Frequently Asked Questions + Policies

Yes! We are fully Bonded + Insured through BIC.  We have a local business license through Polk County, Florida. Our Owner/Founder is CPPS – Certified Professional Pet Sitter through Pet Sitters International (PSI) and National Association of Professional Pet Sitter (NAPPS)  and is the only dually certified Pet Care Provider in the entire state of Florida.

Yes! All of our staff are EMPLOYEES, are covered by Workmans Comp and have been Background Screened, extensively interviewed and certified through FetchFind. Why does this matter to you? Companies that use Independant Contractors are legally not allowed to train staff, provide them resources or even tell them that they are the ones that have to do the visits- that means they could have ANYONE come to your home. Also if they get injured on your property- they can go after you and your home insurance!

Yes! All Atta Boy! Staff has completed over 13 hours in Pet Care Certifications through FetchFind. All of our staff also has personal or professional pet care experiences throughout their life- volunteer, farm, veterinary or pet ownership! We also have at least one Veterinary Technician on staff 24/7 in case of emergencies.

We care for all personal pets and animals! Dogs and cats make up the majority of our client base but we also care for Reptiles (turtles, snakes, lizards, etc), Amphibians (Frogs, Salamanders, etc), Exotics ( Sugar Gliders, Hedgehogs,etc), Farm Animals (Goats, Chickens, Horses, etc) and Small Furry ( Rabbits, Mice, Hamsters, Gerbils, etc) things!

We set each client up with a custom online Client Account that you can fill in ALL the details about your pets + home care. This includes feeding schedules, behaviors, and those special details that make your pet special. This portal is also where you request your visits, pay your invoices and review each visit update and pictures.

No, we are the only company in Polk County who does not! We charge by type of visit/timing. For families with 6+ pets ( smaller animals that are in same enclosure count as 1 pet. Example: Fish Tank, Chicken Flock, etc), a 1 hour visits minimum are required though to ensure time to do all care and monitoring by our professional standards. All Pets in the household can be cared for – even if different species. 

You can fully customized your Pet Sitting + Dog Walking Visits by choosing or mixing and matching 30 minutes, 1 hour visits or 2 hour visits pop in visits.   We can offer one- off visits while you are away for the day, or a late date night or we offer extend back to back visits while you are out of town based on your needs.

When you are gone for 24 hours or more there are minimum requirements for visits in the day for pet safety + health:

• Cats- Minimum 1 visit per 24 hours. Max 4 visits
• Dogs-Minimum 3 visits per 24 hours. Max 4 visits.
• Farm Animals- Minimum 1 visit per 24 hours. Max 4 visits
• Party + Wedding Pet Attendants – custom timeframes.

Pet Sitting + Dog Walking 

We do visits 365 days a week from 7am-930pm for pet care.

Visit can be scheduled within one of our 7 flexible time windows.

These flexible time windows have a range where the sitter can arrive based on drive time efficiency, availability and other unpredictable factors such as trains, traffic or previous pet client delays. We do not offer specific time arrivals.

Clients can upgrade to 1 hour flexible windows for +$20 more per visit.

Flexible Time Windows:

• • Early Morning: 7AM-9:00 AM (Dog Visits arrival times are 7-8:30am)
  • Morning: 9-11 am
  • Midday A: 11am-1pm
  • Midday B: 1-3pm
  • Dinner: 3-5 pm
  • Evening: 5-7pm
  • Bedtime : 7PM-9:30pm (Dog Visit finished no earlier then 8:30pm)
• Our most common set up for 2 times a day visits for cats is a Morning and Evening visit.
• Our most common set up for 3 time a day visits are Early Morning, Midday B + Bedtime for homes with dogs
• Our most common set up for 4 time a day visits are Early Morning, Midday A, Dinner + Bedtime with dogs

Mobile Dog Gym Treadmill

• Currently have available slots on Wednesdays + Thursdays from 8am-5pm 

We work as a team so in the case of an emergency (illness, car accident, etc) one of our staff from our team of sitters will step in to help to ensure service is not interrupted and use your online client account for all care descriptions to have a successful visit. Since being in business we have not missed a single visit.

