General Questions:

What kinds of animals do you care for? We care for all pets. We will sit for dogs, cats, small mammals, birds, exotics (although we will not feed snakes), fish and occasionally some farm animals when they are coupled with our regular client’s pets.

What are your rates? Please see our “Rates & Services” page for detailed information.

Do you charge extra for holidays? Nope.

What if I have more than one pet? Will it cost more? We charge by the visit, not by the number of pets you have. Unless you have a lot of pets, and the care will take a lot longer, then there would be an additional charge.

Can you keep my pet at your home instead of you coming to my home? We do not offer any boarding or kenneling facilities. We only provide care in your home. If you need a place to take your pet, there are several boarding facilities in the area. We also recommend that you ask your veterinarian.

How do you get in and out to care for my pets? We request that our clients consider allowing us to retain a copy of their house key. Keys are securely stored and are coded for customer confidentiality. Allowing us to keep a key is very convenient for subsequent visits, especially if they are last minute. If you choose not to have us retain a key, then your key will be returned to you by mail within one week of the end of your pet sitting contract. Alternatively, we can leave your key in an agreed upon secure, outside location upon the last visit. Please note that under the doormat is not a secure location! We will not lock the key inside the house in case there is a delay in your return and we need to get back inside to continue caring for your pets.

If you want to give us a garage door opener or similar, that is fine, but we do require an actual key in order to get to your pet in case of a power outage.

Do you care for animals that are sometimes aggressive? During the “Meet ‘n Greet”, if we feel your pet is too aggressive, we will not take the job. We hope that you can understand that our safety is a concern and that if we do not feel comfortable, we will not be able to properly care for your pet. We strongly recommend having someone with whom the pet is well acquainted, like a family member, watch after pets that have shown aggressive tendencies. Kenneling would be a last resort.

Will you need to see proof of vaccination for my pets? We do not require you to show us proof of vaccination. It is best to inform us of any vaccination deficiencies, and we will take necessary precautions. However, we are not liable for pets that become ill due to exposure to something that could be prevented by a standard vaccination.

Getting Started:

How do we get started? First we need to arrange a Meet ‘n Greet’. Please contact us as soon as possible before you need our services at (360) 565-5251, via email at [email protected] or click on our "Contact Us" page and fill out the questionnaire.

What happens during the ‘Meet ‘n Greet’? The ‘Meet ‘n Greet’ allows everyone involved (you, your pets and the sitter) get to know one and other. We learn about your pet’s habits and preferences, get a feel for the lay-out of your home, learn care and feeding instructions, give you a chance to ask any questions or voice any concerns that you may have, do a key exchange and ask you to sign our Pet Sitting Contract as well as a Veterinary Release form. There is no charge for the “Meet ‘n Greet”.

How much notice do you need for a reservation or a cancellation? We request at least 48 hours notice before initial pet sitting begins. Please note that we cannot commit to care without having conducted a ‘Meet ‘n Greet’ prior to the first day of pet sitting. If you need to cancel, please let us know as soon as possible.

What happens if my trip is extended or there is an emergency and I can’t get back on time? We will continue to care for your pet at the agreed upon schedule until you return. Please let us know as soon as possible if your plans should change. If an emergency makes it impossible for you to reach us, you can rest assured that we will continue to care for your pet until we hear from you. You will be billed at the normal rate for all additional visits.

Services:

What is your service area? We service the greater Port Angeles area, from the Highway 112 cut-off to the west to the Old Olympic Highway cut-off to the east. Please call to discuss if you are outside of our normal service area and we’ll see what we can do.

What are your service hours? We provide care for your pets seven days a week. Our earliest visit is 6:00am and our latest visit is generally 8:00pm. All time slots are subject to availability. We will do our best to visit your pets as closely as possible to the requested times. However, if we are caring for multiple pets in multiple locations, the visiting schedule may be adjusted to accommodate all of our clients’ needs. We will do our very best to visit your pets at the agreed upon times.

How many visits a day do you make? That is entirely up you. Generally, we provide up to three visits a day for dogs. Other animals, such as cats, usually only require one visit per day.

How long is each visit? Most visits last about 30 minutes.

Can you spend extra time with my pets? We can generally arrange for longer visits at an additional cost. Please give us a call to discuss your needs.

What exactly do you do during a normal visit? During each visit we take your dogs out for a potty break or a short walk, refresh water and feed if needed, play and spend some loving time with them. For cats and other animals, we clean litter boxes and cages, feed if needed and refresh water.

Do you administer medications? Yes! We will administer any oral medications your pets may require in the form of vitamins, pills and/or medications which may be given in food or in a non-invasive way. We DO NOT administer injections or do any other invasive therapies.

Will you train or discipline my pet? No, we are not trainers. We will administer positive reinforcement for pets in accordance with your training guidelines, but our primary goal is to ensure that your pet is safe and happy. If there is a disciplinary problem, we will notify you right away.

Can I get a daily check-in from my pet sitter? Absolutely! We will be happy to send you a daily text or email. We will even text/email you a photo of your pet (providing it isn’t a kitty that’s hiding out!).

Will you share pet sitting duties with our neighbors or friends? For liability reasons, we will not share pet sitting duties with anyone other than OlyPets pet sitters. Sharing duties can also become confusing, especially if the pet has a special diet, requires medication or has other special needs.

Will you pick-up my mail, etc? At your request, we will pick-up your mail, packages, water bottles and newspapers and alternate lights and curtains, so that it appears that someone is home.

Will you water my plants? Yes, per your request, we will water indoor plants. We generally don’t water plants outside, but for an additional fee, we may be able to negotiate a deal.

Problems & Emergencies:

What do you do in case of an emergency? It would depend on the kind of emergency. If weather keeps us from reaching your pets for a regular visit, we would most likely call the “emergency” contact in your file to make sure someone could check on your pets. We would then call you to inform you of the action we have taken. If there were an emergency with your home, we would call you, your emergency contact and any necessary authorities or repair services as directed by you. If there were a medical emergency with one of your pets, we would call and then transport your pet to your preferred veterinary facility as quickly as possible. If your preferred veterinary hospital is unable to accept your pet for care, we would take your pet to Angeles Clinic for Animals in Port Angeles. As soon as your pet is medically assessed, we would contact you with all pertinent information.

What if my property or pets are damaged or harmed while I am gone? Life is unpredictable and people and animals do strange things. Because of this, OlyPets In-Home Pet Care does not accept responsibility for unusual mishaps or occurrences due to the activity of your pets, other animals or people (other than those connected to OlyPets In-Home Pet Care) who may be in or around your home while we are caring for your pets

Payment:

What forms of payment do you accept? At this time, we only accept cash, checks and money orders.

How will I be billed for pet sitting? We will require prepayment for your initial service. For our established clients, we will typically allow cash or a check to be left in an agreed upon place. On-going care clients may be billed on a weekly basis after we have established a routine with your pets.

May I offer a gratuity to my pet sitter? Absolutely! You may offer it directly to your pet sitter or you may include it with a note when you pay your bill. Gratuities are always much appreciated!

If you wish to leave anything else for your pet sitter, such as cookies, please make sure that you leave a note. We will not remove anything from your home without your permission!