FAQ

If your cat is friendly and very tolerant of being given their medication, then yes we can. We want all of our interactions with them to be positive because cats have very long memories. We ask that you have a plan for separating their meds (if mixed in their food) from other pets in the home. We also require one or more test visits before you leave out of town. We’ll ask you to leave the home while we do a visit and administer meds, then we’ll report back to you how it went without the pressure of you already being out of town. Test visits gets everyone comfortable with the routine.

At Ocala Pet Sitting, our specialty lies in caring for cats. However, we possess expertise in taking care of other animals as well, including birds, parrots, and a diverse range of small animals such as gerbils, guinea pigs, sugar gliders, reptiles, chameleons, turtles, and even snakes! Moreover, we offer mid-day drop-in visits for dogs and puppies as well.

At Ocala Pet Sitting, our topmost priority is the safety and well-being of your pets when you are away. Cats, in particular, can get into mischief and trouble when left alone for extended periods of time. Therefore, we ensure to check on them at least once every 24 hours, to ensure they are happy and healthy. In the past, we have encountered several instances where our daily check-ins have proven to be life-saving for the cats, including: A cat turning on the bathtub and causing a flood, which our sitter arrived just in time to prevent it from overflowing. A cat getting tangled in the mini-blinds and panicking, requiring our immediate intervention. A cat getting caught in a plastic bag and requiring assistance. Cats knocking over their water bowl and being without water until our sitter arrived. A bursted water hose causing flooding, which our sitter noticed and took swift action to prevent further damage. A cat getting stuck in a bedroom, which the client was unaware of before leaving. A normally friendly cat going missing, which required a team effort to locate the cat in distress and provide immediate medical attention. These incidents highlight the importance of regular check-ins, and we are committed to ensuring your pets receive the care and attention they deserve, even in your absence.

This is where experience and having a new client consultation comes in. We take our time getting to know your pets and not pushing their boundaries. If a pet is aggressive to begin with, then we recommend a trainer before you hire a pet sitter. In cases where a pet becomes aggressive unexpectedly, we put distance between us and the situation as fast as possible and contact the owner. In a worst case scenario a client may have to arrange for their backup contact to take over care. Having a plan for these situations is the best any of us can do.

At Ocala Pet Sitting, we understand that some cats can be very timid and nervous around new people. That's why we take a gentle approach when entering the home, allowing the cat to come to us on their own terms. Our sitters will softly call out and observe from a distance, avoiding any actions that may startle or scare the cat. We find that with patience and a calm presence, even the shyest cats will warm up to their sitter in time. However, for cats that require extra time and care, we offer a KittyCam Rental service to ensure they receive the care they need.

Upon arriving at your home, our sitter will first conduct a preliminary check of the exterior before entering your home slowly and carefully, taking necessary precautions to prevent any pets from rushing out. Your sitter will then greet all the pets in your home and ensure everything looks in place. Feeding will be done as per your instructions, and water bowls will be washed and refilled. We understand that pets have their preferences, and your pets will be given the opportunity to eat in the way that’s comfortable for them, either with company or alone. Our sitter will attend to cleaning litter boxes and other pet areas, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. Following this, it's time for cuddles, playtime, listening to soft music, or simply sitting quietly with your pets. As the visit draws to a close, our sitter will make sure everything is properly put away and locked up before leaving. To keep you informed, your sitter will send you a journal with notes and pictures at the end of each visit.

We offer a premium Live-In stay with Shannon, which is full-time live-in care of your pets. And we offer an “Almost Overnight” package that many of our clients absolutely love.

There are no refunds if you return home early. If you have extenuating circumstances we are happy to discuss it.

Please inform us in advance if you have scheduled house cleaners, pool or yard maintenance personnel to visit your home. We understand and respect that you may have other staff working for you. However, we do not share the responsibility of your pet's care with anyone else. If anyone else is visiting your home, it is your responsibility to explicitly inform them not to feed, give medication or let your pets outside. This is a liability issue for us and a safety concern for your pets.

If you experience flight delays, we understand and kindly ask that you inform us as soon as possible. If your sitter is already en route to your home and you notify us of a delay, there may be a charge. However, if you are delayed in returning home, simply inform us and we will ensure that your pets receive the necessary additional visits.

