ASTRO Pet Sitters
Safe & sound when you're not around!
813-481-5PET
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Frequently asked questions
| Q. What is a Pet Sitter? |
| A. A "Pet Sitter" is a person that is hired to come to a persons home to take care of their pets. |
| Q. How much does a visit cost? |
| A. ASTRO Pet Sitters charges $16.00 per visit for one pet. We add $2 each additional pet after that. Please see our PRICING page for more information. |
| Q. How do I get started with ASTRO Pet Sitters? |
| A. The first thing you need to do is CONTACT US via telephone or email. (See CONTACT US BUTTON.) We will then contact you to set up your Free Initial Interview to meet you and your pets. |
| Q. How many visits a day do you provide for pets? |
| A. The choice is up to you. For inside dogs, we do a minimum of two (2) visits per day and as many as four (4). Most people request 2 or 3. It really depends on your dog's particular needs. Outside dogs also require a minimum of two (2) visits a day unless you feel your dog requires more visits for medication or other needs. Although you may feel they can "get by" with just one (1), we feel it's important to check in to be sure they are ok and not in any kind of distress. For cats, we do a minimum of one (1) visit per day. We do will not do "every-other-days". |
| Q. What areas of TAMPA BAY do you service? |
| A. We service Brandon, Valrico, Seffner, Lithia, Riverview and some areas of Tampa. Extra mileage charges may apply. |
| Q. What goes on at the initial “interview”? |
| A. We review the Service Agreement, obtain keys, alarm codes etc., and discuss which pet and house care details are to be provided. Most importantly, we have the opportunity to meet your pet(s). |
| Q. Who comes to meet me at the Initial Interview? |
| A. Either Heidi or Carl Capozza will visit with you and your pets. There will be some instances that another pet sitter will come with us. We want you to meet us (the owners) as your assigned pet sitter. It is important to us that you be comfortable with pet sitting in every way. |
| Q. Is my personal information on the Service Agreement kept private? |
| A. Yes, of course! We do not disclose any client information to any third parties. All Service Agreements are kept at the ASTRO Pet Sitters Home Office. Only the owners and/or the designated pet sitter will have access to your personal information. |
| Q. Will I have the same pet sitter each time? |
| A. Since we anticipate caring for your pets ourselves, the easy answer is, yes. If there is a change, we will give you a call and inform you of this. We will send the new sitter over to your home to meet with you and your pets. We want to make sure they understand completely about the care for your pets and home. |
| Q. How long is each visit? |
| A. The Basic Visit is 20-30 minutes. During this time, we take your pets outside (dogs) for a potty break, refresh their food and water. Clean their litter box (cats) and of course, give them hugs and and play time! We also fill out a "Ruff Report" --a daily log that lists time in/time out, what your pet is up to and what services we have performed (getting mail, taking out trash bin, etc...) and any other comments that you might be interested in about your pets. |
| Q. How much notice do you need for a cancellation? |
| A. If you have already made a reservation for Pet Sitting and have to cancel, we require at least a 2-day notice before the scheduled start date. In that instance, no Cancellation Fee will be applied. However, if you cancel your reservation with less than a 2-day notice, you will be charged a $15.00 Cancellation Fee. |
| Q. Will you accomodate "last-minute" reservations? |
| A. YES, once we have had a meet and great with your pets, we obtain a key, and have a completed and signed Service Agreement. There is a small charge of $10.00 if less than two day notice (48 hours). We do understand that emergencies arise, so if we do have the time, we will make every effort to accommodate you in those special situations. We may not be able to accomodate last minute NEW clients around the Holidays. |
| Q. What kind of animals do you care for? |
| A. We care for dogs, cats, hamsters and we will gladly feed your fish. |
| Q. Are you insured? |
| A. Yes, we are Insured. |
| Q. How do you choose the Pet Sitters that you hire? |
| A. ASTRO Pet Sitters' first priority is safety and security of our client's pets and home. This is a main reason why we intend to provide all the pet sitting services ourselves. In the unlikely event we need to refer a substitute pet sitter, we will only work with those that we are familiar with and are also Bonded and Insured. |
| Q. Do you administer medication to pets? |
| A. Heidi is a registered nurse! So yes, we will administer medication – pills, drops and/or injections. Pets, for the most part, are easier than most humans when it comes to medicating. However, we will not administer medication to any animal that poses a danger to the sitter. (i.e....a cat/dog that is aggressive and may bite) We are also Pet First Aid Certified. |
| Q. Can I hire my Pet Sitter directly? |
| A. Please call us and we will do our very best to accomodate your situation. |
| Q. What if my property or pet is damaged while I am gone? |
| A. ASTRO Pet Sitters agrees to provide the services stated in our service agreement in a reliable, caring and trustworthy manner. However, ASTRO Pet Sitters is only liable for claims arising from negligence or willful misconduct. Due to the extreme unpredictability of animals, we cannot accept responsibility for unusual mishaps (i.e., bitings, furniture damage, spills, pet stains, water stains that are due to pets actions, etc.). Also, if your pets have access to the outside, we are NOT responsible for injury, disappearance, or fines. |
| Q. How am I billed, and when is it due? |
| A. Payment is expected PRIOR TO beginning of the pet sitting reservation. We currently only accept cash and personal checks. |
| Q. What do you do in case of an emergency? |
| A. It depends on the type of emergency. If something was to happen to US, we have a backup sitter that can take over. If an emergency occurs with your pets, we will first contact your vet and transport them if necessary. You will then be contacted about the situation. If there is an emergency with your home, we will call you, your emergency contact and the appropriate authorities and/or a preferred repair service. |
| Q. May I give my Pet Sitter a tip? |
| A. We feel our fees are very reasonable for the quality of services we provide. Anything over and above our agreed to compensation is appreciated but never assumed or expected. |