Terms of service

Below outlines the terms of service, policies, and procedures of S & N Pet Services. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We value our client relationships and continued trust.

The parties herein agree as follows: The initial term of this agreement shall be from the date this form was electronically submitted to the present.

Here’s what’s updated:

Service Hours

S & N Pet Services, provide services 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Please note: The hours of 7:00 PM – 6:00 AM are reserved for emergencies only. Clients will receive at least 10 days notice if any closings occur. (We need vacation time too!)

Scheduling

You can schedule, change, or cancel services in four ways:

1) Get in touch via our Facebook buisness page and send us a message directly to book and we will reply with confirmation.

2) Text Us! On 0413 461 966 and we will book you right in and text back confirmation.

3) Email Us! Send us an email to snpetservices@gmail.com , and We’ll schedule your services for you and email your confirmation.

4) Call Us! On 0413 461 966. If we do not answer please leave a message and we will call you back as soon as possible. If no message is left and it is an unknown number unfortunately we will not be able to call you back.

• We reserve the right to schedule services that fit into our schedule. Services starting from 6am to 7pm, For all services a rough time estimate of arrival or pick up will be provided however this will be a guide and we may be there anytime within a 3 hour window. This allows for every pet to be logistically services. Unfortunately not every pup can be walked at midday.

• If you require a specific time we will do our best to accommodate, however a $5 fee will be added to the service.

• If you need a service during emergency only hours (any time between 7:00 PM – 6:00 AM), you will be charge time and half of your bill.

Pricing

All services are quoted on an individual basis depending on your needs. Final pricing is established around our base pricing and is subject to increases at S & N Pet Services discretion without notice. Any increases will be applied to your next booking.

Cancellations

Life happens, and plans change. We will do our best to remain as flexible as possible for you and strive to give our clients their desired times. Holidays are the main time everyone wants their pets cared for. We want to take care of all the fur babies, and to do so; please be mindful of us and other clients when changing plans during the holidays. A late cancellation is a missed opportunity for another pet and a missed income for us. Let’s play nice together and do our best to follow our cancellation policy so everyone wins.
Credit may be applied to your account at the sitters discretion. Any credit is forfeited if not used within 3 months.

Pet sitting cancellations
A full refund is available if canceled seven (7) days or more before the service begins. If canceled later than seven (7) days before the service starts, a 50% refund is available up until two (2) days prior to your booking date and than no refund will be available.

Dog walking/Adventure cancellations
A full refund is available if cancelled before Sunday 12 noon the week before your scheduled outings. If canceled after this, a 50% refund is available up until 24 hours prior to you service. Beyond this 24 hours no refund will be given and full payment will still be required.
If any outings are cancelled by the sitter at S & N Pet Services for any reason your outing will be credited on your account and can than be rescheduled.

Wedding assistance cancellations
A full refund is available if cancelled four (4) weeks or more prior to your booking. If cancelled within this up until two (2) weeks prior a 50% refund will be available.
If cancelling within two (2) weeks of your booking no refund will be given and full payment will still be required.

Inclement weather
For all exercise services the weather will be monitored and clients will be notified of any cancellations on our end.
If a cancellation is made by a client due to the weather the above cancellation policy will apply.
While we will work rain or shine, your pets and our own safety comes first.
• Extreme heat, torrential rain or heavy storms will see your exercise outings postponed. If available to avoid the elements, in some cases your outings may be changed to allow for more mental stimulation rather than physical.
• Pet sitting will always be completed no matter the weather. We will even make an extra complimentary trip if needed for pets fearful of storms. This will be discussed on an individual basis. In the event of extreme weather that causes a natural disaster such as a bushfire which inhibits our access to your animals we ask all clients to please provide us with your emergency contacts, preferably a neighbour or someone close by and provide us with your safety plan that includes an alternative evacuation location.
• Weddings that have had to change venues or move indoors due to the weather and their pets are no longer allowed will still have the above cancellation policy apply. Other options to use our service still can be discussed and we will do everything we can to help make your day just as special.

Refunds

Clients who cancel services per our cancellation policy will receive their refund in accordance to our cancellation policy or may opt to receive a credit to their account to use for future reservations. Credits given will be held on account for three months. After three (3) months, the credit will no longer be available.

No credits or refunds shall be issued due to a late departure or an early return by the client during pet sitting bookings.

