Policies & Payments
Updated August 2026
These policies outline the conditions under which Bat Country Pet Sitting provides safe, professional care. By booking services with Bat Country Pet Sitting, you agree to the policies below.
Booking & Payment
Payment Methods
Payment is accepted by cash, Zelle, Venmo, or Google Pay. Checks are not accepted.
New Clients
A service quote will be provided before your Meet & Greet. The final rate may be adjusted afterward if the visit identifies additional care requirements, pets, or services that were not included in the original quote.
Unless another arrangement has been made in writing, payment is due according to the terms provided at booking.
Existing Clients
Payment in full is due no later than the first scheduled service date.
Deposits
Bookings over $400 require a deposit to reserve the dates. The deposit is generally 50% of the total booking fee, with the remaining balance due according to the payment terms provided at booking.
Late Payments
A $25 late fee may be assessed when payment is not received by the agreed due date.
Cancellations & Schedule Changes
Reserved pet-care time limits my availability to accept other clients, particularly for overnight, live-in, and specialized-care bookings.
Cancellation fees are:
- Within 14 days of the scheduled start date: 50% of the booking total
- Within 7 days: 75% of the booking total
- Within 48 hours: 100% of the booking total
Credits & Refunds
Payments and cancellation charges are non-refundable. Any credit issued for a qualifying cancellation or schedule change is non-transferable and expires 12 months from the date it is issued.
Schedule Changes
Last-minute extensions, early arrivals, delayed departures, or other schedule changes are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
Early Returns
Please provide at least 24 hours’ notice if you will be returning earlier than planned.
Holiday Travel Fee
Drop-in visits scheduled on the following holidays include a $10 travel fee per trip, capped at $20 per day:
- Easter Sunday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
Meet & Greet Visits for New Clients
New clients receive a complimentary Meet & Greet, generally scheduled 7 to 14 days before the first booking.
This visit gives us a chance to review your animals, routines, home environment, access, care requirements, and any health or behavioral considerations that may affect the booking. It also allows both of us to determine if Bat Country is the right fit for your household.
Additional home visits are $35 for up to 30 minutes.
Service may be declined when an animal’s behavior, the home environment, or the requested care presents a health or safety risk outside Bat Country’s working conditions or handling scope.
These standards continue throughout the client relationship. Services may be adjusted or declined if conditions in the home, an animal’s behavior, or care requirements materially change after the initial Meet & Greet.
Vaccination & Health Requirements
Cats, dogs, ferrets, skunks, and other applicable animals must be current on rabies vaccination as required by Oregon law.
Exceptions may be considered based on age, veterinary guidance, titer results, health status, or living arrangements. Animals with unsupervised outdoor access, including access through an active pet door, may be subject to stricter vaccination requirements because of the potential for contact with wildlife.
Because Bat Country works in multiple homes, including homes with senior, medically complex, and immune-compromised animals, appropriate core vaccinations for dogs and cats are strongly recommended.
Please tell me before booking about any current or suspected contagious illness, recent exposure to infectious disease, or other health concern that could affect your animal’s care or create a risk for other client households.
Animal Behavior & Safety
Complete and accurate behavioral information is required before booking.
Bat Country does not accept animals whose aggression makes required handling, feeding, medication, enclosure access, or other routine care unsafe.
This may include:
- Dogs with a bite history or serious aggressive behavior
- Cats with significant defensive or offensive aggression
- Hoofstock that charge, bite, kick, or aggressively headbutt
- Other animals presenting a significant handling or access risk
This is different from ordinary play biting, occasional scratching, species-typical defensive behavior, or an animal that simply prefers not to interact.
Animals housed in secure enclosures who do not require direct handling may be considered individually.
Please also disclose other behavior that could affect care, including:
- Escape behavior
- Hiding
- Digging or destructive chewing
- Resource or toy guarding
- Handling sensitivities
- Coprophagia
- Fractious behavior
- Hoofstock that are unusually forward
- Any history of biting, scratching, charging, kicking, or other potentially dangerous behavior
If an animal displays dangerous aggression or attacks a Bat Country sitter during a booking, service may be terminated and responsibility for care transferred to the client’s designated emergency contact.
