OUR POLICIES
1. What are your qualifications as a pet care company?
Doggone Living is owned and operated by Saffron Medrano, a former veterinarian technician with over 6 years of experience in that position and 20 years of experience in pet care. All pet caretakers are vet tech trained by Saffron, who is also on-call 24/7 for any team members who have questions, concerns, or require assistance. We are also licensed and insured.
Doggone Living was founded in 2014, so we know the city and we keep your pets safe in the hustle and bustle of Chicago. We are committed to providing the highest quality of care for your pets, so you can have peace of mind knowing they are in good hands.
2. I’m interested in your pet sitting or boarding services. How do I get started?
We do not have traditional boarding facilities but rather, we provide in-home care for our clients’ pets. This ensures comfort to the utmost degree with the pet remaining in their normal environment. This can lessen the likelihood of stress induced or contagious illness.
New clients are required to fill out and keep up to date all client and pet information found on their Time to Pet profile via Client Portal. This ensures our sitters and walkers have all the necessary information to keep your pet happy and safe!
Explore our services to learn more about our offerings. Contact us if you have questions or you’re interested in scheduling a free meet and greet.
3. What does a typical dog or cat visit look like?
During daily dog visits, we enter the client’s home, greet the dog(s), get them leashed (and suited depending on the weather), and head out for a walk around the neighborhood. We either spend the remainder of the visit outside walking, or, after potties are done, go inside and play for the rest of the time. We also feed and medicate when requested. We believe in well-rounded, engaging visits with our pups! 🐶
During cat visits, we maintain the home environment by completing “kitty chores” (i.e. washing of food and water bowls, distribution of fresh food and water, litter box cleaning, litter area sweeping/vacuuming). The remainder of the visit is spent interacting with the cat(s) by with loving playtime and pets. 🐱
4. Will the house sitter stay overnight with my pet? Will they need a place to sleep?
Yes, we only provide overnight sitting within our clients’ homes to ensure their pets are kept as close to their regular routine and environment as possible. We take part in a meet and greet before the sit, during which you can show our sitters where you would prefer they sleep in the home.
5. How will I know that the sitter is at home?
We use the pet sitting mobile app, Time to Pet, in order to notify our clients when we start any sits or visits.
If we are on an overnight sit with a dog or dog/cat household, we send frequent updates each day via Time to Pet including photos and videos. The conversation feed in TTP works just as a text thread, so owners can respond with us in real time if they have questions or comments! After each daily dog or cat visit, the sitter sends a recap of the visit. Clients are able to correspond with their walkers in the conversation feed, just like a text message!
6. How will I know that my pet is safe?
At Doggone Living, your pet's safety and well-being are our top priorities.
We implement strict safety protocols to ensure your pets are protected at all times. This includes regular health checks, secure leashes during walks, and transportation in well-ventilated and comfortable vehicles. Our team is also well-trained in recognizing signs of distress or illness in pets, enabling us to take appropriate action promptly.
7. What vaccinations does my cat or dog need?
Dogs and cats must be current on vaccinations, have titer results proving antibodies are still present, or have a waiver provided by their vet indicating vaccination(s) are no longer needed or desired due to age or illness.
Exceptions for rabies must be provided to us in a written waiver from your animal hospital. Bordetella is not required, but must be current if you request any form of socialization between your dog and other pups. Lyme vaccine is recommended for dogs who are often taken to forest preserves or heavily wooded or grassed areas. Leptospirosis is also optional but highly recommended.
8. Are meet-and-Greets required for new clients?
Meet-and-greets are preferred but no, they are not required for new walking clients.
However, we do require a meet-n-greet for new sitting clients. During this visit, clients teach the team member(s) their pet’s unique routine, medical and dietary needs, and where everything is in addition to any nuances of their home.
9. What are your policies on leashes? In-home cameras?
It is required by law to have all dogs leashed when in a public area for the safety of your pet. Read the Chicago Municipal Code 7-12-030 Animals shall be restrained.
This includes parks that do not have fences and are not dog parks. If your home is safely fenced and you give your permission, our walkers will let your pups play in your yard. For safety, cats will never be taken outside.
Also, by signing our user agreement in Time to Pet and using our services, clients are agreeing to let us know of any and all cameras that may be within the home or on the premises.
10. can you take my dog to the dog park?
Yes, we can! 🐕
If you request your pup to be taken to a city ordained dog park during a sitting stay, your pup must have the city dog park tag that is required by law. Dog Friendly Area (DFA) tags are available year-round for as low as $5-10 at most veterinarian centers across Chicagoland.
11. What if my pet has specific dietary or medical needs?
We understand that each pet is unique, and their dietary and medical needs may vary. If your pet requires a specific diet or medication, simply provide us with the necessary instructions and our pet care professionals will ensure that your instructions are strictly followed. We believe in a personalized approach to pet care, and we will go above and beyond to accommodate any special requirements your pet may have.
12. Can you administer insulin or oral medication to my pet?
Yes, we can! 💊
Our owner Saffron has experience as a former veterinarian technician. She also teaches our team members the methods of giving oral and injectable meds to dogs, cats, and other household pets.
13. Will you train or discipline my pet?
We do not initiate training but if a client is personally working on training, we are happy to comply with positive reinforcement methods used in their training.
14. How do you handle pet emergencies?
Owner, operator, and former vet technician, Saffron Medrano, is on call 24/7 in the event of an emergency. We also have emergency contacts as back up contacts in the event our clients are unreachable.
15. Do you provide plant watering services?
Yes, we do! 🪴
16. Do you provide lockout services?
Yes, we do! 🔐
Clients are required to provide at least one set of keys for company use, though two copies are preferred. Client keys are coded and locked when not in use for security. Because pet safety and happiness is our number one priority, we must have access to keys in case of travel delays, cancellations, or other emergencies.
But if you’re ever locked out yourself, you can call on us to get you back into your home. It’s a lot less expensive than hiring a locksmith!
17. What are your office hours? Visiting/sitting hours?
Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 9AM to 5PM.
Our visiting/sitting hours are Monday through Sunday, 9AM to 9PM.
Cat and dog sits start within a couple hours of clients’ departures and end a couple hours before they arrive home. Sitting hours are 24 hours each day for the duration of the sit and the last day is prorated according to arrival times.
Sitters are not required to stay in clients’ homes all day, but rather are able to do other visits, run errands, and return within an appropriate time for each particular dog’s/cat’s needs. Sitters always sleep overnight.
18. What neighborhoods do you serve in Chicago?
The Loop, West Loop, Fulton District Market, West Loop, South Loop, New Eastside, Magnificent Mile, River North, Goose Island, Streeterville, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, West Town, Lakeview, and Logan Square.
19. What is your policy for cancellations or rescheduling?
Any cancellation or rescheduling requests made less than 24 hours before visit times will be an additional $10.
A cancellation fee of 1/2 of the service cost will be incurred for cancellations made less than 24 hours prior to visits.
High-demand holiday sits that are cancelled less than 7 days prior to their dates will incur a fee of 25% of the total amount of the full sitting time span.
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