New Safety Policies For Covid-19 Pet Sitting

At the start of January 2020, who would have ever thought we’d be able to say we made it through such a historic time?  Those that could work from home, started down that path in March.  I would have never guessed I’d have spent the last 3 months homeschooling my first grade son!  My business I had so happily built over the course of 12 years came to a screeching halt.  With the majority of our clients working from home, the need for midday dog walking became only needed by essential workers.  We continued servicing them throughout these quarantine months.  Vacation travel and pet sitting stopped due to the stay-at-home orders.

With the possibilities of Lehigh County going to the yellow phase in June and then green, I wanted to publish our plans to keep our staff and clients safe.

Our Covid-19 Safety Plan Includes:

• Face masks

Face masks or neck gaiters will be worn inside of a client’s home.  This includes during our initial consultations with clients.

•  Sanitizer

We would use hand sanitizer prior to entering a client’s home and wash our hands before leaving (and multiple times during the visit if needed).

• Social Distancing

We maintain our 6 ft social distancing when meeting clients at consultations, if a client happens to be home when we visit, or if we see others while on our dog walking route.

• Avoiding Contact 

1. We will use client supplied wipes for surfaces we’ve touched, if provided.
2. We can reduce contact with surfaces in clients’ homes by having all pet sitting and cleaning supplies in one area, plus have a food and treat container designated for sitters only.
3. We’ve converted to online payments to eliminate money handling by the pet sitters. Invoices are to be paid by credit card or Zelle payments.
4. Consultations will be social distanced with all parties wearing masks.  We will meet the pets, if possible, outside in the yard.  Contracts and Vet Releases will be completed online.

• Health Awareness

We ask if any household member is sick with Covid-19 symptoms, please let us know ASAP so we can cancel the dog walk.  Our staff will also keep a close watch on our health and will not report to work with a fever or any possible symptom.

This list may be modified based on new studies, new testing, new government directives, etc.

We are looking forward to once again seeing all of our furry and feathered friends again!  Thank you for your continued support during this difficult economic time.