- How do I sign up for dog walking or pet sitting service?
- Are you licensed, insured and bonded?
- When should I give a key to my sitter?
- Should I call or email Silicon Valley Pet Nanny?
- How is my payment handled?
- Where do I mail my payment?
- What is your cancellation policy on visits?
- Is the information I give to my sitter confidential?
- Will I get the same sitter each time I travel?
- Can I hire my sitter directly without calling Silicon Valley Pet Nanny first?
- Can you administer medication to my animals while I'm away?
- I'm leaving in two days and don't have time to meet one of your sitters. Will you take care of my pets without my meeting the sitter?
- Do you board dogs in your home?
- I have never used an overnight pet sitter in my home. Can you tell me a bit about this service?
- I'm going to Europe for 2 months, do you provide long-term overnight sitting?
- What areas do you cover for dog walking and pet sitting?
- Do you have a minimum number of days that I would need in order to sign up for weekly dog walking service?
- Do you offer group dog walks?
- Do your dog walkers take dogs off-leash on walks?
- May I give my sitter or dog walker a gratuity?
- Do you charge a holiday fee?
- What kind of animals does Silicon Valley Pet Nanny care for?
- I have a very cute picture of my pet, is there anyway I can have it posted on your website?
- Can I work for Silicon Valley Pet Nanny?
- I am new to the area. Do you have Veterinarian recommendations?
Q1. How do I sign up for dog walking or pet sitting service?
A. You can call Carolyn at the Silicon Valley Pet Nanny office (408-298-5541), and she will be happy to discuss your pet care needs. Carolyn will set up a complimentary meeting between you and one of our professional pet sitters or dog walkers. This meeting will help familiarize the sitter with your pets and home, and give you an opportunity to go over the pet(s) routine and special dietary and exercise needs.
Q2. Are you licensed, insured and bonded?
A. Yes. Silicon Valley Pet Nanny is licensed, and all of our sitters are insured and bonded through Silicon Valley Pet Nanny.
Q3. When should I give a key to my sitter?
A. Most clients give a key to the sitter at the initial consultation. If you are not able to do so at the time of the consultation then we charge a $15.00 key pick-up fee. We can keep the key on file if you travel often, or we can leave it in your home at the end of the sit, whichever you prefer. If you decide to have the sitter leave the key in your home, please arrange for a neighbor or someone nearby to have a spare key in the event that you are delayed.
Q4. Should I call or email Silicon Valley Pet Nanny?
A. We prefer e-mail as opposed to phone calls. This gives us the chance to return your inquiry any time of the day or night, and allows us to retain this information in your own personal file. Of course we are happy to respond to phone calls, just be aware that it may take us up to 24 hours to return voicemail messages.
Q5. How is my payment handled?
A. Different services are billed differently. Daily dog walks are billed bi-weekly. Cat/dog vacation visits and overnight sitting reservations are billed after you have met your sitter. If you have previously met your sitter, then a bill is e-mailed at the time you make your reservation for that sitter. You can either mail us a check when you get your bill or you can pay directly through our website with your credit card, just click the “pay online” button from our homepage and you’re all set.
Q6. Where do I mail my payment?
A. You can mail payments to:
Silicon Valley Pet Nanny
540 N. 6th Street #307
San Jose, CA 95112
Q7. What is your cancellation policy on sits?
A. We have a 7-day cancellation policy for overnight pet sitting and vacation visits. Please call or e-mail us 7 days before your departure if you need to cancel in order to get a full refund. Cancellations made less than 7 days before your departure date are subject to a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations made less than 3 days before your departure date are subject to a 100% cancellation fee unless we are able to fill the spot that you had previously booked with your sitter.
Q8. Is the information I give to my sitter confidential?
A. Yes. We at Silicon Valley Pet Nanny are committed to keeping all information we receive from our clients and staff confidential and will not disclose any of your personal information including your mailing address. We will only use your information as a means to take good care of your pets and home while you are away.
Q9. Will I get the same sitter each time I travel?
A. We prefer to have the continuity of the same sitter with the same pets and will do everything we can to make that happen for additional trip requests. If the sitter is not available then a substitute sitter will be booked. Carolyn will set up a meeting to have you and your pets get to know the new sitter.
Q10. Can I hire my sitter directly without calling Silicon Valley Pet Nanny first?
