Petopia's Policies

 

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*Service Area

Petopia serves Hell's Kitchen New York City residents, approximately between 42nd Street to the South, 59th Street to the North, 12th Avenue to the West, and 8th Avenue to the East. Surrounding areas will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Should Petopia clients currently residing within this service area relocate to a neighborhood outside of this service area, Petopia may not be able to continue with services due to time constraints.

 

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*Payment Policy

Petopia accepts payment in the form of cash, check, Venmo, Paypal, Apple Pay, and Cash App. At this time, Petopia does not accept credit card payments or direct deposit via bank account.

 

If paying via Venmo, you will receive a payment request from Petopia (David Marsh) shortly after Petopia completes the last scheduled walk of each week, or on the last day of pet sitting services in a scheduled series of visits. Payment in full is due no later than two days after the Venmo payment request is received. (For example, if Petopia walks your dog(s) Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during a given week, the Venmo payment request for that week will be made shortly after Friday’s walk, and the payment request must be satisfied by the following Sunday. If pet sitting services are rendered from a Monday through a Saturday during a given week, the Venmo payment request for that series of visits will be made on that Saturday, and the payment request must be satisfied by the following Monday).

 

If paying by cash or check, payment in full is due at the time of the last scheduled walk of each week or no later than the final day of pet sitting services in a scheduled series of visits. (For example, if Petopia walks your dog(s) Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during a given week, payment in full for that week (whether cash or check) must be left so that the walker can pick it up during Friday’s walk, at the latest. If pet sitting services are rendered from a Monday through a Saturday during a given week, it is suggested that you leave payment in full for that series of visits before the pet sitting services begin so that the sitter can pick it up during that series of visits. If payment is not left for the sitter to pick up, a $10 surcharge will be added to final amount due to cover expenses for Petopia returning to your home to pick up payment).

 

*Petopia services are charged at the following rates:

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New York City

-Dog Walks (One Dog) - $22/walk (add $2 for each additional dog)

-9-5 Special* - $100/week (add $2/walk for each additional dog)

-Pet Visits (One Pet) - $22/visit (add $2 for each additional pet)

-Sleep-Overs (8 PM – 8 AM)** - $85/night

-Weekend and Holiday Rate - $25/walk or visit (Add $2 for each additional dog)

-Last-Minute Walk/Visit*** - $28/walk or visit (Add $2 for each additional dog)

-Cancellation Fee**** - $15/walk or visit

 

*Includes one “midday” walk five days per week. Additional walks are charged at regular rate.

**Includes a morning, evening, and one “midday” walk. Additional walks are charged at regular rate.

***Any dog walk or pet visit that is scheduled the same day as the requested service.

****Fee applies for scheduled services cancelled without at least 24 hours notice.

 

*How to pay:

-Checks should be made payable to your walker (first and last name)

-There will be a $25 charge for all returned checks.

-Venmo payments should be made to the username @David-Marsh-11, davidmarshpetcare@gmail.com

-Cash App payments should be made to the username $petopiamidtown.

 

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*Key/FOB Policy

All Dog Walking and Pet Sitting clients must provide two working house/apartment keys to Petopia during the initial meet-and-greet, both of which will be returned to client when services are no longer needed and balance is paid in full. If only one key is provided to Petopia, the client must allow Petopia to make a copy of their key for emergency situations. As an alternative, a key may be left in a lockbox outside your residence, the code for which must be provided to Petopia before the first walk/visit. If a FOB or key card is required to access your home, a copy of the FOB or key card must be provided to Petopia before the first visit, or the front desk must have permission to release a FOB or key card to Petopia at each visit. Petopia walkers/sitters will keep one copy of your key and/or FOB/key card on their person and the second copy of the key will be stored in a secured location for emergency use only. If access to your home is granted to Petopia via key release from the front desk, pet parents understand that any time spent waiting for the concierge to provide Petopia with a key/FOB will be subtracted from the time Petopia is able to spend with your pet during the visit.

 

     *Petopia also offers a great lockout service! If you have been locked out of your home and Petopia has a copy of your key, we           will gladly come unlock your door (schedule permitting) for a $20 fee.

 

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*Meet-and-Greet Policy

An initial Meet-and-Greet is required for all new Petopia clients. This consultation is complimentary and allows the client, pet, and walker/sitter to get acquainted and make sure all parties are a good fit. Rarely, but occasionally, a pet will not feel comfortable with a particular walker/sitter and vice versa. The Meet-and-Greet allows your pet to get to know their walker as well as display any initial indicators of aggression that may arise during future walks/visits. More about this can be found in the “Aggressive Pet Policy”.

