Frequently Asked Questions

We operate nearly 24/7! Our daytime services, including drop-ins and walks, are available from 7 AM to 10 PM. Additionally, we provide overnight stays where we care for your pets in your home from approximately 10 PM to 7 AM (8-10 hour duration). Our services are even available on Federal holidays.

Please note that all service availability is subject to staff availability. While it is rare, there may be occasions when we are unable to schedule services if no staff are available, in which case we would be considered “closed” or “unavailable.”

For client support inquiries, our office hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM. Please contact us to confirm availability or if you have any other questions regarding our services.

Absolutely! Being a professional pet care company, we ensure accountability to both the pets and their parents (YOU!) by being fully insured and bonded. We are covered by State Farm, a leading insurance provider in the pet care industry.

If you wish to see proof of our insurance, please feel free to request this by emailing us at support@myhandsnpaws.com.

We offer four types of services: Dog WalkingPet SittingCat Sitting, and Overnight Stays. Please click on the service to visit its dedicated page, where you can find more information about details and pricing.

No, we do not provide kennel or boarding services. As an in-home pet care company, we visit your home to care for your pets. We believe that pets are more comfortable and happier in their familiar home environment, which is why we focus on providing care in your residence.

You can book services directly through your client account. If you don’t have an account yet, it’s probably because you are new and haven’t completed your initial consultation (Meet N Greet) session.

If you are a new client, please schedule your Meet N Greet by clicking here.

If you are an existing client, you can learn more about scheduling services here.

Yes, we do accept last-minute bookings for existing clients, depending on team availability. We often manage to accommodate nearly all such requests.

However, if you are a new client, please note that we require at least 48 hours between your initial consultation (Meet N Greet) and the start of your pet services. This time allows us to properly onboard you and ensure everything is set up for the best care of your pets.

Our service cancellation policy is as follows:

  • 100% refund is issued as an Account Credit if cancellation is made at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled service(s).
  • 50% refund is issued as an Account Credit if cancellation is made at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled service(s).
  • NO refund is issued for same-day cancellations/less than 24 hour notice.

PLEASE NOTE: Refunds are NOT transferable. Should you be eligible to receive an Account Credit (based on terms above), that amount will be auto-added to your client account and auto-applied to your very next invoice with us.

We charge an additional fee for services requested on major holidays, which include:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Easter
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving
  • The day after Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Eve
  • Christmas Day
  • New Year’s Eve

An extra $20 fee per service applies on these holidays.

Welcome to the Hands N Paws family! We’re excited to have you join us. To get started, simply click any of the “Get Started” buttons on our website. This will direct you to a calendar page where you can choose a convenient date and time for a Meet N Greet (initial consultation). During this meeting, an admin from our team will onboard you as a new client and provide an opportunity for you to introduce us to you and your pets.

To learn more about Meet N Greets and next steps click here

Yes, we do! Our app, Precise Petcare, allows clients to manage their accounts conveniently from their smartphones. If you are a client of Hands N Paws and have not yet downloaded our app, you can do so here for iPhone users or here for non-iPhone users.

Yes, all team members must successfully pass background checks, drug screenings, and reference checks as part of the conditional offer for employment. They must pass all three in order to receive the full offer to join our team. This rigorous vetting process helps ensure that we find trustworthy individuals who can be in your homes unsupervised and with your beloved pets. We take this aspect of our hiring process very seriously to maintain the highest standards of safety and care. You can verify which team members have completed their checks by looking for the green shield icon on their user profiles on our service pages.

Your concerns are completely understandable and are quite common if you’ve never done this before. That’s why we take the trust you place in us very seriously. We assure you that we only employ the most reliable and qualified individuals for pet services, having established a rigorous vetting process to ensure this standard. This hiring process includes conducting two interviews, performing thorough background and reference checks, and requiring each new team member to attend an introductory session that covers all of our best practices. Moreover, we only hire individuals who have prior experience in pet care and a genuine and sincere passion for animals. 

You can learn more about our wonderful team members by visiting our About page.

Additionally, we are fully bonded and insured, boast hundreds of 5-star ratings on Google, and have been honored with multiple awards for our exceptional service since 2018. Our unmatched dedication to treating every pet like a family member underscores our commitment to giving you complete peace of mind. Rest assured, you will be in great hands should you choose to work with Hands N Paws.

