PupStars Pet Care Service Guidelines and Policies
_______Pet Sitting visits are 7 days a week beginning at 6:30 a.m. The latest regular visits are scheduled for 9:00 p.m. with limited availability. Daycare runs from 7am to 7pm Monday through Friday with the transportation window being 7:15am to 9:30 a.m. for pickups and 2:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for drop offs.
_______Visit times: PupStars Pet Care will visit at the requested times as closely as possible. However, if we are caring for multiple pets, the times may be shifted to accommodate our clients. We will do our very best to arrive at the appointed times but because we are dealing with weather, traffic and constant schedule changes we do provide the following time frames morning 6:00 a.m to 9:00 a.m, midday 11:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m and evening 6 p.m to 9:00 p.m We aim to have no more than a 12 hour gap between the morning and evening walk
_______Inclement Weather: In the event of inclement weather, PupStars Pet Care has requested on your contract the name and phone number of a person living nearby. If PupStars Pet Care is physically unable to reach your home due to impassable roads, please provide us with this information so that we can contact this person to request assistance. Your pets’ health and well-being is our utmost concern and we will contact you as soon as possible to keep you informed of these events.
_______Additional Pet Care Assistance and Other Scheduled Services: We all want our pets to have all the love and attention they deserve, but please be advised that if there are other persons entering and leaving your home, PupStars Pet Care cannot be held liable for any damages or problems that may arise as a result. Please inform us at the time of the consultation of anyone who may have access to your home while you are away. This includes cleaning services, repairmen, friends, family and neighbors. PupStars Pet Care does not accept liability for other persons who will be in your home during pet care and health services.
_______Vaccinations/Immunizations: PupStars Pet Care requires proof that all pets have the necessary vaccinations and immunizations before service begins unless otherwise discussed. We also require annual fecal tests for those pups utilizing facility services and recommend monthly flea and heartworm prevention during the warmer months.
_______Unforeseen purchases: PupStars Pet Care will purchase pet food, litter, cleaning supplies or other necessary items that contribute to the health and well-being of your pet while you are absent. We will retain a receipt and the pet owner is responsible for reimbursement of these items. In addition, a $15 trip fee will be charged to the pet owner for items not carried in our retail.
_______Pet waste: PupStars Pet Care will properly dispose of all pet waste. We do request that you provide plastic bags for this purpose and indicate where you would like these waste bags disposed.
_______Leashes: All dogs are required to have a dog identification tag and be on leash when entering our facility and while outdoors on walks with our staff members. At no time will a dog be permitted off-leash for a walk not only is it against our policy it is against city ordinance
_______Animal Behavior: Animals behavior can be unpredictable. PupStars Pet Care does not accept responsibility or liability for animal behavior, normal or otherwise, which results in injury to the client’s animals. Further, if a PupStars Pet Care provider is harmed or injured by the client’s animals, the client/owner accepts full responsibility for the cost of any necessary medical attention required by either the PupStars Pet Care provider or by the animals.
_______Fences: Fenced in yards are wonderful playgrounds for our dogs and allow them additional space to exercise and play. However, no fence system is totally secure. PupStars Pet Care does not accept responsibility or liability for any client’s animals that escape or become lost or injured, fatal or otherwise, when instructed to leave the clients animals in a fenced in area. This includes electronic, wood, metal or any other type of fence.
_______Other dogs: We will not permit your dogs to interact with strange dogs unless otherwise specified. If stray dogs that are off leash approach, we will do our best to keep interaction at a minimum and move away from them.
_______House Cleanliness: PupStars Pet Care will clean up after your pets to the best of our ability. Please inform us of the designated area for the appropriate cleaning supplies.
_______Privacy Policy: Your information will be kept private and confidential. PupStars Pet Care highly respects our clients’ entrusting us with the care of their home and their loving pets. We do recommend that you inform a trusted neighbor that while you are away, PupStars Pet Care will be caring for your pets and your home.
_______Household Emergencies: Please leave the name and number of a trusted maintenance company or a person you can rely on to attend to any household emergencies that may arise during your absence. This includes but is not limited to; leaking pipes, malfunctioning water heaters and heating and air units.
_______Thermostats: Please leave your thermostat settings within a normal comfortable range (68-78°F). If the house temperature is outside of this range, PupStars Pet Care will adjust the thermostat. This is to ensure the health and comfort of your pets and PupStars Pet Care during our time of service.
_______Early Returns/Last minute Changes: It is not unusual for trip plans to change at the last minute. However, please understand that PupStars Pet Care carefully schedules our time to service you and our other clients. Therefore, there are no refunds or credits for early returns or last-minute changes to pet care. Once pet care begins, payment is due for the original dates scheduled. If your pet is staying with us for more than two weeks we require full payment upon check in and payments weekly if your pets stay is extended.
_______The online portal cannot schedule/modify appointments with less than 24 hours notice, therefore a $5 service charge will be billed to add or make a same day change. (you may request a courtesy waive once a year)
_______Cancellations: PupStars Pet Care requires a reservation be held with a credit card. Failure to provide notice in less than two days of the service start date will result in a 25% cancellation fee of the total reserved service payable by the pet owner. If a refund is warranted PupStars Pet Care will issue the refund within 14 days of the cancellation date.
_______Holiday Cancellations: With the exception of severe weather, life threatening emergencies or a death in the family, any cancellations prior to a major holiday; such as: Christmas Eve and day, New Year’s Eve and day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day and Thanksgiving with less than a 48hrs day notice will result in 50% of the total invoice for scheduled pet care to be paid. We request your understanding that Holiday travel is a peak service time for pet care.