Yes, all sitters have training in pill/tablet, cream and liquid medication administration.

Insulin injections and fluid therapy can also be accommodated by trained staff.

All of our visits are GPS tracked and timed through our professional software. This information can not be edited or falsified from the sitter. We also have management that’s primary job is to review all visits to ensure integrity, care quality and timing.

Yes. All services are available 365 days a year, 7 days a week.

All Invoices are available via your online client account. Payments can be made with any type of credit or debit card.

Unfortunately, no. For Safety of our staff and your pets and home we must be the sole care providers of the pets while you are away from the home. No one may have access to the home except for the adult pet/home owners.

We Require all clients to have 2 forms of access to their home from the following: LockBox, Keyless/Coded Doors or Garages. You may have two of the same thing- in different locations. We do not hold or keep keys. This allows us to have access to your home easier in case of an emergency or last minute request. There are a few benefits to the lockbox: if the staff person assigned to your service has an emergency (car accident etc) we have back up staff who will be able to access your home. You also will have the code so if you happen to lock yourself out you can use the lockbox as well!

Consult + Behavior Assessment – is  for homes with dog(s) and other large animals. We review all your pet care needs, locations of pet items and meet the pet(s) in your home IN PERSON. It is also a great opportunity for you to ask questions about our company, experience and services. The Behavior Assessment is for us to gauge your pets comfort with unfamiliar people coming into their home and ensure no aggression or fear that can turn into aggression.

Virtual Consult – is for homes with cat(s) or other small animals when we review all your pet care needs, locations of pet items and meet the pet(s) in your home via a ZOOM VIDEO CALL.

• If you have a home with both large + small animals- an IN PERSON “Consult + Behavior Assessment is required.

Trial Visit – is required for all new clients after a Consult is completed when no humans are home. One of our staff will complete a visit to do a ‘dry run’ and ensure success for future visits. This is a charged visit.

 Well, it depends on the type of service but start at $31/visit. You can view our Pet Sitting, Cat Sitting, Dog Walking, Almost Overnights, Wedding/Event Pet Attendants,  Mobile Dog Treadmill Gym or Hiking Adventures on each service page on our website.

ALL Visits Include:

• Home Visit Travel Drive time to + from your home (up to 30 minutes each way)
• GPS tracking of visit to guarantee staff was there when we said they were
• Customized update after EACH visit with PICTURES sent directly to you via email
• Home Care Details- Trash, Recycling, Mail, Packages, Plants, Wildlife Feeders, Rotation of Lights + Curtains, etc
• Veterinary Technicians on call for emergencies
• On Call Backup team and management oversight of all visits
• Plus business insurance, bonding, training, certifications and more

Base Pricing:

All visits can be mixed + matched to make the exact experience you want for your pets needs + your budget.

• Dog Walking Booked Per Month: $31 per visit – includes all of the above + 30 minute at your home private visit if booked 
• Perfect Visit: $33 per visit – includes all of the above + 30 minute at your home private visit
• Epic Visit: $66 per visit- includes all of the above + 1 hour at your home private visit
• Wowsa Visit: $99 per visit- includes all of the above + 1.5 hour at your home private visit
• Absolute Visit: $132 per visit- includes all of the above + 2 hour at your home private visit

Packages:

1 hour visit packages: “unlimited” pets

• 4 Visits/Day for 1 hour each (AM, Midday, Dinner Time + Bedtime): $264* non-premium peak times, $304* premium peak times
• 3 Visits/Day for 1 hour each (AM, Midday or Dinner + Bedtime): $198* non-premium peak times, $228* premium peak times

30 minute visit packages : 1- 5 pets

• 4 Visits/Day for 30 minutes each (AM, Midday, Dinner Time + Bedtime): $132* non-premium peak times, $172* premium peak times
• 3 Visits/Day for 30 minutes each (AM, Midday or Dinner + Bedtime): $99* non-premium peak times, $129* premium peak times

Additional Fees:

• Premium Peak Times: +$10/visit
• Last minute bookings <48 hr: +$20/invoice
• Custom arrival timeframes: +$20/visit.

