Cat Sitter & Webmaster Kay with their cat, Greg.
If you've never hired a professional pet sitting company before, especially one with a cooperative ownership model, you might have some questions. Who will care for your pet? What happens if your regular sitter gets sick? And who has your house key?
We Walk Your Dog is a worker-owned pet care cooperative. That means our dog walkers and pet sitters are also co-owners of the business. We work together and support one another while continuing to be our own bosses. We formed the cooperative because we wanted to work for ourselves without having to work entirely on our own. For our clients, that means having a regular sitter who gets to know their pets, with other experienced pet care professionals available to help when needed.
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When you hire We Walk Your Dog for dog-walking, cat-sitting, or overnight petsitting, one of our members will meet with you and your pet before care begins. This person becomes your primary sitter and is responsible for your pet's care.
We want you and your pet to get to know your regular sitter. We don't operate as a rotating group of unfamiliar caregivers.
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That's one of the advantages of working as a cooperative. If your primary sitter gets sick or has an emergency, another member may be able to step in so your pet doesn't miss out on care.
We'll notify you before a substitute sitter visits. If we know about the change in advance, you're welcome to arrange a meet-and-greet with the backup sitter. Of course, unexpected emergencies don't always leave time for an introduction.
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We keep notes about your pet's routine, preferences, and any special instructions. If another member needs to fill in, those notes will be shared, and your primary sitter will walk them through anything they need to know.
We use Time To Pet, an online client portal, to keep everyone informed. You'll be able to see which sitter is assigned to each visit and when they've arrived. After each visit, your sitter will send pictures and updates about your pet and their activities.
You'll also receive notifications by text or email, whichever you prefer. If a substitute sitter is coming, they'll introduce themselves so you know who's caring for your pet.
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Your primary sitter is responsible for your house key and keeps it in a safe place. Keys are labeled with your pet's name, not your name or home address. If another member needs to provide care, the key will be transferred to them for the duration of the coverage.
For clients who use an access code, codes are stored securely in our Time To Pet client management system. Only the sitter assigned to provide care can see your access information. Members cannot view your account information or access details unless they're assigned to care for your pet.
Time To Pet also lets you see who's scheduled to visit and when they've arrived, so you're never left wondering who came by or whether your pet's visit took place.
We understand that giving someone access to your home is a matter of trust, and we take that responsibility seriously.
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Yes! We are insured and bonded. We understand that caring for your pets and having access to your home are big responsibilities, and we take both seriously.
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Pet care can be difficult to do entirely on your own. When you're an independent dog walker or petsitter, getting sick or taking time off can leave clients scrambling for coverage. Working together means we can help one another out, share experience, and make sure our clients have someone to turn to when the unexpected happens.
For you, it means a personal relationship with your regular sitter and the added support of a group of fellow pet care professionals. We think it's a pretty good way to do pet care!
Still have questions? We'd be happy to talk with you about how our cooperative works. Get in touch! We'd love to meet you and your pets.
