Frequently Asked Questions

My clients include dogs and cats of all ages, breeds & sizes, as well as lizards, geckos, bearded dragons, sugar gliders, rabbits, gerbils, and fish.

As I am primarily based on the west side of Wichita, I typically service West Wichita, Riverside, Downtown, Oldtown, Indian Hills, College Hill (for an additional fee), and Northwest Wichita. The updated locations I serve will not affect existing customers and will only apply to new ones

Absolutely! However, I tend to book holidays several months in advance, so if you are planning a trip, please book as soon as you have your travel plans. There are no fees for booking, modifying, or cancelling, so there’s no reason to wait!

I specialize in senior animals, special needs/amputees, pets with seizures and other medical issues, blind/deaf pets, and administering all oral and injectable medications. I personally have 4 senior pets, one of which is 16, fully blind and partially deaf, and another with Alzheimer’s. I am also skilled in recognizing signs of illness and distress. In an emergency, I'll contact your vet, administer first aid, and keep your pet comfortable until medical help is provided.

My hours are 6am-9pm every day of the week. I am available outside of those hours, but an additional fee may be charged at my discretion.

For routine petsitting visits, my starting fee is $21. For "Potty Breaks," my fee starts at $18. Please keep in mind that for all of my services, an additional fee will be charged for each additional animal. However, the full service fee will only be applied to the first animal.

Yes! I am insured and bonded through Pet Care Insurance LLC. Any harm done to me due to the pets or the home will be paid for through the client's homeowners insurance. My insurance will only cover my negligence to the home or pet.

Allowing your pets to stay in their own comfortable home reduces the stress your pets may have while you're away. Maintaining their schedule also reduces stress. Boarding facilities tend to be loud, overcrowded and impersonal which can all lead to overstimulation with your pet. Most boarding facilities keep pets in separate kennels so your pets won't be able to sleep next to each other. Also, keeping your pet in your home alleviates the risk of illnesses spreading. In a facility, your pet may not get the attention they need. In addition to caring for your pets, I will take care of the home, bring in any mail, rotate curtains and lights and notify you of any issues with your pets or home. You will have peace of mind the entire time you're gone. Your pet will be safe and happy the entire time and will be happy & ready to cuddle when you return home.

Due to high demand, holiday fees are added to each day services are rendered during holidays. Holidays are considered New Years Day, Spring Break, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Depending on how the holidays fall, the increased rate could apply for the few days before or after each holiday at my discretion.

I have bookings throughout the next twelve months so there is no such thing as booking too early. Therefore, I’d suggest submitting requests as soon as you have travel planned. I do fill up quickly though, especially around the holidays, so it's best to get booked ASAP. There are no booking fees, canceling fees, or modification fees, so there's no reason to wait to book!

Please email me at ShannonsSAHpetsitting@gmail.com or text/call me at 316-300-7219 to check availability and to book your visit.

I will create an account for you in her petsitting software "Time to Pet." A link will then be sent to your email, inviting you to complete your profile. Your profile will consist of any important information regarding your pets, your house, and emergency information I will need to know while caring for your pets. Before completing your profile, you must virtually sign three agreements. A Service Agreement Form detailing the terms you must agree to before I care for your pets. A Veterinarian Authorization Form describing what will happen should your pet(s) have a medical emergency while I care for them. A Doggy Door and Pool Agreement detailing my terms for taking care of pets in houses with doggy doors and pools. All three of these forms are to protect both you and me should anything go awry. PDF versions of the forms are attached below. After you virtually sign all three forms and complete your profile, we can schedule a Meet and Greet. Your profile must be entirely filled out before we can schedule a Meet and Greet. At the Meet and Greet, I will visit your home, meet your family, get to know your pets, and learn the routines and expectations. Even if you have a garage entry code set that is backed by electricity, I will need a physical key. This is so that if you lose power to your house, I can still gain entry. Please be prepared to provide rabies vaccination records and vet contact info as well at the meet and greet. All information you share with me will remain confidential.

I will follow up with you at my last scheduled visit to see if you are still on track to arrive back home as planned. If you’re running late, just let me know and I will continue to watch your pet at the next normal visitation time. Need a few extra visits? I can usually accommodate that and always make myself available to accommodate at least one, knowing that things happen when traveling. I will never let the pets go unattended or miss a feeding. The additional visits will be charged at the regular rate and will be payable before the additional visits start.

I am the sole employee, so I am the only person from this business who will be in your home during most visits. The only exception is if you book during peak holiday times. During peak holiday times, I have a backup sitter that fills in only as needed. You will be notified in advance if the backup sitter is used. The backup sitter is my mother, who is also a petsitter who has her own clients. Background checks have been done and approved for both myself and my mother through the petsitter website www.rover.com.

I will contact all clients via text for all appointments that could be impacted due to inclement weather. The pets will still get all the visits that are paid for, but the timing may be delayed or moved up depending on several factors. I will let you know IF your visit is going to be delayed and what time (approximately) I’ll be at your house. I work very hard to make sure that the pets still get the care they need in a timely manner.

The week before the visit starts, I will confirm all visits with you. I will detail each date and time of each requested visit and provide the total payment due. I will also confirm pet's details and any entry codes that you've provided me

At the meet and greet, I will ask a plethora of questions so that I have a clear and concise understanding of your pet, and the expectations, routines, and habits of your pet. Please be forthcoming with me regarding your pet. Does your dog bolt out the door? Tend to bite? Have odd mannerisms that might concern me? All of those things, regardless of how embarrassing or difficult it may be to talk about, are extremely important for me to know in order to care for your pet. There is nothing that I haven’t heard or seen so please be honest with me.

For your pet, depending on the issue, I will contact you first and then contact your vet. If the vet's office is closed and your pet needs medical attention, I will take your pet to the emergency vet. I will contact you on my way there. The emergency vet will triage your pet and determine how urgent the case is. Before they start any procedure past the triage, they provide you a bid and require payment before they start. If I haven't been able to get ahold of you, I'll contact your emergency contact for further instructions. If I still haven't been able to touch base with you or your emergency contact, I'll ask the vet to make your pet comfortable until I can get in touch with you. Any fees incurred at any vet's office are paid by you. My time for chaperoning your pet to the vet will be charged at the fee of $50/hour. This is in addition to any vet fees incurred. If the issue with your pet is not an emergency, I will handle it and then contact you afterwards as soon as I can. If there is an emergency with your home, I will contact both you and your emergency contact immediately. Depending on the issue, I will stay on site until the issue is resolved. This will incur extra fees.

To provide a review for excellent service, please leave a Google review and/or a Facebook review. Click here to leave a Google review! Click here to leave a Facebook review! Please contact me directly via email or phone number to resolve any issues that need addressed regarding the service you received.

Payment is due in full at the first visit. I accept cash and checks, as well as payment through the Time to Pet software. Checks must be made to Shannon Welch Petsitting. Tips are always appreciated.

The safety of your home and pets is a priority. I will request one physical key for entry. This will be expected to be provided at the meet and greet. If you want to provide a garage code or other entry code, that is fine, but a key is still required just in case you lose power. If you live in a gated community, you must provide a gate card or access code. Please provide the alarm system code. I will confirm any codes every time before you leave for your trip. At the end of your visit, once you've confirmed that you've returned home, I will drop off the key within 48 hours unless you're unavailable. I will not leave keys under the doormat or in the mailbox.