Discounts:

No discounts are available.

Premium Peak Times are days before, during and after certain holidays and days off from the local school district- aka our busy times! Think how when you book flights or hotels- certain times are higher priced due to supply + demand.  +$10/per visit will be added for Pet Sitting, Cat Sitting, Dog Walking, or Hiking Adventures.  Custom Pricing for Party + Wedding Pet Attendants.

2023

•Christmas /Kwanzaa /Hanukkah/New Year: Friday, December 15 – Jan 4, 2024

2024

•Presidents Weekend: Friday February 17- Monday February 20

•Spring Break: Friday, March 8 – Monday March 17

•Easter : Friday, March 29- Monday April 11

•Memorial Day : Friday, May 24 – Monday May 27

•4th of July : Thursday, July 4 – Sunday July 7

•Labor Day : Friday, August 30- Monday September 2

•Veterans Day : Friday, November 8 – Sunday November 11

•Thanksgiving : Friday, November 22- Sun December 1

•Christmas /Kwanzaa /Hanukkah/New Year: Friday, December 20 – Jan 7, 2024

•  We are the only fully licensed, bonded, insured and dually certified pet care company in a 6 county area.
• We drive to and from your home – drive time can be up to 20 minutes one way for each client. We do not charge gas mileage.
• Your pets are getting one on one attention vs at a boarding facility where that attention is shared by tons of other pets.
• We have Employees vs Contractors which means we have workman’s comp to cover any injuries that may occur at your home- vs you may have to pay for them out of pocket or with your home insurance, they are fully trained, and certified.
• Our Employees make a living wage for their time, have access to medical benefits, and offered continuing education
• We have back up emergency staff in case of sitter sickness or delay since we have a team. Plus, more availability for scheduling.
• We have guaranteed timed visits that are GPS Tracked. No shortened visits so we can squeeze more clients in.
• You get an update after EACH visit with pictures which gives you peace of mind.
• We are also lower then the national average of $31/ per 30 minute non holiday visit for professional pet care.

   Reservations

• Can be made 24/7 on your convenient, online client portal once you are onboarded as a client.
• Visit(s) requested less than 48 hours prior to first service will incur a $20 fee (max: $20) + have to manually be processed via calling our office.

Daily/Weekly Dog Walking

• All Clients: A 100% in full payment non-refundable, non-transferable (No Credits/Refunds) due within 48hrs at time of booking for the entire month to receive discounted rate.

Non-Premium Day(s) Reservation Payment:

• New Clients: A 100% in full payment non-refundable, non-transferable (No Credits/Refunds) due within 48hrs at time of booking.
• Existing Clients: A 50% non-refundable, non-transferable (No Credits/Refunds) deposit due within 48 hrs at time of booking. Full payment due 14 days prior to first visit, or day of the booking if less then 14 days prior to first visit.

Premium Day(s) Reservation Payment:

• All Clients: A 100% in full payment non-refundable, non-transferable (No Credits/Refunds) due within 48hrs at time of booking. Partial Cancellations are not accepted.

Full Invoice Cancellations Definition: Cancellation of entire set of visits scheduled on one invoice.

Non-Premium Day(s) Full Invoice Cancellations:

• New Clients: No Credit/Refund
• Existing Clients:
• Less than 14 days prior to first visit: No Credits/Refunds
• Greater than 14 days prior  prior to first visit: 100% Refund minus deposit

Premium Day(s) Full Invoice Cancellations:

• All Clients: No Credits/Refunds

Partial/1+Visit Invoice Cancellations Definition: Cancellation of 1 or more visits during a scheduled set of visits on an invoice

• All Clients: No Credits/Refunds once visits have started. Cancellations policies above apply to partial cancellations.