At Hands N Paws, we adopt a team-based approach to deliver comprehensive and flexible pet care. We cannot ensure that the same individual will be available for every service request due to the dynamic nature of scheduling and personnel availability. However, every member of our team is rigorously trained to adhere to our established best practices, ensuring consistently high-quality care regardless of who attends to your pets.

Furthermore, each of our team members has a profound passion for pet care, which is at the heart of what we do. For more details about our dedicated team, please visit their profiles on our service pages.

We charge additional fees for services under specific circumstances:

  • Last Minute Service Request (less than 24-hour notice): $15 fee per service.
  • Holiday Service Request: $20 fee per service. This applies on New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.
  • Additional Pets: $7 fee per pet per service, applicable after the first two pets.

To avoid the last-minute service fee, simply schedule your services with more than a day’s notice. This allows us to arrange our visits more efficiently.

Additional fees may also be incurred if our team members need to purchase items for your pets while under our care, with your prior approval. These items might include pet food or treats, litter, cleaning supplies, or transportation for veterinary emergencies. We will provide receipts for all such purchases, and you will be charged promptly for these additional items.

Our team of dog walkers and pet sitters will keep you well-informed during your absence. Through our app, Precise Petcare, they will send you photo reports detailing each completed service.

Additionally, team members have access to client contact numbers for any urgent questions or concerns that might arise while they are providing services. We ask both clients and team members to use this access responsibly and only for urgent communications. For less urgent matters, our team members will coordinate with our team leaders using internal communication tools.

For any significant concerns about this or to simply reach Hands N Paws directly, please call or text our office at (614) 636-6644. We are available Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, and will respond as soon as possible to more serious matters.

It is required for all new clients to obtain a lockbox for key storage. Many of our clients choose a popular model available on Amazon, though you are welcome to use any lockbox you prefer. After you receive your lockbox, you will set a unique code, place a spare key inside, and secure the lockbox to a location near the entrance we will use. You must then provide us with the code so that we can access the key and enter your home to provide services.

Alternatively, if you have a keypad or garage code and prefer that we use this method, we are happy to accommodate. As long as you consider this method secure, we can use it to access your home. Please note, however, that if access through a keypad or garage code proves to be unsuccessful during visits, Hands N Paws is not liable for any service disruption caused by such access issues.

We use lockboxes as a reliable method to ensure access to your home for pet care. This system has proven more sustainable than passing keys among various team members, which can lead to complications and is less secure. A lockbox keeps your key securely on-site, allowing any assigned team member to access it as needed (by entering the four-digit code) directly from the lockbox positioned near the entry door.

If you have concerns about a lockbox being visible and indicating your absence, you have the flexibility to place it in a less conspicuous location of your choosing, ensuring it’s accessible to our team but not obvious to passersby.

Additionally, we’ve encountered issues with keypad and garage codes in the past, such as failures due to dead batteries or electrical outages, which are not concerns with mechanical lockboxes. This makes lockboxes a more reliable choice for ensuring our team can care for your pets without interruption.

Typically, yes! The majority of our services are focused on caring for dogs and cats. However, our team does have experience with other types of pets as well, including reptiles and fish. If you have a different kind of pet and would like to discuss our ability to care for them, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to accommodate a variety of animal care needs!

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Our Service Area

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Bexley

Clintonville

Columbus

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Upper Arlington

German Village

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The terms of this agreement are as follows: “Client” refers to you, “Company” refers to us (Hands N Paws), “Team Member” refers to the person from our team providing services for  your pets, and “Team Members” refers to the Hands N Paws team as a whole.

EMERGENCY VETERINARY TREATMENT & CLIENT RESPONSIBILITY POLICY

It is important to inform Hands N Paws of any specific emergency instructions or medical conditions related to Client’s pets. This will help ensure the safety and well-being of pets during emergencies.

In case any of Client’s pets need emergency veterinary treatment, Team Member will contact the designated vet on file and/or a local emergency vet. Team Member will also communicate with Client and/or emergency contacts regarding the situation.

Client gives permission to Team Member to transport the pet(s) to a veterinary clinic and/or make treatment decisions (except for euthanasia), especially if it’s a life-threatening emergency and/or Client cannot be immediately reached. Client is responsible for any veterinary fees incurred. 

Client releases Hands N Paws from any liability for any damage or harm to pets or property that occurs beyond the reasonable control of Team Member during the provision of emergency veterinary care. 

