Welcome Packet

732-771-5178

Policies and Procedures

Office Hours:

Our regular office hours are Monday-Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm and Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm.
The office is closed on Sundays and major holidays. We periodically check emails and voicemails outside of office hours in case of emergencies. All other messages will be tended to the following business day.

Visit Hours:

We do NOT give exact times for visits. Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting offers a “Visit Time Frame” system where clients can choose which block of time best suits their needs for each visit.
Clients can ask for the “earlier” or “later” end of a time frame, if they prefer. Sitters will do their best to accommodate these requests, but we do not guarantee requests will be fulfilled. If a client would like to request a specific time they must contact the office. We will do our best to accommodate their needs.**Please note that there is an additional charge of $5 for a specific time request.

Visit Time Blocks:

Breakfast: 7am-9am
Brunch: 9am-11am
Midday: 11am-1pm
Lunch: 1pm-3pm
Afternoon: 3pm-5pm
Dinner: 5pm-7pm
Night: 7pm-9pm
Midday Dog Walking occur between the hours of 11am and 3pm (Midday, Lunch).
** Dogs are visited a minimum of every 12 hours
** Cats are visited a minimum of every 24 hours

Availability:

All requests are reserved on a first come, first served basis. We suggest clients book in
advance to prevent any inconvenience, especially during the summer and winter holidays.

Rates and Fees

All of our rates and fees can be accessed through our website.

Administrative Fees

In order to keep our overall rates and charges low, provide “the extras” and maintain
our excellent service, a 2% Administration Fee is added to every invoice to cover a portion of business costs.
These costs include, but are not limited to: providing our sitters with employee benefits, our liability and
bonding policy, insurance(s), tax liabilities, sitter vetting and orientation programs, background checks etc.

Holiday Surcharge Fee (per visit):

Any recurring visits, or automatic scheduling, will NOT be scheduled on
dates listed below. Clients must specifically request service on these dates.
**Holiday visits include a $10 surcharge (rate increase) per visit.
**Holiday Overnight Stays in a $20 surcharge per visit

Holidays:

New Years Day, January 1st
Easter
Memorial Day, last Monday in May
Independence Day, July 4th
Labor Day, 1st Monday in September
Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November
Christmas Eve, December 24th
Christmas Day, December 25th
New Year’s Eve, December 31st

Payment:

Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting accepts payment via credit card through our secure merchant account. For your convenience we keep a credit card on file.

Payment Process:

We will email clients a detailed service order for their review. They can then let us knowif any changes need to be made to the order. The client’s card will be charged approximately 2 business days prior to the start of their service order. Services requested within this 2 day period will be charged on the dayof the request. An invoice will be emailed to the client for their review.
“Mid-Day Dog Walking” clients on a recurring schedule are invoiced on a bi-monthly basis. They will be
charged and emailed a confirmation on the date of each invoice. Invoices are generated on the 1st and 15th of each month.

Refunds:

We do not provide refunds, but use the remaining amount as a credit balance on your account for future pet care needs. Your credits expire after 6 months.

Cancellations:

Our cancellation policy applies to any reserved/confirmed requests regardless of the date
request was made. If a visit is requested, reserved, and canceled on the same day the cancellation policy still
applies.
“Mid-day Dog Walking” and “Pet Sitting” clients must make cancellations up to 24 hours in advance of a
scheduled visit. After that time, client will be charged for the visit.
“Overnight Pet Sitting” clients must make cancellations 7 days in advance of scheduled visit. After that
period, client will be charged for the visit.
“Holidays” visits must be cancelled 7 days in advance. After that period, client will be charged for the visit
(50% of total 48 hours in advance and 100% of total with less than 48 hours notice).

Reservations:

A client’s request is only considered reserved when they receive a final invoice/confirmation
email. Reservations can be made by using our online scheduling system, or by contacting our office via email
or phone. Messages left are NOT considered confirmed reservations.

Last Minute Service:

Its inevitable. Something will happen and a last minute request will be needed. We strive to be there for our clients when they need it most, even at the last minute. However, do not assume the request has been reserved until you receive an invoice/confirmation email.

Keys:

Dusty Trail requires 2 sets of keys: 1 copy for the assigned sitter, and 1 back-up copy for the office.
We ask that you give the keys to your assigned sitter at your registration meeting (Meet and Greet). We will return your keys to you in person within 20 days of receiving written notice of your desire to have them returned. You or your designee must be there to receive the keys and sign for them. We do not leave keys in hidden locations on your property and will not mail them to you at your home address.
-Client assumes responsibility of notifying the office of ANY changes of keys, locks, or codes.
-Client ensures the assigned sitter AND Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting office has current, usable, and active keys and codes at all times.
-Client MUST notify Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting office of any changes to keys, locks, or codes.
-Client releases Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting of any and all liabilities and expenses related to locksmith fees to gain access to their home resulting from client’s failure to comply with the above stated key policies.

Door Person:

Client’s keys are held by the front desk of their building. We pick up and drop off keys after each visit.

Lock Box:

Client’s keys are kept in a lockbox securely attached to their property. We take out the key and reinsert keys after each visit.
** If this option is preferred, client will provide a lockbox for Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting to access and a code to open/close it.

Keyless Entry:

Client provides their sitter and Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting office with a code to access their property through a keypad/keyless option. A back-up key location MUST be provided in the event of power or battery failure.

