## **Preparing Your Home for a Booking**

House sitting or home visits are ideal for pets who thrive in their own environment. To ensure a seamless experience for your pet sitter and a comfortable stay for your pet, follow these guidelines:

## **==1. Arrange Key Handover==**


**1.1. Key Exchange:**Plan the key handover in advance. You can arrange this during your Meet & Greet, leave the key in a secure location (such as with a neighbor), or meet your pet sitter directly to hand over the key. For added security, consider using a key handover contract, which you can download from the files at the bottom of this article.

## **==2. Prepare Pet Supplies==**


**2.1. Food and Water:**Leave ample pet food and water for the duration of the booking. It’s wise to provide extra supplies in case of unforeseen delays.


**2.2. Medications:**If your pet requires medication, ensure you leave enough for the entire stay and provide clear instructions on how and when to administer it.

## **==3. Provide Essential Information==**


**3.1. Emergency Contacts:**Exchange emergency contact details with your pet sitter. This should include your vet’s contact information and any other important numbers.


**3.2. Important Instructions:**Leave detailed instructions about your pet’s daily routine, including feeding times, exercise needs, and any specific care instructions. Also, provide information on where cleaning products are kept and how to use household appliances.


**3.3. Notify Neighbours and Vet:**Inform neighbors, friends, and family about the pet sitter. It’s also a good idea to notify your regular veterinarian of your absence and discuss what to do if any vet visits are necessary.

## **==4. Secure Your Home==**


**4.1. Lock Doors and Windows:**Ensure all exterior doors and windows are securely locked. Place keys in a safe location where the pet sitter can access them if needed.


**4.2. Check Fences and Gates:**Inspect fences and gates for any gaps or potential escape routes and repair any issues to ensure your pet remains safe.


**4.3. Tidy Up:**Clean the house before you leave. Empty the dishwasher, dispose of any perishables from the fridge, put away clothes, and empty rubbish bins.

## **==5. Prepare for an Overnight Stay==**


**5.1. Food Arrangements:**Discuss food arrangements with your pet sitter. Let them know if you will provide meals for them or if they can help themselves to anything in the house.


**5.2. House Supplies:**Ensure that basic household supplies like soap, toilet paper, and washing powder are stocked up.


**5.3. Accommodations for the Pet Sitter:**Prepare a bed with clean sheets for the pet sitter. Also, put away any valuables you don’t want left out and specify any rooms you prefer to be left untouched.

## **==6. Final Steps==**


**6.1. Relax and Enjoy:**Once everything is prepared, relax and enjoy your time away knowing your pet and home are in good hands.

By following these steps, you can help ensure a smooth and comfortable experience for both your pet sitter and your pet. If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please contact our support team. We’re here to help make your experience with Mad Paws as effortless as possible.

Preparing Your Home for a Booking

*Ongoing Booking Guide

Help, there's an emergency!

How does Mad Paws help me resolve any issues I have with a booking?

Mad Paws Accident Cover: What is included?

What happens if a pet runs away when in the Pet Sitter's care?

I have a complaint about the Pet Sitter/Service.

How to Report a Pet Sitter

Mad Paws Insurance

*Insurance and Emergencies

I want to delete or edit a review

After a booking can I give feedback to my Pet Sitter?

How do I Confirm the End of Stay?

How do I leave a Review?

*Post-Booking Guide

What is the Vetting Process for Sitters?

Why use Mad Paws? Is it reliable and safe?

How does Mad Paws verify their Pet Sitters?

What information does Mad Paws share?

*Trust and Safety

What is the Mad Paws Cancellation and Refund policy?

How do I cancel a paid booking?

Understanding Booking Cancellation Policies

*Cancellations and Refund

How To Add More Information About Your Pet

How to edit or delete a pet profile

How can I add my pet to my profile?

*My Pet Profile

A Quick Guide to Meet-and-Greet Sessions

What are the drop off times?

What are the drop off / pick up times?

What Does My Pet Need While in the Pet Sitter’s Care?

What to Do if my Sitter Did Not Show Up?

*Pre-Booking Guide

What happens if the automatic payment doesn’t go through?

What is the Cancellation and Refund Policy for Repeat Weekly Bookings?

How do I make a Repeat Weekly Booking?

What are Repeat Weekly Bookings (RWBs)?

When do I pay for Repeat Weekly Bookings?

How do I cancel just a week of Repeat Weekly Bookings?

Can I edit/add to an existing Repeat Weekly Booking?

How do I distinguish ‘Repeat Weekly Bookings’ to standard one-off bookings?

How do I Pause a Repeat Weekly Bookings?

My Pet Sitter isn’t offering Repeat Weekly Bookings and but wants to sign up?

*Repeat Weekly Bookings

Can I pay my Sitter in cash?

Can I negotiate the price of my booking?

Can I pay a Pet Sitter in cash?

How do I change the dates of my booking?

How do I pay for my booking?

What is a Puppy Surcharge?

How to Edit a Paid Booking Request

What is the Mad Paws Feedback Policy?

What's the difference between Pet Hosting and Pet Sitting?

How are Pet Sitters Paid by Mad Paws?

What type of pets does Mad Paws accept?

What is your booking fee?

What services does Mad Paws offer?

How does the Mad Paws booking flow work?

