DoggyWalker.com COVID-19 Operational Statement

Dear DoggyWalker.com Client,

We are writing to you today to provide updates on our planning regarding the COVID-19 virus. As a locally owned and operated business, we are doing everything we can to plan for the short- and long-term impacts and outcomes of this virus outbreak.  DoggyWalker.com is always conscious of our role in the communities where we live and work, and we take very seriously our responsibility to you, your families, and your pets.  We have been providing pet services in Northern Virginia for 20 years, and we plan to do so for the next 20!

Currently, we are continuing to provide dog walking and pet sitting services as scheduled until it is no longer possible to do so, or until we are told to stop.  In doing so, we want to make it as safe as possible for our employees and for you and your families.

We have created some new standards that we are asking all caregivers to observe. We have asked that everyone follow the risk-reduction precautions issued by all health agencies. We are also asking them to be very conscious of their presence in your home.  This means limiting the number of surfaces they touch and frequent hand washing.  In this regard, we are asking you to leave soap and paper towels in an accessible location for them to thoroughly wash their hands.

We have emphasized that our caregivers strictly adhere to the CDC guidelines for the prevention and spread of COVID-19.  If our employees are showing any signs of illness, even cold symptoms, we have told them they must remain at home.  We also ask that you disclose any illness in your home for our caregivers’ safety as well.  While this may be a hardship for you and for them, their safety and your safety is our top priority.  To date, none of our employees have tested posted for the virus, or have any need to be in quarantine, or self-quarantine.  Also, our caregivers are rarely in contact with other caregivers, and any managerial staff that spends time in our office are practicing the recommended social distancing.

During this period of uncertainty, we are working to develop new operating procedures that will allow us to continue providing dog walking and pet sitting services to you.  Our current cancellation protocols will be observed during this time (please request any cancellations before 9 a.m.).  Our office staff and caregivers depend on their pet sitting jobs to earn a living, so we are working to do everything possible to ensure everyone is taken care of — clients, staff, and pets — in this difficult situation.

If you do end up working from home (or staying home to care for children) and have visits scheduled that you are considering postponing or canceling, we offer the following alternatives for you to consider.  Please let us know if you have any questions or need additional details.

• Instead of entering your home, we can meet you at the door to walk your dog(s) for the allotted visit time.
• If you have an enclosed porch, you can leave your dog’s leash/harness outside and the caregiver can open the porch door to take your dog for a walk.
• We can send you an electronic visit report instead of leaving a handwritten one.
• We can enter and exit through a door that is not the primary door used by your family.
• We will try to adapt to any other creative solutions that you are able to come up with given the uniqueness of your home and your dog(s)!

We welcome your input and ideas on how we might continue to provide services for you.  Many of our work-at-home clients can attest to the benefits of having a regular dog walking schedule during the day, as their pets do cause interruptions - sometimes welcome - and sometimes not.  If this does happen, we would like to ask you to thoughtfully consider other options besides canceling all walks.

We wish you, and your families, the best of health in this difficult time.

Thank you for your consideration.

Dean DeGood,
Owner, DoggyWalker.com