Policies & FAQ

Business Policies

1. Bookings 

• Meet & Greet required for all new clients.

• Meet & Greets require at least 72 hours' notice to schedule.

• All bookings are subject to client & provider approval, scheduling availability, and travel boundaries.

• Intake form must be completed at the Meet & Greet before service starts.

• I reserve the right to decline ill, unsafe or aggressive pets.

2. Payments

• All payments are due at the time of booking to lock in your service dates. 

• Payments are made through Stripe, a secure external link which you will receive on your booking invoice. Sara Roberts Pet Sitting never has access to, stores, or retains your personal financial credentials. All transaction processing is handled securely and externally by Stripe.   

• Last minute bookings under 48 hours will incur a non-refundable fee of $10 per day of service requested. 

• Pet sitting is a non-taxable profession in the state of Florida. You will never be charged tax with Sara Roberts Pet Sitting.

• Prices are subject to change without notice.

• Supply Shortages & Travel Extensions: Clients are required to provide ample food, medication, and essential supplies for the entire duration of the booking. If a supply shortage occurs or a travel delay requires an extension of care, a secondary invoice with a Stripe payment link will be issued. A $15.00 restocking trip fee and the cost of the supplies, and/or the extra days/nights charge(s) will be detailed on your invoice and will be payable upon receipt during your active booking window.   

3. Travel & Boundaries

• Services offered within a 25 mile driving radius of my home.

• A travel fee based on your exact distance, from Sara Roberts Pet Sitting home location, will be added to your invoice.  

• Scheduling Blocks: To ensure every animal receives dedicated, unhurried attention, care is organized into flexible morning, afternoon and evening blocks rather than specific time windows. Exact arrival times fluctuate daily based on routing, traffic and individual pet needs, allowing for a stress-free environment for your pets.  

4. Safety & Legal Compliance

• No dogs will be taken to any dog parks while in my care. 

• Florida Rabies Mandate: In compliance with Florida Statute 828.30, all dogs, cats, and ferrets over 4 months of age must be up-to-date on their rabies vaccination prior to the start of services. 

• All pets must be up to date on their vaccinations. In the event of an emergency that requires kennel boarding, the following vaccines are required for entrance:  For Dogs - Rabies, DHPP / DA2PP (Distemper Combo), Bordetella (Kennel Cough), Canine Influenza (Dog Flu). For Cats - Rabies, FVRCP (Feline Distemper Combo), Feline Leukemia (FeLV). Most vaccines require a 7 to 14 day waiting period before they are allowed into a facility. As a responsible pet owner, you will need to make sure these vaccines have been updated ideally at least 2 weeks prior to the start of your booking to ensure placement is allowed if needed.

• All pets must have their County License Tag on their collars. Even if they do not normally wear their collars while they are in your care, they are still required to have them. These can be placed in the emergency To-Go-Bag, if your pet does not wear this.

• A copy of current vet records must be provided prior to the start of services.

• Abandonment Policy: In accordance with Florida Statute 705.191, if an animal is abandoned in my care, certified written notice will be sent to the owner. If unresolved after 10 days, custody will be transferred to local animal authorities, and the owner will be held financially liable for all extended care fees. 

5. Aggressive Animal Policy & Right To Refuse Or Terminate Service:  

• The safety of the provider is paramount. I reserve the right to decline or immediately terminate services for any animal that exhibits dangerous, destructive, or unmanageable aggressive behavior, including, but not limited to, biting, lunging, snapping, or severe resource guarding. If a pet becomes aggressive or unsafe to handle while a booking is actively underway, standard care routines will immediately transition to a passive zero-contact containment model to protect human life.  

• If an animal becomes too dangerous for me to enter a service location or provide care, the Client will be notified immediately. If the Client is unreachable, the designated local Emergency Contact listed on the intake form will be notified.
  Upon notification, the Client guarantees that the local Proxy is authorized, willing, and available to take immediate physical possession of the pet(s) and home keys within 24 hours. The Client assumes full legal and financial responsibility for any alternative arrangements, boarding fees or local authority intervention required if the designated Proxy fails to respond or assume care. Sara Roberts Pet Sitting is explicitly released from all operational liability once the proxy assumes care or if a hand-off becomes necessary due to Client or Proxy non-responsiveness.

• If a booking must be cut short due to unmanageable pet aggression, the client remains 100% financially liable for the entire duration of the original booking. No refunds or service credits will be issued for any remaining, un-serviced dates in the booking window.
  The Client agrees to fully reimburse Sara Roberts Pet Sitting, via a provided secondary invoice with a Stripe payment link, for any emergency expenses incurred as a result of the aggressive behavior, including but not limited to, urgent veterinary handling fees, specialized containent equipment, property damage repairs, personal property damage to my belongings, or medical bills as permitted under Florida's strict liability laws.

• Any animal that causes physical injury or exhibits behavior that prevents the safe execution of care will be permanently excluded from future bookings with Sara Roberts Pet Sitting.

