I offer in-home daycare, night care, two-day sits, and extended stays for your VIPs. Care includes dog walking, feeding times, litter box cleaning, interactive play, tons of pets and scratches, and the most fun your pet has ever had while you were away. And hey, since I’m around, I’m happy to pick up your packages and mail, water your plants or garden, take out your garbage cans on trash day, and generally keep a watchful eye over your home. At this time, I do not offer dog walking or on-off drop-in visits so that my schedule is open for repeat clients needed day, night, 2-day, or extended stay sits.
What do you mean by intuitive care?
I know it sounds a little woo-woo, but I am very empathic, and that empathy also extends to animals. I can sense when something is off, even if the something is that your pet is missing you in that moment or that he or she is feeling a little sick. Of course, I get the obvious cues for meal time, like the crew I sit for in the Hollywood Hills, who all gather in the kitchen at 4 pm on the dot for dinner, but I’ll also be picking up on many nonverbal cues and responding accordingly. I like to call it intuitive, but maybe it’s just codependent. What do you think? Should I go with co-dependent pet care instead?
Do you charge for an initial meet and greet?
While I do not charge for an initial meet and greet, the 45 minutes to an hour I spend getting to know your pet's needs and idiosyncrasies, feeding times, preferences, etc., are included in the price of the sit or stay.
Will you take my dog to a dog park or allow them to be unleashed on a trail?
Absolutely not. Dog parks are an uncontrolled environment as is an off-leash dog on a trail. I will walk your dog on a leash, or jog with them, but I do not take other people’s dogs to dog parks or let them off leash on trails or at parks.
My pets can’t be left alone for more than 2-4 hours. Is that ok?
Not a problem. That’s my job. I’ll be writing the great American novel in between playing fetch or chase the mouse with your VIP.
There is a lot that I want you to know about my pet’s preferences and behavior. Will you make time to learn what they like and need?
Before your sit, we will do a 45-minute in-depth, in-person, or virtual meet-and-greet to review your pet's likes, dislikes, and idiosyncrasies. This will include where the food is kept, how much to feed, which is your pet's favorite toy, commands your pet knows, whether they have medical conditions, separation anxiety, their favorite walks, etc.
How far in advance should I book?
The sooner, the better. One of the reasons I began VIP Sitting is that I started getting many repeat requests. As you might imagine, it can sometimes be challenging to accommodate everyone, especially during high travel seasons like summer, spring break, and winter break.
On the last day of a sit, will you stay at my house and watch my pet until I return?
That’s a great question. Here’s why planning and communication is essential. Some of my clients initially think that if they pay me to sit for their VIP overnight, that time begins when they leave and extends until they arrive back home, but unless you’re leaving at night and arriving promptly the next morning, you need more than a sit for just overnight. You need overnight pet sitting and also some daycare. If you don’t need a full day on the day of your arrival I am happy to prorate my full-day fee and charge by the hour. My hourly rates are pretty reasonable at $20 per hour for cats and $25 per hour for dogs, and again, this includes meal times, walks, cleaning the litter box, and keeping your pet company.
Do you charge a cancellation fee?
Yes. When you book a sit with me, I reserve my time for you. That means I will likely pass on accepting other clients during the time that I am booked to care for your VIP. My business runs on days-long appointments, which makes for a challenging and dynamic schedule, and it’s not as easy to fill time slots last minute as it might be for another professional, like, for example, a hairstylist. Imagine you book a sit with me for a week, months in advance, and I turn away my other clients when they request that same week. When you cancel, I will likely be unable to fill that slot. That’s why I will charge 50% of the total cost of the sit if you cancel 30 days prior to the sit, and 100% of the total cost of the sit with any less than 30 days’ notice. Please keep this in mind when booking. All that said, if you cancel your sit and I am able to rebook that time with another client, I will put the cancellation charge towards your next sit. My clients think that’s fair.
Will you sign an NDA?
I can and do sign NDAs on a regular basis. I am well aware of my clients' safety and privacy concerns, and I take them VERY seriously. I do not post photos of your home or pets on social media, will not be bragging on the internet or anywhere else that I’m sitting for celebrities whose names rhyme with Ladonna.* I have no intention writing a tell-all novel about the wild and crazy life of your pet. The pet photos on this site were published with the owner’s permission, and I might add that they are in outside environments, not the client’s homes, where a geotag can be read.(*I totally don’t pet sit for anyone whose name rhymes with Ladonna, but if I did, I definitely wouldn’t tell you.)
Why do you cost more than someone on an app or a care site?
