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General questions |
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Q1. |
What information do you need to provide your services? |
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In order to decide on the best type of service for you and your pets, the followings will be completed and signed to gather all the relevant information required to look after your pets (and your home too for pet sitting service) during the obligation-free initial meeting:
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1. |
A Pet Profile: Please click here to view, print and complete a Pet Profile (in pdf format; 25kb) to save your time at the meeting.
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2. |
A Service Agreement which authorizes AhCat to carry out its services. A signed duplicate copy will be given to you for your record.
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If you have not installed Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer to open these documents, please click here. |
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Q2. |
What if there is an emergency while I am away? |
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AhCat takes the details of how you can be contacted or who should be contacted in case of any emergency. The contact details of your pets' vet will also be taken in case a vet's service is required. So if you pets are sick, AhCat will contact you or your authorised person to inform what has happened. If you or your authorised person are/is not contactable and an emergency is to arise that a vet service is required, I will take your pet to your nominated vet clinic. Any vet and transportation fees ($1.50 per km travelled) will be passed onto you. |
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Q3. |
What if I have to cancel your service? |
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A minimum of four-day notice must be given when cancelling a booking. If you cancel the service less than four days prior to first service day, a charge of 50% of the total booking fee will apply. There will be no charge for services cancelled four days or more in advance. Please note that our special discounted passes are not refundable. |
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Q4. |
Do you charge extra for the public holidays? |
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Yes, the public holidays are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years' Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Monday, Anzac Day, June long weekend and October long weekend. A 50% surcharge applies on these public holidays. |
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Q5. |
When and how should I pay? |
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I will advise the amount payable for the booking when the reservation is made. If the amount is less than $150, this payment is due when the booking is confirmed. Otherwise, 50% deposit is accepted. The balance is payable by the first service day
AhCat now offers you special rates through our special 10-session prepaid pass. Please contact us for more details.
AhCat accepts cash, direct deposit, PayPal, money orders or cheques.
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Q6. |
When do I provide my keys to you? |
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Usually I obtain a copy of your keys during our first meeting. I can also pick them up at the other time but a charge of $10 applies for every trip just to pick up the keys. |
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Q7. |
When and how will I get my keys back? |
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If you plan to continue using our services or if you like the advantage of short notice visits, AhCat is happy to hold onto your keys. All the keys are kept in a secure place and tagged with the codes rather than your address for security purpose. Besides, your security alarm codes will not be stored for future bookings for security reason.
If you would like to have your keys back, they can be dropped off to you within three days of your request. Please note that your keys will be destroyed if you have not been using our services for more than 12 months and you are not contactable. |
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Pet sitting
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Q8. |
How regular do you visit my pets at home? |
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A minimum of a visit per day for cats and small pets, and two visits per day for dogs are recommended. However, your pets may need to be attended more regularly during the hot days for their health and safety. |
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Q9. |
How much time do you spend at each visit with my pets? |
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Each visit lasts about 30 minutes. I ensure every agreed task has been completed and have spent enough time with your pets. |
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Q10. |
Can you pet sit my pets in your home? |
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All pet sitting service for cats and dogs is carried out in pet owner's home. Please contact AhCat to discuss a tailored package for your small pets. |
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Q11. |
How secure is my home while I am away? |
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Statistics show that in Australia someone is burgled just about every minute. Our services including mail collection, alternating your house light and watering your plants will give your home a lived-in look. AhCat is extremely security conscious hence no uniform is worn to give anyone an idea that you are not at home. Moreover, none of your personal details will be disclosed to any other parties in accordance with the National Privacy Laws. Rest assured that AhCat is police checked and insured. |
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Q12. |
What do I need to prepare before I go away? |
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AhCat understands that you have a lot to attend before you go away. However, your accurate instruction and preparation will assist us to look after your pets and your home in a better and smoother way. Your attention to the following is important:
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Leave all pet food and, for dogs, dog leads on kitchen bench or on table. |
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Provide more than enough food, litter and other pet supplies to last for the entire period just in case you are not able to return on the day as planned. |
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Leave a can opener, spoon or fork with pet food. |
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Leave detailed instructions on how the medication taken by your pets should be administered. |
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Put ID tags on each of your pets. |
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Leave all the toys for your pets to play with. |
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Provide your pets with plenty of fresh water, and if they stay outdoors, provide them shelter, secure the yard and lock all the gates. |
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Remove all the potentially dangerous plants or decorations and hide the electrical wires and cables so that your pets will not be able to get to them, for e.g. Christmas trees and other decorations on display. |
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Place all indoor plants together on a waterproof surface in plain sight. |
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10. |
Try all the keys that will be given to us to make sure they work. |
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Secure all your valuables and lock all the doors, windows and gates before you go away. |
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12. |
Advise your vet in advance that you will be away and that AhCat will be caring for your pets, especially if your pet's health condition needs to be closely monitored. |
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13. |
Show us how to operate your thermostat and set it to keep the house comfortable for your pets while you are away. |
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Let us know if anyone will be in your home during your absence. For the safety reason, we will not enter your house if we see someone there. |
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You can also click here to download and print our Pet Owners Checklist (in PDF format; 17kB). If you have not installed Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer to open the checklist, please click here. |
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Dog Walking |
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Q13. |
How many dogs do you take out on each walk? |
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AhCat can provide individual walk or group walking upon your request. A maximum of four dogs are walked at a time ensuring adequate attention and care is given to each dog. |
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Q14. |
How much time do you spend on each walk? |
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Group walking lasts about an hour while an individual walking session lasts about 25 minutes. Every pooch I walk is given lots of attention and care, and has lots of exercise and fun. However, duration of walking time may infrequently be affected by circumstances beyond our control, for e.g., extreme temperatures, torrential downpours, un-cooperative and/or aggressive dogs. If the walking session is to be shortened due to the weather condition, rest assured that same amount of time will be spent with your dogs cuddling, chatting and playing. |
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Q15. |
Do you walk my dogs even when it is raining or it is very hot? |
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AhCat walks your dogs in all kinds of weather conditions. However, if the weather is considered to be detrimental to your dogs' health, I will not walk your dogs vigorously to ensure your dogs' safety and comfort. Instead I will take them out of their normal environment for a toilet break and spend the same amount of time with them. Fresh water is carried at all times. Please leave a towel out on rainy days so that your pooch will be dried off at the end of the walk if required. |
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Q16. |
What do I need to leave out? |
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Every dog walking service we provide is tailored to suit your pooch's fitness level and needs. To give your dogs a safe and fun walk, your preparation of the following is essential:
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Put ID tags on each of your dogs. (We will also put AhCat's ID tag on your dogs before we walk them.) |
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Leave the dog leads for your dogs along with your payment (cash, printed PayPal or direct deposit receipt, money order or cheque) if it is a casual walk. |
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Leave a towel out on rainy days so that your pooch will be dried off at the end of the walk if required. |
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Leave out a clean bowl of water, especially in hot weather. |
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You can also click here to download and print our Pet Owners Checklist (in PDF format; 17kB). If you have not installed Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer to open the checklist, please click here. |
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