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FAQ about our dog walking, puppy - pet - cat - house sitting

Pretty Much All You Need To Know

If by some chance you can't find what you're looking for, dial our number.

How to buy

Add services to the shopping cart, then checkout with PayPal. We'll be in touch & do the rest.

Where to reserve

Online

Open our Quote and Reservation Form (click button on website header).

New client - submitting the form will lead to a quote from us. Service is reserved once you accept the quote.

Returning client - submitting the form makes the reservation.

By phone

You can give us a call.

Confirmation

We confirm every request by email or by telephone – never assume services are confirmed if you have not heard from us (this ensures your pet is never left alone and always receives the necessary care).

If you do not receive an email from us that you're expecting ... look in your spam/junk email folder, or call us immediately so we can resend the email.

When to reserve

With access to our Quote and Reservation Form you can reserve 24/7.

We encourage you to book our services as soon as possible (ideally 2 days before a visit).

Last-minute request

We work hard to accept last-minute bookings, and usually accommodate.

We consider a request for our services to be at the "last-minute" if it is made within 3 days of visit.

New client - we need to have a Meet & Greet consult, a signed Professional Sitting Service Agreement, keys to your home, and a 50% deposit.

A one-time fee may apply.

Special request

Need special help? We’d love to hear what we can do for you.

We've had requests for house cleaning, care of elderly persons, and were able to accommodate.

We can make visits before or after our normal hours of service, including overnight, subject to sitter availability.

Hiring sitter directly

We ask that you not hire a sitter directly. We give your sitter's phone number so you may contact them in an emergency or to report that you've arrived home. Thank you for your understanding.

Service area

  • Greater Ottawa, Ontario
  • Mississauga & Hamilton, Ontario

We're working to expand. Want to join our team and have our help to offer our services where you live?

Hours of service

8 AM to 8 PM every day.

Earlier or later visits available, with an additional fee.

Pre-service consultation

New client - a 30- to 45-min Meet & Greet consultation is required before we provide our service to:

  • Confirm where you live
  • Schedule your Meet & Greet so that we may become acquainted with you and your pet(s)
  • Pay your 50% deposit
  • Meet & Greet to discuss the care instructions
  • Identify your emergency contact(s)
  • Complete a Veterinarian Notification Card
  • Identify med(s) to administer to your pet(s)
  • Test (de)activation of your home alarm system
  • Tour your home, noting the hiding places of your pet(s) and location of pet food, etc.
  • Complete and sign the Professional Sitting Service Agreement
  • Obtain and test 2 keys or sets of keys to your home

Subsequent consultation

Returning client - a new consultation is optional if you have a new sitter, a new pet or new medication to be added. In addition, a new meet and greet is required if you have moved."

Visit (duration)

Durations are 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes.

For longer than 60 minutes, add 15-minute increments.

The 30-minute visit is our most popular duration.

The duration depends on preference, guided by the type & number of pets, pet care needed, and chores needed.

Visit (frequency/day)

When providing care to pets, a minimum of 1 daily 15-minute visit is required.

Our standard is to visit from 1 to 4 times per day. We can visit more often if needed.

The frequency depends on preference, guided by the type & number of pets, pet care needed, and chores needed.

Cats & pocket pets need at least one 15-minute visit per day.

Dogs need, at minimum, two 30-min visits per day (morning & evening to be let out); a third 30- to 60-min visit is recommended (for a walk).

Visits (same sitter)

We want you and your pet(s) to build a relationship with your sitter so you and your pet(s) feel comfortable, and to respect the attachment your pet(s) develop(s) with the sitter. If your sitter is not available for a particular assignment or some visits of an assignment, you have the option to meet his or her temporary replacement if you like and the Meet & Greet fee will apply.

Visit (free add-ons)

  • Plenty of tender, loving care.
  • Playtime with favourite toys or activities.
  • Fresh food and water, daily, at times specified by you.
  • Walks or let out in the yard for elimination and exercise.
  • Daily reports that chart the activities and health of your pet(s).
  • Grooming, if enjoyed by your pet(s).
  • Daily clean up of feeding and watering area and bowls.
  • Clean up of litter box and/or cage during each visit.
  • Administration of some medications.
  • Clean up of small accidents.
  • Watering of a few plants.
  • Taking trash and recycling bins out to the curb, and returning them to the home.
  • A daily checklist of tasks completed, and an end-of-assignment report card for the pet(s).
  • Our Veterinarian Notification Card - to let your Vet know we are taking care of your pet(s).
  • Bringing in mail, newspapers, and packages into your home.
  • Alternating the turning on and off of lights.
  • Opening and closing window treatments.
  • Turning on and off the television and/or radio.
  • Moving your vehicle(s) in your driveway.
  • A complete visual security inspection of your home.