_______Cancellations for Mid-Day Service: A 24-hour notice is required prior to the next scheduled visit. Otherwise payment is due for the time originally agreed upon.
_______Termination of Mid-Day Service: In the event mid-day service is no longer needed please provide PupStars Pet Care with as much notice as possible via email stating the reason for termination and last service date.
_______ Packages: Your pet may qualify for certain packages based on frequency of visits. Although packages do not expire they are non-refundable. In an effort to keep everything fair and affordable if your pet signs up for a package and decreases the frequency in which they utilize services over 2 consecutive weeks the next package will be downgraded. If your pet’s frequency increases you may be eligible for an upgrade upon package renewal (Please note we invoice at 2 visits/days left and charge at 0)
_______Payment: PupStars Pet Care accepts cash, checks or credit cards. Payment is due at the time of or prior to service. Please make all checks payable to PupStars Pet Care. There is a $39 fee for all returned checks or chargebacks.
_______Past due balances: Our staff is paid hourly or per assignment which is why payment is due at the time of service unless other arrangements are approved by management. A $10 late fee will be added each week there is an outstanding balance on your account. If you have a package and your pet goes beyond 3 negative days he/she may be dropped off the reoccurring walk or daycare roster.
Waiver/Disclaimers & Additional Provisions Relating to Doggie Daycare
PupStars Pet Care prides itself on providing a safe, happy, and comfortable place for your fur babies and is happy to offer our facility to your pet for indoor and outdoor play. Doggie Daycare is an important part of a dog’s ability to socialize and exercise keeping them healthy and happy for both body and mind. To make this the most enjoyable experience for our clients, pets and staff we have developed a set of provisions and disclaimers which you must read and agree to before your pet can socialize in the daycare setting here at PupStars Pet Care.
Group play is for happy healthy dogs that are spayed by 6 months or neutered by 12 months, parasite free and up to date on Distemper, Bordetella, and Rabies Vaccines. Group play is not recommended for dogs with serious medical conditions as excitement and rough play can aggravate a preexisting condition. Group play is not for a dog with temperament problems such as aggression, high anxiety or extreme shyness with either people or dogs which is why we temperament test all dogs. We understand that, like people, dogs may have a bad day or not get along with certain dogs. If this is the case we may remove your dog from the group for a time out or offer them solo play/walks. If over multiple visits temperament issues persist your pet’s temperament will be reevaluated and we will do our best to help you come up with a plan until the problem is resolved.
Our playgroups are always supervised at a ratio of 1:12 and every effort is made by our Staff to provide a safe and fun environment for your pet. Standard precautions will be used against the injury, escape and death of your pet. The staff will not be held responsible for injuries that occur, provided standard care and precautions have been followed as determined by Pupstars pet care. In no event shall PupStars Pet Care be liable for illnesses that arise during or after your pets stay with PupStars Pet Care.
Owner agrees and understands that he/she is solely responsible for any harm caused by their pet during their stay at Pupstars pet care and that to the best of their knowledge all health and behaviors of the pet have been fully disclosed to Pupstars pet Care.
Pupstars pet care reserves the right to refuse to accept a pet at check in or pick up if it appears to us in our sole discretion to be sick or exhibit a behavior that could jeopardize the health and safety of our other pets or staff.
Owner agrees and understands that there are inherent risks of illness and injury when dealing with animals and humans in off-leash socializing situations such as scratches, or bites from rough play, kennel cough (doggie cold) or other illness and in rare instances death. Owner understands that under no circumstances shall PupStars Pet Care be responsible to injury or illness of pets.
Check out time is 10:00 a.m., any pickups after 10:00 a.m. become an automatic daycare charge, if the pet is still her at closing time it becomes an automatic boarding night or if pre-arranged an afterhours pick up fee of $11 per hour (not pro-rated).
All Charges incurred by the owner under this agreement shall be due and payable in full upon pick up of the pet. Owner agrees that the pet shall remain at Pupstars Pet Care until all charges are paid in full.
In the event of an overstay of more than 15 days from the date pet was supposed to be picked up PupStars will deem the pet abandoned and will relinquish the pet to animal care and control and owner is subject to the Municipal Code of Chicago 4-384-155 (Redemption of impounded animals)
I have read, understand and agree to all the provisions of this agreement and I fully intend to pick up my pet as scheduled. If circumstances change I will notify PupStars Pet Care with new arrangements and assume responsibility for any additional charges incurred.
I have read, understand and agree the risk in allowing my pet to participate in group playtime and agree to be responsible for the consequences assuming such risk and hold harmless PupStars Pet Care for such risks.
I hereby waive and release PupStars Pet Care’s employees, volunteers, officers, and affiliates, members and guests from any and all liability for injury or damage resulting from the actions of my pet, or any other pet or human at this facility and agree to indemnify and hold harmless PupStars employees, volunteers, officers, affiliates, members and guest from any and all claims resulting from any action by any dog in the play group and that this release and indemnification shall be in force whenever my dog participates in PupStars Pet Care play group starting with the date indicated below and thereafter.
I, have read, understand and agree to the policies and guidelines of PupStars Pet Care. I further understand that a copy of this form will be kept on file for documentary purposes. All policies and guidelines are subject to change at the discretion of PupStars Pet Care.
I, grant PupStars Pet care permission to take photographs and video recordings of my pet. I do hereby, give authority and permission to copyright, use and/or publish without limitation of my pets that may be taken while in the care of PupStars Pet Care. These photographs may be posted on our website, social media sites, transport vehicles and other marketing materials.