f.a.q. In an attempt to answer any questions regarding our service, we've come up with a list of most frequently asked questions: Q. WHO WILL BE SERVICING MY PETS WHILE I'M AWAY? A. My husband & myself are the only people who will be in your home. We both meet with you prior to service & have tons of excellent references! Q. WHAT ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE SICK OR ON VACATION? A. Because there are two of us we've never had the occasion to be unable to service any of our accounts due to illness. We do take vacation time, and send out a quarterly newsletter informing our customers those dates in advance. At that time we have a few competent care providers we count on to fill our shoes. you would be informed as to who would be servicing your dogs & have the option to decline should you choose. Q. WHAT ABOUT WHEN THERE'S INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS SUCH AS A SNOW/ICE STORM? A. We do not commit to making scheduled visits for that business day. Many of our clients have the flexibility in their employment to absorb a day or two per year. Because most of our clients live in areas with unplowed roads/driveways and snakey/hilly back roads, we may choose to decline service on that day. Q. I HAVE A DOG, HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND WITH HIM WHEN YOU VISIT? A. We're generally not engaged with them for more than 15 minutes per visit. We find this gives them an appropriate amount of time to grow weary of us, while allowing us a reasonable amount of time to spend with the rest of our customer base. Every dog is different & we plan their activities accordingly. Older or infirm dogs get a gentler approach, while puppies & high-energy dogs need a good game of ball or a brisk walk. Q. WHAT IF I WANT SERVICE FOR JUST MY CAT? A. We are not accepting 'vacationing' clients at this time. You may consider boarding him at our facility - www.CaptainKitts.com Q. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE HERE? A. In addition to our regular duties (walking/tossing the ball) for your dog, we would be happy to turn lights on/off, do a quick security check, refill water bowls, turn on/off sprinklers, etc. upon request. Because we're servicing clients who will be home that evening, we expect most of the pet care, feeding (excpet for puppies), washing of bedding, etc. will be handled by the owners themselves. Interesting Finds during security checks: Coffee pots & Irons left on, an actual ceramic tea pot left on an open flame, toilets running, garden hoses left on, invisible fence system on the fritz Q. HOW CAN I CHECK THE STATUS OF THINGS WHILE I'M AT WORK IF I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A PARTICULAR ISSUE? A. Feel free to call us during our normal (local time!) office hours of 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. Monday - Friday. No calls are fielded on holidays. If we're not in, leave a number where you can be reached and we'll be happy to return your call. If you have email access send a note anytime to: CreatureComforts@Comcast.net. Please feel free to call us to give updates on the medical care of your dogs. We always appreciate the heads up if your expecting work to be done on the house (people we normally wouldn't find milling around). We will, of course, contact you immediately should we run into any situations that are not normal (dog exhibiting strange behavior, vomiting, etc.) Q. ARE THERE SITUATIONS YOU'D RECOMMEND DOGGY DAYCARE? A. Yes. If your pet is prone to chewing furniture in your absence or extremely use to visitors & you feel he may suffer or become depressed without constant interaction. We do have recommendations if you'd like to call/email. Q. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO START UP SERVICE? A. Give us a call to set up a free in-person interview. This required first meeting must take place prior to start up of service. At this interview we get a chance to meet your pets & ensure we're all comfortable with each other! We have a brief form to review to collect the necessary information we need to care for your dog/s. At our initial interview if you decide to use our services, be prepared to let us know how you'd like us to enter your home (if you'd like us to use a freshly cut key please check it as we find a high percentage of new keys need tuning!) Q. WHAT KIND OF REFERENCES DO YOU HAVE? A. We're members of the Killingworth Chamber of Commerce & have spectacular references, including many pet care professionals. Please ask at our in-person interview should you have interest. Q. WHAT CAN I DO TO ALLEVIATE ANY SEPARATION ANXIETY MY PET MAY FEEL? A. We recommend leaving on a radio or TV tuned to animal planet. We've also heard leaving a "daily message" on your answering machine to your pet may help. Leave plenty of toys & bones/frozen Kongs stuffed with treats in them to occupy their down time. Q. WHAT IF I HAVE A SECURITY SYSTEM? A. We are well versed in the routine of arming/disarming all types of security systems, should you choose to leave your system running while you're away. We double check the doors we enter/exit are locked & closed tightly on our way out leaving no room for error when it comes to securing your home. Q. WHAT ARE YOUR NORMAL OFFICE HOURS? A. We take business calls between the hours of 9:00a.m. and 5:00p.m. Monday - Friday. The nature of our business makes it difficult to be available for all calls. If we are not in our office, please leave a detailed message on our machine & we'll be sure to return your call between our normal office hours. Q. I'M A CURRENT CLIENT & I JUST FOUND OUT I HAVE TO WORK LATE & WILL NEED SOMEONE TO FEED & WALK THE DOG, CAN I CALL YOU LAST MINUTE? A. Obviously we like as much notice as possible, however, we understand that last minute problems do occur. We will accept reservations for the same night if made prior to 1:00pm. After 1:00pm we will do our best to accommodate your request. Q. WHAT ARE MY PAYMENT OPTIONS? A. We trust the clients in our community as they trust us with their pets & homes. It's rare that we ever have payment problems, therefore we will bill you monthly/weekly, which ever you prefer after services are completed. We do not accept credit cards at this time. All payment must be in the form of personal check, money order or cash. Should you have a service of your own to barter, ask about our bartering program! Q. WHAT TIME ARE YOUR SCHEDULED DAILY VISITS? A. mid day visits (10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.) and afternoon visits (2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.). Our schedule is plotted out geographically. Q. DO YOU REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE? A. We require that our customers reside in the Killingworth, Clinton or Madison areas. We do not service areas beyond that region at this time. We refuse any potential customers we feel own dangerous or agressive animals. Should we feel uncomfortable with the circumstances or standard of care currently given the pets, we will refuse the potential client. Extreme neglect cases are reported to the proper authorities. All pets should have shelter from the elements, proper veterinary care for ailments, parasites or wounds and water readily available at all times. Q. WHAT IF I HAVE MULTIPLE ANIMALS?, DO YOU LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PETS YOU CARE FOR AT ONE RESIDENCE? A. As long as the current level of care meets our standards, we will service mulitple pet households. For extreme numbers dogs, there will be additional charges (determined per individual situation). RETURN HOME |