Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. 2023 Policies and Procedures
Please read over the following policies and procedures carefully, and sign the form at the bottom of this page.
It is our policy to accommodate your pet(s) with the best possible care while you are away or unable to care for them. It is important that you provide Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. with complete and updated questionnaires for your pet’s safety and our insurance.
General policy: It is our policy to only care for one household at a time. While in our care, we do not walk other dogs or introduce other pets not pertaining to the same household. Your pet deserves our complete attention on scheduled visits. (See waivers if you want group walks, play dates, or dog parks to be allowed.)
For new clients a pre-visit meet and greet is required to assure we can fulfill your needs and your pet(s) are suitable for the services we offer. Intake forms and service contract will be required once the pet caregivers has completed the initial visit.
Scheduling and visit times: We attempt to accommodate your needs. We provide a minimum time interval for each visit based on your individual animal(s) after our evaluation meeting with you and your pet. If an emergency or unforeseen circumstance should occur, a specific time interval may need to be adjusted to accommodate that situation.
Reservations: Our pet sitters plan their time carefully. It is recommended that you reserve your regular visits at a minimum of 48 hours in advance. For a pet-sitting situation including overnight(s) or a walking situation during holidays we request a weeks notice.
Confirmations: All initial long-term contracts, initial overnight contracts or single visits will be confirmed by Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. via email or text at least 24 hours prior to service. Dog walking for established clients need not be confirmed unless requested.
Substitutes: A back up (substitute) sitter or walker is always assigned to each pet. If a requested or regular sitter/walker is not available for whatever reason you will be notified that another caregiver will be made available for whatever length of time needed.
Cancellation Policy for Pet Sitting (overnights and boarding): Since our times are carefully scheduled to accommodate several pets per sitter/walker within our care system, it is requested that you gives us a 48 hour notice of cancellation prior to the first scheduled service day. Failure to do so will result in a 50% cancellation fee of the total amount due. The exceptions would be cancellations due to emergencies or a death in the family. If there is only one day or visit, it is requested that you give us a 24 hour notice of cancellation otherwise the cancellation fee will 100% of the amount for that day.
Holiday/Vacation Cancellations: During the holiday/vacation periods, with the exception of severe weather, life-threatening emergencies or a death in the family; any cancellations regardless of advance notification will result in an up to 100% cancellation fee of the total amount due, (i.e. Christmas, New Year’s, President’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Thanksgiving as well as during the months of May 1st-September 1st. If there is only one day or visit there will be a 100% of the amount for that day or visit charged.
Early returns/last minute changes: Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. carefully schedules for you and all our other clients, therefore there are no refunds or credits and the full amount agreed upon is payable to the sitter/walker for a pre-scheduled visits.
Exceptions: Exceptions to reservation and cancellations may be made for situations where an individual client has an erratic work schedule.
Inclement weather policy: You entrust Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. to use our best judgment in caring for your pet(s) during inclement weather. We will attempt to carry out all your instructions including attempting to reach a sitter/walker who is physically closer to your home, if necessary. We reserve the right to call a nearby emergency contact in case of a serious problem accessing your pet(s) (severely iced driveway, too much mud or non-plowed snow etc). Every effort will be made to reach your home, but the service schedule may be changed, interrupted, or altered. If it is not possible to reach your home safely, your closest emergency contact will be notified. You will be notified that a contingency plan has been activated.
Payment: Currently Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C., our sitters and walkers accept only cash, check, or Venmo. 50% of the payment for pet-sitting is due to the pet-sitter in advance at the time of the contract. The remaining 50% is due before services begin. Payment for daily dog-walking is due weekly, post service to the individual walker/sitter. Any payment more than 7 days after service is subject to a $10 late fee, unless otherwise arranged with the pet caregiver.
There is a $40 fee for any returned checks. Clients are responsible for all costs of collections.
Medications: Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. walkers/sitters will attempt to administer all medications as directed by the primary caregiver but cannot be held responsible for complications that arise as a result. If there is a fear that an animal will react negatively to the administration of a medication (bite, severely scratch, or claw the caregivers) the sitter/walker reserves the right not to administer the medication. The sitter/walker will inform you of such as soon as possible.
Immunizations: All pets must have the required and necessary immunizations before service begins including rabies vaccination in the case of mammals.
Unforeseen purchases: If Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. and their sitters/walkers must purchase food, litter, or cleaning supplies that contribute to the health and welfare of your pet(s), we will retain a receipt and the owner is responsible for reimbursement of these items. In addition, a $10 travel fee will be applied.
Pet waste: Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. will properly dispose of your pet(s) waste. However, in the case of accidents such as vomit, submissive urination, or an inside-house-but-outside-a-litter-box/cage accident, a $10 clean-up fee will be levied.
Fences: Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. does not assume any responsibility or liability for any animals that escape, become lost or injured, fatal or otherwise, when the sitter/walker is instructed to leave an animal in a fenced in area. This includes any type owner.
Household emergencies: Please provide the name and number of a trusted maintenance company or person who can attend to any household emergencies that may arise in your absence such as leaking pipes, malfunctioning water heaters, etc.
Keys: Keys need to be clearly labeled with the pet’s name. If you will be using our service over time, it is recommended that you allow Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. to keep a coded copy of your key in our files. This ensures that a sitter/walker can access your home if you should call at the last minute.
Pet guardianship: In the unfortunate event that you become incapacitated while your pet(s) are in our care, please name the person who should be contacted to become their guardian to take care of your pet(s) until care can be provided as arranged for in your legal documents. We urge you to address the care of your pet(s) when planning your estate. Be sure that the person named is aware of your appointing them as guardians.
Personal Injury: You, the client, assume responsibility for injuries, ailments, and disabilities sustained by caregivers caused by your pets and/or home, including but not limited to, bites, broken bones, severe scratches, mauls, deaths, as well as home hazards that result in injury, disability or death. If you misrepresent an animal’s history of aggression, you place your assigned caregivers at substantial risk and may be held liable for significant punitive damages. If your assigned caregivers take pet(s) off your premises, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. for any injury or damage which may be caused to others by the actions of your pet(s), or to your pet(s) caused by the actions of other animal(s), including, but not limited to, loose or stray dogs.
Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. reserves the right to refuse or cancel the services to any pet. Management will review reasons for refusal as soon as possible and the refusal or cancellation will either be upheld or another sitter/walker will be provided. At no time will a pet be abandoned unless immediate safety of a sitter/walker is at risk.
I hereby give my consent to the representatives of Upper Valley Pet Care, L.L.C. to photograph, film and or tape and then use and publish the same in print and/or electronically and for any lawful purpose, including, for example, such purposes as publicity, illustration, advertising, and online platforms.
This agreement is subject to change, at any time. A copy of the revision will be provided to you.