Berkshire Pet Pals, LLC is a professional pet care service provider. We are a small, family-owned and operated business serving southern Berkshire county, Massachusetts and the surrounding areas. We have made our passion for animals into a more than just a job. It is a career. We are proud of our success and take pride in the quality of our service. We provide PROFESSIONAL pet care services with a PERSONAL touch. When we go to your home, we take the extra time to bring in the mail, alternate curtains/blinds and lights/radios/televisions, sweep up kitty litter and/or excess fur, wipe up the muddy paw prints after playtime, etc. We do things to make your home appear occupied and keep both your home and your pet(s) safe. When you come home, it will be just as you left it. As with any professional business, Our Policies and Procedures are clearly stated and enforced. Berkshire Pet Pals, LLC does not believe in sharing pet care responsibilities. This includes, but is not limited to, housekeepers, handymen, other family members and/or friends. Our policy minimizes confusion and prevents overlapping responsibilities. We can not be held responsible for the home and/or pet(s) when there are others that have access to the home immediately before, during and/or immediately after any scheduled service period. When others are allowed access, there is always a greater risk of being overfed, given extra medication and/or the wrong medication, gates/doors being left open or unlocked, etc. When we are hired to care for your pet(s), we are held accountable. We take our job and our responsibility very seriously. Not only are we fully insured and bonded, we are also certified, our business is fully licensed and registered and we have been background verified. In order to comply with all of these credentials, we are constantly keeping up with continuing education credits and monitoring the latest developments in the professional pet care industry. Our service meets and exceeds the standards set forth by the leading pet sitting organizations. We know what to do. Do they? Here are some examples of WHY we don't share job responsibilities: Pet(s) that are on a restricted diet will be properly cared for by us. No excess or unauthorized treats/food wil ever be given. Uninformed people may not think twice about giving treats or extra food. Doing so may lead to GI distress/discomfort and vomiting, diarrhea, etc. In some cases, this may require a trip to the vet not to mention the undue stress and discomfort it puts on your pet. We take extra steps to provide a safe and secure environment. We always double-check gates, doors, windows, etc. A door or gate may be left open/unlocked by someone that is in a hurry or distracted. This presents many potential dangers to your pet. Not just escaping, causing damage to property or being exposed to additional dangers, but getting lost, being harmed/injured or even death. While your pet is in our care and custody, we are covered by our own insurance policy. In the unlikely event that your pet should get injured while in our care, our insurance will cover any medical treatment and/or expenses. We are always extra careful and always evaulate and assess every situation. Furthermore, we are fully trained and skilled in dealing with all types of emergency situations as they arise. We can't make that guarantee if something should happen to your pet when we are not there and someone else is providing care. Would a neighbor or friend know what to do if something were to happen? We are certified, trained and skilled at administering medication and providing medical treatments. We take the extra steps necessary to ensure that the proper dose and method of treatment are followed each and every time medication/treatment is given. Someone that is not trained or knowledgeable may give the wrong medication, wrong dose, wrong route, etc. This could prove to be harmful and/or dangerous for your pet, especially if done by someone that is not certified or insured. We take extra steps to prevent missed visits. We always confirm dates/times prior to the start of each scheduled service period. If we find that we are running late or will be delayed, we will call on our back-up help for coverage. In the unlikely event that we can't provide a visit, we will contact your emergency contact person or you. You do not have to worry about a missed meal, missed medication, missed potty break, etc. When you rely on a friend, neighbor or additional person, chances are they do not have a back-up plan in place. A missed visit could be much more serious than just a puddle on the floor when you return home. OUR JOB SHARING POLICY:Berkshire Pet Pals, LLC will not accept responsibility for the actions of anyone who is not an employee or helper of Berkshire Pet Pals, LLC. We request that our clients NOT schedule any home care or maintenance during a scheduled service period. This is the only way that we can be certain that we are fully responsible for your pet(s) and home while you are away. If a client should opt to schedule services with another service provider and allow access to the home at any point immediately before, during or immediately after a scheduled service with us, then Berkshire Pet Pals, LLC will not be held liable. We ask that clients inform us prior to the start of each scheduled service period if such a situation exists. We must have the names of everyone that has been authorized to access your home while we are providing services. If we should encounter others that we are not aware of, we will call the authorities and report them as intruders. Safety is always our top priority. Berkshire Pet Pals, LLC will not be held responsible for any theft/loss, damage to property, injury/loss/death of a pet that may happen as a result thereof. Clients are aware that if they do not notify Berkshire Pet Pals, LLC of anyone that they've authorized access to, Berkshire Pet Pals, LLC will not be liable for any injuries, damage, fees, etc. that may occur as the result of the above situations. As always, we welcome your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, etc.
