Service Agreement

Saving Fido provides private dog walking services exclusively within the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Services are offered in three walk types: Enrichment, Decompression, and Standard. All walks are private, one-on-one sessions. Saving Fido does not offer group walks.

Client authorizes Saving Fido to perform pet care services as outlined in the Client profile. Client agrees to notify Saving Fido of any changes to their dog’s needs, health status, or behavior at least 48 hours before the start of service. Saving Fido is not responsible for service failures resulting from instructions or changes not provided within this timeframe.

Saving Fido Dog Walking provides services exclusively within the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Requests for service outside this designated area will not be accommodated.

A complimentary meet-and-greet is available to all new clients prior to the start of service. This is an optional consultation, not a requirement. Clients who choose to proceed without a meet-and-greet acknowledge that they have reviewed Saving Fido’s service descriptions and agree that their dog is a suitable candidate for the selected walk type.

Saving Fido reserves the right to decline or discontinue service at any time if a dog is determined to be unsuitable for walking services, regardless of whether a meet-and-greet was conducted.

Client certifies that their dog is current on all required vaccinations at the time service begins and throughout the duration of service, including:

• Rabies vaccination
• DHLPP vaccination
• Bordetella vaccination
• Negative heartworm testing results

Client agrees to provide proof of current vaccinations within 48 hours of request. If a dog bite or disease exposure occurs and the dog is found not to be current on required vaccinations, Client assumes full financial and legal responsibility for all resulting costs, including medical expenses and lost wages incurred by Saving Fido personnel.

Client is required to fully disclose any known history of aggression, biting, lunging, leash reactivity, or other behavioral concerns prior to service beginning. Saving Fido reserves the right to decline service to any dog based on temperament assessment.

If a dog displays aggressive behavior during service, service will be suspended immediately and the client will be notified. Service will not resume until Saving Fido, at its sole discretion, determines it is safe to do so.

If Client provides false or incomplete information about a dog’s behavioral history, service will be terminated immediately. No refund will be issued for any remaining prepaid services. Client will be held liable for any damages, injuries, or costs resulting from the undisclosed behavior, including medical expenses for affected Saving Fido personnel.

Dog walking services must be cancelled at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time through the Saving Fido client portal. Cancellations received with less than 24 hours’ notice will be charged the full service fee, no exceptions.

Contacting your assigned walker directly does not constitute a cancellation and will not waive the cancellation fee. All schedule changes must be submitted through the client portal.

For pet sitting engagements, Saving Fido requires one week’s notice for cancellation. Cancellations with less than one week’s notice are subject to a cancellation fee of 50% of the total booking amount.

Saving Fido reserves the sole right to cancel, shorten, or modify any walk due to weather conditions deemed unsafe for dogs or walkers, including but not limited to extreme heat, dangerous cold, ice, severe storms, or poor air quality advisories issued by D.C. or federal authorities.

Clients will be notified as promptly as possible when a walk is cancelled or modified due to weather. No fee will be charged for walks cancelled by Saving Fido due to weather conditions. Saving Fido is not liable for any damages resulting from weather-related service modifications.

Dog walking clients must provide two working copies of all building, door, and house keys within five (5) business days of the start of service. One set must be made available in a key lockbox on-site. Apartment and condominium residents must provide all key fobs, key cards, and door codes necessary for entry to the building and their residence.

Clients residing in buildings requiring key fobs, key cards, or access codes must provide Saving Fido with a fully functional copy prior to service beginning. Client is responsible for obtaining and providing this access at their own expense. Saving Fido is not responsible for deactivated, malfunctioning, or expired access credentials. If building access is lost or revoked during an active service period, Client must provide a replacement within 48 hours or service may be suspended without refund for missed visits.

Saving Fido is not responsible for any lost, damaged, or non-working keys. Failure to provide required keys or access may result in cancellation of services. A cancellation fee may apply.

Saving Fido cannot guarantee pet sitting service if all keys are not provided in a lockbox outside Client’s home. Client must notify Saving Fido of the lockbox location and combination at least 48 hours prior to the start of service.

Keys will be retained on file in a secure location for future services. If no services are scheduled for six months, keys will be considered inactive and may be destroyed. If Client prefers the key returned, arrangements can be made for drop-off ($50) or client may arrange pickup at the office. No keys will be returned by U.S. mail, hidden outdoors, or locked in a home at last visit.

