Policies

No Place Like Home Pet Sitting Policies

Communication Policy

All pet sitting-related communication must be done on your private client portal – no exceptions. Calling and/or texting any employees on their private cell phones is strictly prohibited. Using other methods to communicate such as private email and Facebook are also prohibited and will resulte in immediate termination of all services and contracts. This helps keep all staff and clients on the same page and leaves no room for error. In the event of an emergency, using your client portal IS the quickest way to reach us, as we see all messages that come in immediately. You may also call the office line (813) 494-4538 and leave a message and the owner will get that message as soon as possible, but we do encourage you to utilize your portal for all communication for the quickest response.

We provide real time GPS tracking (shown on a map) and a time stamp of arrival and departure at each visit; this gives all of our human clients comfort in knowing we are at your home when we say we are, and for the full time we are supposed to be there. We will provide a full update at each visit, along with pictures of your fur babies, so you know exactly how things are going. These updates will automatically be posted in your client portal for easy reference and will be delivered to you via email and/or text by our software system. All pet sitters are held to the highest standard when it comes to your home and pets.

Holiday/High Peak Booking & Payment/ Cancellation Policy

Please make your reservations as early as possible to secure your reservation! These times book out months in advance and we can only take so many reservations at a time. To ensure your pets are receiving the best quality of care, we do NOT overbook. Once we are fully booked, we turn clients away. A credit card on file is required for all reservations. All holiday bookings and high-peak times (this also includes anytime Hillsborough County Public Schools are out; spring break week, summer months of May 1 through Labor Day, Thanksgiving week, and the 2 weeks of winter break) require FULL payment in order to hold your reservation. Your card will be charged immediately upon approval of booking request. A strict cancellation policy will be enforced. 14+ days notice will receive a full refund. 8-13 days notice will receive a 50% refund. 6 days or less will receive NO REFUNDAll refunds are credited to future services. 

Holiday Surcharge

Holidays will incur a $10/per visit surcharge to each visit scheduled for that day only. Our employees are taking time away from their families to care for your pets while you enjoy your families, so this helps retain quality staff. Holiday surcharges are on the 13 following Federal holidays per year: MLK Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day. 

Regular Non-Peak Booking & Payment/ Cancellation Policy

A credit card is required to be on file for all bookings. A 50% deposit is required for all bookings. Your credit card will be charged the 50% of invoice total upon approval of your reservation. The balance will be charged 48-hours prior to your departure day. A stict cancellation policy will be enforced as follows: 7+ days notice will get a full 100% deposit refund/credit. 4-6 days will get a 50% refund/credit of deposit. 3 days or less will get NO REFUND of deposit. 

Please understand that we are holding a spot on our schedule for you specifically. That means that we are turning other business away. In order to run a successful business and retain quality staff, these policies will be strictly enforced, effective January 9, 2023. Management reserves the right to make exceptions on a case by case basis. All refunds are credited to future services.

Recurring Monthly Mid-Day Payment/ Cancellation Policy

A credit card is required to be on file for all bookings. Recurring monthly dog walking and potty break services will be charged on the last day of the month. It is your responsibility to be sure your scheduled visits for the month ahead are correct and that you make the necessary adjustments as soon as possible. A strict cancellation policy will be enforced. 48-hours notice is required for a full credit for service that day. We understand that life happens and illness occurs, but when cancellations happen last minute, we cannot fill those spots again and staff loses out on money they planned for.  Just like other industries, such as daycare and gym memberships, you pay to hold your spot, whether you use it or not. You are paying to reserve recurring services on our schedule and you have priority scheduling over all other clients. We highly encourage you to still use our services if you or any family members are home sick. We can still provide dog walking and mid day services outside of the home. This will still give your dog(s) the ability to relieve themselves and get exercise outside of the home and release pent up energy, while allowing you to rest. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule, and management reserves the right to make decisions on a case by case basis for rare exceptions and pet emergencies out of your control. All refunds are credited to future services. 

**Mid-day services and single visits are not offered on major holidays.** 

Last Minute Requests for Existing Clients

A last-minute surcharge of $10 may apply for requests of 48-hours or less. In order to plan accordingly and rearrange our schedules to accommodate you, 48-hours notice is requested.  Full payment will be required at time of booking approval for less than 48-hours notice and your credit card will be charged. There will be no refund for cancellations. All refunds are credited to future services.

Late Departures or Early Returns

No refunds will be given for late departures or early returns. No Place Like Home Pet Sitting, LLC turns down many other clients to keep your visits on the schedule. This makes it impossible to rebook the visits that you have reserved. Therefore, there will be no credits for late departures or early returns. If we can accommodate a later visit time due to a late departure for something out of your control, such as last minute changes to flights, then we will. If we are booked or have no other staff out caring for clients at that time, we will not be able to make the change. We can still come do the visit at the scheduled time or you may forfeit the visit. 

