Off The Leash, LLC 

Pet Sitting Policies and Procedures

v 8.17

 

Off The Leash, LLC 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;

“When you can’t STAY, we will SIT.”(TM)

By accepting services from Off The Leash, LLC, you, the pet owner, agree to these terms of services. 

Reservations: To ensure we can provide for you on your desired dates, it is best to plan ahead and make reservations. Scheduling is on a first come first serve basis and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. 

Holidays Book 2-4 weeks in advance

Workdays Book 48 hours in advance

Weekends book 4 days in advance

Less than 24 hour notice may require a $5-10 Same Day Booking Fee

Times of Service: Off the Leash will try to accommodate your specific time needs as closely as possible. However, due to scheduling needs of other clients, logistics of driving a whole county and possible animal emergencies we schedule our visits within time blocks. We do not guarantee a specific time of service.  

Visits are made during these times unless otherwise arranged:

Morning: 7:30-9:30 a.m.

Cat Care: 10-3 p.m.

Midday walk: 11-1pm

Afternoon: 1-3 pm

Evening: 7-9 pm

 

New Clients: An in-home interview is required prior to reservations. While we can tentatively pencil in your dates we must meet you and your pet(s) and assess your needs before we make a commitment to providing your pet(s)’ care. 

Existing Clients: Care can be arranged over the phone or by email with a minimum of 48 hour notice. 

Duration of Visit: Off The Leash, LLC will stay with your animal the required time to ensure all physical and emotional needs are met. Approximate length of visits are 20-30 minutes. Every animal is different and Off The Leash reserves the right to use best judgement in the needed length of the visit. i.e. Some cats or dogs may not enjoy the company of a stranger and the visit will be kept to a minimum to lessen stress. Conversely, in the case of an emergency, accident or special need animal, extra time may be needed. If a visit takes unusually longer than the agreed time, an extra fee may be added. 

Emergency Sitting: Off the Leash offers emergency sitting to our Key Holder Clients. We will make every effort to accommodate your last minute sitting needs due to sudden work schedule changes and emergency situations provided we have a key, all information is the same and our schedule allows. Please have a back up plan to care for your pet(s) in case we cannot accommodate your emergency needs. A Same Day Booking Fee may be applied. 

Keys: Off The Leash will obtain your house key during the initial visit, when service is scheduled and agreements are signed. Keys will be held in a coded system separate from your personal information to ensure your safety in the unlikely event of key loss or theft. Keys will be returned upon request within 7 days of the end of your service in person or by certified mail. A key exchange fee may be charged. We will not leave the key in the house on the last visit due to the chance of unforeseen circumstances preventing your timely return. It is recommended your key remain in your Off The Leash file for convenience in future use of our service and to enable telephone and email reservations. 

Emergency Veterinarian Treatment: In the event of the animal becoming ill or injured, Off The Leash, LLC will make every attempt to contact the owner before action. However; the owner gives Off The Leash, LLC full authorization to bring the animal to any veterinarian for urgent or life threatening health issues. The owner will be responsible for all Veterinarian costs not covered by OTL's Health Warranty and will reimburse Off the Leash, LLC for any costs incurred within 5 days. Any exceptions to this policy or monetary limits needs to be put in writing prior to service. 

Inclement Weather: In the event of severe weather, Off The Leash will use best judgement in caring for your pet(s) and home. Off The Leash will try to carry out your instructions to the best of our ability. We have vehicles which can handle most conditions on most roads. However, some secondary roads may be impossible to drive on during severe storms. In this event, Off The Leash will call your emergency contact and arrange care of your animal. We will follow up with the emergency contact until we can safely visit your pet(s). 

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 and when normal visits continue.

Emergency Contact: Off The Leash has 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 for Off The Leash, customer realizes that Off The Leash will provide service but not until conditions allow us to reach your home safely.

Insurance: For peace of mind and the protection of the client, Off The Leash will maintain a Pet Sitting Insurance Policy at all times to include a Dishonesty Bond. Under the policy, OTL is only responsible for loss or damage to property resulting from accident, gross negligence or dishonesty. Pet Coverage includes accidental injury regardless of fault. OTL will only be responsible up to the limits of coverage outlined in the policy.A copy of the policy and coverage is maintained on file and available upon request.  

Access to your Home by Others: If customer allows any other person(s) access to their home during Off The Leash contract period, Off The Leash cannot be held liable for any damages to property or pet(s) as a result. OTL also holds the right to discontinue service if the safety of the animal or the sitter is jepordized. Please notify Off The Leash if someone will be in your home. Please also notify the person(s) in your home that Off The Leash is coming so that your visitor, as well, is not surprised by our entrance. 

Animal Behavior: Animals behavior can be unpredictable. Off The Leash, LLC does not accept responsibility or liability for animal behavior, normal or otherwise, which results in injury to the client’s animals beyond the insurance coverage.  Further, if an Off The Leash provider is harmed or injured by the client’s animals, the client/owner’s homeowner/renter’s insurance will cover the cost of any necessary medical attention required.