Late fees

All invoices are sent out with 7 days till the due date. We ask that all invoices please be paid within the due date, as a small business that can only take on so much work, we rely on prompt payments. If a pet sitting booking is made with less than 7 days notice, same day payment will be required. All pet sitting bookings must be paid 2 days prior to your departure unless paying cash. Please note if this method is chosen and cash has been forgotten or is not left for the sitter, a late fee will be added as outlined below.
Once your invoice is overdue or about to be, you will be sent a reminder to pay asap. If this is still not paid within another 7 days, a total of 14 days, a late fee payment will be added onto your bill.
For each day overdue past the 14 days, $10 will be added until paid. This will be sent via a separate invoice. Please don’t make us do it!
Please note that if your financial institution has a delay with payment transfers and does not use Osko to fast track it than we will need to be notified as soon as you send a payment so no late fees are added while it clears into our account.

Surcharge and extra fees

• Specific time requests are an additional $5 per visit. Due to unpredictable traffic, our sitter has a 30-minute window to arrive at the requested time.

• Public Holidays will incur a surcharge of $20 for each visit on that day. Sundays will incur a surcharge of $5 for each visit or walk.

• S & N Pet Services reserves the right to charge at a rate of $30.00 per half hour or any portion thereof, for additional time spent over a 30-minute visit that is necessary for the care of the client’s pet(s) and home. This includes service and time for the following, but not limited to: excess of 1 emergency veterinary trip (first trip free); pet illness; excessive clean-up resulting from pet incontinence, accidents or frequent vomiting; complications administering medications; obtaining pet food, medicine or supplies; wait time for emergency home repair; search for pet(s) that escaped confinement or leash, pet refusing to return to their confinement areas such as their crate, kennel, room, etc.

• The client is responsible for all expenses incurred, such as purchasing supplies or pet food or veterinarian bills accrued in their absence and must reimburse S & N Pet Services upon return or be willing to pay bills over the phone directly to the provider.

Home Access

There are several ways you can provide us with access to your home.

Lock box with key inside (the most preferred method)
• Can be purchased from Bunnings
• A lock box with your house key (please test to make sure it works) must be accessible to the sitter in the front or rear of the home. Make sure it is in a place where we can access easily during bad weather and dark hours. Regardless of having a keypad, garage code, e-key, etc. there must be a key available to us in case one of the electronic entrances fail or there is a power outage.

A Key Copy

• You may provide 1 key to be kept and managed by S & N Pet Services. This key will be tagged and kept secure at our premises between uses.

• If you prefer not to allow us to keep a copy of the key, we may leave the key in the manner of your choosing. However, the client releases the sitter from S & N Pet Services, from all liabilities, responsibilities, and claims related to any incidents that may occur. It’s super risky to leave it under a mat, and anyone can grab it after the sitter leaves but we’ll do it upon request in writing and you assume all the risks and liabilities.
• Should keys become unusable, the lock malfunction, the client fails to leave a key or for any other reasons beyond pet sitter’s control, S & N Pet Services has the authorization to employ the services of a locksmith to gain entry to a client’s home on client’s behalf. The client will be responsible for all expenses incurred and will reimburse S & N Pet Services upon returning home.
• A $15 service charge will be added for keys to be dropped off at the end of services or picked up for subsequent appointments. Or, clients may drop off and pick up keys at a location convenient to the pet sitter.
• If you are moving or no longer need our services for any reason your key can be returned to you under the above provisions.

Gate Access

• If you live in a gated community or your residence is privately gated, you must provide a gate card, remote or appropriate access codes. No exceptions unless the community doesn’t allow them. We will not access your apartment/condo by following someone through the gate.

House Alarms

• If you choose to keep your alarms active during our visits, we must have the alarm codes, password, and alarm company name and phone number in our files. If we do not have this information in our system, we will not be responsible for any false alarms. Alarms must be in good working condition with no numbers sticking or not working properly.
• If alarm information changes at any time, it is the client’s responsibility to update the information directly to S & N Pet Services.

Other Visitors

• The client must inform S & N Pet Services, if anyone else will have access to your home during our service period, i.e., house cleaners, realtors, repairmen, friends/family, etc. Please inform them that we will be there as well.

• Please be aware that shared entry will waive our liability insurance for your home and pets. S & N Pet Services shall not be held liable for any damages or loss incurred to your home or pets during the entirety of any pet sitting schedule, where someone other than S & N Pet Services has access to your home.

