HOW DO I BECOME A CLIENT?
Please visit our Contact page to send an email, providing as much info as possible, such as your location/neighborhood and the type of service you are requesting. Please keep in mind that we are very busy and need at least a week or 2 notice for new clients to allow enough time to schedule a meet 'n greet beforehand. We are unable to accommodate last-minute requests if you are not an already established client.
We will schedule a date & time for me to come to your house, meet you & your pets, go over care instructions, and grab a set of keys (2 copies please). The initial meet 'n greet is free of charge. Note: If you require an additional meeting(s) in the future, each one will be subject to a regular visit fee ($25).
WHAT IS YOUR SERVICE AREA?
Our service area covers the east side of Spartanburg only. Please refer to our Contact page to view a map detailing our service area. We stay busy year-round, and unfortunately, we do not have the time or resources to take on clients outside of this area.
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH KEYS?
While not in use, keys are stored in a secure, locked location. Each client's key is labeled with the pet(s) name(s) only, as well as a random 3 digit # for our reference only. Tags will have no identifying info such as your last name or address. If you use a garage or door code for entry, we still require a backup key be kept on file in case of emergency as these systems do fail. See our Policies page for more info on our key policy.
WHAT ARE YOU HOURS?
Our normal hours for pet visits are from 8am through 8-9pm daily (including weekends & holidays). On our busiest days, we may start as early as 7am when necessary to fit everyone in, but if you need anything outside of those hours, please consider booking an overnight visit.
I will also only respond to emails and messages between 9am-7pm. Please be respectful of my need for sleep and family time. :) On busy visit days, I also may not have time to catch up on messages until the end of the day. I appreciate your understanding and patience.
HOW DO I BOOK VISITS?
All scheduling should be done through the Time To Pet (TTP) web portal or TTP app. Please note that services are not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email stating that services have been approved. Note: I reserve the right to refuse service if we are full and/or adequate notice has not been provided. Exceptions will be made for emergency situations only (ie, death in the family, hospitalization, etc).
HOW MUCH NOTICE DO YOU NEED?
For established clients, we need at least 48 hours notice for daily/weekly visit requests (weekdays). For vacation care, please book at least 7 days in advance. Obviously, the more notice you provide, the more likely we are to have availability to accommodate your requests. Requests are filled on a first come, first serve basis.
Please keep in mind that weekends, holidays, and summers fill up the fastest. Scheduling early also allows the other sitters & I the ability to schedule time with our own families too – which is a much appreciated luxury! :)
That being said, please also be considerate of others and make any cancellations as early as possible so that we can fill your spot with another client. Note: late booking & late cancellation fees do apply (see our policies page for details).
HOW DO I COMMUNICATE WITH MY SITTER?
All communication with Jamie & your sitter(s) should be done through Time To Pet (TTP). This allows both sitters & clients to see the same information, in real-time. You can access TTP via a web browser, or you can download the app from the Apple or Android app stores. Most clients find the app to be very user-friendly, as it allows you to get notifications on your phone immediately when you have a visit update.
Please refrain from calling my cell phone unless it is an emergency. I also cannot guarantee that I will see text messages (they tend to get lost). Time To Pet is the best, most efficient way for me to keep track of messages.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
All families are different, so the daily care cost will depend on your pet(s)' individual needs. Dogs typically require 2-4 visits a day; while cats may only need 1-2 visits a day. We do require at least once/day for vacation care. Please see our Services page for more details.
DO YOU OFFER ANY DISCOUNTS?
We do not offer any discounts other than for community cat colonies. Our current rates allow me to pay our employees a fair wage for their hard work. I also donate my time to help our community in other ways (see Charity Work).
WHAT PAYMENT METHODS DO YOU ACCEPT?
Payment is due before or upon commencement of service. You will receive an invoice via Time To Pet (TTP) with a due date listed in the upper left corner. For weekly/daily clients, you may choose to pay either weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Many clients find it easiest to pre-pay; any credits will be automatically saved & applied to future service dates.
The preferred payment method is through Time To Pet (credit card or ACH). Alternatively, checks will be accepted upon request. NO CASH PAYMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Note: any tips made on your invoice will be automatically applied to the sitter(s) that were assigned to your house.
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE YOUR SITTERS?
It takes me months every time I go through the hiring process as I am very picky with whom I hire. We go through a very thorough onboarding process, including a detailed application, federal/multi-state background check, multiple reference checks, a minimum of 2 ride-alongs with me and/or Iris for training, as well as a minimum of 3 hours of online training specific to our company. We also do additional training through the FetchFind platform. All sitters are covered under my insurance with Pet Sitters Associates, and will be certified every 2 years in Pet First Aid & CPR.
Every sitter on our team is responsible, detail-oriented, and passionate about what they do. We all work from the same care notes (stored in a secure, private app). So rest assured, your pets are receiving the same quality care they deserve from each of our sitters. Please see our Sitters page to meet our team.
DO YOU SEND UPDATES?
We send updates to our vacation care clients at our first visit (so you know everything went well) and then every 2-3 visits after that. You are welcome to check in with us at any time, but please keep in mind that we do stay busy during the day with a full visit schedule. But we will send you updates at least once/day! :)
We also love taking photos of your fur kids, and we occasionally post them to our Facebook page. If for any reason you do not wish to have photos of your pets posted online, please just let me know at our initial meet 'n greet. I do my best to make sure there are no personal items or identifying photos in the background, as well as anything embarrassing such as dirty laundry or other messes! lol No judgement from us – ever– but we will be respectful and not include anything you may find "embarrassing" in public photos.
WILL YOU BOARD MY DOG?
No. We do not offer boarding/kennel service. We only provide petsitting in your (the client's) home. While some pets do enjoy the traditional boarding environment, I've found that most pets (especially seniors & kitties) are much more comfortable in their own home.
DO YOU DO TRAINING?
No. While our sitters are dog savvy and happy to help reinforce any basic obedience training you are already working on, we are not professional dog trainers.
I am happy, however, to refer you to a local, trusted dog trainer and/or behaviorist. Please note, I do not recommend "board & train" programs. When searching for a trainer, it is important to remember that training is 20% for the dog, and 80% for you, the owner. :)
IN-HOME PET SITTING • DOG WALKING • CATS, DOGS, RODENTS, FISH, & REPTILES • HOUSE SITTING (MAIL, LIGHTS, PLANTS, TRASH, ETC) • REFERENCES UPON REQUEST