If Saving Fido is unable to access Client’s home or building at the time of a scheduled walk due to a non-functioning key, fob, code, or unresponsive building staff, the following procedure will apply:

• Saving Fido will attempt to contact Client at the primary phone number on file.
• If no response, Saving Fido will attempt to contact the designated emergency contact.
• If access cannot be obtained within 10 minutes of the scheduled walk start time, the visit will be considered forfeited.
• The full service fee will be charged for the forfeited visit.

A forfeited visit due to failed access does not constitute a failure of service on the part of Saving Fido. Client assumes full responsibility for ensuring that access credentials are current and functional.

Saving Fido, its employees, and representatives agree to provide services in a caring, responsible manner. Client waives and relinquishes any and all claims against Saving Fido, its employees, and representatives, except those arising from gross negligence or criminal intent resulting in damage.

Client agrees to notify Saving Fido of any concerns related to agreed-upon services within 24 hours of returning home.

To avoid stress and injury, Saving Fido will not lift or carry any dog during any service. Saving Fido will administer medications via food only, unless specific alternative arrangements are confirmed in writing in advance. Saving Fido is not responsible for medication not ingested by a pet.

When a pet reaches a physical or mental stage that requires support outside Saving Fido’s capabilities, Saving Fido will provide a referral and may discontinue service.

Saving Fido carries general liability insurance. Proof of coverage is available upon request.

In the event that a pet in Saving Fido’s care requires immediate medical attention, Saving Fido will attempt to contact Client prior to obtaining emergency veterinary care. However, Client agrees that Saving Fido personnel have the authority to act in the pet’s best interest, including seeking immediate medical attention before notifying Client if the situation requires it.

Client agrees to reimburse Saving Fido for any reasonable fees and expenses incurred while obtaining emergency or veterinary care on behalf of Client’s pet.

In the event of personal emergency or illness affecting the assigned walker, Client authorizes Saving Fido to arrange for another qualified team member to fulfill the service responsibilities outlined in this Agreement. Every effort will be made to notify Client in advance; however, this may not always be possible.

Saving Fido will not be held liable for the well-being or actions of any pet while not in the direct supervision of Saving Fido. This includes periods prior to and following each visit. Any damages or harm resulting from unsupervised activity are the sole responsibility of Client.

If Client enlists the help of additional care providers other than Saving Fido, such as a friend, family member, or other service, Saving Fido cannot be held liable for that person’s conduct or the condition of the home or pet upon Client’s return.

Client grants Saving Fido and its representatives the right to take photographs and video of Client’s pet during service and to use and publish such content in print and/or electronically. Care will be taken to avoid including any identifying information about Client’s home or possessions.

Client agrees that Saving Fido may use such content with or without Client’s name for any lawful purpose, including publicity, illustration, advertising, and web content.

Saving Fido stores client information, scheduling data, and payment details through an encrypted, secure client portal. Payment card data is processed and stored through a PCI DSS-compliant third-party payment processor. Saving Fido does not store raw payment card numbers directly.

Client information is collected solely for the purpose of providing and improving pet care services. Saving Fido does not sell or share client data with third parties except as required to deliver services or as required by law.

A $10 daily surcharge applies to services provided on the following federal holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Day After Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Due to high demand during holidays, a non-refundable deposit is required upon booking to reserve a walker. Services cancelled more than one week in advance are refunded in full, less the deposit ($50 for cat care visits, $100 for dog boarding). Services cancelled with less than one week’s notice will be refunded 50% of total payment.

Client agrees to contact Saving Fido through the client portal for all schedule changes. Contacting the walker directly does not suffice and will not be treated as official notice.

Clients enrolled in credit card billing authorize Saving Fido to automatically charge the credit card on file as payment for all invoices for future services. Saving Fido provides access to current invoices through the scheduling portal.

Invoices not paid within 30 days of the due date are subject to a $100 late payment fee.

For pet sitting services, Saving Fido charges at the time of booking.

Saving Fido shall not be held liable for failure to perform services due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, government-mandated closures, public health emergencies, severe weather events, civil disturbances, or infrastructure failures. In such cases, Saving Fido will make reasonable efforts to notify clients promptly and will reschedule or refund affected services at its discretion.