FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

PET SITTING 4 COMFORT (PS4C) IS OPEN!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND

UNDERSTANDING.

Why should I use your service?

Nearly all of our clients have told us: “These are my children. They are my babies.” They aren’t like family, they are family. When you have to go somewhere without them, you want to make sure that they will be cared for, loved, and looked after to your high standards. You don’t want to be distracted while preparing for a business meeting, having family emergency, or trying to enjoy a vacation. You want to feel secure knowing that your pet family is safe, happy, and healthy, so you can focus on whatever else you need to do, to come home to a safe, comfortable, healthy pet.

We dote on our pets, and sometimes it may not be very comfortable to give detailed instructions to a friend/neighbor/family member who may be more casual about caring for your furry members. It may feel like you are asking them for a favor. They may not have experience with animals, or they may be unavailable. There is no such awkwardness with a professional pet sitter. We will never feed your pets anything you haven’t first authorized. We won’t try to overfeed or underfeed your pets. As a professional pet sitter, our purpose is to follow your instructions and be there for your pets. See our COVID-19 page for relevant information.

As pet owners, we believe that pets do best when they can remain home. Their surroundings are familiar, they know where everything is, and their routine is not interrupted. When they stay at home, they will be more relaxed and healthy than if they are stressed out at a kennel, confined in a cage, surrounded by strange pets. The only thing missing will be you.

Kennels often charge per pet, so for multiple pets, pet sitting in your own home may save you money. Besides looking after your cats, dogs, and small furry animals, we can also water plants and collect mail, so your life is less disrupted when you return home. We can move drapes, turn lights on/off, and move waste bins to help keep your home secure while you are traveling. We provide daily reports with pictures, so you can be assured that your furry ones are doing well while you are away.

We are discrete and take great care to protect our client’s privacy and the security of their homes: We do not have signage in our cars and do not wear a uniform identifying us as a pet sitter. Photos of clients on our website are posted after a client has returned home. Images are selected to include as little of the home as possible, and the location marker is turned off when we take photos, so GPS coordinates cannot identify the home.

Are you bonded and insured?

As a professional pet sitting and dog walking business, we are fully bonded and insured for your protection. Before hiring any pet sitter or dog walker, you should always ask for proof of licensing and insurance.

What types of pets do you care regularly?

We care for just about any type of animal. We have experience caring for dogs, cats, ferrets, gerbils, mice, and hamsters.

What are your service areas?

We provide service within an 8-mile radius of Falls Church, VA. Cities covered include Arna Valley, Ballston, Bailey's Crossroads, Barcroft, Bluemont, Cherrydale, Courthouse, Columbia Forest, Columbia Heights, Crystal City, Glencarlyn, Highview Park, Lyon Village, North Ridge, Pentagon City, Penrose, Rosslyn, Shirlington, Virginia Square, Westover, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Falls Church, Alexandria West, Lincolnia, Landmark, and Seminary Hill.

What do your pet sitting services include?

We are a full-service pet sitting business. Our pet sitting services are customizable according to the needs of your pets and your home. At the meet and greet, we will document your pet's routine and adhere to that routine while providing services. The following services are included:

Refreshing food and water
Letting out for potty time
Playtime in the yard
Brushing
Cleaning up accidents
Scooping litter boxes
Pictures and report card via text/email after each visit
Administering medications, including pills, injections, subcutaneous fluids, and inhalation treatments
Checking the mail
Checking for water leaks in the home
Providing a security check of the premises, including checking the security of windows and all entrances
Bring in packages

Have other requests? Just ask!

What do you do for my pet while you're in my home?

Your pet's comfort and safety are our #1 priority, which is why our sitters will follow a detailed checklist to ensure your pet’s routine is followed during each visit. Our sitters adhere to the following standards at each visit:

Check gates to ensure they are secured before letting dogs outside.
Outside playtime is supervised.
We do not allow dogs to interact with other dogs while walking in the neighborhood. This is for their safety.
We clean messy paws before letting dogs back in the house.
We provide access to fresh water after walking and outdoor playtime.
Feeding is supervised to ensure your pets don’t choke on their food.
Adhere to any special diets.
At-risk dogs are double-leashed while on walks to ensure they always make it back home.
We are pet first aid and CPR certified.
In the event of an emergency, we will take your pet to the veterinarian. While our first option will be to take your pet to the veterinarian of your choice, if they are not open or due to the nature of the emergency, we may take your pet to the nearest 24-hour emergency veterinarian.
We know every pet is different, so we let your pets dictate how much interaction they’ll have with their pet sitter. If your pet is timid, your pet sitter will sit quietly and let your pet warm up. We will never chase your pet around the house.
We will immediately communicate any concerns with you. If we cannot reach you, we will express concerns with your emergency contact.

Do you provide specialty care or at-home vet tech/medical services?

We do! We are highly experienced in caring for special needs pets, from puppies to senior cats and dogs.