If you feel comfortable using an app like Rover or THS and have the time to vet strangers for your pet’s care, by all means, go for it. As a professional pet sitter and writer, I have grown both weary and wary of the gig economy for a variety of reasons. Typically, hosting sites like those popular pet care and dog walking apps take 20% of what the sitter earns, but the value isn’t on the back end in the form of background checks, customer service, personalized experiences, and, most importantly, comprehensive insurance. As a former member of one of those apps when I did some competitor research, I learned that that app does not insure the pets and property from damages and accidents, and expects both parties to resolve issues themselves. Of course, we all like to imagine that nothing will go wrong, but these apps offer no safety net what so ever if something does go wrong. What’s the point of that? It might as well be the wild west.
As a sole proprietor of a business, I pay for insurance to cover us both when I am in your home. I also charge more than an app because I have business expenses like a website and business cards, other marketing expenses, administrative time, certifications like pet CPR, gas, mileage, LLC taxes, and my health insurance. (Whew!) I understand that not everyone will be able to afford my services, and that truly bums me out. Unfortunately, the problem is systemic and not something I alone can solve. I also think my rates are quite reasonable when you divide the total hours that I spend at your home and with your pet by the rate I charge. Go ahead, do it. And hey, this might be a good time to thank you for supporting a woman-owned small business. 🙏🏻
Do you board dogs as well?
I can board one small to medium-sized dog at a time where I live in Encinitas, CA, a stone’s throw from Beacon’s beach.
Can I run a background check on you?
Of course, you can. I can also share my most recent Trustline registry with you. A person who is registered with Trustline has passed a background screening, which means that they have no criminal convictions or arrests. A Trustline background check includes an FBI database search for criminal convictions in all 50 states. Trustline is California’s only truly thorough, full-fledged background check for childcare providers. (In this case, your child is your pet. 😉) I also have a clean DMV record, eat at least four servings of vegetables a day, and floss.
What if I’m not comfortable having someone in my home?
That’s completely understandable. As beautiful as my clients' homes are, it’s also an adjustment for me at first. (Sometimes, it feels like I spend the whole first day trying to figure out the light switches or looking for a kitchen utensil.) That said, I try to stay as minimal impact as possible during my sits. I vacuum and tidy up, run and empty the dishwasher, and wipe down bathroom surfaces on my last day so that the house is in the same condition as you left it. (See my reviews.) I do cook food for myself during my stays as I have a pretty healthy but restrictive diet. If using your kitchen is not amenable to you or will disrupt your household staff, please let me know, and I can add a fee to your daily charge and plan to have my meals delivered or pick up salads and other premade items at your nearest Whole Foods. If you’re concerned about safety, some of my clients have a closet door that locks or a safe where they keep their valuables. Again, your pets and property are insured during my stay, and I am Trustline certified which means I have passed the most stringent national criminal background check needed by childcare providers to work with children. (In this case, your children are your pets, of course.) And yes, I sign NDAs that explicitly state that your personal property and any information you share with me will not find its way onto anyone’s social media, blog posts, or TMZ. Yikes!
Is there anything I should know about you before I book a sit with you?
Wow, thanks so much for thinking of me. I am an empathic person who values my privacy and peace and quiet. If you have cameras in your home, I ask that you let me know where they are so that I can change clothes and assume privacy in a non surveillanced environment. I lead a very healthy lifestyle and do not drink or smoke cigarettes. Part of why I eat so well and treat my body so well is because I suffer from migraines. One of my big triggers is synthetic fragrance. For that reason, if you or your housekeeper uses Fabuloso cleaner, Tide, Glade Plug-Ins, scented reed diffusers (no, those aren’t natural), scented candles, or Febreeze, we probably aren’t a good fit. I can move candles and reed diffusers into a room I don’t plan to use, but it’s best if you do it before I arrive. Some of my clients are kind enough to have their housekeepers use just vinegar and unscented products before my stay. All that said, you should also know that synthetic fragrances used in the products that I just mentioned contain ingredients that are not regulated or disclosed to the FDA and are that are known endocrine disrupters. Many of those chemicals can be problematic for our pets- even natural essential oils, which I am fine with, may not be appropriate for your pet. And no, Mrs. Meyers is not natural, but I’m happy to bring my hand soap and countertop spray if you love your Mrs. Meyers. Oh, and my friend, David owns Goodlight candles if you’re a candle addict and wondering where to get candles that are made with actual essential oils and not cancer-causing chemicals.
What do you like to do for fun?
Well, in case you didn’t pick up on this— I love to write. I also enjoy good movies, reading great books, walking and jogging in nature, yoga, theater, art, architecture, and especially standup comedy. I am a regular patron at The World Famous Comedy Store in West Hollywood. Basically, I enjoy long walks on the beach and laughing til it hurts. 😉
