Polar North Pet Care, LLC reserves the right to deny service or terminate service because of safety concerns, financial concerns, or inappropriate/uncomfortable situations.
24 Hour Appointment Notice: Visits scheduled with less than 24 hours notice will result in a one time $20 convenience charge in addition to your dog walking or pet sitting visit price. Due to short notice there is no guarantee that the appointment request will be accepted.
Meet & Greet: A mandatory meeting to go over the level and detail for their care or walking needs for your pet. This is the time where we will get acquainted with you & your pet together. We will design a Pet Care Plan to meet your pets needs. We will become familiar with the location of various items needed while caring for your pet(s) (i.e. leash, trash cans, medicine). We will also have you review & sign required documents (i.e. Medical Release/Vet forms, Policies & Procedures, Terms & Conditions, Emergency Contact forms, and Pet information). The main purpose of the meet and greet is also to make sure that both Polar North Pet Care and the Client/Pet Owner(s) are both comfortable with the pet/situation prior to proceeding with document signing or scheduling of services.
Payment: Acceptable forms of payment are cash, venmo, or credit card which are paid either prior or after completion of service. We prefer that you pay through the TimeToPet app if possible. We reserve the right to discontinue service if payments are not made as scheduled.
Cancellation Policy: 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.
Dog Walking: We do not allow dogs off-leash for any reason unless they are in their own fenced-in yard. If an invisible fence system is in use, we must have a guarantee that it is indeed functioning. Polar North Pet Care, LLC does not take responsibility for any animals that escape or become lost or injured when left in a fenced area.
Pet and House clean up: Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter will properly dispose of pet waste and do our best to clean up any accidents the client pet may have. Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter are not responsible for carpet/flooring stains created by client pet(s). We request that the client provide plastic bags/biodegradable bags, towels, cleaning products, paper towels, trash bags and indicate where the client would like the waste disposed of.
*For Dogs: We will dispose of waste by the use of plastic or biodegradable bags. Bags will be tied and placed in the designated trash bin.
*For Cats: We will scoop the litter box(s), and dispose of waste via plastic or biodegradable bags. Bags will be tied and placed in designated trash bin.
Medications: 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.
Reservations: Reservations should be made through your client account on TimeToPet, but will also be taken by phone, email, or text.
- Reservations are NOT confirmed until you receive an email from us. Please check that the days and times are correct.
- You can only schedule online AFTER you have had your initial Meet and Greet with a pet sitter.
- It is best to reserve as far in advance as possible, especially during summer and the holidays.
Keys/Home Access: If making a new key for us, please check that it works before our meet and greet. We will not be responsible for making a new key. Leaving a copy of your key anywhere on your property for us is done “at your own risk,” and not recommended.
- Preferably two hard copies of the client house key should be provided. However, this is the responsibility of the client. We will accept garage door openers and keypads as the only means of entry to client home, however clients should understand the risk of their Polar North Pet Care sitter not being able to access their home/pets to provide care due to power and battery outages. Clients may purchase a secure lock box to keep on the premises. A $25 trip fee will be invoiced if a key is not left in our care and we must make an extra trip to pick one up or drop one off before or after care. It is always a good idea to leave a hard copy key with a family member or neighbor for access in the event of a power/battery outage. Client understands that without a hard copy key as a backup, service may be disrupted if power/battery outage occurs and no hard copy key is provided.
Alarm/Security Systems: If you have an alarm/security system, please contact the alarm company and tell them that you have hired a pet care company. Please provide us with the code to deactivate and activate the system and password in case of accidentally setting off the alarm. If you are uncomfortable giving Polar North Pet Care, LLC this information, please set up a temporary code and password for our purposes. If an alarm is set and no prior arrangements have been made, Polar North Pet Care, LLC is not responsible for any charges associated with the alarm going off when entering the premises.
Last Minute Add-On Policy: Please allow as much time for additional scheduling visits as possible. same day requests may be scheduled, but are not always guaranteed. There will be a one time $20 convenience charge in addition to your dog walking or pet sitting visit price for visits scheduled less than 24 hours. You can schedule by using the client portal/app (if you have had your initial Meet and Greet), texting our business text line, emailing us at [email protected] or calling (701-515-8029). An email confirmation will be sent for your records.
Holidays: There will be an additional $20 charge for holiday visits including: New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day (includes the weekend prior to Memorial Day), Fourth of July (includes the 3rd, 4th, and 5th), Labor Day (includes the entire weekend), Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Christmas includes the entire week prior to Christmas, beginning on Monday, and ending on New Years Day)
- If your visits include a holiday, we require FULL PAYMENT to reserve your spot. ALL PAYMENTS are non-refundable.
- Regular daily walks do not occur on holidays, unless separately scheduled.