PET VACCINATION, LICENSING, AND IDENTIFICATION POLICY

To comply with local laws and ordinances, it is required that all pets have the appropriate vaccinations and licenses before Company begins services. For further information on these requirements, please visit the Ohio State Bar Association’s website at https://www.ohiobar.org/public-resources. Client should also check with his/her veterinarian to determine which vaccinations/shots the pet requires. 

For safety reasons, we encourage all dogs and cats to wear an ID tag or collar that includes name and contact number while Team Member is working with them.

SECURE ACCESS & LOCKBOX POLICY

To ensure access to Client’s home during scheduled services, Hands N Paws requires that Client purchases a lockbox and places a spare house key(s) inside of it for Team Member to use. Client can purchase the lockbox on Hands N Paws’ website by clicking Buy Your Lockbox. Once it arrives, the lockbox should be programmed with a unique four-digit code. The lockbox should then be placed on the main door handle or in another secure location, and the lockbox code and location information must be entered in the Client’s account on Precise Petcare.

Alternatively, Client may elect to provide a code for entry via a garage door or electronic keypad and if so, must enter all necessary codes in Precise Petcare. Client is strongly encouraged to purchase a lockbox, however, to ensure that Team Member can access pets at all times during scheduled services, especially in situations where the power goes out or batteries die and Team Member need alternative access to the home.

CLIENT COMMUNICATION & PRIVACY POLICY

All Team Members have access to Clients phone number, but are instructed to only use them when necessary or for urgent purposes during services with pets. Hands N Paws prioritizes the privacy and confidentiality of phone numbers as personal information.

All correspondence between Client and Team Member should be centered around Client’s pets and the services provided. If Client has inquiries regarding scheduling, cancellations, app-related matters, or any company-related concerns, these are to be directed to the Company via the office number: (614) 636-6644. The Company’s client support team is available during office hours, Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm. We are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal Holidays. The Company will make contact with Client outside of office hours should there be any urgent need for communication.

PET INFORMATION ACCURACY & ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

In order to provide the best possible service to pets, it is crucial that Client provides Team Member with detailed and up-to-date information regarding their pets. This information should be accurate, complete, and accessible through the Client’s account in Precise Petcare. Team Members can only work on the basis of the information that is available to them through the Client’s account in Precise Petcare. Likewise, Client acknowledges that the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the information they provide directly impacts the quality of the services delivered. Client, therefore, takes full responsibility for any consequences that arise from inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated account information.

FLEXIBLE SERVICE ARRIVAL TIME POLICY

Arrival times for services occur within a two-hour period. Team Members are unable to guarantee exact arrival times due to various factors that may affect scheduling and travel times. To accommodate these considerations, we use time blocks rather than specific times. Client will see this in the dropdown menu when Client selects Arrival Time in the request service form within their Client account.

While Team Members understands that Client may have preferences regarding arrival times, it is essential to acknowledge that Team Members cannot guarantee meeting those specific requests. Flexibility is needed in order for Team Members to accommodate for needs of other Clients on schedule.

SERVICES & PRICING

For the most up-to-date and detailed descriptions on service offerings, please visit our website at www.myhandsnpaws.com.

SERVICE SURCHARGE POLICY

The following service surcharges may apply under certain conditions:

Last Minute Service: A fee of $15 per service will be charged for bookings made with less than 24 hours’ notice.

Holiday Service: A fee of $20 per service will be applied for services provided on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve.

Additional Pets: Base pricing for services includes up to 2 pets. For each additional pet beyond the initial two, an additional fee of $7 per pet will be added.

*Additional fees may apply, as discussed/negotiated between Company and Client. 

SERVICE REQUEST APPROVAL & AVAILABILITY POLICY

Hands N Paws strives to accommodate as many service requests as possible. However, the approval of service requests is subject to the availability of Team Members. Upon submitting a service request, Client will receive a confirmation or declination email/notification indicating whether Hands N Paws can fulfill the requested work. Sometimes, this may take up to 48 hours or more.

If a service request is declined, we encourage Client to explore alternative options or contact our dedicated client support team for further assistance. Company is here to help and find the best solution for all pet care needs.

MEET N GREET POLICY

To ensure a personalized experience for new Clients, Hands N Paws requires a virtual or in-person Meet N Greet before getting started with pet services. These meetings allow us to connect with and onboard Clients and discuss their pet care needs.

All virtual Meet N Greets are free of charge. All in-person Meet N Greets come at a $50 cost. Meet N Greets are no more than 30 minutes in length.

