Do you have questions about pet sitting services? Here you’ll find a list of answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. If you do not find what you are looking for here, please feel free to contact us at 701-515-8029 or [email protected].
A Pet Sitting visit includes feeding, a short walk/potty break in your yard , most medications, play/quiet time spent with your pet, and care for your home. A Dog Walking visit is just a walk or potty break in the yard, treats, and fresh water. No feeding is involved unless you purchase a 60 minute walk. Dog Walking visits are done as needed or ongoing as in morning/midday walks.
We get to know you and your pet and setup your client portal to schedule visits. We also take a look at everything we will be responsible for. Our sitters go through a checklist that includes items such as:
- Food & Water dish location
- Extra food location
- Meal prep instructions
- Medical concerns & Medication instructions
- Favorite toys
- Where to put scooped litter / poop bags
- Plant watering instructions
- Mailbox instructions
- Setting up your lockbox
- Going over your pet’s usual routine
- Any other details concerning your visits
We offer In-Home Pet Care Visits, and Dog Walking. Please see our complete lists of services on the In-Home or Dog Walking pages. We will tailor our services to your needs. A typical PNPC Visit consists of:
For your Pet: Fresh food and water, a potty break, playtime, a clean litter box, lots of love, and more.
For your Home: we may pick up your mail, rotate lights, water household plants, and take out the trash.
A Pet Care or Dog-Walking Visit will typically last 30-60 minutes. Each visit is special and tailored for your pet’s needs. More time may be necessary depending on the specific needs of your pet and/or home. We make every effort to arrive within 2 hours of the agreed upon visit time, however, if you are booking a cat visit for the morning and it is a peak time, such as a holiday, we may arrive later in the morning because we may need to get to dog visits first – unless of course you have a cat that needs medicine at a critical time. If time is critical, please let us know.
Typical Visit times are:
- Morning 7am – 10am
- Mid-Day 10am – 1pm
- Afternoon 1pm-4pm
- Evening 4pm – 7pm
Yes, we can administer veterinarian-prescribed medication only at no additional charge, including: pills, drops, and injections.
Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter will ATTEMPT to administer medications (pill and injections) as directed but cannot be held responsible for complications that arise as a result. Excessively shy, aggressive or scared pets with medical problems can be a serious risk to both the care-provider and the pet themselves. If a client has such an animal, we reserve the right to decline providing service and this must be thoroughly discussed PRIOR to services rendered. Additional charges may apply for administering medication, or for extra time spent in caring for sick or injured pets.
If your dog has anxiety or aggression issues, your pet sitter will evaluate your pet’s needs during the initial Meet and Greet to see if their behavior is something we feel is dangerous or something we can accommodate. If we do not feel comfortable taking care of your dog, we will unfortunately be unable to schedule any visits.
Yes. We will do a walkthrough of your home to check for accidents and will clean up any pet messes to the best of our ability. If there are frequent accidents, indicating that your pet needs more potty breaks, we will ask you to book an additional visit during the day.
We will notify you that there is not enough food so that you are aware and perhaps you have more food in another place in your home. If we do need to make a special trip to purchase food, we will be glad to do so. There will be a trip charge plus the cost of the food. Your credit card will be charged. If an extra trip to your home is needed for an extra visit to feed your pets, that will be charged as well.
Polar North Pet Care is prepared to deal with any emergency that may arise. At the consultation, we ask our clients to fill out and sign a veterinarian release form, so we are aware of your preferences for emergency care before you leave. In the event of an emergency, we will make every effort to reach you before taking your pet to the veterinarian or evacuating them during a natural disaster.
If we suspect that something is wrong with your pet, we will call you at the emergency phone numbers we have on file. If you believe the veterinarian should see the pet, we will transport him to the veterinarian’s office for examination and treatment. In the event we cannot reach you, we will decide if the veterinarian should see your pet. If necessary, we will take your pet for treatment. You will be billed for any extra time we spend for these services, in addition to the vet bill.
Yes, you may call or text your pet sitter directly, we will be happy to update you on your pet’s well-being. In addition, we use TimeToPet, which will notify you in real-time whenever your sitter arrives at and leaves your home. Your sitter will also use this system to send you updates regarding your pets well-being and their time together during each visit. They will track behavior, potty break activity, appetite, and overall health, among other things. We can also send you a photo of your pet if you like.
In the instance that I become ill, or am unable to care for your pets. I will notify you via phone, text, or email as soon as possible so you are able to make other arrangements for your pet that day.
Yes. Once you have completed the contact form, we will reach out to you within 24-48 hours to schedule your free in-home consultation (Meet & Greet). This consultation is REQUIRED before services can begin.
During the Consultation, you and your sitter can get acquainted and your Sitter will meet your pets and learn about your home. You will discuss your pet’s routines, any medications they may need, where you store pet food and treats, and will arrange access to your home via the method of your choice, etc. Without a consultation, we would not be able to offer such quality, trusted, and personalized care.
Please note that a Meet & Greet does not guarantee services. If at any time we are uncomfortable, or feel unsafe caring for your pet we will be unable to provide any pet care services.
Your Pet Sitter will need access to your home, so please prepare to grant access at your Pet Sitting Consultation (Meet & Greet)
Polar North Pet Care prefers that you use a lockbox with a set of TESTED keys in it for your pet sitter. This is a secure way for your keys to be available to your regular sitter. You can purchase a secure lock box online, or at a local hardware store.
We can also access your home through your garage if you prefer. Please provide us with your garage code at the initial meet and greet.
If you have a security system and would like your pet sitter to use please arrange this access with your alarm company BEFORE your sitter is scheduled to arrive for visits, and provide us with your alarm code.
Please make arrangements to give your sitter access to your building in advance.
Once you have gone through the initial registration steps and completed your Pet Sitting Consultation (Meet & Greet), you may call, or submit requests through our online scheduling software using the TimeToPet app. Once your request is processed you will receive an email confirmation if approved.
Yes, Services performed on holidays incur a per-visit surcharge for daily in-home pet care, and dog walking- this is to ensure that the pet sitter receives a bonus for working while others celebrate. Polar North Pet Care observes nine holidays annually, including: Easter (American), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
No. When you schedule Pet Sitting Visits or Dog Walking, we have reserved those times for your visits and may have turned other people down to allow time for your pets. We appreciate your understanding in this matter. There will be no refunds.
Cancellations must be received within 48 hours of scheduled visit in order to be credited for the daily walk or the pet visit fee. Failure to meet these conditions will result in a 100% charge. We also require two weeks notice for holiday reservations. There will be no refunds once service begins.
Contact us as soon as you can, you can also call and leave a message. We can provide extra visits if needed until you are able to get home.
Yes! You are welcome to reward your pet sitter for a job well done by leaving a tip for them directly. We thank you for your generosity! *Gratuities are appreciated and not expected.
We offer pet sitting visits starting at 7:00am and as late as 7:00pm, every day of the week.
Our office hours are from 9:00am to 5:30pm Mon-Friday.
While your pets are in our care, you have unlimited, 24/7, phone support.
