Billing

Payments

We accept credit cards, Interac-e transfers, and cash exclusively. Credit card processing fees apply. We provide invoices only by request.

Service Area

Customers may be serviced if located outside my service area at an additional fee. 

Unforeseen purchases

You are responsible for leaving enough of the supplies necessary for your pets' care to cover your entire absence (whether long- or short-term). This includes but is not limited to: food, litter, medications and supplements, or equipment that is damaged or ceases to function. In these cases we will do our best to provide the same products as you, but if this is not possible a similar product will be used. The pet owner is responsible for fully reimbursing Prancing Paws for any products or supplies that we need to restock due to inadequate supply. In addition, a $20 trip fee will be charged to the pet owner.

Tips

Tips are not expected but are certainly appreciated.

Scheduling

Hours of Operation

Prancing Paws is open Monday-Sunday from 9am-5pm. Appointments may be scheduled outside this time frame for an additional fee. No before/after hours surcharge applies for overnight stays.

Meet and Greet

Prancing Paws offers a free of charge mandatory meeting between new client and pet care provider prior to the booking of any appointments. This meeting allows you and your pet to familiarise yourself with your new pet sitter. If Prancing Paws must return for another visit for additional instructions, there will be an additional charge.

Visit Times

All visits are done within a time frame of +/-30 minutes. For instance, a visit scheduled for 12:30 p.m. could begin anytime between 12-1 p.m. This allows the sitter time for unforeseen circumstances such as pet issues or traffic. The times of appointments may be slightly shifted. If this occurs, you will be notified by DoTimely.

Visit Frequencies

For pet sitting, dogs must be visited at least twice a day, although three times a day is recommended for crated dogs. Cats must be visited at least once a day. Prancing Paws does not do every-other-day-visits while pet sitting if we are the sole caregiver for the animal during your vacation. This is for the health of your fur baby.

Cancellations

Dog Walking visits: If canceled 24 hours or more before service starts, there is no charge; if canceled less than 24 hours before the service starts, a 50% fee of the booked service applies. Note: Surcharges still apply in full. In addition, once a pet care provider appears at the home for the walk, the full charge applies, even if the service is no longer needed or the home cannot be entered due to reasons such as a dysfunctional key.

Pet Sitting visits: A 50% deposit is required for services more than $100. If a pet sitting visit is canceled 48 hours or more before service starts, the deposit goes to credit; 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 the visits. Note: Surcharges still apply in full.

Overnight visits: A 50% deposit is required to reserve dates. If canceled 72 hours or more before service starts, the deposit goes to credit; if canceled less than 72 hours before the service starts, the deposit is non-refundable. Note: Surcharges still apply in full.

Holiday visits: A 50% deposit is required to reserve dates. If canceled 5 or more days (120 hours) before the service starts, the deposit goes to credit; if canceled less than 5 days before the service starts, the deposit is non-refundable. Note: Surcharges still apply in full.

*Prancing Paws' "holidays": New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Easter Weekend, National Patriot's Day, St. Jean Baptiste Day, Canada Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

*Cancellation times and policies are the same whether there is a deposit made or not.

*Prancing Paws does not issue refunds. Deposits that are credited to your account never expire.

Early Returns/Last Minute Changes

Prancing Paws carefully schedules our time to service you and our other clients. Therefore, there are no refunds or credits for early returns or last minute changes to pet care. Once pet care begins, there are no refunds.

Home Access and Security

Keys

I require one (1) set of keys at the time of the meet and greet. It is, however, highly recommended to give Prancing Paws two (2) sets of keys if you are booking vacation pet care. There will be a fee for Prancing Paws to pick up/drop off keys at any time other than the meet and greet. A key need not be given to the pet care provider if the client is solely booking appointments that don't necessitate the pet care provider having a key such as if the keys will be kept in a key lock box. Keys are given a random code that is unrelated to any of your personal information. It is identified and remains safely in our possession until a scheduled key drop-off.

If making a new key for the pet care provider, please check that it works before the meet and greet. Prancing Paws will not be responsible for making a new key. Leaving a copy of your key anywhere on your property for the pet care provider to use is done "at your own risk," and not recommended. Prancing Paws will not leave a key inside your house at the end of your scheduled pet sitting visits as your trip could unexpectedly be delayed.

