Pet Policy
Meet & Greet
This is a visit done before any services start. Meet & Greets are for everyone to get acquainted, for you to show us your pet’s routine, etc. and for us to answer any questions you have and to discuss the details of our services. The meet and greet is free and typically lasts around 15-30 minutes. We require two (2) sets of keys at the time of the meet and greet or access information which you can update on your profile. If we must return for another visit for additional instructions, there will be a charge based on time.
Visits
A drop-in visit includes feeding, walking, and time spent with your pet. A dog walking visit is a walk, fresh water and a treat if you choose. No feeding is involved unless requested. If feeding is requested while on a dog walk, that time will be deducted from your dog walking time. An overnight visit is when a sitter stays with your pet through the night and includes the last pet sitting visit of the night and first pet sitting visit of the next morning.
Pet Sitting
All Pet Sitting visits are done within a time frame of +/-30 minutes for dogs and +/-60 minutes for a cat. (A visit scheduled for 12:30 p.m. could be done anytime between 12-1 p.m. for dogs). This allows the sitter time for unseen pet issues or traffic. When we schedule morning visits, diabetic pets are done first, then any animals needing medications, then all other dogs, then all other pets. The opposite holds for the last visits of the evening. All pets must be visited at least once a day. We do NOT do every-other-day-visits while pet sitting. We count ALL pets when calculating your rate, but for smaller pets such as mice, hamsters, gerbils, rats, hermit crabs, and fish, we can give you a more reasonable quote depending on the care needed and the number of cages. We have a three (2) visit minimum if you are a new client. Existing clients may schedule single visits at any time. For Pet Sitting visits, your sitter will be happy to send you one report card update per day, if you request. When returning home, please call or text us at (941) 799-6655. You can leave a voicemail/text message at any time. If we haven’t heard from you by the next potential visit and are unable to reach you, we will make every effort to continue your pet’s care on their regular schedule. This will result in additional charges.
Dog Walking
Dog Walking visits are done as 1, 2 or 3 in one single day. There are additional fees for more than (1) dog. There is a $3.00 fee per extra pet. For Dog Walking visits, your dog walker will send you a report card with feedback through our Time To Pet app. Report Card information is always available in your client account for all previous visits.
Reservations
Reservations can be made by phone, email, our online website or through your client account for existing clients. ALL reservations, cancellations and any other changes MUST be done through Wiggle Your Tail and NOT through our dog walkers or pet sitters. Reservations are NOT confirmed until you receive an email from us. Please check that the days and times are correct. It is best to reserve as far in advance as possible, especially during summer and the holidays. Each time you go away, you will receive an email confirmation a few days before our first scheduled visit. It will ask you to update your Current Trip Information and any other pet care duties that may have changed since the last time we visited. This information is needed for your sitter EVERY TIME YOU GO AWAY.
Deposits & Cancellations
If you cancel your reservations 72 hours prior to the walk, you will be given credit. However, if you cancel on the same day as the walk, you will be charged the full price.
Pet Sitting Visits – A Non-refundable 50% deposit is required to secure dates. If any pet sitting visit is canceled 72 hours or more before service starts, the deposit goes to credit; if any pet sitting visit is canceled less than 48 hours before service starts, the deposit, and any payments made, are non-refundable and no credits will be given. If no deposit or payment has been made, you will be billed for the visits.
Overnight Visits – A Non-refundable 50% deposit is required to secure dates. If canceled 72 hours or more before service starts, the deposit goes to credit; if canceled less than 72 hours before the service starts, the deposit is non-refundable and no credits will be given.
Holiday Visits – A Non-refundable 50% deposit is required to secure dates. If canceled 7 or more days before the service starts, the deposit goes to credit; if canceled less than 7 days before the service starts, the deposit is non-refundable no credits will be given. *We have 9 days we consider a holiday:
New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
*Time of cancellation is calculated from the first visit back. *Cancellation times and policies are the same whether there is a deposit made or not. *We do not issue refunds. Deposits that are credited to your account never expire.
Payment
We accept credit and debit cards, ACH debit, and Zelle.
Keys
For sittings we require two (2) sets of keys at the time of the meet and greet or access information. One is for your sitter, and the other is kept in a locked box in our office for a backup. There will be a $25 charge for us to pick up/drop off keys at any time other than the meet and greet. It is recommended that your key is entered into our secure key system for future use. All keys are given a random number that is unrelated to any of your personal information. It is marked with a key tag and kept in a locked key box in our office when not in use. If making a new key for us, please check that it works before our meet and greet. We will not be responsible for making a new key. Leaving a copy of your key anywhere on your property for us to use is done “at your own risk,” and not recommended. Make sure there is a secure place for your key.
Miscellaneous
Visitors – Please notify us if there will be anyone else entering your house while you are away. This includes family, friends, neighbors, workers, house cleaners, etc. There is a place in your client portal under Current Trip Info for this information. We will “share pet care duties” with your friend, family member, or another sitter. Please be aware that if this is the agreement, our liability insurance may not cover issues with your home, keys or pets. Wiggle Your Tail will not be liable for any damages caused by the acts of others in clients’ homes.
Emergency Veterinary Care – If your pet requires any emergency veterinary care while you are away, we will contact you, the owner, first. If we are unable to reach you and your pet’s condition cannot wait, we will take them to the best-suited veterinary hospital for treatment. If you have a veterinarian listed in your account, and they are open and able to see your pet, we will go there first. If they are not open or available, or if there is no veterinarian listed, we’ll use the nearest Animal Hospital. All fees charged by the treating veterinary facility are the sole responsibility of you, the owner. There is also a fee for us, Wiggle Your Tail, to transport your pet to and from the facility, and is based on time (see Services and Fees). Please make sure your pet’s veterinarian is listed in your account. It’s also a good idea to make sure we have a credit card on file, as some facilities require a deposit to leave your pet for treatment.
Heat/Inclement Weather – Our #1 goal is to keep your pets safe and comfortable while in our care. If it is extremely hot/cold outside, visits and routines will be modified to achieve this. We are aware that certain dog breeds don’t do well in hot temperatures, and they will be strictly limited to the outdoors during bathroom breaks.
The same is true for extremely cold/snowy/icy days for all pets. In case of Heavy Rain, etc., we will do our absolute best to make every scheduled visit on time. We will plan by leaving extra food, water, etc. for all pets before bad weather hits. An email will be sent to you before you leave on your trip if bad weather is predicted while you are gone. We will ask you to speak with your emergency contacts to make sure they are available if needed. We may have to call on them to help if the roads are bad. It’s also a good idea to speak with neighbors close by and leave them a key for emergency use.
Driveways/Walkways – Please consider your pet sitter’s safety by removing any debris from all walkways and driveways before you leave on your trip.
Pictures of Your Pets – Please let us know if you do NOT want us to use pictures of your pets on our website or social media pages. We always make sure our “location” setting is turned off when we take any pictures and never use last names, so your privacy is protected.
Dogs Left Outside – We strongly advise you not to leave your dog(s) outside, unsupervised, in a fenced in yard or electric/invisible fence. If you choose to do this, we will still care for your dog(s), but we assume NO responsibility or liability if they are injured, become ill, or run away/escape.
Tips are not expected but are certainly appreciated. 100% of your tip goes directly to your sitter/dog walker. There is a space when paying your invoice to include a tip. *All policies and procedures are subject to change without notice at the discretion of Wiggle Your Tail.