A. Please do not place our staff in the uncomfortable position of offering them pet sitting or dog walking employment apart from Silicon Valley Pet Nanny. You are sometimes given the private cell phone of our sitters as a means to reach them in an emergency while you are away. We ask that you do not contact them to set up future sits when you return. Our staff is prohibited from soliciting or accepting employment directly from clients, and have signed a contract to this effect. Thank you for honoring this policy.
Q11. Can you administer medication to my animals while I am away?
A. We would be happy to administer many different kinds of medications to your pets, as long as your animals do not pose a threat to the sitter. Unfortunately, due to liability, we do not accept diabetic animals, or administer intravenous fluids.
Q12. I'm leaving in two days and don't have time to meet one of your sitters. Will you take care of my pets without my meeting the sitter?
A. Unfortunately, unless we have already met you and your pets we cannot offer our services. This is for both your safety and the safety of the sitter who will be coming into your home while you are away. Occasionally we are available for last-minute sits, and if we have space and time available to set up an initial interview we will be happy to help you.
Q13. Do you board dogs in your home?
A. We do not board dogs in our home. We do provide daily visits for dogs, (either 2 or 3 visits per day) or we can provide an overnight sitter to stay in your home with your dog(s). We would be happy to send you information regarding local boarding facilities, however we do not have any affiliation with them, nor knowledge of their policies, prices, etc.
Q14. I have never used an overnight pet sitter in my home. Can you tell me a little about this service?
A. This is a question we frequently receive, and we are happy to discuss the process. You will be matched with one of our overnight pet sitters who would best fit you and your pet(s) needs. The sitter will spend a solid 12 hours with your pet(s) which includes dinner, an evening walk, the actual overnight stay, breakfast and a morning walk. Your pet(s) will love this service because it allows them to retain their eating and sleeping schedule.
Q15. I'm going to Europe for 2 months, do you offer long-term overnight sitting?
A. Our overnight visits are based on our sitter's availability, however we do have sitters who specialize in long-term sitting.
Q16. What areas do you cover for dog walking and pet sitting?
A. We service the greater San Jose area, with availability in some areas of Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Campbell, Mountain View, and Los Gatos.
Q17. Do you have a minimum number of days that I would need in order to sign up for weekly dog walking service?
A. Yes, we require a minimum of 2 days a week, and we ask that these be set days so your dog and the walker can have a regular weekly schedule.
Q18. Do you offer group walks for dogs?
A. Just like people, dogs have very different personalities, and the dynamics between dogs can change in a split second. Because of the potential risk to not only your dog, but also the dog walker, we do not offer group walks.
Q19. Do your dog walkers take dogs off-leash on walks?
A. Because of the potential flight risk, traffic and the unknown we have implemented a policy against off leash dog walking. Obviously if we are taking your dog to a dog park, or a safely confined area, we will take your dog off leash, but as a regular rule of thumb we do not.
Q20. May I give my sitter or dog walker a gratuity?
A. Absolutely. You can give gratuities directly to the sitter, or you can mail them to Silicon Valley Pet Nanny. 100% of gratuities go directly to the S.V.P.N. sitter.
Q21. Do you charge a holiday fee?
A. We do charge a small additional fee over the major national holidays. We will let you know this at the time you book service. This is a way for us to reward the sitters who are giving their holiday time to work with Silicon Valley Pet Nanny.
Q22. What kind of animals does Silicon Valley Pet Nanny care for?
A. We are happy to provide care for all types of animals, reptiles, fish and birds. There are a few exceptions to that rule, and we would be happy to discuss them with you when you call.
Q23. I have a very cute picture of my pet, is there anyway I can have it posted on your website?
A. Of course! We always love receiving stories, pictures and little notes from our clients. Although I would love to think that I'm a great pet photographer, I'm always happy to receive nice pictures of your kids.
Q24. Can I work for Silicon Valley Pet Nanny?
A. We are always looking for reliable, loving people to become Nannies. Please visit our employment page for more information regarding open positions, requirements and the application process. If you are an existing client of ours and considering a job working with animals, we'd be especially delighted to talk with you.
Q25. I am new to the area. Do you have Veterinarian recommendations?
A. Yes, we have an extensive list compiled from client referrals that we would be more than happy to email to you at your request.