If a garage code is offered to gain entry to your home, a key to your home must also be given in case of malfunction or power outage.

In the event that Prancing Paws is required to employ a locksmith to gain entry into your home due to the malfunction of the lock, or failure of providing us with a functioning key, it shall be your responsibility to reimburse us for all costs incurred.

Lock Out Service

If you lock yourself out of your house, you may contact Prancing Paws to see if we can bring you your key. This service is not guaranteed, as it depends on the time of day and our schedule. A fee of $20 is charged for this service.

Additional Pet Care Assistance and Other Scheduled Services

Please notify us if there will be anyone else entering your house while you are away. This includes cleaning services, repair services, family, friends, and neighbors, etc. Prancing Paws can not be held responsible or liable for any damages or problems that may arise as a result of other persons entering and leaving your home.

Walkways

Please consider your pet sitter's safety by removing any snow, ice, and debris from all walkways before you leave on your trip. If you are away, please have someone who can plow and shovel your walkways if bad weather is predicted.

Privacy Policy

All of your information will be kept private and confidential. Prancing Paws highly respects our clients entrusting us with the care of their home and their loving pets. We do recommend that you inform a trusted neighbor that while you are away, Prancing Paws will be caring for your pets and your home.

If there is particular information about your pet that you prefer not be shared with others (people at dog parks, captions on pictures, etc.) please let us know. Otherwise we reserve the right to share information such as age, sex, breed, and name with whomever we chose.

Pet Behaviour and Safety

Updates

Prancing Paws provides an update made available to the owner at the end of every visit. The update may include text and picture(s).

Profile Information

It is your responsibility to inform Prancing Paws of any special needs your pet has, including but not limited to, medications, supplements, allergies, physical disabilities, medical conditions and diet restrictions. Please continuously provide us with any changes regarding your pets' care and other pertinent information. This would include your emergency contact, a change in veterinarians, change in food, etc. You may do this in your DoTimely profile.

Pictures of Your Pets

Photos of your pet(s) may be used on our website, social media, promotional materials, and for other advertising purposes if you have not informed us otherwise. Please let us know if you do NOT want us to publicise pictures of your pets.

Montréal's Pet By-Law

You must:

• Possess a valid license for your dog or cat and renew it yearly.

• Ensure that your cat (except if he or she is microchipped) or dog wears a tag issued by the city at all times.

• Ensure that your cat or dog is spayed/neutered and microchipped before January 1, 2020.

• Provide Prancing Paws with a leash of at most 1.85 m for dog walks.

• Provide Prancing Paws with a harness or a halter that your dog must wear on walks if he or she weighs 20 kg or more.

• Comply with any other Montréal pet by-law.

Animal Behavior

Animals' behavior can be unpredictable. Prancing Paws does not accept responsibility or liability for animal behavior, normal or otherwise, which results in injury to the client's animals. Further, if a pet care provider is harmed or injured by the client's animals, the client/owner accepts full responsibility for the cost of any necessary medical attention required by either the pet care provider or by the animals.

Behavioural Issues and Aggression

It is the client's responsibility to reveal any known behavioural or aggression issues of any kind to Prancing Paws at the time of the consultation, as well as any known citations filed against the animal for any bites or attacks in the past.

Prancing Paws reserves the right not to participate in any walk/visit which we deem to be unsafe for the walker/sitter, the pet(s), other people, animals or property.

We are not responsible for any damage caused by your pet(s) to your home or property due to separation anxiety or stress caused by your absence.

Weather Policy

We strive to keep your pets safe and comfortable while in our care. In the event of extreme temperatures or severe and hazardous weather conditions, visits will be modified to achieve this. Time spent outdoors may be restricted and time indoors maximized at the discretion of your sitter. The duration of your appointment will remain the same.

Inclement Weather

In the event of inclement weather, we will do our absolute best to make every scheduled visit on time. Prancing Paws suggests you add the name and phone number of an emergency contact person living nearby to whom you will provide access to your house. If Prancing Paws is physically unable to reach your home due to impassable roads, we will contact this person to request assistance. Your pets' health and well-being is our utmost concern and we will contact you as soon as possible to keep you informed of these events.

Food Ingestion

We will do our best to prevent your pet from eating anything other than foods and treats provided by you, but Prancing Paws is released from all liability related to any injury, illness or vet bills incurred as a result of food, treats or items consumed by your pet while in our care. If your pet is prone to eating dangerous or found items please inform us ahead of time.

