CREATURES PET CARE OF KALAMAZOO

COVID-19 Protocol

Our top priority is the health and safety of our team members, clients, and pets. We can discuss your PPE preferences prior to the Meet & Greet and socially distance at the Meet & Greet. We will note your PPE preferences in your account for when our team members are inside your home. We sanitize our hands between visits. If you would like touch-free handoffs for dog walks or Out & About Adventures, this can be arranged. We are happy to discuss your particular needs regarding safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hours

• We care for pets 365 days a year!
• Pet care hours: 7am to 9pm everyday.
• Clients can message us through their online Client Portal account anytime!
• Prospective clients can go to the Contact page of the Creatures Website. We respond to inquiries within 24 hours.

Services

Creatures offers:

• Drop-in Pet Sitting, in client’s home
• Dog Walking
• Out & About Adventures for dogs
• Dog Training Walks
• Dog Training Consultations
• Puppy Care Program, drop-in care at client’s home
• Virtual Coaching for pet parents via Zoom

Please see our SERVICES web pages for detailed descriptions of services and pricing. We do not offer boarding services.

How do I become a Creatures client?

There are several ways to reach us through the Contact page of our website. After we initially communicate, we can set up a time to meet.

Meet & Greet

Creatures Pet Care provides one complimentary 30-minute Meet & Greet prior to initiating Pet Sitting, Dog Walking, Dog Training Walks, Out & About Adventures, and Puppy Care Program services. We do not provide a free Meet & Greets for Dog Training Consultations, Virtual Coaching or Pet Taxi services.

The Meet & Greet allows us to meet you and your pets, answer any questions you have, and see where your pet care supplies are located. We will also pick up your house keys at the Meet & Greet appointment.

Keys & Home Access

We require two copies of your house key, at the Meet & Greet, in order to provide pet care services. One is used by your pet care provider and the other is kept on file as a back up. We cannot use garage door openers, electric keypads, or other means of entry in lieu of keys, due to the possibility of malfunction. If your home does not have keyed locks, we can discuss means of entry during the Meet & Greet.

Your keys will remain on file with us unless alternative arrangements are made. This allows easy access for future service and saves you key pick-up and key-return fees. All keys on file are kept in a secure, locked location.

We do not leave keys in the home at the last pet sitting visit, due to the possibility of client’s unforeseen travel emergencies or delays. There is an additional fee if key pick-up is required after the Meet & Greet.

Online Client Portal

All Creatures clients have an online Client Portal account, where you can conveniently manage pet care from your computer or smartphone. Through the Client Portal, you can:

• Schedule, change or cancel services (We must confirm requested services before they will appear on our schedule).
• Pay invoices and leave tips using PayPal or a major credit card
• Communicate with your pet care provider
• Update your personal and pet information

Timing of Visits

Clients can request pet care during pre-specified schedule blocks. Pet care visits may take place anytime within the following visit timing guidelines. We only schedule specific appointment times for Meet & Greets and Dog Training Consults.

• 1x Daily Cat & Small Animal Pet Sitting: Will be scheduled to occur ANYTIME between 8am-8pm
.

• 2x Daily Cat & Small Animal Pet Sitting: First visit will be in the MORNING (typically between 8am-11am) and the second visit will be in the EVENING (typically between 4pm-8pm).

• 3x daily dog care: First visit will be in MORNING (typically between 7am-9am); second visit in AFTERNOON (typically between 11am-4pm); last visit in the EVENING (typically between 7pm and 9pm).

• Mid-Day Dog Walking: Typically takes place between 10am and 3pm.

• Out & About Adventures and Dog Training Walks typically take place between 9am and 5pm.

 

How will I know when you have visited my pet?

At the end of every pet care visit, clients receive an electronic visit report, with GPS arrival and departure time stamp.  This is where your Creatures pet care provider will fully communicate details of the visit and adorable photos of your pet!

Do you require a minimum number of pet sitting visits?

For the safety and well being of the pets we care for, we have the following minimum requirements:

• Dogs: 3 visits per day (morning, afternoon, and night, when client is away for entire day)
• Cat & Small Animals: 1 visit per day

Will you provide part of my pet sitting, if someone else is also caring for my pets?