- Holiday rates also includes the Saturday & Sunday that correlate/are adjacent to any of these Holidays (i.e. the Saturday and Sunday prior to Labor Day, in addition to Labor Day itself, Memorial day weekend, and Independence day/Fourth of July weekend)
- The day before and the day after Thanksgiving (beginning Wednesday and ending Friday)
- The week of Christmas (beginning Monday) through New Years Day
Caring for additional pets from another household that are staying with you: There will be an additional 50% up charge for each visit. Also paperwork and a meet & greet are required prior first visit.
No-Share Policy: When hiring Polar North Pet Care LLC, we would like to be the sole pet caregiver while you are away. We would prefer not to share pet care visits or walks with others if possible. This includes neighbors, family members (not living on the property), cleaning services, maintenance personnel, or other pet care individuals. This policy helps avoid confusion or accidents, such as duplicate medication doses or a pet escaping due to unsecured conditions, etc.
If you choose to share pet care responsibilities with one of these parties, our liability insurance will become invalid, and we will not be responsible if something happens to your pet or your property.
Inclement Weather General Information:
- During inclement weather, if your walks or visits are not essential OR you are changing your plans to stay in town or stay home from work, please let us know so we can make other arrangements.
- If you are out of town and have an alternative caregiver close by, please make arrangements to have them on-call to care for your pets. Note that in order to make emergency arrangements, we need their contact number. Due to inclement weather, if it is not safe to travel to your home, we will contact your alternative caregiver to begin caring for your pets. When this happens, we will send you an email notification.
- If you are out of town and have no alternative caregivers, we will contact you to work with you on a plan to care for your pets.
Inclement Weather Policy for Dog Walking Clients: We post WALK or NO WALK status on the following communications when inclement/bad weather is expected. You will receive a text or email in regards to postponement or cancellation of walks due to weather.
- If yes, we are providing WALKS, and you will be staying home that day OR your company is closed, please email [email protected] or text/call (701-515-8029) by 8 a.m. so we may make accommodations.
- If you live in an area where our walker cannot reach your home safely, because of poor road conditions, service will not be provided. You will receive an email notification if this happens.
- If it takes our walker additional time to reach your home due to road issues, lack of cleared access area, etc, the additional time will be counted as part of your walking time. If this happens, we will notify you within 12 hours via email. Example: If it normally takes a walker 15 minutes to reach your home and b/c of snow and ice, it takes the walker 30 minutes to reach your home, your visit will be shortened by 15 minutes to make up the difference in driving time. Your animal will still get the potty break they need. This policy is the only way our walkers can keep on schedule when bad weather strikes to ensure all of our clients at least get a 10-15 minute potty break on these challenging days.
Inclement Weather Policy for Pet Sitting Clients: During inclement weather, our policies require a local resource (friend or neighbor) as a point of contact we can call if inclement weather threatens our ability to service your pet while we are pet sitting. If this happens, we will pass off care of the animal until our pet sitters can safely resume servicing your home. Should this be the case, you will be notified via email at the address we have on file for you.
Pets we are for: We care for most pets, such as dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, ferrets, birds, fish and small reptiles. If you have a pet not mentioned here or a questionable type of pet, we may or may not be able to care for it. Contact us to inquire about your pet.
Refunds: No refunds will be given once service begins.
- If any pet sitting visit is canceled less than 48 hours before service starts, the deposit, and any payments made, are non-refundable. If no deposit or payment has been made, you will be billed for all visits.
Vet information and Vaccines
At the Meet and Greet you will be required to show proof of current rabies vaccinations for dogs. Polar North Pet Care, LLC will go over this with you in our vet release form. Be prepared to provide contact information for your pets’ veterinarian and pet guardian.
Unforeseen Purchases: Any additional necessary costs such as food, litter, cleaning supplies or other necessary items that contribute to the health and well being of your pet will be purchased by Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter. We will retain a receipt and the customer will be automatically charged for reimbursement of these items. A $35 trip fee will also be applied. Client agrees to reimburse Pet Sitter/Polar North Pet Care, LLC for expenses incurred, plus any additional fee for attending to this need or any expenses incurred.
Emergency Veterinary Care: If your pet requires any emergency veterinary care while you are away, we will contact you, the owner, first. If we are unable to reach you and your pet’s condition cannot wait, we will take them to the best-suited veterinary hospital for treatment. If you have a veterinarian listed in your account, and they are open and able to see your pet, we will go there first. If they are not open or available, or if there is no veterinarian listed, they will be taken to the Red River Emergency Animal Hospital. All fees charged by the treating veterinary facility are the sole responsibility of you, the owner. There is also a fee for us, Polar North Pet Care, LLC, to transport your pet to and/or from the facility and is based on time. Please make sure your pet’s veterinarian is listed in your account. It is also a good idea to make sure they have a credit card on file, as some facilities require a deposit to begin treatment for your pet.
Dogs/Pets left outside: We strongly advise you not to leave your dog(s) outside, unsupervised in a fenced-in yard or electric/invisible fence. If you choose to do this, we will still care for your dog(s), but we assume NO responsibility or liability if they are injured, become ill, or run away/escape.