Emergency Veterinary Care

If your pet requires any emergency veterinary care while you are away, Prancing Paws 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, we will bring them elsewhere. You authorize Prancing Paws to make decisions regarding vet care for your pet should you or your emergency contact be unavailable. All fees charged by the treating veterinary facility are the sole responsibility of you, the owner. There is also a fee for Prancing Paws to transport your pet to and from the facility. Please make sure your pet's veterinarian is listed in your account. It's also a good idea to make sure the veterinary clinic has your credit card on file, as some facilities require a deposit to leave your pet for treatment.

Vaccinations/Immunizations

All pets must be up-to-date with vaccinations or a titer test and be free from pests and contagious illnesses.

Pet waste

Prancing Paws will properly dispose of all pet waste. We do request that you

provide poop bags for this purpose and indicate where you would like these waste bags

disposed.

Leashes

All dogs will be required to be on a leash of maximum length of 1.85m during outdoor walks (see Montréal's pet by-law) other than when in a dog park.

Fences

Fenced in yards are wonderful playgrounds for dogs and allow them

additional space to exercise and play. However, no fence system is totally secure. Prancing Paws does not accept responsibility or liability for any client's animals that escape or become lost or injured, fatal or otherwise, when instructed to leave the clients animals in a fenced in area. This includes electronic, wood, metal or any other type of fence.

Cat Sitting

Prancing Paws will only let cats outside if expressly requested by you and will not be responsible for ensuring that the cat is back inside by a certain time. We will not be responsible for any injury, loss, death or illness suffered by cats that are allowed to go outside while under our care. We highly recommend that all cats are kept indoors for the duration of your vacation.

No Pet Left Behind

Prancing Paws counts ALL pets when calculating your pet sitting rate, but for smaller pets such as mice, hamsters, gerbils, rats, and fish, we can give you a more reasonable quote depending on the care needed and the number of animals.

Medications

Prancing Paws will attempt to administer medications as directed but cannot

be held responsible or liable for complications that arise as a result. Excessively shy cats with medical problems can be a serious risk. If you have such an animal, this must be

thoroughly discussed. Under no circumstances will Prancing Paws service any pet that has any form of contagious illness. This is for the safety of other customers. If a pet care provider is bitten or exposed to any disease or ailment received from the client's

pet(s) which has not been properly or currently vaccinated, the client will be responsible

for all costs and damages that may incur.

House Cleanliness

Prancing Paws can clean up after your pets. Please inform us of the designated area for the appropriate cleaning supplies. If there are accidents that necessitate an extension of a visit, an additional fee for clean up time will be charged.

Household Emergencies

Prancing Paws will contact you if any obvious household emergencies arise during your absence. We will encourage you to contact a trusted maintenance company or a person you can rely on to attend to the emergency. This includes but is not limited to; leaking pipes, malfunctioning water heaters and heating and air units.

Release of Liability

You agree that you are solely liable for medical care expenses and all damage to persons, animals or property caused by your pet(s). You will be responsible for the actions of your pet(s) if they cause any damage whatsoever, including but not limited to damage or injury to other dogs, people or property while in the care of Prancing Paws.

While the pet care provider will always do their best to protect your pet from injury, you acknowledge that there are reasonable risks involved with walking dogs off-property and that small cuts, scrapes, bruises and other minor injuries may be a part of participating in dog walking services.

You also acknowledge that that are even further risks associated with group walks and that by agreeing to participate in these programs you release Prancing Paws from any liability associated with injury, illness or loss suffered as a result of these programs.

We will take all appropriate actions to ensure that your pet is not placed in the company of aggressive or violent animals and/or will immediately remove your pet from any animal fight to the best of our ability.

We're not liable for any loss or damage in the event of a burglary or other crime that should occur while under our care. You agree to secure your home prior to leaving the premises. We will attempt to re-secure the home according to your instructions at the end of each visit.

You are responsible for ensuring that you have the necessary municipal licenses and registrations for your pet(s). Prancing Paws will not be responsible for any fees or citations against your pet for being found to have incorrect or insufficient licenses or tags while in our care.

*All policies and procedures are subject to change without notice at the discretion of Prancing Paws.