Fences: Fenced in yards are wonderful playgrounds for our dogs and allow them additional space to exercise and play. However, no fence system is totally secure.  Off The Leash does not accept responsibility or liability for any client’s animals that escape or become lost or injured, fatal or otherwise, when instructed to leave the clients animals in a fenced in area unsupervised. This includes tie outs, cable runs, electronic, wood, metal or any other type of fence.  Free roam pets are not covered under insurance. We discourage letting pets be loose while under our care. We are not responsible for their well-being if they do not come back home.                                          Vaccinations/Immunizations and Illness: Off The Leash requires that all pet(s) have the necessary vaccinations and immunizations before service begins. We may ask to see expiration dates for rabies vaccinations. If you choose to not have vaccinations for your pet(s), the pet(s) will not be allowed off of your property while under OTL’s care. 

Best practices are utilized to ensure illness is not introduced to your pet(s), however, some communicable illnesses can be contracted from the environment. Full disclosure of any illness your pet(s) may have is required to provide appropriate precautions. 

Unforeseen purchases: Off The Leash will purchase pet food, litter, cleaning supplies or other necessary items that contribute to the health and well being of your pet while you are absent. We will retain a receipt and the pet owner is responsible for reimbursement of these items. In addition a $10 trip fee will be charged to the pet owner.

Pet waste: Off The Leash will properly dispose of all pet waste. We do request that you provide plastic bags for this purpose and indicate where you would like these waste bags disposed. 

Leashes: All dogs will be required to be on leash during outdoor walks. OTL is not responsible for faulty equipment or ill-fitting collars resulting in loss of pet. OTL reserves the right to use alternative equipment if the supplied equipment is deemed unsafe. 

House Cleanliness: Off The Leash will clean up after your pet(s) to the best of our ability. Please inform us of the designated area for the appropriate cleaning supplies. If there are accidents above and beyond the normal amount anticipated, Off The Leash will charge a reasonable fee for clean up time.

Back Up Sitter: A back up sitter may be called in, without notice,  to care for your pet(s) in the case of illness, emergency or pre-planned days off. The back up sitter is fully trained, insured and supervised under OTL. If you would like to arrange your own back up care it is your responsibility to inform OTL of this plan before the scheduled sit. 

Privacy Policy: All of your information will be kept private and confidential. Keys and files are maintained in a secure environment. No information will be shared or sold to third parties. 

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.

If your return is delayed, we will continue service but it is up to you to contact us for extension of service. 

While we anticipate that you will be arriving home on the date you provide to us, we understand that there will occasionally be circumstances beyond your control that will prevent you from returning on the indicated date.  If this happens, please call us and we will absolutely extend past the predetermined visits to care for your pet(s).

Extended Absence: In the event you have to be away longer than planned it is mandatory that we hear from you! The regular rate will be extended if you provide a 24 hour notice. Last minute extensions are accepted but the emergency rate of $10 per trip may be applied for the first 24 hours of service. 

Early Returns: If you return home early, please notify us immediately. If, however, you do not notify Off The Leash of an early return and Off The Leash makes a trip and finds you home, the regular per visit charge applies.

Cancellations: We understand your plans change and we, generally, do not charge for cancellations with adequate notice. However, if you cancel 24 hours or less prior to the date of the first visit there may be a $10 cancellation fee.

Holiday Cancellations: Any cancellations prior to a major holiday and the days before and after; i.e.: Spring break and Fall break, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4^th, Labor Day and Thanksgiving Christmas and New Years with less than a ten day notice will result in a fee of $10 per cancelled visit up to three days of services. Boarding services will incure a $60 fee per dog for cancelled services. We request your understanding that Holiday travel is a peak service time for pet care and other clients would have loved to have had the reservation.

Holiday Fees: A $5 Holiday fee will be added to each visit on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

Extra Pet Fee: We reserve the right to add $5 per additional pet beyond the originally agreed upon household pets. I.e. family or friends are visiting with their pet and wish care or your pet had babies or you are fostering an animal. Please contact us at the time of the reservation to make sure these arrangements are agreeable to us.

Cancellations for Mid-Day Service: A cancellation notice before 9 am the day of the scheduled visit is requested. Otherwise payment is due for the time originally agreed upon.

Payment: Payment is due at the time of or prior to the first visit, unless other arrangements are made. 

Off The Leash accepts cash or checks. Credit Cards and PayPal are accepted with a 3% processing fee. 

Please make all checks payable to Off The Leash, LLC. 

For established clients with good payment history we will gladly extend our billing service for your convenience. A valid credit card must be on file. Payment is due within 10 days of service.  Any open balance after the 10 day grace period will be charged to the credit card on file in order to prevent a late fee. 

Returned Check Charges: There is a $20 fee for all returned checks.

Late Payments: There is a $20 late fee for all late payments. Payments are considered late if not received at the time of the first visit or receipt of invoice. There is a 10-day grace period following the date of the last visit before $20 late fee is charged.

Collections: Thank you for trusting OTL with the care and security of your pet and home. OTL trusts you to compensate for those services in a timely manner. If prior arrangements have not been made, invoices past due beyond 90 days will be turned over to a collection agency which will have adverse action on your credit. 

Off The Leash, LLC may use pictures of your pet(s) for publicity or promotional purposes of 'Off The Leash, LLC' without liability or obligation of any kind to me; however no information/pictures can be sold or shared otherwise without additional consent.