Policies

RCO Pet Care requires a new client registration meeting, also known as a Meet and Greet, prior to all dog walking and pet sitting services. This will allow you to get to know us and introduce us to your home and pets prior to the start of service. We will review all information, review home access, and get you set up with a lock box if requested. Your Pet Portal filled out prior to your scheduled Meet & Greet appointment.

The initial Meet and Greet costs $35. If you would like us to provide ands set up your lockbox at this time, the fee will be $50. The lock box is yours to keep!

Any additional Meet and Greets will result in a $30 charge. 

RCO Pet Care requires a consultation prior to the start of any dog training or behavior modification program. These sessions are 60 to 90 minutes long and will involve a history collection, introduction to our training methodology and management solutions to begin changing your dogs’ unwanted behaviors. All consultations include a written summary and a proposed training plan. Please contact us for our current consultation rate.

Each daily dog walking and pet sitting client is assigned two to three primary caregivers. In the event that your primary care providers are out sick, taking time off, or have a last minute emergency, an alternate Pet Care Specialist is ready and available to take over so no interruption in care occurs.

While we strive for consistency, we may occasionally need to reassign your pet(s) to a different caregiver. The new pet care provider will be given a summary of your pets’ routine and/or shadow your pets’ visits. Occasionally, additional team members may shadow your pets’ visits as a part of our quality assurance and cross training programs.

An additional Meet and Greet with additional caregivers can be arranged at visit price.

Each client must create an account in RCO’s Pet Portal prior to the initial Meet and Greet or Training Consultation. Here, clients can request services, update their pet care, personal and emergency information. Please be sure to review and fill out the pet portal prior to your Meet & Greet appointment.

RCO Pet Care requires proof of current rabies vaccination for all dogs and cats of eligible age. Titer tests and medical exemptions will also be considered. We also strongly recommend the DHPP vaccination.

To keep our pet care providers and trainers safe, we require the full disclosure of any bite history, attempted bites and similar incidents or hazardous tendencies of your pet.

RCO accepts Venmo and all major credit cards. We cannot guarantee our availability until the Pet Portal has been filled out, the Meet and Greet has been completed and any applicable deposit is received. Payment policy for each service is as follows:

Pet Sitting, AM, PM and Weekend Walks:
NON-HOLIDAY PERIODS: 100% due 7 days prior to first visit
HOLIDAY PERIODS: 100% due 28 days prior to first visit

Dog Walks (9a-3p, Monday – Friday):
Billed weekly, 100% due at the first service of the week

Dog Training:
CONSULTATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS: 100% due 7 days prior to service
SERVICE PACKAGES: 100% due 7 days prior to service. Payment plans available.

Failure to remit payment on the due date may result in cancellation of your service dates.

PET SITTING:
RCO Pet Care requires lockboxes and/or keyless entry UNLESS the client lives in a complex where this is not possible.

Clients can provide their own lock box or purchase one from RCO Pet Care directly. This does not have to be kept at your front door and can be hidden at your discretion. We do request one back up key to hold at our office in the case the lock box or key was not accessible.

We do not require a lock box if you have:

1. A battery-operated code for your door.

2. A garage door code. 

3. A hidden key.

Please note if a client chooses to utilize one of these methods and does not choose to leave us with an emergency back up key and there is a power outage, battery failure or a hidden key is not left, the client will be responsible for locksmith fees or providing an additional entrance.

DOG WALKING
While we recommend providing a house key in the case of a power outage, only a garage code or battery-operated code for your door may be acceptable. If the client chooses this method without a backup key and we cannot access the home due to a power outage, the client will still be charged for the visit.

KEY PICK UP

Please have your back up key ready at the Meet and Greet. The client may be charged a $20 convenience fee if the RCO Sitter must return to pick up keys.

Keys will remain on file at the RCO Pet Care office unless alternative arrangements are made. Clients are welcome to take their keys in between visits but will be charged a $20 convenience fee each time a sitter needs to make an additional visit to pick them up.

Dog Walks (9a-3p, Monday – Friday):
A $5 fee will be assessed to midday, weekday dog walks if the requested service begins in less than 24 hours.

Pet Sitting, AM, PM and Weekend Walks:
A $10 fee will be assessed to midday, weekday dog walks if the requested service begins in less than 48 hours.

For the well-being of our four-legged clients, RCO requires the following for vacation pet sitting:

DOGS: A minimum of three visits per day is required unless outdoor access is available.

CATS AND SMALL ANIMALS: A minimum of one visit per day is required. No exceptions.

The following cancellation policies apply to all services booked and confirmed via our software.

Dog Walks (9a-3p, Monday – Friday):
Cancellations must be requested via the Pet Portal no later than 5p of the prior business day (Monday – Friday) to avoid a cancellation fee. All cancellations made later than 5p will be charged the full visit rate. 

Exceptions will be made for snow or ice storms if notice is given by 9am the day of.

Frequent cancellations may result in removal from an ongoing schedule and any recurring discount will be forfeited.

Pet Sitting, AM, PM and Weekend Walks:

NON-HOLIDAY PERIODS:
If more than 7 days notice from first date of service is provided, no cancellation fee will be applied.