Contracted Daily/Weekly Dog Walking Cancellations:

• All Clients: No Credits/Refunds

Early Returns/Late Departures:

• All Clients: No Credits/Refunds

Extenuating Circumstances Policy: Flexible

• ABAC has a limited amount of clients we can book and we have to turn away clients once spots are full. This makes us unable to fill those spots last minute if your plans change. With that said- we are human and we try to act that way. If in the case an unexpected event- just give us a call and we can see what we can do.
• This Policy uses the term “Event” to refer to the following situations that occur after booking, are unforeseen at the time of booking, and prevent or legally prohibit completion of the reservation
• Changes to Government Travel Restrictions. Unexpected changes to visa or passport requirements imposed by a governmental agency that prevent travel to the destination. This doesn’t include lost or expired travel documents or other personal circumstances relating to a guest’s authorization to travel. Travel restrictions imposed by a governmental agency that prevent or prohibit traveling to destination. This does not include non-binding travel advisories and similar government guidance
• Declared Emergencies + Epidemics. Government declared local or national emergencies, epidemics, pandemics + public health emergencies. This does not include diseases that are endemic or commonly associated with an area—for example, malaria in Thailand or dengue fever in Hawaii.
• Immediate Family or Pet Death.  If you, your significant other, children, parents, siblings or pets die and it affects your travel plans.
• Military Actions + Hostilities. Unknown military duty, acts of war, hostilities, invasions, civil war, terrorism, explosions, bombings, rebellions, riots, insurrection, civil disorder, + civil unrest.
• Medical Human + Pet Emergencies. Major medical emergencies that do not allow the human to travel based on restrictions due to body abilities or safety requirements per doctors orders. Major medical emergencies of a pet that is not stable that require the human to stay home.
• Natural Disasters. Natural disasters, Acts of God, large-scale outages of essential utilities, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, hurricanes + other severe weather events.
  

What is Not Covered:

• Everything else. This Policy only allows for refunds/credits for the Events described above. Everything else is excluded.
• Examples of situations that this Policy does not allow refunds/credits for include: cancellation or rescheduling of an event for which the reservation was made; and transportation disruptions unrelated to a covered Event like road closures, as well as flight, train, bus and ferry cancellations.

Refunds will be issued for cancellations based on the  cancellation policies in ABAC’s cancellation policies above. If a refund is due for a cancellation the money will be refunded via  the original payment method or credit to your account. Ideally clients will request a credit to their account instead, which is good for 1 year from date of credit creation.

We require proof of a Rabies Vaccine, Blood Titer or Waiver Letter provided by a Licensed Veterinarian for Dogs, Cats, Ferrets + Horses over 16 weeks (4 months) of age as required by Florida Law:

828.30 .”to be updated on Rabies Vaccine, Titer , or exemption letter by a licensed Veterinarian.”

We do HIGHLY recommend speaking to your veterinarian about vaccine recommendations for:

• Dogs: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo, Parainfluenza), Lepto, Influenza, Corona, Lyme + Bordetella
• Cats: FVRCP (Rhinotracheitis virus/herpesvirus 1,Calicivirus, Panleukopenia ) + FeLV

Clients can provide said proof by uploading a picture showing pets name, and next due by date of vaccine via:

• Receipt from Veterinarian
• Rabies Vaccine Certificate
• Screenshot from Veterinary Client Portal
• Screenshot or email of Pet’s Record from Veterinarian
• All can be uploaded under each pets names tab, then click the VACCINATIONS tab.

All other Species:

No Vaccine Proof Required

We require all pets to be parasite free. How you choose to regulate that- is just that- your choice.

ABAC will not care for animals that show any Food, Human or Toy Aggression towards humans. If an animal has animal aggression- no leash walks will be allowed. ABAC will not care for any animals with a bite history, or aggression history. Pets that need a muzzle at a Veterinary Clinic or Grooming tend not to be successful with at home pet care. We suggest to you a “Board + Train” option provided by a professional dog trainer. If a pet shows aggression during a set of visits- the client will be responsible for finding alternative care immediately and no refunds will be given. Pets must be comfortable with any human, even if they have never met them before, as we work as a team. Any pet that is ‘cautious’ towards new humans is not a good fit for at home Pet Care with our team.