OPS is dedicated to providing exceptional pet care services. We put in a lot of effort to train our sitters thoroughly and to establish strong relationships with our clients. To maintain our high level of care, all communication must be conducted through our software application. This ensures that Shannon and our team leaders can monitor everything that's happening, including journal entries. When clients or sitters bypass our app, it can lead to breakdowns in communication and loss of trust.

We understand emergencies happen. Our cancellation policy can be found here. If you have extenuating circumstances we can discuss it.

Our Client Agreement outlines our detailed plan for all stages of severe weather, and we prioritize the safety and well-being of your pets during these events. If it is safe and possible, we will visit your pets during severe weather, and we have strategies in place to ensure their care during extreme conditions. For mild thunderstorms and lightning, we usually wait for the storm to pass and then visit your pets before or after the weather event. However, for severe weather like tropical storms and hurricanes, we recommend canceling your trip. In case you are already away, we have contingency plans for pet care. As a native Floridian who has experienced many hurricanes, Shannon and our team will take extra precautions by providing additional food and water and coordinating with your emergency contacts, vet's office, or even bringing your pets to our own home if necessary.

We place great importance on entering your home as it houses your beloved pets. To ensure the utmost care for them, we employ lockboxes instead of keys for our sitters' access. This eliminates the need for them to drive around exchanging keys with each other and the office, which can be time-consuming. You have the option to either purchase your own lockbox or acquire one from us at a cost of $25, as we buy them in bulk. The lockbox will be exclusively yours, and you may modify the code as you see fit. While door codes, garage doors, and other digital entry methods are convenient, they can be unpredictable due to the possibility of electronic malfunctions. For this reason, we do not recommend relying solely on electronic entry methods. However, if you prefer to use them, we require that you provide a backup key on-site, kept in a lockbox for safekeeping. In addition to the lockbox and any digital entry codes, we require a backup key for our office lockbox to be stored at our office location for emergency situations. This ensures that our team members can access the key quickly in case of any unforeseen incidents.

It is not feasible to facilitate a meeting between you and every caregiver prior to granting them access to your residence. Nonetheless, rest assured that our team members undergo adequate training to look after your pets. In addition, we conduct comprehensive background checks on each employee during the hiring process to ensure the safety of both you and our company. Moreover, Ocala Pet Sitting is bonded and insured. Therefore, you can be confident that only dependable, reliable, and morally upright staff members will have access to your home.

Answer

Answer

Answer

We do require we meet you and your pets in person before service begins. The new client consultation gives us both a chance to get to know one another and discuss all the finer details of your pet and home's care. We ask you to take us on a tour of your pet's favorite places, and show us their routine.

We operate as a team and our process is to assign a primary and secondary sitter for your pet's care. However, due to the variety of reasons staff may be off work on any given day, we may send in a different sitter. We do try our best to keep sitter's consistent for our clients, especially the more shy and timid personalities. Often, the most outgoing pets actually enjoy the larger variety a team can provide. We understand a team model isn't for every household, but for us it provides an extra level of security having a team member available as backup.

Contact the office, and we will have that awkward conversation with them instead of you. We will handle it and switch out the sitter entirely, if necessary.

We are always prepared and have backup if your pet sitter gets sick or injured.

There is a $30 charge for the New Client Consultation. Onboarding new clients is a fairly time intensive process from both the client and the business' perspectives. We value you and the time you take to keep us up to date on your pet's care and we also value our staff who take part in all points of the onboarding process. Charging for consultations helps us maintain the high level of care we provide.

Our reputation matters to us. We screen pet sitter applicants intensively and trust is the #1 requirement. Our clients can rest assured that our team are trustworthy and reliable. The training process includes our protocols for locking homes securely upon our exit and double checking latches are secure. As an extra layer of security our sitters are bonded.

Your pets and your schedule are our priority. This isn’t a hobby or a favor, and we won’t cancel on you at the last minute. We have experience in animal behavior and we are skilled at noticing the little things that matter to your pet and home’s safety. A professional pet sitter is insured and bonded and of course has a love of pets, but a professional also holds themselves to a much higher bar of accountability than your average hobby sitter.