Arriving Home

Clients are required to send a message via their client portal upon arriving home to let us know that your pet(s) are back in your care again. Doing so will prevent additional charges for unnecessary visits to your home. Our staff waits for that confirmation so we know that you have arrived home safely and the pet care is officially back with you again. We cannot do anything until that final confirmation is received in your client portal, in case we need to do an additional visit. It is your responsibility to be sure the message has been sent successfully. If you don’t see it in your chat section, then it did NOT go through and you need to send it again. Should you get delayed and we not hear back from you by the time your next scheduled visit would have taken place had it been scheduled, you will be charged for that visit. Dog clients MUST let us know by the time the next scheduled visit would have taken place and cat-only clients MUST let us know by the time the next scheduled visit would have taken place the next day. NO EXCEPTIONS! It is extremely important that you put your estimated time of departure and ETA for every trip in the event notes section of every booking request so we have a general idea. There is also a text box section on the My Info tab of your client portal that you can put this information as it evolves. It is extremely time consuming for us to keep sending repeated messages asking for these confirmations. If we have to send a reminder message out asking if you have returned home more than once with no response, we will assume you are not home and will drive over to do a wellness check. You will be invoiced and charged for the additional visit. A Welcome Home card will also be left on the counter at the end of all vacation visits, as a friendly reminder. 

Vaccines

For your protection and ours, it is policy that all pets we are caring for are up-to-date and current on their Rabies immunization, including indoor-only pets, no exceptions! Please upload a copy of the Rabies vaccine on your client portal so that we may keep this on file for our records. We understand that not all clients follow a yearly immunization schedule and may choose to follow a titer schedule so the Rabies vaccine is the only one that is mandatory for service – even for indoor only pets. 

Reservations

Reservations for New Clients: Will be scheduled after the initial Meet and Greet consultation.

Reservations for Established Clients:  Can be scheduled directly through your client portal. Scheduling is done on a first come first serve basis, in time blocks, as we cannot commit to an exact time of arrival.  We will, however, always try to accommodate your needs. A credit card on file is required: NO EXCEPTIONS

Outdoor Pet Policy

We do not provide service to dogs housed outdoors. Any dogs with outdoor access via a doggie door must have tags or be micro chipped. In the event a pet escapes confinement in between assigned visits, the Client understands and agrees that attempts will be made to contact them.

If Client is unreachable, NPLH has permission to extend the visit to search for pet as necessary and bill accordingly for the time. If the pet is recovered by animal control, the Client agrees to reimburse NPLH for any additional fees and all costs relating to pet recovery during their absence, which may include vaccinations, fees and/or other expenses, as well as a transport fee of $50.00.

Pets may not have access to doggie doors during overnight hours; between the last scheduled visit of the evening and the first scheduled visit of the next morning. In addition, a waiver of release of liability will need to be signed for uncontrolled outdoor access.

*If the client’s pet(s) use a “pet door” allowing access outdoors, and the client requests it left open during our care, the client releases No Place Like Home Pet Sitting, LLC from all liability if anything happens to the pet(s) when outdoors.*

Inclement Weather & Natural Disaster

In the event of inclement weather or natural disaster, we will use our best judgment regarding the care of your pets and your home.  This includes but is not limited to altering visit times and feeding schedules.  Should we not be able to make a house visit, we will depend on an emergency contact provided by you at time of initial consultation.  Emergency contact information must be kept current and emergency contact person must be able to access your home.

Job Sharing

Please notify us of any other person (relative, neighbor, contractor, cleaning service, child away at college, etc.) having permission to access your home while you are away. This is very important. If anyone else is there and we have not been notified in advance, we will need to contact the police for our safety and the safety of your home and pets. No Place Like Home Pet Sitting, LLC does not accept pet sitting assignments where you have also asked someone else to check in or care for your pet(s) during the same time period that we are performing requested services.

Conflicts, problems, and liability issues can occur with job sharing – and has been known to become a game of “he said, she said”. Only under extremely special circumstances may we agree but cannot be held responsible for the pet(s) being cared for improperly, doors being left unlocked, gates left open, pets getting loose, items being lost or broken, etc. It is also much harder to observe the health of a pet with more than one caregiver.

**No Place Like Home Pet Sitting, LLC is not liable and is completely indemnified for any and all liability stemming from the act(s) or failure to act(s) of third parties, whether known or unknown, including but not limited to, friends, neighbors, pool persons, landscapers, housekeepers, utility persons, etc.**

LOCKBOXES

A lockbox of your choice is required for all non-electronic methods of entry. We need 2 working methods of entry at all times. This can be 2 keys, or a key and an electronic method of entry such as a garage keypad. Please check prior to your departure that your keys and electonic methods are in working order, including fresh batteries, and all codes and entry instructions are listed on the Access Instructions section of your client portal. 

If you live in a gated community, you must provide a gate code in the access instructions of your client portal. Keys may not be hidden under a mat, or locked in homes on last visits. Should keys become unusable, lock malfunctions, Client fails to leave a lockbox with keys, or for any other reasons beyond our control, No Place Like Home Pet Sitting, LLC has authorization to employ the services of a locksmith to gain entry into a Client’s home on Client’s behalf. Client will be responsible for all expenses incurred and reimburse No Place Like Home Pet Sitting, LLC upon return.

METHODS OF PAYMENT

All major credit cards accepted and NPLH will absorb the fees, as we feel this is the cost of doing business. Checks are accepted and must be made out to No Place Like Home Pet Sitting. Cash is not accepted, unless discussed in advance. Any cash tips MUST be placed in a marked envelope with the name of the sitter(s) clearly marked. Cash left out with no clarification will be left. We will make no assumptions.

Smoke Free

No Place Like Home Pet Sitting, LLC is a Smoke-Free Workplace. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but due to health concerns, we are unable to provide vacation service to those clients who smoke inside their homes. We may still provide mid-day only service, but will wear a fitted mask in your home and will spend the majority of the visit outside. Thank you for your understanding!