 

This initial consultation also allows for the pet parent to show the walker/sitter around the home so the walker/sitter knows where to find all of the pet’s supplies during future visits, and so the walker/sitter is aware of how to enter and exit the home safely in the case that the home is shared or there is a security alarm system in place.

 

Any questions or important information the pet parent may have for the walker/sitter and vice versa can be addressed during the Meet-and-Greet, or anytime after the Meet-and-Greet via phone, text message, or email.

 

If the pet parent would like the walker to accompany them on a walk with their pet during the Meet-and-Greet, they must request this service before the Meet-and-Greet and understand they will be charged the rate for an Individual Dog Walk.

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COVID-19 Protocol: Meet-and-Greets can be conducted via FaceTime at the pet parent's request.

 

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*Scheduling Policy

After the initial Meet-and-Greet, dog walks and pet visits can be scheduled via email (davidmarshpetcare@gmail.com), text message (917-855-9848), or phone call (917-855-9848). In all cases, Petopia will respond to scheduling requests with a confirmation or denial as soon as possible. If you do not receive a response within 24 hours, you should assume that your request was not received and attempt another request.

 

Please try to submit scheduling requests as far in advance of the requested service date(s) as possible. The more notice we have, the easier it is to accommodate your request. Petopia will make every attempt to satisfy all service requests, but cannot guarantee availability, especially for last-minute requests. Should you submit a service request that Petopia is unable to satisfy, we will respond

with a denial and make every attempt to find a back-up walker/sitter (with your approval), but Petopia’s availability, as well as the availability of a back-up sitter/walker, cannot be guaranteed.

 

The nature of our business (and because we run a very small business) does not allow us to leave town often, but we do try to take a short vacation on occasion. In the event that your walker/sitter will be leaving town and unavailable for dog walks and pet visits, they will email all Petopia clients no less than fourteen days (two weeks) before the scheduled absence, so that pet parents can arrange for alternate care. With your approval, Petopia will make every attempt to find a back-up walker/sitter, but Petopia’s availability, as well as the availability of a back-up walker/sitter, cannot be guaranteed.

 

All same-day requests for dog walks or pet visits are subject to availability and will be charged at the Last-Minute Walk/Visit rate.

 

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*Cancellation Policy

If a scheduled walk/visit is no longer needed, it must be cancelled within 24 hours of the scheduled walk/visit. If 24 hours notice is not provided to Petopia, a $10 cancellation fee will be charged. If a series of scheduled walks/visits is no longer needed, the series must be cancelled within seven days (one week) of the first scheduled walk/visit. If seven days notice is not provided to Petopia, the client

is subject to a charge of 25% of the full amount of the scheduled series of walks/visits.

 

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*Extreme Weather Policy

Petopia will always provide your dog with a minimum of 25 minutes of solid walking time during a visit, rain or shine. Dogs tend to be more sensitive to extreme temperatures than humans, however. In cases of extreme weather (temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit or below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, heavy ice or snow, torrential rains, or lightning storms), Petopia will limit the time outside with your pet to ensure their safety. If your pet looks uncomfortable due to the weather, Petopia will take your pet inside as soon as possible. Any remaining visit time will be spent playing with your pet indoors.

 

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*Emergency Situation Policy

Petopia will make every attempt to contact you immediately should any emergency situation involving your pet (or home) arise. Clients should make sure Petopia is provided with working phone numbers and email addresses for all pet parents in case of emergency. Clients should also make sure Petopia is provided with contact information for your pet’s veterinarian, as well as your preferred 24-hour emergency vet clinic. It is suggested that you leave your credit card information on file with your pet’s primary veterinarian in case emergency services need to be performed on your pet and you are not reachable by phone call, text message, or email. It is suggested that you provide Petopia with contact information for your landlord or management company in case an emergency situation involving your home arises and you are not reachable by phone call, text message, or email.

 

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*Aggressive Pet Policy

The safety of your pet, as well as the safety of your pet’s walker/sitter, and other animals and humans that may be encountered during a walk or visit is the primary concern of Petopia. Any pets showing an unreasonable* level of aggression toward the walker/sitter or other animals and/or humans during Petopia’s visit will be promptly returned to the safety of their home and the visit will be cut short. The pet parent will be immediately notified of the event via phone call, text message, or email and further action will be discussed and decided upon by Petopia and the pet parent.