What does the Pet Sitter's rate cover?

Where do I find a Sitter's contact information?

What if the Pet Sitter doesn't reply?

Can I Archive a Booking Message / Conversation?

Can I block a Pet Sitter?

I can't find a sitter's profile

Is Food Included in the Booking?

How do I find a Pet Sitter for my pet?

How Do I Accept a Booking?

Understanding Booking Flow and Status

What do I need to supply to the Pet Sitter for my booking?

Can I meet a Pet Sitter before agreeing to a booking with them?

*General Booking Guide

What fees are the Pet Owners charged?

App not working?

How can I download the Mobile App?

How do I address problems with mobile apps?

Can I earn Qantas Frequent Flyer Points with Mad Paws?

What is Mad Paws?

About Mad Paws

Is Mad Paws right for my pet?

Need help with something? Chat with our Team Monday-Friday 9-5pm (AEST)

Are there any costs associated with using Mad Paws?

Terms of Service

MP Referral Program - Terms & Conditions

*General

How to Change My Email Address

I need to Verify my Account

Delete my Mad Paws Account

How do I connect my Mad Paws account with my Facebook account?

How do I reset my Mad Paws account password?

I want to unsubscribe or delete my account.

My Photo

How do I Update my Payment Details?

How to Add Photos

*Managing My Mad Paws Account

FAQ for Pet Owners

Have a question?? Chat with our Customer Service team today!

How do I become a Mad Paws Sitter?

How long does it take for Mad Paws to review and approve my profile?

Is there an age requirement to sign up as a Pet Sitter?

Do I need to get a permit to become a Pet Sitter?

How do I access the Online Training Course and download the Certificate of Completion?

What are Sitter Statistics? 

Where can I find helpful information about caring for pets?

How do I know if this is a scam?

Getting Started

What are badges? 

How do I get a Mad Paws branded flyer and business card? 

What does a perfect Pet Sitter Profile look like? 

What services can I offer as a Pet Sitter? 

How many hours should I be Pet Sitting for? 

How do I update my calendar?

How do I change my profile availability in my calendar?

How do I add photos to my Photo Gallery?

Where can I see the reviews that Pet Owners have left for me?

Can I remove or respond to a review?

I don't have any reviews yet, what can I do?

 How do I remove my services?

My Profile & Services

Repeat Business - additional tools to help you and your clients

How to gain repeat clients

The New Pet Profile: What you need to know 

How do I cancel a paid booking? 

Can I create a booking for a Pet Owner?

How do I provide feedback about a pet to a Pet Owner?

How do I view my current bookings?

How do I know if this pet will be a good fit in my home?

What happens after a booking finishes?

What is a Meet and Greet?

Bookings and Meet & Greet

Can I offer friends, family or a prospective Owner Mad Paws credit?

What makes a successful Pet Sitter? 

Why is my profile not in the search results?

How do I keep Owners happy while looking after their pets?

How do I improve my position in Mad Paws search results and promote my Pet Sitting profile?

How do I update my Mad Paws Calendar to show that I'm not available for a particular service?

How do I reduce the number of pets I can take in for selected days?

My bookings have been impacted by COVID, what support can I get? 

Running My Business

Responding to an Enquiry

What to do during a Meet and Greet

Create a safety plan

Help! What do I do if the pet runs away!?

Reducing the risk 

Pet Hosting - Pet proof your home 

Pet Sitting - Staying in someones home 

Safety First

How do I change my Services and Rates?

How do I get paid for a booking?

How do I change my bank or PayPal details?

How do I add Seasonal Pricing or a Holiday Surcharge to specific days?

What are promo codes and how do they work?

Can I receive payment for a booking in cash?

Can offline payments affect my Pet Sitter ranking? 

What fees or commission are Pet Sitters charged?

What prices should I charge for my services?

Payments and Pricing

What is Booking Performance? And how can I improve it? 

What is Repeat Performance? And how will this help me?

What is Repeat Customer Rate? Why does increasing it helps me?

How is Repeat Performance calculated?

Response Time - What is it & how it can help me?

Response Rate - What is it & how to increase it to help me?

Completion Rate - What is it & How to increase it to help me?

Sitter Statistics

What are Repeat Weekly Bookings?

How do Repeat Weekly Bookings work? 

How can I offer Repeat Weekly Bookings? 

How do I change a One-off Booking to a Repeat Weekly Booking?

Can I edit or add to an existing Repeat Weekly Booking?

Repeat Weekly Bookings

COVID-19: Requirements for Pet Sitters

COVID-19: How We’re Keeping Our Community Safe

COVID-19 and Pet Sitting: What You Need to Know

How do I apply for a COVID-19 Vaccination Badge? 

COVID-19

Mad Paws Accident Cover - What is included?

Will I need to pay taxes for my services and do I need an ABN?

Emergencies, Accident Cover and Tax

Why can't I reset my password?

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How can I share my Sitter Profile?

As a Sitter can I change my pricing on specific dates?

As a Sitter can I edit the booking details?

App not working? 

Mobile App 

How does Mad Paws verify their Pet Sitters? 

General 

v0.3.11 - Circular SG Help Widget settings [Sidebar]

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How to create a benchmarking analysis based on Peers?

Sitters

Guide

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Preparing Your Home for a Booking

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