Visits (refused)

We may decline service for various reasons; common examples are an aggressive pet (sitter safety), an outdoor cat (too difficult to notice if cat is ill or injured).

Overnight (in your home)

A sitter can stay overnight in your home.

Boarding (in a sitter's home)

A sitter may board your pet(s) in their home.

Pet runs away

We'll launch a search & find mission. We'll contact you, your emergency contacts, neighbours, 311 (Bylaws), and the Humane Society.

Updates when away

With e-Diary notes (sold in bulk), after each visit your sitter can text notes or type notes online that you can read by logging in on our e-Tools page.

Travel itinerary change

Time we set aside for your visit is time we cannot visit another client.

A refund is not offered, but we'll happily give a credit you may use anytime after.

Home early

Please phone your sitter as soon as possible when you arrive home so they know not to make another visit.

A refund is not offered for a visit you don't need because you returned home early. Please visit our cancellation page for further details.

Home late / forgot to notify sitter

Without your call saying you're home, your sitter will try to reach you or your emergency contact or your carrier. If unable to establish your whereabouts, your sitter we keep visiting your home.

If you call to say you'll be arriving late, your sitter will keep visiting your home until you arrive.

An additional fee may apply.

Address, emails, phone update

Please keep us updated about any change of address, email, or phone number. Use the Address + Contact Info form on our e-Tools page.

Pet info update

If we’re providing pet care, please keep us updated about anything related to the care of any pet, especially medication, med care, routine, and food. Use the Pet Info form on our e-Tools page.

Emergency contacts update

We need 2 emergency contacts. Use the Emergency Contacts form on our e-Tools page to keep us updated about who you want us to reach when we can’t reach you.

Travel itinerary

It may seem silly but knowing where you’ll be, and when, and how to reach you there, helps us find you if we need you in an emergency.

Best practice for keys

Ready Key involves giving us 2 keys to your place to hold indefinitely so we can access your home any time you need us in the future.

Ready Key is extremely popular with our clients, it avoids the hassle of exchanging keys before & after an assignment.

To use this service, complete the Ready Key form on our e-Tools page, and give your sitter 2 keys to your home (a 2nd key in case of emergency).

Keeping keys safe

We treat the safety of your keys and security of your home very seriously. We have a strict Key Policy about handling your keys. Important measures include:

  • Safely storing, in a locked file cabinet, every completed agreement and form;
  • Tagging and encoding keys to protect against being linked to any client name or address;
  • Storing each key in a secure, locked key box when the key is not in transit;
  • Undertaking periodic physical inventory of keys to ensure all keys are accounted for; and
  • The monitoring of all key transactions.

Returning keys

Your sitter can return your keys to you to your home or another location mutually agreeable to you and your sitter, a key return fee normally applies. Alternatively, you can pick up keys from your sitter, there would be no fee.

Medications & injections

We administer pills, drops and/or injections following a Veterinarian's directions.

To give meds or treatment, we need your consent & instructions. Use the Pet Update form on our e-Tools page.

We do not administer any med or treatment to an animal if it can pose a danger to its life or to the sitter.

Vaccination & parasite controls

We strongly recommend that all dogs and cats be vaccinated, and that they receive an internal & external parasite control, prevention treatment.

A dog or cat being sat and/or walked on an individual basis does not need vaccination or monthly parasite prevention before receiving our care, but we need to know when they received their last vaccination and parasite testing.

A dog participating in a group walk must be vaccinated and have monthly parasite control & prevention, applicable to all dogs in the group walk.

Pet injury / illness

We'll contact you right away, and may take the pet to your Vet (or to emerg at the Alta Vista Animal Hospital) if needed.

Where to find pricing

Each service page under Shop Services has the pricing for the service. You can also find all pricing on the Checkout page. Note we regularly offer buy more save more deals on our Shop Deals page.

Rates are based on variables like how many visits we make, how long visits are, how many pets are being cared for, the type of care provided, if visits are taking place during a holiday, and the travel distance required between your home and the home of the pet care provider.

Price guarantee - we beat competitors

Find proof of a lower price (written quote, printed invoice, publicly advertised) with a competitor (must be insured with an Ontario business license) for a service of comparable duration and in our service area? We’ll gladly match that price and beat it by 10%.

Shop deals

We regularly post great deals on our Shop Deals page. Check regularly to take advantage. With limited conditions, you can save big. We routinely offer the buy now, use later option. Deals are offered for a limited time.

Discounts

We are competitive. We think we give our best rates from the start, but we're pleased to offer discounts.

Our philosophy - buy more, save more + buy now, use later ... no restriction.

Promo codes

We sometimes offer promotional codes, always advertised in our site, in our newsletters, or on Facebook or Instagram.

