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The Meet & Greet: Your Place, Your Pets, Our Professionals
What to Expect
A gentle begininning at your residence or a park nearby where we let the pets be the judge of us and see how they like our caregivers.
❋ Intentional Structure
We blend guided moments, pointed questions to the pet parent, and logistical planning so the experience feels both focused and fluid. We usually spend 15-60 minutes in a meet and greet, depending on the nature of the job. A house sit meet and greet for a leash reactive rescue dog for a booking request for nine days for example, will be longer than a 3 day drop-in visit for 2 birds and a cat meet and greet. At your meet & greet we discuss scheduling, and add those dates to the Acuity Calendar. We square away your deposit on a first time house sit, or full payment 3 days or more ahead of a booking for all other bookings.
❋ Collaborative Energy
We introduce you to our referral program at the time of your first booking! We offer a $100 cash probate to any client who refers Visiting Animal Friends successfully to a new client! There is no limit to how many referrals you are allowed to make for VAF! Pet parents who successfully lead us to 5 new clients booked get a $200 bonus on their fifth client referred!
❋ Expert Facilitation
Led by experienced animal handlers, if you have a reactive or sensitive creature in your care, that does not intimidate us. We are accustomed to pets of all kinds. If your dog is selective or reactive to new people, please let us know and we will come in without wearing a hat, not knock or ring the doorbell, but let you lead the introduction so that they don’t think we are an intruder and we don’t startle them.
❋ A Supportive Space
Our meet & greets prioritize comfort, safety, and respect—so you and your pets can show up as you are. Often people are wearing every day clothes, work from home garb, or pajamas. For homes with dogs we offer to walk your dog with you around the block to get a feel for your pet’s demeanor and the neighborhood. For indoor pet households we often will play with cats, birds, rabbits, etc if they allow it to get to know their personality a bit and learn how to play their favorite games.
Questions for the Pet Parent
Together, we make sure we cover all of your pet’s care needs through a series of questions covering their routine, and the logistics around our visit.
House Sit Meet and Greet Checklist
Does your animal need medication?
Is your dog leash trained?
Is your dog OK with other dogs on and off leash?
Will you please walk me through the security of your home by showing me the key, the locks, codes, and any quirks the home may have?
What time are you leaving on the first day of the house sit and what time are you returning on the last day? Do they need breakfast/lunch/dinner on those days?
How many times a day does your pet poop?
What is their routine?
How many minutes or hours of walks are they used to getting daily?
What’s their favorite toy, bed, or blanket that will help them self-soothe when you’re away?
Does your pet have any allergies?
We provide 3 hour estimated windows of arrival for dogs, and 4 estimated windows of time for cats. Is that okay?
What’s the longest they can be left without having an accident inside?
How old is your animal and are they incontinent?
Where is your animal not allowed to go, or what are they not allowed to do?
Where are the cleaning supplies if your pet makes a mess (cat vomit, dog and cat incontinence, etc).
How many photos of your pet in one day is too many?
How much does your pet eat per meal and how many meals per day?
Is the measuring cup in the food bag the right size for one portion?
Does your animal have separation anxiety?
Do you leave calming music on for your pet when you go to work or leave the home, and will you please show us how we can do that, too?
Where should we park if we drive?
Are there cameras anywhere inside your home, and if yes, please show us all of their locations?
How do you want to pay your bill? Bills are due within 3 days of the meet and greet. Cash, Check, Debit or Credit on the website, Venmo or Zelle?
Are you looking for weekly ongoing assistance with your animal?
Do you want us to bring in packages or mail while you’re away and if so is there a mail key and where is your mail room?
If we do a stellar job will you write us a 5 star review for our website?