 

In cases of extreme** aggression, Petopia may make the decision to not continue services for the pet in the future. If this is the case, the pet parent will be notified via phone call, text message, or email, any future pre-paid walks/visits will be cancelled and refunded in full (any previous completed or attempted walks/visits will not be refunded), and all keys and/or FOBs/keycards will be returned to the pet parent(s) within seven days (one week) if balance is paid in full, or upon Petopia’s receipt of the full balance owed.

 

Minor aggression does not necessarily mean that Petopia will not provide services for your pet, but may be cause for further evaluation of the relationship. In some cases, a “trial walk” may be necessary to determine whether the aggression will persist. A “trial walk” is a visit by Petopia at which the pet parent is present and can assist in case their pet is displaying aggressive behaviors. “Trial Walks” will be charged at the Individual Dog Walk rate.

 

     *Unreasonable level of aggression refers to behaviors such as growling, baring teeth, excessive aggressive barking, nipping, and         excessive hissing.

     **Extreme aggression refers to behaviors such as charging, biting, displaying attack postures, excessive scratching, and attacking.

 

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*Puppy Policy

Petopia loves puppies! Who doesn’t? But puppies (typically six months old and younger) can present a walker/sitter with quite a hefty workload beyond what may be required for older and fully trained dogs. Often, puppies are not fully potty-trained, which results in consistently messy crates and/or floors. We are happy to clean these messes during our visits, but cleaning messes takes time, usually more time than the allotted 30-minute window Petopia offers for a visit. And puppies that are in training classes? That’s great! We’ll be happy to work with puppies on their commands. But Petopia is a walking/sitting service, not a training service, so ensuring that puppies are staying on course with their commands is an added service that an older or fully trained dog would not require. Due to these unforeseen situations, Petopia may charge an additional $3/walk for puppies. Every puppy will be evaluated during Petopia’s first visit, which will be charged at the Individual Dog Walk rate. If a puppy shows signs of needing extra attention, a second evaluation will be given during Petopia’s second visit (also charged at the Individual Dog Walk rate). If it is determined that the puppy is going to need extra attention after the second visit, the pet parent will be notified via phone call, text message, or email and the walk rate will increase by $3/walk until it is determined that the puppy no longer needs this “extra” attention.

 

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*Waste Clean-Up Policy

Petopia will always clean up after your fur-baby. We live in the same neighborhoods in which we walk and we care about the cleanliness and livability of our neighborhoods. And let’s face it; if we don’t clean it up, we’ll probably end up stepping in it later. We always keep waste pick-up bags with us, but it is recommended that you also keep a few bags with your pet’s other supplies, in case of emergency.

 

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*High-Rise Potty Policy

Do you live in a high-rise condominium or apartment building? If so, odds are that your building imposes a hefty fine if your pet urinates in the elevator or other common areas. Petopia is NOT responsible for any fines resulting from your pet relieving itself in any area inside or on the grounds of your building. We will make every attempt to ensure that your pet does not relieve itself inside or in any restricted area, but cannot be held responsible if your pet is not able to hold it until we make it outside. If your pet does relieve itself inside or in a restricted area, we will make every attempt to resolve the situation by informing the concierge and/or cleaning crew, or cleaning it up ourselves, if possible.

 

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*Pet Supply Policy

When Petopia visits your pet, we supply waste pick-up bags and a leash (we will use the leash that you use for your pet if it is available. Otherwise, we will use our leashes). All other pet supplies are to be supplied by the pet parent.

 

It is highly recommended that you keep extra supplies available for your pet and that we know where to find these supplies. During the initial Meet-and-Greet, please inform your walker/sitter of the location of your pet’s food and water bowls, extra food, treats, medications, toys, collars, leashes, harnesses, diapers, waste pick-up bags, towels, litter boxes, litter, et cetera. While we may never need these items, it is great to know where they are in case of emergency.

 

It is also highly recommended that you inform your walker/sitter of the location of your cleaning supplies (in case your pet leaves a mess), hand soap, and paper towel. Pet waste can spread disease to other animals and people, so to ensure our safety and the safety of all the animals we walk and visit each day, we make it a habit to thoroughly wash our hands following each walk/visit.

 

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*Referral Policy/Reference Policy

Petopia appreciates your referrals! If you know someone in our service area that may need our services, feel free to pass along our contact information. If that person hires Petopia to take care of their pet, your next dog walk or pet visit is free! Make sure to tell your friends to let us know that you referred them. There is no limit on how many free walks/visits you can earn by referring your friends to Petopia.

 

If you are impressed with our services and would like to write a short statement of reference that we can use on our website and social media pages, please do so! Writing a reference statement and emailing it to us at davidmarshpetcare@gmail.com will earn you a free walk/visit!

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