Frequently Asked Questions

We’ll come by for a quick tour of your home, meet your pets, and go over your care routine. We’ll also confirm two reliable ways to access your home (like a lockbox and keypad). Got questions? Bring ’em—we’ll answer them all. For pet sitting clients, we may schedule a complimentary Practice Visit to make sure everything runs smoothly before you head out.

We sure do! We’re fully insured and bonded for your peace of mind. Your home and pets are in trustworthy hands.

We kick things off with a friendly Meet and Greet (and a complimentary Practice Visit when needed), which the owner of At Home Pet Care, LLC personally takes care of to make sure everything starts off on the right paw. If you’d like to meet your assigned sitter in person afterward (not usually necessary!), we’re happy to set that up for a small $27 fee to cover their time and travel.

Absolutely. Our sitters undergo background checks and detailed training to ensure they understand our exact process for caring for your pets. We also periodically do “Quality Control” checks to ensure every pet is receiving the same high standard of care, no matter which sitter is visiting. These follow-ups help us make sure our team is following all protocols, your instructions are being followed to the letter, and your pet is safe, happy, and well-loved.

We try our best to keep things consistent! If your regular sitter isn’t available, we’ll assign a trained backup who has access to your pet’s full care info and follows our same high standards. Either way, your pet is in paw-some, loving hands.

To keep things smooth and consistent, all communication goes through our office or your online portal. That way nothing gets lost, and our sitters’ privacy is protected. We’re always happy to relay messages or answer questions quickly!

Nope—no extra charge for additional pets! We’ll help you choose the right type and length of visit to make sure everyone gets the care and attention they need.

Yes! We offer visits and walks seven days a week. Just be sure to book early for weekends and holidays, as those fill up quickly.

Yes, we may request them to ensure the health and safety of both your pets and our team.

A few quick things help us hit the ground running: Make sure we have clear access to your home (especially in those crazy Minnesota winter months), your pet’s supplies are easy to find, and your care instructions are up to date in the portal. Have a special note or heads-up? Drop it in the portal in your profile or directly onto any scheduled visit that you’d like it to be visible on!

Payment is due by the first day of service. If you’re a recurring client, we bill twice per month. Late payments may result in a fee.

Yes—Tips are never expected but always appreciated! You can leave one at home (clearly marked in an envelope addressed to At Home Pet Care Team), or add it to your PayPal invoice. 100% goes to your sitter.

There is no cancellation fee ever! Just a heads-up: If the pet sitter has arrived at the client’s home or is en route when the cancellation request is received, the cost of that visit will still be charged. (That’s what the little asterisk in our policy is about!)

We do. Last-minute visits often require schedule shuffling, and this helps us keep things fair for our team:

• Booked less than 48 hours in advance: $5 extra per visit that falls in that less than 48 hours notice window.
• Booked less than 24 hours in advance: $10 extra per visit that falls in that less than 24 hours notice window.

 

We don’t charge extra for holidays—ever! That said, holiday visits do fill up quickly, so be sure to book early to lock in your preferred dates and time slots.

Absolutely! We’re happy to do light household tasks during pet sitting visits—just let us know what you need at the Meet and Greet or leave a note in the portal. (We draw the line at lawn mowing, though. 😉)

Each sitter has a trained backup. If a change is ever needed (due to weather or emergencies), we’ll notify you right away—your pet’s care never skips a beat.

We’ll make every effort to reach your home safely. If conditions become dangerous, we’ll contact you immediately to work out a plan.

Yes, but please notify us in advance. If unapproved visitors are present, we won’t enter the home. We aren’t responsible for issues that may arise from shared care.

In many cases, yes! If your non-furry family member needs care, just reach out. We’ll ask for details and let you know what’s possible based on our team’s experience.

Visit windows typically start around 6 AM and go until about 10 PM. Let us know your pet’s usual routine, and we’ll do our best to match it!

We always use caution and stay alert during entries and exits and assume that any pet could decide to make a mad dash for the outdoors at any time. If your pet is a known door-dasher, just let us know—we’ll label their profile as such and use extra strategies to keep them safely inside.

If we’re unable to enter your home and can’t reach you, we may need to call a locksmith. Any associated costs will be your responsibility.

Just let us know! If you don’t mark your account as “Home Safe” by your expected return time, we may possibly continue visits if there is a concern that you may not have made it home to ensure your pet isn’t left alone. (Charges would apply.)

No worries—just keep us in the loop! We’ll jump right to it and get extra visits scheduled for you.

We use gentle, consistent care to help your pet feel safe and gradually build trust. We never rush—it’s all on their terms. We go at their pace and follow their cues. If your pet is especially anxious, let us know in advance—we’ll know that extra trust time will be needed during our visits. Or we can schedule some extra visits ahead of time so your pet can really have time to adjust to our presence before you travel.

Safety always comes first. If a pet shows signs of aggression, we may need to decline or cancel services. Any injury or medical costs will be the owner’s responsibility.

Congratulations! Yes—we love helping with new additions. Whether you need short potty breaks, social time, or a special request, we’ve got you covered.

At this time, we do not offer overnight stays. But we’re happy to arrange extended morning and evening visits (or as many drop-in visits per day as is needed) to keep your pet’s routine on track! Unless your pet has high anxiety, most do just fine snoozing solo overnight. We also encourage using a pet nanny cam so you can peek in on your Sleeping Beauty catching some zzz’s. We totally get how comforting that can be.

Practice Visits—what we call “dry runs”—are offered for pet sitting clients before their first scheduled time away. It’s a quick, complimentary visit where we walk through your pet’s routine exactly as it will happen while you’re gone. It helps us double-check access, make sure your pets are comfortable, and catch any questions or hiccups before the real thing. Dog walking clients typically don’t need a dry run, unless your pet has special needs or anxiety—and in that case, we’re happy to set one up.

Yes! Every new client starts with a meet and greet—a short, friendly visit to get to know you, your pets, and your home routine. It helps us make sure everyone feels comfortable and sets us all up for success. We require it before your first official service.

Easy! Just log into your online portal and update your pet’s profile. That’s our go-to source for care info, so keeping it current helps us care for your fur baby exactly how they need it. Have a big change or want to double-confirm? Send us a message in the portal or give us a call—we’re happy to chat it through.

You can cancel, add, or adjust visits directly in your online portal—it’s open 24/7 and super simple to use.