Refunds or credits are not provided when service is terminated because of undisclosed or unsafe animal aggression.
Pet owners remain responsible for medical expenses and lost wages resulting from injuries caused by their animals.
Visit Frequency
I require at least one home visit per day while clients are away.
I do not provide every-other-day or other non-consecutive pet-sitting visits. Some animals require more frequent care based on species, age, health, medication schedules, husbandry requirements, or established routine.
Home Environment
Animal-care areas, litter boxes, kitchen sink and trash areas, and other spaces required for service must be reasonably clean, accessible, and safe when the booking begins.
Service may be declined or discontinued if the home becomes a significant health or safety hazard or conditions prevent me from providing appropriate care.
Bat Country does not provide service in homes with chronic indoor smoking.
Other Caregivers, Job Sharing & Overnight Guests
Bat Country does not provide pet-sitting services in job-sharing arrangements with unaffiliated sitters, friends, family members, or other caregivers.
I also do not accept bookings when another person will be staying in the home during the contracted service period.
Multiple caregivers create uncertainty around animal care, medication administration, feeding, home access, property security, and responsibility for incidents that occur during a booking.
If another person will need access to the home while you are away, please discuss this with me before booking.
You can read more about how professional pet-sitter insurance works.
Cameras & Recording Devices
Cameras and recording devices may not be used in any bathroom available to a Bat Country sitter or in any room used for sleeping during overnight or live-in care.
Discovery of an active or live-feed recording device in these spaces will result in immediate termination of service without refund and transfer of care to the client’s designated emergency contact.
Pet First Aid & Veterinary Care
I am trained in pet first aid and can provide appropriate first-aid support within my training and scope.
I can also administer approved medications and other routine care according to the instructions established during intake and, when applicable, instructions provided by your veterinarian.
I am not a veterinarian. I do not diagnose illness or injury, prescribe treatment, or provide veterinary medical advice.
Animals are often very good at masking discomfort or illness.
During care, I pay attention to changes in areas such as:
- Behavior and activity
- Appetite and water intake
- Urination and bowel movements
- Mobility
- Breathing
- Comfort
- Appearance
- Medication tolerance
- Other changes from your pet’s normal baseline
If I observe something concerning, I will document what I see and contact you.
When veterinary evaluation appears appropriate, I may recommend that your pet be examined before the next scheduled service. In an urgent situation, I will follow the veterinary and emergency-care instructions and authorizations established for the booking.
When necessary and authorized, I may transport your pet to the veterinary provider listed in your client paperwork or to an appropriate emergency facility.
Bat Country may decline or discontinue future service when an animal appears to need veterinary evaluation or treatment that has not been addressed and continuing care would fall outside my scope or create an unreasonable risk for the animal.
Privacy & Home Security
Bat Country does not disclose client identities, travel schedules, contact information, or other private information to people outside the business without client authorization.
If someone arrives at your home while I am providing services, I may confirm only that I am there with your authorization and that you are unavailable. I will not provide information about your location, travel plans, schedule, animals, or household.
If someone contacts me because they urgently need to reach you, I can contact you on their behalf. I will not release your information without your permission.
Client keys kept by Bat Country are coded without identifying information that would connect the key to your name or address.
If I become aware of a concern involving your privacy, home, or property security while you are away, I will take reasonable steps to protect the property and contact you when your input is needed.
Your Role in Safe, Accurate Care
Good pet sitting depends on accurate information.
Please tell me about health conditions, medications, recent illness, behavioral concerns, handling limitations, changes in routine, and anything else that may affect your animal’s care.
The more accurately I understand what is normal for your pet and your household, the better I can follow their routine, recognize meaningful changes, and make appropriate decisions if something unexpected happens while you are away.
I take these extra steps to ensure I provide you with exceptional service.