• Liability waiver does not apply to client’s emergency contact(s), as named in the client’s information on file as having a key to the client’s home, with the understanding that said contact(s) will not be entering the client’s home during the entire term S & N Pet Services visit schedule, unless called to the client’s home, by a S & N Pet Services representative, in the event of an emergency.

Vaccinations

For the safety of your pet and others, pets must have current vaccinations if leaving your property on any of our exercise outings. Should the pet sitter be bitten or otherwise exposed to any disease or ailment received from the client’s animal, it will be the client’s responsibility to pay all medical costs and damages incurred by the victim. Client attests to the fact that all licenses and vaccinations required are current according to law. Clients must provide copies of current vaccination schedules to S & N Pet Services.

Veterinary care and emergencies

• If a pet becomes ill while under the care of S & N Pet Services, every attempt will be made to contact the client immediately and directly. If the client is unreachable, the client authorizes the representative of S & N Pet Services, to transport the pet(s) to the veterinarian the client has listed on file.

• If veterinary care is required outside of veterinarian’s office hours, the client authorizes S & N Pet Services, to transport the pet(s) to the closest emergency veterinarian. Client authorizes a representative of S & N Pet Services to approve any emergency treatment recommended by the veterinarian up to the dollar amount client has specified in their client file.

• The client agrees to pay for all charges incurred by a) keeping their credit card on file with their veterinarian or b) Paying over the phone directly to the veterinarian or c) reimbursing S & N Pet Services immediately upon returning home. Client acknowledges there will be a fee after the first complimentary trip of $50.00, which covers round trip emergency transportation to the veterinarian, as well as staying with your pet(s) during any examinations and waiting for tests, as needed.

• The client releases S & N Pet Services from all liabilities related to treatments and expenses.

Other terms and conditions

• Due to the extreme unpredictability of animals, S & N Pet Services cannot be held responsible for any unusual mishaps (i.e., pet’s refusal to take medication, escaping from the yard, biting, eating or destroying household items, damage to inside/outside of home, personal injury/accidental death). If the client requests pet(s) to have outside access, the client releases S & N Pet Services from all liability for loss, injury or death to pet(s). The client is liable for injury or damage to Third Parties and their pets where there was no fault from the sitter.

• The client authorizes S & N Pet Services, to take photos and videos of client’s pets for their file and business social media accounts and website. All images and videos taken are the property of S & N Pet Services.

• Visit times are approximate and subject to change based on the needs of all pets under the pet sitter’s care. The pet sitter is entrusted to use their best judgment in caring for the pet(s) and the home, in the event of an emergency, inclement weather or natural disaster. S & N Pet Services will be not be held liable consequences related to such decisions.

• In the event of injury or illness of your pet sitter or other emergency circumstances where duties are unable to be performed, the client authorizes S & N Pet Services to arrange for a back-up sitter to take over duties as outlined in this agreement. The alternate sitter will be provided access to the home to perform pet care and all contact details of the new sitter passed onto you the client.

Animal Behaviour

S & N Pet Services is a solely operated buisness. Due to this there is a strict limitation on unacceptable and anti-social behaviours displayed by dogs on our Social outings. Dogs are paired appropriately (once found) and the legal limit is adhered to but dogs can be unpredictable and I will not risk the safety of other dogs, people or myself. I unfortunately do not have the training to be able to assist with any forms of aggression or extreme dominant behaviours.
Dogs have moods just like we do, so some days they may be more well behaved than others, however if certain behaviours are displayed on a consistent basis than unfortunately your dog may be asked to withdraw from attending our social outings at our discretion.
These behaviours may include but are not limited to…
• Intimidating another dog
• Pinning another dog to the ground
• Biting another dog
• Aggressive barking and growling
• Excessive mounting

Please note: Dogs that have a flight response due to fear of other dogs, I am still happy to work with and help them build confidence.

Cancellation of agreement

S & N Pet Services reserves the right to terminate this agreement at any time before or during its term if the pet sitter determines that the client’s pet poses a danger to the health or safety of herself/himself or others. If concerns prohibit the pet sitter from caring for the pet, the client authorizes the pet to be placed in a kennel with all charges to be charged to the client.

Insurance

S & N Pet Services is fully insured through QBE Insurance, Administered by MGA insurance brokers. We are insured for Third party property including the care, custody, and control of your pets as well pets in transit.

NOTE: We do not disclose your information to any third party unless we have received your approval. Only the pet sitter providing your service, and the office has access to your information. Your privacy and the protection of your information is extremely important to us, and we take all aspects of this very seriously.