Petcetera operates by making visits to the client’s home. Petcetera does not board cats or dogs.

Who at Petcetera cares for my pets?

As Petcetera is not an agency service, the primary care-taker of all pets is the owner, Heather Schriefer. If at any time Heather should become unable to care for the pet(s), a back-up pet sitter with the same qualifications will be called in to complete the sit.

What do you do while you are with my pets?

As every pet is unique, with individualized needs and their own idea of just what is fun, Petcetera’s time with all pets is highly customized to meet the pet’s needs while adhering to the client’s preferences. As a general rule, we recommend that high energy pets spend a majority of our time together burning excess energy, whether playing with the dog outdoors, or allowing caged pets time outside of the cage.

What types of animals does Petcetera have experience with?

While Petcetera specializes in caring for special needs pets and parrots, we’ve also cared for a wide range of animals including: Dogs (8 weeks to 16 years old); Cats (10 weeks to 17 years old); Hamsters; Guinea Pigs; Mice; Ferrets; Rats; Rabbits; Degu; Turtles; Blue Tongued Skinks; Chickens (indoor and outdoor); Turkey; Geese; Fish (salt and fresh water); Horses (standard and miniature); Parrots (Parrotloets, Budgies, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Cockatoos, African greys, Amazons, Conures, Senegals, Macaws); and Finches.

What types of medical conditions does Petcetera have experience with?

Many of the pets in Petcetera’s care are elderly or special needs pets that suffer from a variety of ailments such as blindness, hip dysplasia, arthritis, loss of hearing, ulcers, and have had strokes. We’ve cared for both parrots and dogs with seizure disorders and have administered insulin injections to diabetic cats. Petcetera will never charge for the administration of medication as we firmly believe that there is no reason to profit from a pet’s illness or medical needs. Petcetera will gladly administer pills, topical treatments, eye liquids and gels, and insulin injections. We will not administer intravenous fluids on any occasion.

How will Petcetera handle a pet emergency?

The definition of the term “emergency” is a broad one when it comes to pet care. For some, even an escaped cat trained to return warrants an emergency. Petcetera promises to enter any emergency in a calm and professional manner. All clients whose pet experiences an emergency will be notified immediately. We are fortunate notto have had any dire emergency experiences with pets in our care, though we’ve gladly chauffeured and accompanied several pets to their veterinarians as part of our pet taxi service.

Does Petcetera offer Every Other Day visits?

Petcetera prefers to visit pets daily in order to monitor both the health of your pet(s) and the security of your home. However, Petcetera currently accepts EOD visits on a limited, case by case basis. Clients must sign a waiver and have previous successful experience with EOD visiting arrangements. Petcetera will only consider EOD visits for cats and caged rodents who do not require daily feeding, water replenishment, or medication. Petcetera urges EOD clients to notify a neighbor of their travel plans and share our contact information in case of an emergency.

What type of contact will I have with Petcetera while I’m away?

Clients are welcome and encouraged to phone Petcetera at any (reasonable) time. Clients who have access to email while traveling will receive daily updates, sometimes including photos. Upon request, Petcetera is happy to keep a daily pet journal describing your pet’s days while you’re away.

Does Petcetera charge for multiple pets?

Petcetera does not charge for multiple pets. However, we do take into consideration the amount of time needed to care for each pet, and may suggest that additional time be added to your sit in order to ensure that all of the pets in your zoo receive appropriate care.

 © Copyright 2009, Heather Schriefer, Petcetera Pet Sitting Services.