Available Services and Client Rates:
In-Home **PetSitting Service for dogs, cats, nonvenomous reptiles, small mammals, & fish. Don't see your companion animal's species listed? HouseSitting Service also available
**Please note that we customize all client rates on a case-by-case basis, so we do NOT offer impromptu or "flat-rate" estimates. Thanks for understanding our choice to respect each clie
nt's specific situation--recognizing that "ball-park" price quotes falsely treat animals as "cookie-cutters" of one another. We offer PetSitting and HouseSitting services during all major holidays, vacations, and family emergencies. We currently serve the following areas: downtown Columbia, West Columbia, Cayce, Rosewood, Forest Acres, and Shandon. We are available almost year-round, and we also offer weekly dog-walking for pups, who need potty breaks during your long workdays. Our competitive rates depend on several things: client location, number of animals (if any), number of visits, and the specific nature of care required. Rates are customized according to each client's needs and wishes, so we don't give "impromptu" estimates. Customized rates include the following: feeding, watering, walking or exercise as needed, litter care for cats, playtime if your animal(s) would want it, (safe) administering of basic medications using treat delivery, newspaper & mail collection, garbage & recycling roll-out and back, houseplant & garden care (basic watering, 5 plants or fewer), 1 pet transport to a vet in an emergency, and 1 free set-up interview so that we might meet you and your companion animal(s). As long as you subsequently use our service, there is NO fee for this initial interview, but we require it of all new clients of Watchful Owl PetSitters. We feel that it is extremely important that your animals be familiar with both of us BEFORE we come into their home while you are away. Additionally, this interview provides you with time to discuss your animals’ needs within their own home context. We have NO hidden fees for any of these services, and (as long as the nature of care remains the same and gas prices don't suddenly spike), client rates are locked in for 2 full calendar years! PetSittings are on a 1st-come 1st-served basis--the fairest way to schedule. We ALWAYS accept advance notice of PetSittings, regardless of how far in advance those bookings might be! AREAS OF SPECIALIZED CARE/INTERESTS
We are both versed in dog behavior, basic obedience, cat care , and (non-venomous) snake and lizard husbandry. TEXT/EMAIL UPDATES AND PHOTOS
Included in our service as a courtesy to clients, we offer text message or email updates, usually with included photos, so that folks can see their furry babies and know that all is well. Most clients really enjoy this aspect of our services. Please be sure that we have your correct and current mobile numbers so that we might update you regularly during PetSittings! Unless you specifically indicate otherwise, we customarily post companion animal photos on our Twitter feed () and/or page. For your security, as well as our own, we make certain that there is no identifying address or private information within the frames of each individual photo. Privacy and security are of primary importance to us and our clients. To give you an idea of how we use our photos, here is a link to one of our PetSitting Albums on Nicole's personal page:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.317578628313340.74454.100001836160187&type=1&l=f5b0b3884b
SERVICE LIMITATIONS AND PETSITTING AVAILABILITY
1) Something that we have begun clarifying for all prospective clients--we cannot and do not offer an "every other day" PetSitting service. 2) We cannot share sittings of any kind with family, friends, other PetSitters, or neighbors.
3) We cannot PetSit for animals who are critically ill or who are especially frail. We strongly believe that in those types of circumstances, veterinarian-supervised, hospital-style boarding is a more appropriate option. We are all about what is best for each individual companion animal--not the bottom line of profit.
4) We rarely take vacations ourselves, but we have begun doing so once a year--usually in late April, mid May, and sometimes in September or October. We notify all Owl clients of exact dates once we have them. CANCELLATION POLICIES We Owls do have a cancellation policy; in our economy, it has become a necessity. We have both a regular and a holiday cancellation policy. When clients book sittings during peak PetSitting seasons, (i.e., the months of January, May, June, July, August, September, November, and December; and 1 week before/after all USC scheduled holidays), we require a one week cancellation period. That is, clients must notify us no later than exactly 7 days prior to their scheduled departure date of a holiday cancellation or REDUCTION in visits. If clients fail to give the one-week notice, we will have to bill them 50% of the original sitting fee. During off-peak time, the notice required is 48 hours, or two full days prior to the scheduled sitting to avoid any cancellation fee. This fee helps us to recuperate financially from the cost of spaces reserved in our calendar, which we hold for those individuals making reservations, and are on a 1st-come, 1st serve basis. PAYMENT POLICY Our payment policy is as follows: For sittings with us, payment is required in full on the 1st day of all PetSittings. We prefer in-full, cash payments but will accept checks made for the entire cost of your reservation. We cannot accept postdated checks or partial payments. Returned checks for insufficient funds will cost clients an additional $40 fee.
