Are you insured?
Each branch of Fed & Watered has its own insurance which gives generous Public Liability cover as well as the obligatory Employer's Liability insurance.
Some branches also have Key Loss Cover and Liability to Animals whilst in Care, Custody or Control cover. If you would like to see proof of this insurance, just ask.
It is worth noting that if you rely on friends and neighbours to look after your pets and they damage or break something, even by accident, you may find you are not insured.
To avoid accidents and injuries, customers should still take adequate measures, as far as practicable, to ensure that their properties are not left in a hazardous condition for us to work in.
Who provides food and supplies for our pets while we're away?
You provide your pets' normal food and supplies. We don't want to interrupt
their routine or upset their digestion by introducing anything new that they might not like or be able to tolerate. Maintaining normal diet and feeding times will add to
your pets' sense of calm and familiarity.
Do you have medical qualifications?
Most of our staff do not have medical qualifications,
though some do. We do not insist upon them because we leave medical care to the
experts - your own vet or an emergency vet. However, we have been looking after animals for many
years and are experienced in identifying symptoms that require medical attention. If something is
wrong with your pet, you can be assured that prompt attention will be paid to it and we will be in touch with you as soon as is practicable.
Are you able to administer medication?
Most of our staff are able to give injections for diabetic animals and medication in tablet form too, but this does depend
on the area you live in and the skills of our staff in that area. Some people are needle-phobic and we don't force our staff to do this if they don't want to. However, we do
train all staff who are willing to learn. To find out whether we have someone able to administer medication in your area, please get in touch using the Contact page.
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How long can you look after our pets for?
We look after pets for both short and long
periods and so long as you have used our service before, we can usually handle short notice bookings too. However, during popular holiday periods,
it is always safer to book early because we take bookings on a first-come-first-served basis. Our services are of such a high standard that we do sometimes get fully
booked. To maintain the high quality of our service, we will not squeeze bookings in when we reach our limits because it would mean short-changing all of our customers and
we simply will not do that.
How much does it cost?
Our service is tailor-made and costs are variable as a result, but give us an idea of
what you need and we will be happy to provide you with a quote, telling you clearly what is included.
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Do we have to sign a contract?
Yes, we go through our Terms & Conditions of Service with you when we come to meet you for the first time and then both parties sign it.
It is important for you to clearly understand what you can expect from us, so we commit our promises to paper. Equally, we ask certain things of you. What we don't do is
oblige you to pay any kind of subscription or to pay us a minimum fee per year.
Do we have to pay for you to come and visit us?
No. We always visit new customers free of charge to collect all the information we need and to go through all the details of
the service. It is a fact-finding mission and also a courtesy to you so that you can decide whether you like us and feel comfortable doing business with us.
We think that most people instinctively know whether they like someone or not and we want all customers to feel reassured of our dedication to their pets and professionalism in business.
Can you keep our keys safely?
Yes, we are very careful with keys, and we tag them in a way that they cannot be traced back to a house, just in case something
untoward happens and they are lost or stolen. We do not charge to keep customers' keys and it can be very helpful if a customer has been locked out to be able to call us.
Equally, we are very concerned about the cost to the environment of driving around collecting and delivering keys all the time, so to save petrol and save the environment, we
are happy to keep your keys indefinitely. That said, we will return keys to you automatically unless you ask us to keep them.
Do you cover my area?
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Can you stay overnight in my home?
No, we only make home visits (as many as you require per day)
but we don't stay at your house. That kind of service is called home sitting.
Can you stay in my home for a continuous period like all day or all evening?
Yes. If you are out all day or evening and you want someone to stay with your pets for a long period, we can do this. We
charge an hourly rate for this type of service and like all other bookings, it is dependent upon availability.
Can you look after my dog in your home? If you are thinking about using our services but are concerned about your dog being alone in your house overnight,
there are possible solutions. Why not ask a friend or neighbour to sleep over. We can visit from early morning until quite late in the evening, so your dog gets the best of
both worlds.
No, we do not offer home boarding for dogs. It is a largely unregulated industry, and is full of pitfalls and bad practice.
All boarding facilities (whether commercial kennels or domestic homes) should be inspected by the local authority on the grounds of health and safety. However,
some local authorities turn a blind eye to domestic boarding. This negligence on the part of local government can lead to animal suffering. Dogs from several households should never be
boarded together in one house because of increased risks of fighting injuries, unwanted pregnancies, and cross infection of disease. Greedy home boarders can also be a nuisance to their neighbours. Can
you imagine living next door to someone who has dogs barking the whole time? There are home boarding services who simply 'place' your dog with a host family. However,
you don't get to meet them or see where they are living. At the very least, you should get to know who is looking after your dog and where they are located. Reassurances from
placement agencies should never be taken on face value.
Our dog is sometimes aggressive. Do you mind?
It is not a question of whether we mind or not. As employers we have a duty of care towards our employees. If your
dog is sometimes aggressive, you must disclose this information and if we deem the dog too much of a risk to either a member of staff or passers by in general, regretably, we
will not be able to take care of the dog.