For liability reasons, we are unable to job-share with other pet caregivers during your absence. Likewise, we cannot care for your pets if you have houseguests dropping in during your absence. Once we begin a pet sitting assignment, we are responsible for the care of your pets.

Do you have vaccination requirements?

We require proof of rabies vaccination for all dogs and cats. If your pet has a special exemption for rabies vaccination due to health reasons, we are happy to discuss this with you.

Billing & Payment

Full payment is due at time of booking in order to hold your reservation. For recurring, weekly dog walks, services are billed one month in advance. Clients can pay directly through their Client Portal account using PayPal or a major credit card.

What is your cancellation policy?

We have spectacular clients who are extremely important to us, and our team takes pride in providing the best pet care possible. Your pet is our top priority during our time together. When you book a service, that time slot is reserved for your pet.

We cannot issue refunds for cancelled service. Cancellation fees are set out below. Changes to existing reservations are considered cancellations. Any remaining balance, after cancellation fees are applied, is credited to your Creatures account for future services.

Dog Walking, Dog Training Walks, Puppy Care & Pet Taxi:

• Cancellations less than 24 hours in advance will be charged in full.

Dog Training Consultations, Out & About Adventures & Virtual Coaching:

• Cancellations less than 48 hours in advance will be charged in full.

Pet Sitting – non-holiday:

• Visits must be cancelled at least 7 days in advance to avoid a cancellation fee.
• Visits cancelled between 7 days and 48 hours in advance are charged a cancellation fee of 25%.
• Visits cancelled less than 48 hours in advance are charged in full.

Holiday Period Pet Care:

• Visits must be cancelled at least 14 days in advance to avoid a cancellation fee.
• Visits cancelled between 14 days and 7 days in advance are charged a cancellation fee of 50%.
• Visits cancelled less than 7 days in advance are charged in full.
• Holiday Fees: There is an additional 25% holiday premium fee for service visits that take place during the following holiday periods: Easter weekend (Saturday & Sunday), Memorial Day weekend (Saturday through Monday), Independence Day, Labor Day weekend (Saturday through Monday), Thanksgiving weekend (Thursday – Monday), Christmas / New Year window (December 23 – January 2nd), and for visits within the Spring Break window (last week of March through the first full week of April).

Additional Fees

Short Notice Booking Fee:

Any non-holiday booking request received less than 48 hours prior to services requested will incur a flat fees of $10.

Any booking request that falls within a holiday window, and is received less than a week before that holiday window, will incur a fee of $20 per visit for the first 48 hours of service.

Key Pick-Up and Key-Return Fee:

If you choose not to keep your keys on file with us, or do not have keys ready to give us at the Meet & Greet, a $15 fee will be charged for each trip we make in order to pick-up or drop off keys, or if we return keys by mail, to cover time, materials, handling and postage.

Lock Out Service:

If you are locked out of your home and need to call us to let you in, we’re happy to help if we are available. There is a $30 fee for Lock Out Service.

Inclement Weather

Dog Walking, Training and Out & About Adventures:

We perform visits in all types of weather. During heavy rain and extreme heat or cold, outdoor time with dogs may be abbreviated in the interest of safety. Out & About Adventures scheduled during inclement weather will take place indoors, at dog-friendly businesses.

Pet Sitting:

During very severe weather conditions, visits my need to take place earlier or later than originally scheduled. We recommend that clients leave a house key with a trusted neighbor who lives within walking distance of their home.  If roads are impassable, we will let you know.

Accessing Your Home:

Please arrange for the removal of snow and ice that could impede our access to your driveway and walkways. If you are receiving pet sitting service, please leave pet-safe salt or sand for us to put down to keep icy surfaces safe.

Inability To Complete Service:

Clients will be billed in full for any scheduled visit we make to your home that has not been cancelled. This includes, but is not limited to: visits where we arrive but are unable to access or enter the home, instances where a pet displays aggressive behavior, instances where the pet is not home, or if you are home and do not need service.

Emergency Veterinary Care

Clients must complete a Veterinary Treatment Consent Form to be kept on file with us, in the event that your pet(s) need emergency veterinary care in your absence. For pet sitting, we recommend that you notify your veterinary clinic before you leave town, to let them know we will be providing care for your pets while you are gone.