If 3-7 days notice from first date of service is provided, a 50% cancellation fee will be applied to the invoice for services that have not commenced as of the date of cancellation. Any remaining balance will be credited to your account for use within one year.

If there is 2 days or less notice from first date of service is provided, a 100% cancellation fee will be applied to the invoice for services that have not commenced as of the date of cancellation. 

We have awesome clients who are extremely important to us. We take pride in providing the best care possible to your pet so having a cancellation policy ensures that all parties will be treated in an equitable manner. Because there are a finite number of hours in a day and demand for our services continues to grow, we book services weeks, sometimes months, in advance. We try to never turn our clients away but sometimes that does happen and we don’t maintain a waitlist for pet sitting.

If a cancellation occurs, we have no way of reselling that time. Our cancellation policies are the same for everyone and are always available on our website. This transparency allows us to schedule clients who are serious about using our services and understand in advance that our cancellation policy is in place to be fair to all. We hope you understand and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

A Holiday Period Rate of $10 per visit will be applied beginning one business day prior to the holiday and include the first business day after the holiday. The Thanksgiving Holiday Period commences the day before the holiday and ends the Monday after. The Christmas holiday begins the day before Christmas Eve through the first weekday after New Years Day.

A Major Holiday Rate of $15 per visit will be applied to New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

RCO Pet Care does not issue refunds of any kind. If you cancel services after making full payment, you will receive a credit to your account minus any applicable cancellation fees. Account credits expire after 12 months.

Failure to remit full payment at the first visit of the service period may remove your pet(s) from the schedule until payment is made.

A $50 returned check fee will be assessed to any returned check. A flat $15 late fee will be applied to any invoice 7 days overdue. Any outstanding balance is subject to a 20% late fee on the accrued outstanding balance every 30 days. Any balance outstanding after 90 days will be turned over to a collection agency or suit filed in Small Claims Court. All accrued late fees, collection fees and/or court filing fees will be added to the outstanding balance and are to be paid by client.

If a third party (including but not limited to friends, family and neighbors) cares for your pets or home at any point during the service period with RCO Pet Care, we will not be liable for anything other than negligence proven to occur during the GPS verified timestamps provided for each pet care visit. This includes, but is not limited to pet injuries, property damage, incorrect feeding or medication administration, stolen property, unlocked doors or lost keys (unless keys are fully in control of RCO Pet Care).

It is the client’s responsibility to provide RCO with any peterinent contact information for third-party care providers for emergency use.

If third party care givers do not show up as promised, RCO will not be held responsible for resulting injury or illness due to their lack of care.

In severe weather conditions, we do our very best to ensure that your pet is cared for as scheduled. However, during winter pet sitting, when very severe weather may cause travel to be dangerous or roads to be impassable, RCO Pet Care will call your emergency contact or neighbor to check in on your pets. This should be a person close enough to walk to your home if roads are impassable (for example, a neighbor).

If we are physically unable to drive to your home this information is needed so that we can contact them to request their assistance to check on your pet(s) until it is safe for us to do so. It is the client’s responsibility to ensure that RCO has updated emergency contact information, which should also include a close neighbor, during the winter months. Update your emergency contact information by November 15th annually. Any visits cancelled by RCO Pet Care due to weather will be credited to your RCO account for use toward future services.

The client is responsible for removal of all snow & ice removal on their property. For the safety of your pets and sitter, please be sure to make arrangements for your driveway, sidewalks/paths and any entrances to be cleared of snow and ice. You will be notified if RCO cannot safely access your driveway or walkways. Upon your next scheduled visit, we will again attempt to gain safe access to your home and pet.

RCO Pet Care will not leave pets outside during below freezing temperatures.

RCO Pet Care provides only positive reinforcement based methods of training and handling pets as recommended by experts such as the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB). We will not use tools that modify behavior using punishment such as prong collars, choke collars and shock collars (with the exception of an invisible fence collar for containment purposes). We are happy to discuss alternative solutions to be utilized during our services.

The use of invisible fences is at the risk of the client. RCO Pet Care is not responsible for any injury, loss, or death of your pet that results from us being instructed to use an invisible fence. NO pets will be left unsupervised by RCO between visits in an invisible fence or tied in the yard. If friends or neighbors visiting your pet leave your pet in an invisible fence or tied in your yard RCO is NOT responsible for any injury, loss, or death of your pet that may occur. RCO Pet Care is NOT responsible for any injury, loss, or death of your pet that may occur if a doggy door is used.

If you are not completely satisfied with our service, please let us know immediately so we can address the issue and remedy the situation in a timely fashion.

If you were provided great service it is appropriate, and very much appreciated, to tip your pet care provider for their service and dedication to your pets. This is only a suggestion and never required! 100% of tips go directly to your Pet Care Specialist(s).

RCO Pet Care will not share your personal information with third party vendors for any purpose. We collect your name, address, phone numbers, email addresses, payment information, and home/pet information for the sole purpose of providing quality pet care for you. This information is maintained in a secure location.