Policies & Procedures

Pets

It is imperative that ALL pets be up-to-date on vaccinations and proof of same submitted at time of contract signing. While You R Away® cannot provide service for aggressive animals, and those with a history of biting, This is for the safety of the Pet Sitter. ALL pets MUST wear identification tags while in our care.  Pets with special needs and disabled pets will be evaluated for services at the time of the in-home consultation.  While You R Away® reserves the right to refuse pet sitting care to any pet owner for any reason.

In Home Consultation

Before any services may begin, an in-home client consultation must be scheduled. It is important that we meet you and your pet(s) so that you may explain their routine and walk us through your home.  We will provide you with a full description of services, and rates in writing so that you may make an informed decision for your pet(s) care.  References are available upon request.   Our Service Agreement will be completed prior to scheduling any services.

Reservations

Reservations should be made as soon as you’ve finalized your travel plans. Reservations can be placed by calling our office, visiting our website, or by sending us an email message.   We will confirm all reservations within 24 hours of contacting us.   PLEASE NOTE:  reservations made during the holidays should be made no less than two weeks in advance.  Requests for service made less than two weeks before any holiday travel will be filled based on availability.  In some cases, a deposit will be required.

Before You Leave

You may wish to leave specific instructions relating to the current visit. While we have the instructions in our files from the original consultation, things may have changed slightly from the previous visit. Please advise us if there is alarm code or key changes before you leave. Make sure we have up-to-date emergency contact info in the case we are unable to get into your home, or if there are questions or issues that arise while you are away. Please leave food, medications, special treats, or cat litter disposal bags where we can easily see them.  Please see our Preparing for Your Pet Sitter for more details

Back-Up Sitters

In the event of injury or illness of your assigned Pet Sitter, another qualified While You R Away® staff member will be assigned. It is While You R Away®’s policy to ensure that your pets and your home are never left unattended.

Payment

Payment for ALL services is due on or before the first date of service unless other arrangements have been discussed.  While You R Away® will accept Major Credit Card’s,Square Cash, Venmo or checks.  Payments may be mailed to our corporate offices,or simply left for our Pet Sitters to pick up at your home. Clients are required to have a valid credit card on file with us to use in the event of a pet emergency or satisfying outstanding service fees.  For added security, credit card information that we keep on file is never stored on an internet based server.

Cancellations

Cancellations may be made no less than 24 hours of departure without charge.  We request at least 24 hours notice also if your travel plans are extended other than for emergencies or travel issues beyond your control. (i.e., flight delays, traffic, etc.)   Same day cancellations for mid-day visits must be made by 8:00 am on that day to avoid full charge.

Job Sharing

While You R Away® does not recommend job sharing. Our insurance and bonding policies cover While You R Away® employees only. While we understand the financial benefit of having friends and family share the visits, it is stressful to both the pets and the pet sitters. All requests must be discussed with the owner of While You R Away® directly and may require a waiver of insurance and bonding protection provided by us.

Keys

All clients are required to provide 2 working sets of house keys at contract signing.  Key pick-up and drop off charges may apply if client does not wish to allow While You R Away® to maintain keys.   For your security, names and addresses will never be placed on your key tags.  We use a coded key number system in the event a key is dropped or stolen.