Policies

Happy Tails by Heather C. strives to provide outstanding care for your pet. Our policies reflect our commitment to safe, reliable care. Clients will be notified upon any policy changes.

Booking:

We do not book walks or pet sitting “On Demand” - Our rates reflect a scheduled visit, per our booking policies. Last minute / emergency walks & sittings will be charged a $10 fee per service and are based on availability.

Weekday walks (Monday - Friday) require 24 hours advance booking.

Weekend (Saturday & Sunday) & holiday services are limited and require advance booking. To ensure availability, please book these services as early as possible. For additional information, please refer to our “Rates & Services” page.

If you are on a Weekly Walking schedule and cancel walks for a period longer than (2) consecutive weeks, your usual time slot may not be held.

Cancellation Policy:

We understand that plans change and do not charge fees for cancelled services. In the event that you must cancel services, please let us know as soon as possible so that we may adjust our schedule accordingly.

Walking:

All dogs must be walked on a leash and should have a properly fitted harness or collar.

We do not walk dogs from different households together at the same time. Your pet has our undivided attention during their walk.

Specific behaviors, including aggressiveness or “triggers” should be disclosed during our initial Meet & Greet. Please provide us with any changes in your pets behavior or health that may affect the safety of our walk/visit.

All pets should be current with their vaccinations and wear an updated rabies tag on their collar.

Pets should be properly registered according to your town’s guidelines. Registration ID tags should be worn on their collar.

All clients are provided with a text update, including photos and videos at the conclusion of each service.

Sittings:

For the best care and happiest pets, we suggest (3) visits per day for dogs and (2) visits per day for cats.

Our visits are conducted between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Please make us aware in advance of any special requests regarding visit times and we will do our best to accommodate them.

Keys / access codes should be provided to us in advance and are kept confidential. All keys will be returned to the client promptly at the conclusion of the sitting.

Please make us aware of any changes to your travel plans as soon as possible, including flight delays or late arrivals.

We are respectful of your home - the areas in which visits are conducted are kept tidy.

All clients are provided with frequent updates, including photos, messages and “Pet Report Cards”. We love keeping you updated!

Payment:

Payment for any service is due a week from the date of completion.

Weekly Walking invoices may be paid weekly or bi-weekly and are sent on Fridays. Please make us aware of what is most convenient for you.

We accept cash, checks, major credit cards, Apple Pay & Venmo.

Emergencies / Inclement Weather

In the event of an emergency while your pet is in our care, you will be contacted immediately. All clients must have emergency contact information on file, including the name & phone number of your pets Veterinarian and a trusted “back-up” contact that we may reach if you are unavailable.

In the event of severe inclement weather, every attempt will be made to care for your pet during their scheduled time. Snow, ice, severe flooding and other weather related issues may cause travel problems. In these situations, please allow for extra travel time so that we may reach your pet safely.

We reserve the right to cancel walks in blizzards, hurricanes and extreme weather situations and will provide advance notice.

COVID-19

Due to the on-going Coronavirus pandemic, the following policies and procedures will go into effect as services resume. Services are contingent on health, as well as changing local, state & federal policies. Please be aware that services will be temporarily suspended in the event that I become ill. Likewise, if a member of your household is ill, please contact me as soon as possible. The health and safety of you, your family and pets is MOST important. Please carefully review these changes and consider all possibilities before booking services. 

Services During COVID-19

All services conducted will adhere to social distancing guidelines. Please have your pet’s essential items (leash, harness, etc.) visible and close to the entrance of your home as to facilitate pick-up and drop-off. At least 6 feet of distance between other people will be maintained at all times. 

Due to the serious, highly contagious nature of COVID-19, I ask anyone booking pet sitting services to please have a local, emergency contact on file with me. All guidelines regarding self-quarantine will be followed in the event of my illness to prevent the spread of COVID-19. A contact who will be available during your trip will ensure that a back-up plan is in place for your pet, should a health emergency occur. 

Thank you for working together during this time to protect the health and safety of all.