Like us, many pets require prescribed medications to prevent, control, or improve their health condition. Whether your pet has recently been neutered, diagnosed with an illness, or needs its monthly heartworm medication, we are available to make sure your pet gets its regular dose.

Our services range from at-home care lessons to administering medications, shots, and fluid administration to bladder expression. At the meet and greet, we will document your pet's routine and ensure your pet's profile is updated in our system, so their information is at our fingertips during pet care services.

Our mission is to work together with your veterinarian to offer your pet the best care at the lowest stress.

How do you determine your pet sitting rates?

We understand that owning and taking care of a pet is a large investment, so we make our services affordable and competitive. We offer an assortment of services at many different price points to accommodate all pet care budgets.

We determine our pet sitting rates by distance only (no additional pet, holiday, surcharge, or deposits) from our office in Arlington, VA starting at $15 to $25 per visit for 20 to 30-minute sessions.

Our overnight pet sitting rates start at $40 to $70 per night from approximately 11 pm to 8 am (available to book online).

Do you care for pets that have aggression issues?

Suppose your pet has aggressively bitten someone in the past, then no. In that case, we cannot provide service until you find a local professional animal behaviorist or talk with your veterinarian to determine whether your pet may have underlying medical problems.

If the pet is skittish and maybe growls around those he doesn’t know, then we will be happy to work with the client to see if a pet care plan can be designed that works. We will interview the client and the pet to determine if this is possible. If additional visits are necessary to socialize the pet with our pet care provider, the client must be present at all visits and pay the service fee until socialized. If our pet sitter or pet owner feels unsafe to perform a service, we will reserve the right to discontinue service in the future.

Do I get to meet my pet sitter?

One of the benefits of hiring Pet Sitting 4 Comfort (PS4C) is working as a team. It would be best to meet your pet sitter, and we offer a complimentary 30 to 60-minute at-home consultation.

What are your pet vaccination policies?

All pets have to be current on their vaccinations. We require Rabies vaccinations and highly recommend DHLPP(Distemper) and Bordetella (for dogs). You may also have your veterinary clinic/hospital email them to us to confirm your pet's being up-to-date before we're able to provide services. We have the right to refuse service if required forms are incomplete or failed to book a complimentary Meet & Greet before scheduling appointments online.

The exception to our vaccine policy is pets exempt by their veterinarian due to old age or being immune-compromised.

What is your cancellation policy?

We do not charge cancellation fees and appreciate you notifying us at least 24 hours to stay in good standing with us.

When we book your services, we reserve a time slot(s) for you and your pets and have likely turned away other clients during this time.

Vacation/Pet Sitting Reservations/Overnights: we understand that plans can change. Please, notify us at least 24 hours in advance to reschedule or cancel your services.

Daily Dog Walking: We know plans change. You must cancel walks at the least by the morning of the same day. Our dog walking routes are planned by 10:00 pm the night before; thus, it can disrupt scheduling and efficient routing.

How do I pay my bill?

Payment in full is due at the end of service. For vacation pet sitting reservations, invoices are due three days after services end. Daily dog walking clients are billed either bi-weekly or monthly.

We accept all major credit cards, cash, ACH transfer from a checking account, Venmo, and PayPal.

I need to leave town right away. Can you provide service on short notice?

If you are an established client and have already had a meet-and-greet at your home, we can provide service on short notice, subject to availability. Of course, the more advance notice we have, the better. If you are a new client, we require a meet-and-greet in your home before we begin services – please allow up to 1 to 3 business days to get your meet-and-greet scheduled.

Why do I have to do a meet and greet?

The meet and greet allow us to get to know you and your pets. We’ll review your pet’s routine and get a feel for their behavior and interaction with our team. A meet and greet are required of all first-time clients. The meet and greet are complimentary for new clients.

Do I have to give you a key to my home?

We ask that you provide one key set to us. Even if you ask us to enter through an electric garage door or a door code, we still require keys in the event of a malfunction with the garage door. But don’t worry – your keys are kept in a safe, undisclosed location, and your keys will never be tagged with personal identifying information.

If you still do not feel comfortable providing a key, you can choose to purchase a lockbox. We are not responsible for lockbox failures.

At the end of service, most clients opt to have us hold onto their keys in our business safe. This allows for future visits without requiring a key pickup. We do not leave keys behind on the final visit in the event you are delayed returning home. Key pickups and drop-offs need to be scheduled ahead of time.

What if my pet is injured or my property is damaged?

We are a professional pet sitting and dog walking business. Your pet’s safety is our #1 priority, and as such, we invest heavily in our training, and we are certified in pet first aid and CPR.

We are bonded and insured for your protection. Our insurance covers liability in the event of willful neglect or misconduct by us.

GENERAL LIABILITY

General Liability coverage for claims due to injury or damages sustained by a third party.

$1,000,000 per occurrence
$2,000,000 aggregate limit
No deductible

ANIMAL BAILEE COVERAGE

Coverage for injuries or damages sustained by an animal in our care, custody, or control.

