Your feedback is important to us! Please take a moment to let us know how we are serving you. Remember, we want to tailor our service to you and your pets. If you have any special requests, please let us know. Has a sitter performed above or below expectations? Please call the office at 703-476-9286 with any compliments or complaints. We really love hearing from our clients, and your reviews on Facebook, Google, Angie’s List and Yelp are important to us.

Should you tip your pet sitter? Our sitters care for your pets with a great deal of love, and frequently go “above and beyond” the call of duty. If you were provided with great service, it is appropriate to tip your pet sitter 10-20% of the total bill. All messages, cards and tips received at the office are passed directly to your sitter.

We request a credit card on file on our secure server . You may log into your account and add payment information, or call our office and we can take your credit card over the phone.

Regular Midday Dog Walks: are invoiced bi-monthly (16th and 31st), and are due on receipt.  You may pay via the link in your invoice, or we will automatically run your card the following day.

Pet Sitting Visits: with credit card on file, we will invoice and run the card upon your return. You may also pay directly via the link in your invoice. With no card on file, all visits must be paid in advance of your departure date.

Any additional visits made during your booking will be charged at the agreed upon rate.

A one-time $25 holiday premium applies to all pet sitting reservations on federal holidays, in addition to Labor Day weekend (Saturday-Monday), Thanksgiving weekend (Thursday through Sunday) and Christmas week (Dec. 24 – 31).

You agree to provide The Pet Elf with access to the key storage box or access code that can used to enter your home.

You can request your keys to be kept on file.  There is a $3 monthly storage fee, and a $10 key pick-up visit fee will apply for future pick-up and drop-offs.

If you do not provide access to the premises, The Pet Elf will obtain a locksmith at your expense, and an additional $100 service fee will apply.

Lockout Service: A $30 charge applies each occurrence we provide our keys during normal office hours. A $45 fee applies after hours and weekends.

Midday Dog Walks: Midday dog walks may be cancelled by 9:00 am on the day of the visit with no charge.

Pet Sitting Visits: A cancellation fee of $25 will apply to all reservations cancelled within four days of the start date.
Overnight Visits: Due to the exclusive nature of our overnight bookings, a 50% cancellation fee will be assessed for all cancellations within thirty (30) days of the start date.

Weather Related: Regularly scheduled midday dog walks are cancelled (at no charge) when Fairfax County schools or Federal Government are closed due to inclement weather. If you must work and need a walk during these times, please call the office and we will make every attempt to arrange a visit, while considering the safety of our sitters.

Please make sure your driveway and sidewalk are clear, so that your dog walker can access your home safely.

Every effort will be made to continue pet sitting (vacation) visits during inclement weather. It is important that we have a local contact number (neighbor or close friend or relative nearby) who may be called upon to assist in severe weather.

We want to take the best care of you and your pet! In order to provide you with the quality time and attention your pet deserves, please give us as much advance notice as possible when making your reservation.

Our sitters must coordinate their schedules well in advance to meet our clients’ needs. We can only book a limited number of sits for each sitter, so that he or she can devote the time necessary to your furry family.

Short Notice: In order to accommodate our last-minute requests, a $10 premium applies to all visits booked less than four days before the first visit.

Same Day Service: A $20 premium applies to all bookings made less than 24 hours from the start date. This is a one-time fee in addition to your regular rates.

You may make your reservation by phone, email or using our online reservation system, Time To Pet (existing clients only).