You may be thinking "why would I need a Pet Sitter?" or "I have friends or relatives who can take care of my pets for me at no charge". If you have never used a Professional Pet Sitting Service, you may have questions about how it works. The following FAQ's should answer most of them for you. Please email or call us if you have any questions that are not answered here.
"Better" is a subjective description. While some kennels and boarding facilities may work well for your pet, Professional Pet Sitters offer many more positives for you and your pet. Friendly Faces Pet Services not only comes to your pet's home environment and gives them loving and quality care, we also check on your home and can be a deterrent to thieves. By rotating lights, bringing in newspapers, mail and fliers and having a car in your driveway a number of times a day, your home is much safer.
When you take your pet to a kennel or boarding facility, you must take into account the time needed to drive there, the gas used and wear and tear on your vehicle and the hours that the facility is open so that you can pick up or drop off your pet before they close for the day. It can also be stressful for both you and your pet when they are dropped off and you leave. Friendly Faces Pet Services comes to your pet's home environment. There is no travel back and forth to another place and no worry about returning home at a certain time. If you will be later than expected, just give us a call as soon as possible and we will continue our service until you return.
How much notice do you need from me to accept my reservation?
It really depends on the time of year and whether you are a new or existing client. Holidays fill very quickly. If you are a new client, we suggest you reserve as soon as possible as we need time to fill out paperwork and meet you and your pet. (Generally no less than 2 weeks.) Existing clients should also contact us as soon as plans are made. Even if the dates may change a little, it is better to have your time booked and make adjustments later. We try to be as flexible as possible and will do our best to accept last minute reservations from existing clients. We do schedule our time off according to future bookings, so early reservations are appreciated.
We accept payment by cash or check in person and credit cards through Zelle.
Our business hours are 7:00 am to 7:30 pm Monday through Sunday.
Are your rates higher on the Holidays?
No, we do not charge more for the Holidays. We do ask that you book with us as soon as you can for these times as they fill quickly.
Do you charge more for administering medications?
No, in most cases we don't charge more for administering medications. If administering meds will cause our visit to run longer than normal on a regular basis, there may be an added charge. However, this can be discussed prior to booking the reservation.
How do you get my house keys and information?
We will come to your home for a short get to know you meeting. We want your pet to meet and get familiar with the pet sitter while you are there. There are a few forms to be filled out so we will have all the information that we will need to properly take care of your pet and property. These forms can be sent to you in advance and filled out prior to our meeting. During the meeting, we will go over the forms you filled out, complete a contract and will need to receive 2 copies of your house keys. At that point, we will then ask you to show us around so that we have both seen where things are, as well as have the information on paper. The whole process should take about 30 to 60 minutes. We prefer to schedule the get to know you meeting fairly close to your departure so your pet remembers us when we arrive at the first visit.
Will we need to have a meeting and/or do paperwork prior to each trip?
No. Once the initial paperwork has been done, you only need to let us know if there are any changes. This would include contact numbers, alarm codes, pet routine etc.
Will the pet sitter I meet be the one who actually does the pet visits?
Yes. However, in the case of illness, personal emergency or injury to the pet sitter, Friendly Faces Pet Services will arrange for another qualified pet sitter to fulfill the responsibilities and care of your home and pet. We do our very best to notify our clients well in advance if we will be on vacation.
Do you have a minimum number of visits required per day?
Yes. In order to monitor their health and your home's security, cats must have a minimum of 1 visit per day and dogs must have a minimum of 2 visits per day.
Will you water my indoor and/or outdoor plants?
Yes, that is one of the services we do provide while you are away. There may be an extra charge if watering is lengthy but this can be discussed prior to booking the reservation. Please remember that any time spent watering is time not spent cuddling your pet!
How long have you been in business?
We have been in business since July 2003.
What do we need to do when we return home?
First, let your pet tell you how much love and attention they received while you were away. Then call or text us to let us know you are home. Even if it is late at night, please call and leave a message or send a text. We check our messages before we head out in the morning. If we don't hear from you and/or can't reach you, in the best interest of your pet, we will continue visits until we know you are home.
How do I get my keys back from you?
The best option is to leave your keys with us for future visits. They are locked away securely with no indicators on them as to your address, your name or your pet name. The keys are here and ready for the next time you need service. If you would like your keys returned, we will return them the next time we are in your neighborhood after you return home.