What if I am Late & Other Questions

Animal Center

Drop offs are scheduled 630am-830am Mon-Thu and 730-830am on Fridays
Pickups are scheduled 330pm-430pm Tues/Thu and 4-430pm Mon-Wed-Fri
You choose your scheduled times
scheduled every 15 minutes – 645, 7, 715 etc.
Doors are closed after last scheduled pickup/drop off, For Example – if our last pickup is at 430pm or 4pm, we will be leaving after our last pick up and doors will be locked at 430pm or 4pm.

We have many clients who are extremely kind and courteous.

We absolutely LOVE our clients and pets in our care.

However, we are getting busier and to run our business efficiently, we must have rules and boundaries.

Closing at 5pm may change in the future, if we find a special person to join our Team, but for now this is essential

Rachelle and I try very hard and put in LONG days, generally 11-12 hours a day. So if someone is the last pickup of the day, being late even 10 minutes after 11 hours seems like a lifetime, so we do ask that pickups are early or on time.

Since our opening in 2020, our drop off and pick up time frames fit 99% of all clients.

We are in dog groups during the day after drop offs and before pickups. While we are in group, we discourage dropping off and picking up.

We understand there will be times you may need to go to vet appointments or other things. It is perfectly fine once in awhile. Keep in mind that doors are locked while we are in dog group, so you will need to make arrangements in advance outside of normal scheduled times.
Keep in mind, for one of us to be up in reception for you, we must put all dogs in dog group away.

Last Pick Ups of the Day are before 430pm

If at all possible, we encourage pickups by 430pm or before, as you will have more leeway if you are running a few minutes late.

For example, If your scheduled pickup is at 4pm and you arrive at 410pm, it is not a problem. If you contact us and say you need to pick up at 430pm instead of 4pm, it is not a problem. You will have more play room with time when your regular scheduled pick up is earlier rather than the last pick up time of the day.

We need to adhere to these times because again, we have 11-12 hour days and many times we have pet sitting visits scheduled before and after our work at the Center and have families and pets to get home to, so we can not stay late. This is why we MUST leave by the last scheduled pick up of the day and doors will be locked.

If your dog is still with us and you have not contacted us well before 430pm, we will assume you are not coming, see below.

Again, this concerns you only if you have not picked up by your scheduled

PET OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PETS AND CONTACTING US

As a pet owner, you are responsible for contacting us via email for last minute changes to pickup or drop off times.
If for any reason, you are unable to contact us, it is your responsibility to have your designated emergency people contact us via email to let us know of any time changes.
Contacting us should be done WELL BEFORE your scheduled pick up time

EMERGENCY PEOPLE

Just like childcare, you NEED to have a Plan B & C (and even a D & E) in place for your pet, if you are unavailable for any reason.
If you do not have this is place, NOW is the time to set things up.
Emergency people MUST be on your profile for us to accept or release your pet
These people will be responsible for your pet if you can not be.
They should be able to pick up your pet if needed.
Who should be on your emergency list – ALWAYS include every person’s phone number
- Spouse or Significant Other
- Children – if old enough
- TWO other emergency people that do not live with you or each other

WHAT IF I AM A FEW MINUTES LATER THEN MY SCHEDULED TIMES?

If your scheduled pickup is 415pm or before, being 5-10 minutes late is NOT an issue.
If your scheduled time is 430pm, please notify us if you will be 5-10 minutes late. THIS is an issue as it is the last pickup time of the day. Be courteous and contact us via email, as soon as you know WELL BEFORE 430pm.
If you will be MORE than 10 minutes late, no matter what your scheduled time is, please let us know via email, so we can anticipate this, as we will have your dog ready to pick up at the scheduled time
If you need to change drop off/pick up time for one time
- If you Morning time will be different, make sure to tell us as soon as you know, at the very least 24 hours in advance. If our earliest drop off is scheduled for 730am and you need to be dropping off at 7am, and you are not confirmed to do so, if our earliest drop off for that day is 730am, there will be NO person at the Center until 730am. We only arrive at the time of our earliest scheduled drop off.
- If your late afternoon, drop off or pick up changes, again let us know as soon as possible, preferably 24 hour notice or first thing in morning before 9am

WHAT IF I WILL BE A FEW MINUTES LATE AFTER 5PM?

