About Us
WE LOVE DOGS! But I'm sure you could have guessed that already. What dog walking and pet sitting company wouldn't say that they love dogs? Frankly, I would say that's the bare minimum requirement for the job, right? So, I'm not going to waste any more time telling you just how much we love animals. Instead, I'm going to tell you how much we love people!
Like with most businesses, our workers are our lifeblood. As such, I believe they deserve a living wage, paid time off, and benefits. Being a smaller company, that can be a little harder to achieve, but people are one aspect I simply don't believe in cutting costs in.
Our "product" here at Bow Waus isn't 'dog walking', it's trust, more than anything else. As cliché as that may sound. You want to trust the person coming into your house and taking care of your beloved pets.
Trust is not something that can easily be packaged up and sold, so I hope that my sincerity will shine through here and you will give us the opportunity to build a relationship with you and your pets. I do not believe we will disappoint you.
At Bow Waus, we are committed to treating people and animals right and furthering our education and knowledge in the field. We are pet first-aid certified, fear-free certified, members of Pet Sitters International, proponents of positive reinforcement based training, and have taken courses at the Karen Pryor Academy, as well as the Ian Dunbar Academy.
Our Team.
At Bow Waus, we offer dog walking services with knowledgeable, professional and compassionate care. Our experienced team of dog lovers will provide your pup with the exercise and enrichment needed to lead a happy and healthy life.
Amy • Owner
Manny • Tamer of Pomskis
Steve • Owner
Chris • Chris
-
Do I need to schedule walks every week?No! We totally understand that people have much more fluctuating schedules now and may only require a walk every so often. As such, we are prepared to accommodate to your ever-changing needs!
-
Is there a cancellation fee?Nope! Just cancel before we arrive and you won't be charged.
-
Will I have the same dog walker every time?We're a rather small team of four and I do try to keep it to the same person for the most part. However, we may have some days where somebody has a bigger schedule and I need to spread the walks out more. Or, perhaps somebody is sick/needs time off. It's very important to me that my fellow walkers are taken care of on the days they need it, so I appreciate your understanding! We're very close knit here and work as a team to make sure your animals are in good hands. Additionally, I do hire for retention
-
Are you accepting new clients? How do I get started?Yes, we are! You have a few options to start setting up services. We always start the process with a meet and greet. At the meet and greet, my team and I will come over to your house and get acquainted with you and your pets. We'll go over some basic info and other things we need to know, such as: allergies, access instructions, any possible behavioral quirks. To start scheduling the meet and greet with us, you can use our convenient meet and greet scheduler. With it, you will select a date/time and put in your home address. Please note, that it is a request for an appointment! We will swiftly approve and send a confirmation email if we're available at your selected time. If not, we will contact you about alternative times. Additionally, you can either call or email to set one up! Our business number, (215)999-7063, accepts texts as well.
-
Are you insured?Yes! We have a policy with Pet Care Insurance.
-
What are your hours for walks?We work all 7 days a week and accept walks scheduled from 7am until 11pm.
-
When should I schedule a walk by?Ideally, you would want to schedule a walk by Sunday of that week. We are completely understanding if that's not always possible though! Additionally, we do allow for same-day appointments but they may be subject to a $5 late scheduling fee.
-
Do you use independent contractors or employees?We use employees! Our walkers are offered health insurance, paid time off, and receive a W-2 at the end of the year. Okay, you got me, this actually is not a frequently asked question but I do want to take the time to educate people on an important issue in the pet sitting community. For a long time, pet sitting and dog walking businesses have used 1099 independent contractors. With changes in tax law, we are starting to see a shift in some companies towards employees. Which is a great thing! However, some companies have been resistant to change their classification and continue to use independent contractors. Why does it matter? Well, for a few reasons. One, their workers receive a lot less protections. They do not receive benefits such as paid time off, health insurance, or worker's compensation. Two, it's actually illegal. Many companies use 'independent contactors' but actually treat them as employees. Technically, if a company is using an independent contractor, they are not allowed to train them and the independent contractor must have their own business insurance. Companies do this because it's a way for them to save a lot of money in payroll costs. They do not pay any percentage of taxes for the independent contractors, it is up to them to pay 100% of their taxes at the end of the year. Having actual employees, I pay a percentage of their taxes. I think it's very important to respect your staff and your workers so I do not agree with pet sitting/dog walking companies that misclassify workers. It takes away a lot of rights that workers are entitled to. Some of these companies get away with it for so long simply because they are too small to get an audit from the IRS. So even if you do not choose to go with us as your dog walker, I would advise you to find out whether they use employees or independent contractors.
-
What certifications do you have?