Policies & Procedures
RATES & FEES
All of our rates and fees can be accessed through our website.
PAYMENT PROCESS
Once you schedule your service through our Portal you will receive a detailed confirmation of service. At that time, you can let us know if any changes need to be made to your service order. We extend to you the courtesy of billing for our services and will email the invoice upon the last completed visit. You can pay with the following options: Payment can be made through check, credit card, Venmo@Lora-Rouse or paypal to lrouse33@nc.rr.com. In return, we require prompt payment upon receipt of the invoice but you must keep a credit card on file within the portal. If payment is not received within 7 days of the completion of your visits your credit card will be charged and a late fee will be assessed.
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 9 months.
BUSINESS HOURS
Our regular business hours are Monday-Friday from 9am to 4pm. The office is closed on weekends and all Federal holidays. Calls are monitored for emergencies when the office is closed. All other calls are returned during regular business hours.
RESERVATIONS
Your reservation is only confirmed when you have received a final invoice or confirmation via e-mail. To make a reservation you must use our on-line scheduling system or talk to a live person via our business office.
CANCELLATION
We adhere to a strict policy of NO OVERBOOKING. Therefore, once you have contracted services, we will turn away business in order to accommodate your schedule. You will be charged for all visits without proper notice of cancellation.
Except during holiday periods and the summer months, cancellations may be made up to 24 hours in advance of a scheduled visit. After that period, you will be charged for the visit.
- For regular pet visits: If you notify us less than 24 hours before visits are to start there will be a charge of $25 equal to one pet visit.
- If you cancel 14 days or more before any holiday, you will be charged for half of the visits only if the time slots can not be re-booked.
- If you cancel with less than 48 hours before the holiday visits are to start the visits scheduled will be charged at full rate unless the time slot can be re-booked.
CONFIRMATION CALL/TEXT
We will make a confirmation call, e-mail or text no less than 36 hours before each departure in order to verify that all information (dates, contact numbers, etc.) are still correct. Since phone mail messages are not 100% reliable, please make sure we speak personally or e-mail/text is acknowledged by us and client (please do not depart town without this). This is to ensure your pet’s needs are carried out as intended.
VISIT HOURS
- Morning and Evening visits occur between the hours of 7:00 and 10:00.
- Mid Day Visits occur between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.
- Evening visits are between 4 pm and 7 pm.
- We require that cats are visited at least every 48 hours. If you would like to reserve a specific time, $5 will be added to the cost of your visit.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY ACCESS
We understand that your friends and families may want to check in on your pets while you are gone however our policy is to not provide “shared” pet care with outside services, friends, family etc. It is of course nothing to do with your friends, it has to do with our insurance policy. It’s in place should anything happen with your house, our worse something with your pet(s) while they are in care of your friends, or while they were in your home, Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats, LLC could be held liable, even though we were not responsible. We will not provide service for pets with another party. 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, Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats, LLC is not responsible for any damages incurred to or in your home or to your pet during any time period that anyone other than Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats, LLC has access to your home.
LAST MINUTE SERVICE
Sometimes emergencies happen - our goal is to help you when you need it most, even at the last minute. However, do not assume that we have received your last minute request until you have received an invoice/confirmation via e-mail.
KEYS
- You can purchase a lockbox to put on your home (similar to the ones Realtors use). It can be purchased at Amazon for about $25 and can be reused for future visits.
- You can purchase a lock box from us for $25.
- You can supply us with 2 copies of your house key. One is for use by the sitter during your time away. The other is kept at our office in a lock box and labeled only with your pets names and a coded number. If you chose to provide only one key you must complete the “Lock-Out Authorization Form”.
- You can use a hide-a-key to hide the key on your property and let us know where to find it. Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats, LLC is not responsible for someone gaining access to your hide-a-key that is not authorized by Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats. This method also requires client to complete the “Lock-Out Authorization Form”.
- Give us the garage door code to access the house. If this is your choice, we would still need 1 key in case of power failure to be kept at office in the lock box unless your home is on a generator for back-up purposes.
- ****Picking up and returning your keys requires two extra trips and there will be a $12 charge for our time and mileage for each trip.
If you ask your sitter to keep a copy of your key unknown to Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats, LLC we will not be held responsible for it.
UNSECURED PETS
Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats will care for unsecure pets but if they are unsecure, this means left outside or able to go in and out a pet door at will, we CAN NOT be held responsible for that pet if something happens to it.
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.
CLIMATE CLAUSE
Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats reserves the right to adjust the thermostat or turn air conditioner on/off or whatever seems necessary if they feel the climate is posing a health risk to your pet’s in our care. Our staff will notify you if you are accessible.
INCLEMEMNT WEATHER
Primarily severe storms, hurricanes, snow/ice conditions etc. You will entrust us to use best judgement in caring for your pets(s) and home if we are servicing you at the time of inclement weather. We will make every effort to carry out your instructions to the best of our ability. The care we provide for our customer’s pets and their safety is our first concern. Customer selection of a nearby emergency contact has been requested. 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.
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.
Service Agreement
Services: Personalized Pet Care Rate: Please review your invoice for your fees.
- Ground Rules: The term Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats as used herein refers to the officers, owners, principals, employees, and subcontractors of the company known as Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats and its authorized representatives.
- This contract authorizes Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats 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.
- Upon Client's request to provide services in the future via phone, email, or the on-line 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.
- Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats 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 Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats unless arising from deliberate negligence on the part of Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats or their representative(s).
- If the pet(s) become ill and medical care is needed while under the care of Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats, Client authorizes Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats to transport the pet(s) to Client's veterinarian (or one who is available). Client authorizes Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats to approve any emergency treatment recommended by said veterinarian. Client authorizes Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats 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 Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats for any expenses incurred for emergency treatment. Client releases Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats from any and all liabilities related to transportation, treatment and expense resulting from emergencies.
- Client agrees to reimburse Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats for the purchase of materials necessary for the satisfactory performance of duties; and for any emergency expenses incurred resulting there from.
- If Client is delayed in returning home, Client agrees to notify Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats of such delay, and agrees to pay Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats for any additional visits required until their return.
- If Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats is locked out of Client's home, Client gives authorization for a locksmith service to perform any entry services as deemed necessary for Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats to access the home. Client further agrees to promptly reimburse Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats for any expenses incurred due to Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats being locked out due to Client error. Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats will make every attempt to gain access to Client's home before calling a locksmith.
- Client agrees to not solicit any of Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats's employees, pet sitters, contractors or representatives for pet care, exclusive of Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats.
- Client agrees to inform Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats in the event that any of Lucky Dogs & Cool Cats employees, pet sitters, contractors or representatives solicits business from the client.
- The Client fully understands the contents of this contract and agrees to 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.