Gift certificates

Available on our Checkout page, in $25 increments. Do not expire. Enter the certificate number in the Shopping Cart on the Checkout page to benefit. You can use partial amount and balance carries forward.

Quote

We provide free, detailed, written quotes by email, based on info received from the Quote and Reservation Request form.

Where to pay on LovingPaws.ca

LovingPaws.ca/checkout - look for Make Payment in your Shopping Cart

Payment methods

On LovingPaws.ca pay with:

  • Interac Email Money Transfer
  • Loving Paws gift certificate
  • PayPal
  • MasterCard
  • Visa

From your invoice, pay with:

  • PayPal
  • MasterCard
  • Visa

From online banking, pay with:

  • Email Money Transfer
    - Send to: payment@lovingpaws.ca

    Note we have auto-deposit but should your bank require a security question and password please follow these instructions:
    - Security question: First name of sitter for invoice ###
    - Password: First name of your sitter

Payment due date

Exact dates or Occasionally - within 7 days of the invoice.

Regular basis - frequency of your choice (weekly, every 2 or 4 weeks), first payment required before service starts.

Payment processing fee

PayPal and credit card payments are subject to a 5% admin processing fee.

Holiday visit fee

We charge an additional 50% for all services provided on these days:

  • New Year's Day
  • Family Day (Ontario)
  • Good Friday
  • Easter Monday
  • Victoria Day
  • St-Jean Baptist (Quebec)
  • Canada Day
  • Civic Day (Ontario)
  • Labour Day
  • Thanksgiving
  • Remembrance Day
  • Christmas Eve
  • Christmas Day
  • Boxing Day
  • New Year's Eve

Additional pet fee

We charge an additional fee for each pet above one, for added liability and responsibilities.

Additional travel fuel surcharge fee

In an effort to avoid raising our basic rates we have implemented a fuel surcharge. The rates are based on 5 km increments.

Invoice

Invoices are sent electronically, for

  • service on exact dates or occasionally - within 7 days of the last visit
  • service on a regular basis - weekly, every 2 or 4 weeks, depending on your choice

Gratuity

Whether you choose to give a gratuity is up to you. The sitter receives 100% of it. You can give a gift card, cash or simply a thank you card with chocolates ... the choice is yours. You may pay a gratuity using the Shopping Cart on our Checkout page.

If we cancel

We reserve the right to deny service or terminate service for any reason, especially for safety concerns, health emergency with your sitter, financial reasons, due to unsanitary conditions, and/or because the sitter was placed in an inappropriate or uncomfortable situation. If this happens, you will receive a refund for any visit we do not make.

If you cancel

LP&HS does not issue refunds for deposits or payments. lnstead, a deposits or payments will be converted into a credit if the client provides timely notice of cancellation. Timely Notice Requirements:

- One-visit assignments: 48 business hours' notice.

- Multiple-visit assignments: 2 weeks' notice.

lf timely notice is not provided, the deposit will be forfeited and/or a cancellation fee will apply as follows:

- One-visit assignments: Cancellation with less than 48 business
hours' notice: 100% of the total invoice will be converted into a
cancellation fee.

- Multiple-visit assignments: Cancellation with less than 14 days for an assignment longer than 7 days: 50% of the total invoice will apply as a cancelation fee.

- Multiple-visit assignments: Cancellation with less than 7 days' notice or on the same day: 100% of the total invoice will apply as a cancelation fee.

This policy ensures fair notice and compensation for reserved
services.

Services guarantee

We guarantee the duration of each visit, and the number of visits per day.

We also guarantee that the care will be provided by a skilled, reliable, and compassionate individual.

Signed contract

All clients sign a Professional Sitting Service Agreement.

Pages 1 & 2 itemize info about you, your pet(s), your home, and the service(s) you need from us.

Pages 3 & 4 outline terms & conditions.

We keep the Agreement on file; request a copy anytime.

Insurance

As a provider of professional pet & house sitting & dog walking services, we realize it's important for you to feel reassured and comfortable before leaving your pet, home, and belongings in our care. We are fully insured in case we are found responsible for damage to your property, including your pet. We also have coverage for third-party bonding, guaranteeing to you that your belongings are safe in our hands.

Privacy

We use or disclose your personal information only for the purpose for which it was collected, unless you consent, or the use or disclosure is authorized by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. We will provide your personal information to authorities, e.g. police and/or the Ottawa Humane Society, when reporting that your pet was bitten or bit someone or another animal, is lost, or if we suspect that your pet has experienced neglect or abuse.

Ready key terms

Refer to the Ready Key form, on our e-Tools page.

Medication & med care terms

Refer to the Pet Info form, on our e-Tools page.

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