Friends and Family Access:

We understand that your friends and families may want to check in on your
pets while you are gone but we must know the names of those friends and family and the dates and times that they are expected. If we arrive at your home and there is an unexpected person in your home, we will leave the premises and report our finding to the local authorities. Additionally, Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting is not responsible for any damages incurred to or in your home or to your pet during any time period that anyone other than Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting has access to your home.

Delivery Fees:

There will be a $35 per hour delivery fee if Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting needs to pick-up supplies for your pet. Please remember to leave adequate (or more!) food, litter, leashes, etc. for your pet’s needs.

Unsecured Pets:

Cats and dogs left out in the yard or with access to a doggy-door are considered free roaming. In the event of illness, injury, loss or death, Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting will not be held liable for these free-roaming pets. It is strongly advised that all pets wear an ID tag with a contact number
and that they remain inside your home or confined for their own safety and welfare in your absence. If your pet has a security microchip – please provide that information during your registration meeting.

Secured Areas:

It is the pet-owner’s sole responsibility to pet-proof any areas of the home and/or property to which the pet has access. This includes thoroughly inspecting fences, gates, latches, doors and other devices meant to keep the pet inside or away from any ‘forbidden’ areas. The pet sitter does not assume
and has no liability for any injuries the pet may sustain while in its own home.

Safe Access:

It is the pet-owner’s responsibility to provide safe access to their home – shoveling their sidewalks, steps and porch. If the client is out of town during the time of a snowstorm, the sitter will access the home and contract services to clear walkways if necessary. The fee for this service will be added to client’s final invoice.

Climate Clause:

Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting reserves the right to adjust the thermostat, close/open windows (as long as it remains safe and secure), turn air conditioning on/off or etc. in ALL of our clients’ homes if our sitters feel the climate is posing a health risk to their pet(s) in our care. We will notify clients if any adjustments are made.

Confidentiality:

We recognize that your privacy is important to you and your family. We will not, at any time, either directly or indirectly, use any information for our own benefit, disclose, or communicate, in any manner, any information to any third party. I will also not divulge the dates or nature of your travel or relationship with Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting without your written permission.

Referral Program:

One of the things I really believe in is in rewarding clients for sending referrals and because of that, my business is mostly referral-based. I would be happy to provide you with a free “Dog Walking” or “Pet Sitting” visit as a thank you for your belief in my company. Here’s how you can refer Dusty Trail: if you overhear someone saying they’d like to find a reliable and guilt-free way to care for their pets in their absence send them to DustyTrailPetSitting.com or ask them to contact me for a quick chat, to see if I can help with their pet care needs.

Service Agreement

Services: Personalized Pet-Care

Rate: Please review your invoice for your fees.

1. Ground Rules: The term Dusty Trail as used herein refers to the officers, owners, principals, employees, and subcontractors of the company known as Dusty Trail Dog Walking and Pet Sitting LLC and its authorized representatives.

2. Client agrees to contact Dusty Trail 3 days prior to departure in order to confirm their travel plans, and to verify the service dates.

3. Client agrees to pay Dusty Trail the total fee for the services to be rendered upon signing this agreement.

4. This contract authorizes Dusty Trail to enter the Client’s home to provide the services listed herein and on the invoice, which shall be an addendum to this service contract.

5. Upon Client’s request to provide services in the future via phone, email, or the online scheduling system, Client agrees that this contract shall be renewed or extended in its entirety, without further written authorization. The term of said renewal shall coincide with the service dates as listed on the most recent of an email confirmation or an invoice.

6. Dusty Trail agrees to provide the services stated herein in a reliable and trustworthy manner. In consideration of these services, and as an express condition thereof, the Client expressly waives and relinquishes any and all claims against Dusty Trail unless arising from deliberate negligence on the part of Dusty Trail or their representative(s).

7. If the pet(s) become ill and medical care is needed while under the care of Dusty Trail, Client authorizes Dusty Trail to transport the pet(s) to Client’s veterinarian (or one who is available). Client authorizes Dusty Trail to approve any emergency treatment recommended by said veterinarian when the cost of treatment is within the limits authorized in a Veterinarian Release Form. Client authorizes Dusty Trail to take Client’s pet(s) to an Emergency Clinic For Animals when the Client’s veterinarian is not immediately available. Client further agrees to promptly reimburse Dusty Trail for any expenses incurred for emergency treatment. Client releases Dusty Trail from any and all liabilities related to transportation, treatment and expense resulting from emergencies.

8. Client agrees to reimburse Dusty Trail for the purchase of materials necessary for the satisfactory performance of duties; and for any emergency expenses incurred resulting there from.

9. If Client is delayed in returning home, Client agrees to notify Dusty Trail of such delay, and agrees to pay Dusty Trail for any additional visits required until their return.

10. Client agrees to pay Dusty Trail the regular per visit or daily rate if additional, necessary or unnecessary, visits are made due to Client failing to notify Dusty Trail upon their return home.

11. This contract is for the total number of visits, at the total cost, listed in the invoice and shall be extended or renewed upon Client’s request to provide services in the future as outlined in article 5 above. No additional fees, except as noted herein, shall be levied.

12. The Client fully understands the contents of this contract and agrees to pre-pay the total fees for services stated herein, and to pay any additional charges due when the service has been completed. In the event any part of this contract shall be determined to be invalid it shall have no bearing on any other part of this contract.