WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. You may call or text 732-520-0454 anytime and then we will get back to you. Current clients may also send non-urgent questions and scheduling requests through Time To Pet. Our caregivers send a Time To Pet update with photos after each completed visit.
All service requests, changes and cancellations should be submitted through the Time To Pet client portal. Recurring midday clients receive a reserved place in our weekday route. Flexible, occasional and vacation requests are scheduled according to caregiver availability.
We value consistency and match pets with familiar caregivers whenever possible. We also maintain a team approach so trained backup care can be provided when a regular caregiver is unavailable because of illness, vacation or an emergency.
Pet care involves travel, weather, traffic and the individual needs of each pet. We generally request a two-hour arrival window around the preferred visit time unless a pet has a time-sensitive medical or care requirement that has been discussed and confirmed in advance.
We do our best to get to every home in all weather conditions. If there is a state of emergency...., flooding, hurricanes/tropical storm, or blizzard and its truly unsafe for our sitters to drive without putting their lives at risk, please have a backup plan in place. A trusted neighbor with a key and access to your home is best.
We're happy to help with small household tasks during your pet visit such as watering plants, bringing trash or recycling to the curb, rotating blinds, and bringing in mail or packages. Please allow enough time when scheduling your services so we can complete these tasks while still giving your pets the care and attention they deserve.
For the safety of our pets and caregivers, we are unable to accommodate dogs who display aggressive or significant fear-based behaviors, including showing teeth, growling, lunging, biting or threatening to bite.
We use a team approach to provide dependable care, so pets must also be comfortable receiving care from more than one approved walker or sitter.
If a large dog cannot be walked safely due to excessive pulling or reactivity toward people, other animals or vehicles, we will provide supervised backyard time instead when a safely enclosed yard is available. This helps protect your pet, our caregivers and members of the community while still giving your dog an opportunity for exercise, fresh air and attentive care.
Please share all known behavioral concerns, triggers and bite history before care begins. If a pet's behavior creates a safety concern at any time, our caregiver reserves the right to end the visit before it is completed. Future services may also be suspended or discontinued if we cannot safely provide care.
Please enter complete access instructions in your Time To Pet profile before services begin. We do not routinely hold client keys. Clients may use a secure lockbox, a protected hidden-key location, or a door or garage code with a backup access method in case of a power or equipment failure. Please keep all codes and access instructions current.
Tipping is never required, but it is always sincerely appreciated. You may add a tip to your credit-card payment through Time To Pet or leave it separately for your walker or sitter. When leaving a cash or check tip, please mark it clearly as a tip and include the caregiver’s name. If more than one caregiver provided care, please separate the tips or clearly designate the amount intended for each person by name. You may also ask your caregiver whether they accept Venmo or Zelle and use the account information they provide. One hundred percent of every tip goes to the designated caregiver or caregivers.
We first place your requested services on the calendar tentatively so we can confirm availability and assign the appropriate caregiver for those dates and times. Once your caregiver has been assigned, they will contact you to schedule a complimentary New Client Consultation. Services remain tentative until the consultation is completed and we confirm that the arrangement is a good fit for you, your pets and our care team.
We understand that plans can change. The following is a brief overview of our booking and cancellation policies so clients know what to expect before reserving care.
Booking & Deposits
- Recurring midday and individual as-needed visits: No deposit is required.
- Vacation and extended-weekend care: A 50% deposit is required to reserve the requested dates.
- Major-holiday care: A non-refundable 50% deposit is required because of high demand and limited availability.
- Deposits may be paid by credit card, cash or check.
- Requested dates are not reserved until availability has been confirmed and the required deposit has been received.
- A $15 holiday fee applies only to visits performed on one of the listed holidays.
Cancellations
- By 11:59 p.m. the day before an individual visit: No cancellation fee.
- On the day of the scheduled visit: 50% of the visit price will be charged.
- Vacation care canceled at least 14 days before the reservation: The deposit may be transferred to a credit for future services.
- Vacation care canceled fewer than 14 days before the reservation: The deposit is forfeited.
- Major-holiday reservations: Deposits are non-refundable.
- Leaving later, returning early or reducing reserved vacation or holiday visits may not qualify for a refund or account credit.
When care is reserved, our caregivers set aside that time specifically for the client’s pets and may be unable to accept other appointments. These policies help protect reservations, maintain reliable scheduling and compensate caregivers fairly for the time they have committed.
This page provides a convenient summary of our most important policies. Complete terms are included in The Scruffy Puppy Client Service Agreement, which clients review and electronically sign through Time To Pet.
- Current clients: Log in to the Time To Pet client portal to review the agreement.
- New clients: The complete agreement is provided through Time To Pet during onboarding.
- Clients are required to maintain a valid credit or debit card on file through Time To Pet.
- Credit-card payments are accepted without an added client convenience fee.
- Clients who prefer another approved method may mail a check or place cash or a check in the payment box listed on the invoice.
- Caregivers no longer collect payments from client homes.
- A $25 returned-payment fee applies to returned checks or other returned payments.
- Invoices that remain unpaid for seven days may be charged to the payment method on file in accordance with the signed Client Service Agreement.