Fences/Gates/Crates/Latches/Leashes & Collars: It is the pet/home/facility owner’s sole responsibility to “pet-proof” any areas of the home/property/facility to which the pet has access. This includes thoroughly inspecting fences, gates, latches, doors and other devices (including crates) meant to contain the pet or restrict access to specific areas. Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter does not assume responsibility and has no liability for any injuries the pet may sustain or property damage the pet may cause while in its own home/property/facility.
- Fences/Gates/Enclosures: Fenced in yards are great play and potty spaces for pets, however, no fence system is totally secure. Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter does not accept responsibility or liability for any pets that escape, are injured or become lost, fatal or otherwise, when pets are left out or given access to a fenced in area. This includes electronic, wood, metal, glass or any other enclosure types.
- Cages/Crates: Cages/crates are great secure spots for pets; however, no cage/crate is totally secure. Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter does not accept responsibility or liability for any pets that escape, are injured or become lost, fatal or otherwise, when pets are left in a crate unattended or in a cage that is being improperly used or not sufficient enough for the pet. This includes metal, plastic or any other crate types.
- Leashes/Collars: All dogs will be required to be properly collared and on leash during outdoor walks. Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter is not responsible for damage incurred by pet escaping because of a faulty leash or collar that is incorrectly fitted. Please check to make sure that your pets collars fit properly.
Driveways/Walkways: Please consider your pet sitter’s safety by removing any snow, ice, and debris from all walkways and driveways before you leave on your trip. If you are away, please be sure someone is ready to plow and shovel your driveway and walkways if bad weather is predicted. Our insurance does NOT cover any personal injuries that occur on your property.
Pictures of your pets: Please let us know if you do NOT want us to use pictures of your pets on our website or social media pages. We always make sure our location setting is turned off when taking pictures and we never use last names, so your privacy is protected. We also never post any pictures or information on social media without your consent. If you are OK with us using your pets photo on our social media pages, we will have to sign a consent form at the meet and greet. We never disclose your personal information, such as the pet owners names, or address.
Tips: If leaving a cash tip for your sitter, please make sure it is in a sealed envelope with their name or Polar North Pet Care written on the front. We will NEVER take cash unless it is in a marked, sealed envelope!
Unpredictable Pet Behaviors/Aggressive Behaviors: Animal behavior can be unpredictable. Polar North Pet Care, LLC does not accept responsibility or liability for animal behavior, normal or otherwise, which results in injury to the client’s animals. If client pet(s) will not allow Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter into client home, or prevent client pet sitter to provide routine duties, Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter will contact client and/or client’s emergency contact listed in their profile and other care arrangements will be made. We do not provide free or discounted services if the dog’s aggressiveness prevents us from performing our regular duties. Additionally, if a Polar North Pet Care employee is injured or harmed by the client’s animals, the client/owner accepts full responsibility for the cost of any necessary medical attention required by either the Polar North Pet Care employee or by the animals.
Household Emergency: In the unlikely event of a household emergency (leaking water heater, malfunctioning heating and air units, etc), Polar North Pet Care, LLC will contact the owner or emergency contact. We highly recommend that you leave the name and number of a trusted maintenance company or a designated local person who can attend to such matters. Polar North Pet Care, LLC is not responsible for equipment failure in the household while caring for your pet.
Access to Clients Home by Others: Please notify us if there will be anyone else entering your house while you are away. This includes family, friends, neighbors, workers, house cleaners, etc.
Please be advised that if there are other persons entering and leaving the client home/facility, Polar North Pet Care, LLC/Pet Sitter can not be held liable for any damages to property or pets. Additionally, Polar North Pet Care, LLC requires clients to inform us at the time of the Meet and Greet consultation of anyone who may have access to client home/property/facility while client is away, or that will be on the property while we are providing service. This includes (but not limited to) cleaning services, repair persons, friends, family and neighbors, trainers, etc. For the safety of the pet-sitter, pets and home/facility, no person should be permitted in the client home/facility during the same times our pet sitters are providing services unless special arrangements have been made through Polar North Pet Care, LLC. We prefer that, for accountability and liability reasons, no other individual should be providing pet care services at the same time Polar North Pet Care is providing pet care services. If a client chooses to allow other individuals to share care, Polar North Pet Care cannot be held liable for any misconduct or mistreatment of personal property or animals that occurs outside of our care schedule.
Termination of Contract: Polar North Pet Care, LLC reserves the right to terminate this contract at any time before or during pet care services. Pet Sitter/Polar North Pet Care, LLC, in its sole discretion, determines that the Client’s pet poses a danger to the health or safety of the Pet Sitter, or if concerns prohibit the Pet Sitter from caring for your pet. The client will be notified and given the alternative to authorize the pet to be placed in a kennel, or the emergency contact can be contacted to take over care for the pet. Any additional time needed will result in charges, and will be the sole responsibility of the client.
*All policies and procedures are subject to change without notice at the discretion of Polar North Pet Care, LLC.