6. Cats-Only Zone Exceptions:

• Daily drop-ins: My standard daytime package guarantees 3 visits per day for dogs. For feline-only clients, care is structured as 2 visits per day (morning and evening blocks) across all service zones. 

• Overnight Pet Care for feline-only households includes morning and evening care blocks but excludes a dedicated afternoon check-in trip if I am away from the home during the day. 

• Flat-Rate Pricing: Feline care utilizes the same base rates and travel fees under "Services Offered" on the home page.  

7. Emergency Management:

• Please read the Disaster Plan Page, thoroughly and completely. By booking with Sara Roberts Pet Sitting, you agree to all terms, protocols and expense responsibilities outlined in that plan.

8. Cancellations & Refunds: 

• I understand that travel plans change and that true emergencies are completely unplanned. To protect my schedule while ensuring absolute fairness to you, the following cancellation terms apply to all scheduled bookings:

  • 30+ Days Notice: 100% Refund

  • 15-29 Days Notice: 50% Refund

  • 8-14 Days Notice: 25% Refund

  • Within 7 Days of Booking: 0% Refund

• Important Notice on Processing Refunds: To protect business cash flow, all refunds are processed exclusively through Zelle. Payment reversals through the Stripe payment link are not available.

• Sudden Emergency Exception Clause: If you must cancel within the 7-day window due to a sudden, verifiable family, personal, or medical emergency, a monetary refund will not be issued, however, 100% of your payment will immediately be converted into a Service Credit. This credit will be applied toward your next scheduled booking within the next 12 months.

  • What Qualifies as a Sudden Emergency:
    🚨 Severe Medical Crises: Sudden injury, severe illness or illness flare-up, or medical event affecting the client or immediate family that physically prevents travel.
    🚨 Family Loss: A sudden death in the client's immediate family.
    🚨 Major Travel Disruptions: Airline-initiated flight cancellations or mandatory travel bans (voluntary changes do not qualify).
    🚨 Severe Home Damage: Catastrophic events affecting your residence immediately before departure (such as a house fire or storm damage).

  • How Emergencies Are Verified:
    ➡️ To ensure fairness, credit requests must be accompanied by basic verification within 7 days of cancellation.
    ➡️ Accepted verification includes: A medical note, a portal message summary from a telehealth or doctor visit, an airline cancellation email, a repair receipt, an insurance claim, or an official notice/documentation.
    ➡️ Note: If a sudden event prevents you from immediately seeking treatment and/or acquiring formal documentation, please contact me directly to discuss your situation so we can handle it with a reasonable, mutual solution.  

  • Sitter-Initiated Cancellations: In the extremely rare event that a sudden emergency forces me to cancel your scheduled booking prior to the start date, you will be notified as soon as immediately possible and a 100% full financial refund will be processed back to you.

  • Active In-Booking Emergencies: If a severe crisis occurs while a booking is actively underway and I am physically unable to complete your stay, as soon as immediately possible, you and your designated local Emergency Contact will be notified. Your named local Emergency Contact must be fully authorized, willing, and locally available to take immediate physical possession of your pets and home keys. A prorated refund will be calculated and issued exclusively for any remaining, un-serviced dates left in the booking window.

9. Your Peace Of Mind: 

• Sara Roberts Pet Sitting is fully background checked as well as insured & bonded through PSA. This coverage protects your pets, your home and even your keys during every scheduled booking window!

• You will receive a daily text or email update, complete with a photo, ensuring you have total peace of mind seeing that your babies are doing well while you are away!

Frequently Asked Questions  (FAQ)

Question: Do you offer overnight pet sitting in Spring Hill and Surrounding Areas?

Answer: Yes. Sara Roberts Pet Sitting provides premium overnight pet care and daily drop-in visits within a 25-mile driving radius of my home in Spring Hill, FL, covering surrounding local neighborhoods.

Question: What makes your service "premium" compared to a pet sitting agency or a casual hobby sitter?

Answer: Unlike large agencies that send a rotating wheel of random, low-paid contractors to your home, I am the solo owner and operator of my business. You receive direct, consistent, personal communication and dedicated care from one trusted professional. Furthermore, unlike casual hobby sitters, I am fully background checked as well as fully insured and bonded through PSA, and operate under strict safety and legal compliance.

Question: Are you an insured and bonded pet sitter?

Answer: Yes, for your complete peace of mind, Sara Roberts Pet Sitting is fully insured and bonded through PSA (Pet Sitters Associates), and completely cleared through a comprehensive, employer-grade background check.

Question: What are your pet sitting booking and cancellation policies:

Answer: All new clients require an initial Meet & Greet with at least a 72 hour notice and a completed client intake form. Bookings are safely secured online via a secure Stripe payment link. Full refunds are available with a 30+ days notice, tapering down to a 0% refund within 7 days of the booking window. A service credit will be issued for a verifiable sudden emergency if cancellation is within the 7 day booking window.