$5,000 per occurrence
$10,000 aggregate

LOST KEY LIABILITY COVERAGE

If we were to lose the keys to a client’s residence, this coverage would cover the cost of installing new locks or having the building rekeyed.

$2,000 per occurrence
$2,000 aggregate

Do you provide service on holidays?

Yes. We are open 365 days per year. We do not charge additional fees on major holidays: New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Eve, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Do you require a holiday deposit or have any surcharge fees?

No holiday deposit or surcharge fees!

Do you offer extended hours during the holidays?

Yes! We extend our business hours to 7 am - 11 pm to accommodate new and existing clients.

Can I tip my sitter?

Tips are by no means required. But if you feel your pet sitter has provided excellent care, tips are certainly appreciated.

How will I know when a sitter has been to my home?

Once we have completed a visit, we will send you a report card including pictures so you’ll never have to wonder how your pets are doing.

Can you take care of my home as well?

When you book our pet sitting and house sitting services, we’ll rotate lights and blinds to give your home a live-in look, check your thermostat, look for water leaks around your washing machine, bring in packages, check the mail, bring in the newspaper. We’ll even be happy to scan your mail and send you a digital copy.

We also offer house sitting services where no pets are present.

What is your inclement weather policy?

We are open 365 days per year.

We request that you provide us with emergency backup relatives or neighbors who can help out during those times when road conditions prevent us from reaching your home. We will take every step possible to ensure your pet's safety, which may require us to bring them home with us or find alternative boarding means.

The safety of your dogs is of the utmost importance to us. Extreme weather conditions and temperatures can harm your dog. Therefore the following guidelines are generally adhered to:

1. If the outside temperature is over 90F, we may alter the typical routine. We may decide to limit outdoor time. We may keep the dog off the hot pavement and instead opt to play some doggie games (fetch, frisbee, etc.) in a shaded area. We may let your dog outside for a quick potty break and spend the rest of the time indoors with the dog, engaging in some training, brushing de-shedding, or other activity the dog would find enjoyable.

2. If the outside temperature is below 40F, we may decide to adjust the typical routine similar in nature to #1 above.

3. If it is currently snowing or raining outside, we may still go on our standard walk. We will be sensitive to your dog’s comfort and safety. If your dog displays signs of discomfort, we will bring them to a better-suited environment, such as in your home or our car, to warm up. We will still spend the agreed-upon time with your dog – we want him to be safe and comfortable.

4. If we find it necessary to make adjustments due to extreme weather, we will still spend the agreed amount of time with your pet. The only difference is they may not be out walking for extended periods due to the dangers extreme weather conditions pose.

What if I'm delayed returning home?

We require all clients to contact us once they’ve arrived back home. If we do not hear from you, we will continue visiting your pets until we hear from you. You can rest easy knowing if you are delayed returning, your pets will continue receiving the best care possible. If you don’t notify us that you’ve returned home, you’ll be charged for additional visits.

Do you have a referrals program?

Yes! Keep in mind that for every referral, you'll receive a FREE pet service of your choice!

Where can I find your registration packet?

You can find the needed registration packet for either pet sitting/dog walking or specialty (vet-tech care) services that you can download, fill out & email back by clicking here.

How about last-minute requests?

We're more than happy to schedule pet care for last-minute needs, though we suggest booking ahead of time for holiday seasons to guarantee a specific time slot.

Can you guarantee a specific time?

We provide visits during specific time windows. We cannot guarantee a specific arrival time, but we guarantee we’ll show up during your requested window.

Unless otherwise agreed, pet visits are considered AM, Afternoon, or PM slots,” to be completed within service hours. We cannot guarantee our visit's exact time due to traffic, parking, weather, the unpredictability of animals, etc. Particularly during inclement weather or road blockages, when driving/parking conditions are poor and transit times become 2-3 times longer than usual, we may reorganize our visit route and start our path earlier to get to every visit for that day safely.

Our sitters can visit their client's homes up to 4 times per day.

– The “Morning” time slot is between 8 & 10 am.

– The “Mid Day” time slot is between 11 & 3 pm.

– The “Evening” time slot is between 4 & 7 pm.

– The “Late Night” time slot is between 8 & 10 pm.

We understand wanting to keep your pets on their regular schedule, as pets thrive on routine, and we will make every effort to reach your pet close to your requested times, especially if the pet needs medication or is physically frail.

If you are cannot schedule an appointment online for a particular time slot, please contact us by email or text/call.

Do you have additional questions?

Please email us or call the office at 571-839-0088. Office hours are Monday through Sunday, 8 am-10 pm.

Free estimates
Our pet sitters leave detailed diaries at each visit and will text/email you to keep you updated!
We offer an estimate of all charges before our registration meeting.
For the safety of all pets, we offer one-on-one care. We do not offer pack walks.
FREE medication administration.
No weekend or holiday surcharges.
No late booking fees.
Proven backup and emergency protocol.

FAQ