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703-980-7006

                                                                                                                  Policies and Procedures

Completion of Trip:  Please remember to call within 2 hours of your return from your trip.  Otherwise, we will continue visiting to assure the safety and well-being of your pet(s).  Additional trips will be added to your bill.  Please call your sitter – if you can not get in touch with them, call the business owner at ANY hour and leave a voice message that you have returned.

Reservations:  Always confirm your reservation with us.  We cannot accept telephone messages left as a reservation.  This ensures that we won’t miss your message, there will be no miscommunication and your pet won’t be left alone.  You may also use our Online Scheduling at www.diamondpetservice.com – you will receive an email confirmation when your pet sitting has been scheduled.

Payment and Deposit: New clients pay 50% at contract signing to secure dates and service.  The remaining balance is due in advance for the first trip our sitter makes to your home. We accept checks and cash as payment.  

For regular dog walks 5 days payment is due in advance, remaining payments are to be made each Monday (or first weekday we are provided service) or the first of each month.  Monthly contracts are due on the 1st or the first weekday we are providing service to qualify for the 5% discount.  Diamond Pet Service reserves the right to refuse service for non-payment.  Services will resume as soon as payment is made.

EXCEPT for holiday periods, cancellations may be made up to 24 hours in advance of first scheduled visit.  After that period there will be a cancellation fee of $10.

For Overnight Stays and Boarding reservations, cancellations may be made up to 72 hours in advance of first scheduled visit.  After that period, there will be a cancellation fee of $50.

During Holiday Periods, 100% payment is due to secure your reservations; cancellations made 72 or more hours in advance will receive 100% deposit back; cancellation less than 72 hours will receive 50% of their deposit back.

Friends and Family Access:  Diamond Pet Service will allow for you to have friends and/or family to come visit your pet(s) however, we are not responsible for any damages incurred to your home or to your pet during any time period that anyone other than Diamond Pet Service has access to your home.  Please notify Diamond Pet Service if there will be anyone else having access to your home.  This also includes cleaning service or any other household service with access to your home.

Additional Fees:
Shop Fee: There will be a $20 delivery fee if Diamond Pet Service needs to pick up supplies for your pet.  Please remember to leave adequate food and supplies for all your pet’s needs. 
Late Payment:  For payment not received in full after 10 days at the completion of your pet service, a 3% late fee will be incurred every 10 business days until paid in full.
Holidays: There will be an additional one-time $20 fee added to the regular service fee for services performed on the following holidays:- New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.  100% of this fee is given to your sitter as an incentive to devote time to your pet and home on these special days.  Regular daily walks do not occur on holidays, unless separately scheduled.
Emergency Service: Sometimes emergencies do arise, generally we ask for 24 hours notice for services to be rendered.  Feel free to inquire about last minute services but availability is on a first come first serve basis, and will incur a “last minute” fee of $5 if requested with less than 24 hours notice.
Non-Sufficient Funds Fee: Client agrees to pay a $25 fee for each check returned.  We reserve the right to stop accepting checks if more than one check is returned NSF.  For credit cards, client agrees to pay a $25 fee for NSF fee/change of file.  Please ensure you call the office to update the credit card on file when the expiration date is approaching to ensure we have the proper card on file. 
Key Pick-Up or Drop Off:  Diamond Pet Service will retain two copies of your key at the time of contract signing.  One key is kept in the company key safe for emergency use and the other key is checked out to your sitter.  If additional visits are required to pick-up or drop-off keys, a $15 key fee will apply. 

Unsecured Pets: Diamond Pet Service will not be held liable for free-roaming outdoor pets (i.e. cats, dogs left out in the yard or with access to a doggy-door) in the event of illness, injury, loss or death.  It is strongly advised that all pets wear an ID tag with a contact number and that they remain inside the home or confined for their own safety and welfare in your absence.

Secured Areas:  It is the pet owner’s sole responsibility to pet-proof any areas of the home and/or property to which the pet has access.  This includes thoroughly inspecting fences, gates, latches, doors and other devices meant to keep pets inside of or away from any areas pet may be having access to.  The pet sitter does not assume and has no liability for any injuries the pet may sustain while in its own home/property. 

Inclement Weather and Cancellation Policy:  If your company closes or you choose to stay home, please contact us by 9am in order to allow time for your service to be cancelled and avoid being charged for that day’s service.  During inclement weather we take every necessary step to make certain that your pet’s personal care is uninterrupted.  To ensure their safety during severe, inclement weather this may require us to bring them home with us or find alternative boarding options. You will be contacted in the case that weather is too severe to make trips to devise a plan on how to continue service.  We do strongly suggest during inclement weather seasons to leave a key with a neighbor if at all possible just in case there is a delay to return to your home during inclement weather.  In extreme temperatures, the time spent outdoors can be decreased for the safety of your animals.  Time spent indoors will offset that.