New Clients can book their Meet N Greet on our website at www.myhandsnpaws.com. Existing Clients can book their Meet N Greet in their designated client account in Precise Petcare.

PAYMENT & BILLING POLICY

Payment Method: All services with Hands N Paws are to be paid for using a credit or debit card. All major cards, including Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover are acceptable. Client can securely add and store card information within their Client account. Adding and keeping a valid credit card on file is a requirement for requesting any services with Hands N Paws.

Ongoing Services: For services scheduled as ongoing, Client will be automatically charged every Friday for the previous 7 days’ worth of completed, canceled, and in-progress services.

Non-Ongoing Services: For services not scheduled as ongoing, a 50% down-payment will be charged on the day the services are accepted and confirmed. An invoice will be sent immediately. Client has until the date of the last confirmed service to manually pay the remaining balance on the invoice. If manual payment is not made, the remaining total will be automatically charged to the card on file on the date of the last service day on that invoice.

Declined Payments: In the event of a declined auto-charge, Client will be promptly notified. After the first declined charge, Client has a 24-hour grace period to rectify the issue. In the case of a second declined attempt, a late fee of 10% of the invoice total (minimum $10) will be added. Client must be attentive to emails regarding overdue notices.

Payment Terms: Hands N Paws will be paid the agreed-upon amount as discussed, with no exceptions, unless our Cancellation Policy (outlined below) applies and the Client receives a refund in the form of an Account Credit(s). In emergency circumstances, a refund may be issued as transferable credit(s) back to the Client’s card.

Additional Fees: Client may be charged additional fees if Team Members are instructed to, or determine the need to, purchase items for the pet(s) while under the care of Hands N Paws. These items may include pet food or treats, litter or cleaning supplies, transportation to the vet, or emergency expenses for the general care of the pet(s). Hands N Paws and/or Team Member will consult with Client before making any purchases, and will retain and share any receipts as proof of purchase.

SERVICE CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY

When Client schedules services with Hands N Paws, the Company has likely turned down other work so as to devote our time to the work requested from said Client.

Client understands and accepts the Company cancellation/refund policy as outlined below:

– 100% refund is issued as Account Credit if cancellation is made at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled service(s).

– 50% refund is issued as Account Credit if cancellation is made at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled service(s).

– NO refund is issued for same-day cancellations/less than 24 hour notice.

PLEASE NOTE: Refunds are NOT transferable. Should Client be eligible to receive an Account Credit (based on terms above), that will be auto-added to his/her account and applied to the very next invoice with us.

SERVICES TERMS

Hands N Paws agrees to provide the services stated in this contract in a reliable, caring, and trustworthy manner. In consideration of these services and as an express condition thereof, Client expressly waives and relinquishes any and all claims against Hands N Paws arising out of or relating to the provision of services hereunder, except those arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct on part of Hands N Paws.

Client understands and acknowledges that the environment in which they are requesting Hands N Paws to complete services is reasonably sanitary and safe. If it is determined that home conditions are unsanitary and/or unsafe at any point in the working relationship, Company will make it known to Client. Action will be taken accordingly thereafter.

Additionally, Hands N Paws will not terminate during a period of scheduled service unless Hands N Paws determines, at their sole discretion, that a serious danger exists to the health or safety of Team Members or pets. If such concerns preclude Hands N Paws from providing further care for the pets, Client agrees to pay for their pet to be boarded at a boarding facility or taken under the care of another party until Client returns. All attempts will be made to notify Client and/or emergency contacts regarding such situations.

Client understands and acknowledges that he/she is responsible for letting Hands N Paws know of anyone who has access to their home during the duration of services booked. Client releases and holds Hands N Paws harmless of all loss, expense, and damage caused by any third-parties entering Client’s home at that time.

CONTRACT TERMS

This contract will take effect upon digital signature by Client (clicking “Agree & Submit” below) and will remain in effect until terminated by either party. Client may make online reservations for additional services at any time during the terms of this contract, as subject to Hands N Paws availability. All scheduled services will be governed by all the terms of this contract.

Client acknowledges that by signing below, he/she is providing written approval for the provision of services by Hands N Paws during any service period scheduled by Client and confirmed by Hands N Paws. Upon service confirmation, Hands N Paws will be authorized to enter Client premises and perform services without additional signed contracts and/or written authorizations.