Be courteous and contact us via email, well before your scheduled pick up time
If you email us that you are going to arrive at 510pm, we may be able to stay for you. However, if we have many pet sitting visits after work, then we may NOT be able to stay
If we are UNABLE to stay, your dog will need to be boarded overnight and you will need to schedule a pick when we are next open. All boarding/food/late charges will apply
if this will happen more than 1-2 times during the year, you should make arrangements with your emergency person to pick up, schedule us to transport home (if we can, not always available) or you can ask us to board overnight.
Keep in mind –
- Doors close at 430pm OR at our last pick up time
- If we have not heard from you by 430pm of any time changes, your dog will be boarded
  - there will be a boarding fee, late fee and food charge (food we have on hand)
  - pick up must be scheduled for the next week day, when the Center is open (Mon – Fri)
  - if the next day is a weekend or holiday, your dog will need to stay until Center is open, all boarding and any other charges will apply
- See below for more boarding information

Again, if your pickup is scheduled for 415pm or earlier, being 5-10 minutes late is not a problem. A 4pm pickup being picked up at 410pm is absolutely fine, as it is not the last scheduled pickup.
However, if you are going to be more than 10 minutes or later than your scheduled pick up, please give us a heads up, so we can have dogs ready.

WE MAY BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT YOUR DOG HOME FOR YOU

THIS service is NOT always available and we will need advance notice to arrange this
We do have a transport service. One of our pet sitters can transport from the Animal Center to your home for you.
You must be registered with our other company, Professional Pet Sitting Etc, so this can be scheduled on their schedule. This service MUST be scheduled in advance.
We need a minimum of 48 hours notice, as their schedules are pretty busy.
Again, This service is NOT always available. If you know a week or two in advance that you need a transport, Great!! As with everything, the more notice we have the better.
Your dog must transport easily in a car in order for us to be safe.
You will need to set up a Plan A & B located on your property for us to access your home for your dog. This can be lockboxes, garage codes, door codes, hide a key, etc.

WHAT IF I CAN NOT PICKUP UNTIL 530 or 545?

THIS IS NEVER POSSIBLE

Again, contact us via email immediately, well before 4PM, so we can try to make arrangements to set your dog up to board the night.

Your dog will need to be boarded and all appropriate charges will be added to your account.

Keep in mind, many of our employees also do pet sitting visits and must leave promptly. We also start our day at 5am, so our days are very long and we are tired.

WHAT IF I HAVE AN EMERGENCY?

Contact us immediately BOTH via phone & email.
If you are unable to contact us, you must have your emergency people contact us (make sure your spouse, children and at least TWO other emergency people with phone numbers are on your online profile).
You are responsible for getting us information
You or your emergency people must let us know
- what is happening,
- who will be picking up
- at what time during our hours will your pet be picked up

WHAT IF MY PET CAN NOT BE PICKED UP AT ALL?

Contact us immediately BOTH via phone & email before 4PM
Let us know why your pet can not be picked up by you or your emergency people
See below for boarding

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BOARD?

If we have an opening – yes
You will need to contact us immediately BOTH via phone & email to make arrangements and get a confirmation.
However, if we can NOT board your pet, you will need to make arrangements to pick up before we close.
For boarding, your credit card will be charged –
- emergency boarding fee
- deluxe boarding fee
- food charge
- any surcharges

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU?

We understand that things happen, but we MUST hear from you
If we do NOT hear from you or your emergency person and your pet is still with us by 430pm during the week,
FIRST TIME we do not hear from you
- We will –
  - Set up a boarding place for overnight
  - Your credit card will be charged (see fee schedule)
    - a late pick up fee,
    - emergency boarding fee
    - deluxe boarding fee
    - food charge
    - any surcharges
  - Doors will be locked and employees will leave.
SECOND TIME we do not hear from you
- We will do the above
- all charges above will be double
- Once the pet is picked up your file will be made inactive

WHAT HAPPENS IF IT IS A FRIDAY?

If this is a Friday night, and we have not heard from you by 430pm, your pet is now boarding –
There is NO pick up on weekends or holidays
If we do not hear from you by 430pm, you will need to make arrangements to pick up on the next week day Center is open (Mon – Fri, if Monday is a holiday – Tuesday-Friday)
Your credit card will be charged the following for every day starting Friday
- a late pick up fee
- emergency boarding fee
- deluxe boarding fee (regardless where your dog stays)
- food charge
- any surcharges

BE AWARE –

If your credit card is declined, you will not be able to pick up your pet until your account is paid in full via CASH plus a credit card denial fee