Please make your pet sit reservations early. We can only care for a limited number of pets. Keep in mind summer and holiday periods fill quickly. For the remainder of the year a few weeks notice is acceptable. We will do our best to accommodate emergencies but we can't promise availability. We will not overbook as it would not be fair to the pets already scheduled.

All pets in our care must be seen at least once a day. We recommend 1-2 visit(s) for cats, birds, fish, and small & furry creatures. We recommend 2-4 visits for dogs and horses. Additionally, if you have multiple pets, we will not visit for just 1 pet, we feel all pets in your home deserve equal care.

Pet sit reservations scheduled in advance will receive a call from us to confirm the dates approximately 2-3 days from the first visit. If you do not receive a call from us, it is recommended you call us and reconfirm the dates.  Most importantly, make sure you contact us directly; e-mail and voice mail is not acceptable, as they are not 100% dependable. This procedure will help prevent pets from being left alone because of a mix up in dates or a missed message.

Please remember to call us at (973) 650-3779 upon return from your trip. If we do not hear from you by what would be the next scheduled visit, we will try to make contact with you or may make an additional visit(s) (billed at the applicable rate) to ensure the safety and well-being of your pet(s). Please call anytime (even late night) to leave a voice message that you have returned.

Visits are scheduled from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., exceptions are occasionally made. We cannot guarantee to be at your home at a specific time, unless your pet needs life-sustaining medication. You will be ask your preferred times for visits, then you will be given a time frame (based on your choices) for your pet's visit. We will try our best to keep your pet's feeding schedule. Note: Please consider our daily schedules take in many factors including the location of each sit/walk, which pets need medications and the types of pets we're watching.

Payment can be made via Cash, Check, Money Order, MC, Visa, Discover, and PayPal. Returned checks will incur a $25 bank charge. Gratuity is not required but is appreciated. The client will be responsible for all costs related to collection of unpaid fees.

Payment is to be made prior to, or to be picked up on, the first visit. Holiday weeks require a 50% down payment at time of reservation. Cancellations made 14 days prior to start of service will receive a full refund. Cancellations made less than 14 days prior to start of service will receive a 50% credit toward your next service, the remainder 50% will not be refunded. Please understand reservations are made on a first call, first service basis, and that we may have declined sits due to full schedules.

If you return early from your trip, you will not receive a refund for the days we were not needed. Again, please understand we have set aside time for your pet's care, and may have declined others. We reserve the right to give partial refunds for special circumstances.

Our liability policy does not provide for "job sharing".  This means only our pet care service, or independent contractors hired by Bark 'n Ride, are able to care for your pet(s).  If you have a family member or friend check in on your pet during times when we are not there, we are no longer liable for the safety of your property or pet(s).

You must notify us of ANY person having access to your home while you are away. This is very important! If we arrive to your home and someone else is there that we were not informed of, we WILL call the police. This is for our safety and for the protection of your home.

After your pet sit is complete, we can either give you your keys back, or we can keep them on file. If we retain your keys, they will be coded and kept in a safe box for security. If you would like your keys returned to you, all future visits will incur a $5 fee for pick up and drop off of your keys.  If you instruct us to leave the key on the final visit, be aware in the case of an emergency, you are putting your pet's safety at risk.

Cancellation of daily dog walks must be done at least the day before we're not needed. We understand things come up, as long as you give us enough notice we will not charge you for the cancelled day.  If we're not notified and we come to your home, you will be charged whether we walk your dog or not.

Existing dog walking clients will be notified in advance of our vacations.  We will try our best to find a qualified pet sitter to fill-in for us while we are away, though please understand this may not always be possible.

In the event of personal emergency, illness or injury, we will try to arrange for another qualified pet sitter to fulfill the responsibilities set forth in the service agreement.

In the event of extreme weather, we will visit your pet(s) as soon as it is safe. If you are traveling during the winter months, snow must be removed from your driveway and path(s) to entrance doors, please make arrangements accordingly. If I have to contract a snow plow and someone to shovel an access path, you will be responsible for 100% of the cost. Additionally, this may further delay us from getting to your pet(s).

We recommended you contact your veterinarian and inform them you are using our pet sitting service.  Please check their policy for payment. All emergency veterinary and related charges will be the full responsibility of the client. Client will be billed $25/hour by the pet sitter for any emergency trips to your vet or, if not available, the emergency clinic of our choice.

Before you leave for your trip, please make sure you have enough food/supplies for your pet(s).  In the event you run out of food or supplies, you will be responsible for the total cost of replaced items plus a $10 service fee to pickup and delivery the items.

Our pet sitting service has no liability for any injuries your pet(s) may sustain while in your home or on your property, nor do we have any liability for property damaged by your pet. Thus, it is your responsibility to take the necessary precautions to prevent these things from happening.

We will not be liable for cats with outdoor access in the event of injury, illness, loss or death. For their safety it is strongly advised they remain inside your home during your absence.

All dogs are required to be on a leash. Exceptions may include a fenced in yard, invisible fencing, or circumstances directed by owner. Please check with your Town or Municipality regarding laws related to your pet. Doggie doors must be locked prior to your departure. We will not be responsible for the welfare of dog(s) who have unsupervised outdoor access.

Before we leave your home on the initial consultation, we will check any key(s) given to us. We require 2 keys to your home. If you do not have a second key to give us, we will have a second one made for you at no extra charge. Also, before you leave, please check the door you intend on us to access and make sure you don't lock additional locks (such as a dead bolt). If you decide to disarm your security alarm for pet sitter visits, make sure it's disarmed before you leave!

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