit rate.
Access to your Home by Others
HAPPY TAILS does not recommend job sharing. If a client allows any other person access to their home during contracted services, we cannot be held liable for quality of care or damages to property or pets as a result. Unlocked doors, over feedings, missed feedings, lost keys and miss-set alarms complicate matters and compromise the safety of your pet. Please notify us if a neighbor, housekeeper or anyone other than a HAPPY TAILS team member has access to your home while you are away. Sorry to bark, but we reserve the right to decline these assignments.
Inclement Weather
In cases of extreme heat, cold, or intense storms, outside time during visits or dog walks may be shortened to potty breaks, with the remainder of the visit inside play time.
HAPPY TAILS will use our best judgment while caring for your pet and home at the time of inclement weather. The care we provide your pet and their safety is our first concern. Though a rare occurrence, there may be times we may not be able to safely get to your home (intense snow storms, flooding, trees down or road inaccessible, etc). In these rare cases, the emergency weather plan will be as follows:
1) Every effort will be made to drive to your home.
2) The scheduled service time/length 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.
5) HAPPY TAILS will make sure we get to your home and pets as soon as safely possible,
and notify you when we do.
Refusal of Service
HAPPY TAILS has the right to refuse services for any situations or animals who appear to be aggressive, have medical issues beyond our scope of care, or could cause harm or risk safety to us or others.
Liability
- HAPPY TAILS is not responsible for any damage to property of the client or others unless such damage is caused by the negligent act of the Pet Sitter. HAPPY TAILS agrees to remain insured through PetCare Insurance, Veracity Insurance Solutions, LLC or a comparable pet sitting liability insurance entity during each service period. HAPPY TAILS accepts no responsibility for loss to the premises if other individuals have access to a client’s home, or if the home is not properly secured.
- Pet Owner is responsible for pet-proofing house and yard, and the security fences/gates/latches. HAPPY TAILS will not be responsible for the safety of any pets and will also not be liable for the death, injury, disappearance, or legal consequences of any pet with unsupervised access to the outdoors.
- HAPPY TAILS is authorized to seek any emergency veterinarian assistance needed during visits, at the cost of the client, from any veterinarian as chosen by the sitter. However, the company is not responsible for the health/well being of the animal.
- Pet Owner is responsible for supplying the necessary, safe equipment/supplies needed for care of their pet(s), including but not limited to a sturdy, well-fit harness (halter, collar, etc…) for walks or in case of emergencies, firmly affixed vaccination tags, a lead rope or leash, pooper-scoopers, litter boxes, food, cleaning supplies, medicines, pet food, and cat litter. Pet Owner authorizes any purchases necessary for the satisfactory performance of duties. Pet Owner agrees to be responsible for the payment of such items, as well as service fees for obtaining items, and will reimburse HAPPY TAILS within 14 days for all purchases made.
- Pet Owner will be responsible for all medical expenses and damages resulting from an injury to a Pet Sitter, or other persons, by the Pet. Customer agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend HAPPY TAILS, in the event of a claim by any person injured by the Pet.
- HAPPY TAILS may use their discretion to stop and end service at any time that a pet poses a danger to the safety or health of itself, other pets, other people, or the Pet Sitter. If concerns prevent the Pet Sitter from continuing for a pet, the Owner authorizes the pet to be placed in a kennel, or previously arranged locale if possible. All subsequent charges, including but not limited to transportation, kenneling, tranquilizing, treating, accessing, and liability, are to be the responsibility of the Owner.
Privacy Policy
HAPPY TAILS highly respects our clients privacy. You trust us with the care of your home and pets. For the safety of your home, we do not discuss any client information, addresses, or travel information with anyone outside the company. We do recommend your inform a trusted neighbor that while you are away, HAPPY TAILS will be caring for your pets and coming in and out of your home.
