If you plan to or end up having to stay home anytime during this Winter due to a snow storm or other related weather conditions, please let us know as soon as possible so that we will not attempt to come to your house. If you have someone home from work, children home from school, a roommate or even a close neighbor who can help give your fur-baby the care they need, please choose to have them help over having one of our nannies attempt to drive in unsafe conditions.

Everyone stay safe and cozy during these Wintery times! ❄️😊🧣 

When inclement weather is approaching:
All of our Clients entrust Happy Paws to use best judgment in caring for their pet(s) in the event of inclement weather, which can be defined as weather severe enough to warrant school or government office closings. If we need to put our Inclement Weather Policy into effect, all Clients will be notified by Happy Paws via Time to Pet portal/email. The Sitter/Walker will make every reasonable effort to reach Client’s home, although the service schedule may be altered due to circumstances. If the Sitter/Walker is unable to drive safely to Client’s home, Happy Paws will attempt to contact Client by Time to Pet portal, telephone, and/or email. In the event that no contact can be made either with Client or the emergency contact, Happy Paws will provide service as soon as conditions allow safe access to Client’s home.

Cancellations
In regular circumstances,  a fee applies if 24 hour notice is not given prior to a scheduled regular walk, or 72 hours prior to scheduled vacation visits. Full service charges happen when cancellations come through too close to services times and when our nannies schedule and drive times have already been set. In bad, unpredictable weather, Happy Paws will change the cancellation policy to 12 hours notice. That way you have more time to make your decision about services and our nannies still have time to plan their days and travels. Please do your best to give us enough notice to plan our schedule and routes as there are only a few nannies willing to drive in bad conditions and have 4 wheel drive. Obviously ice is more dangerous and we will wait for the best time to make it to client’s homes.

Out of town Clients- Inclement Weather
Rest assured we will do everything in our power to get to your home. Before leaving town, please provide Happy Paws an emergency contact, and/or neighbor contact that we can reach in case the weather is so severe we are unable to arrive at the scheduled time. Please make arrangements to have them on-call to care for your pets. In order to make emergency arrangements, we need their contact number. 

Social Media Posts-Inclement Weather 
To ensure our clients are always in the know ahead of time, Happy Paws will post WALK or NO WALK status on the following communications when inclement/bad weather is expected. The notifications are posted on: 

• Our website: www.thehappypawspetnanny.com
• And/or The Happy Paws Nanny Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/happypawspetnanny

Duration of Walks- Inclement Weather
Walks times may be shortened in cases of extreme weather. Your buddy will certainly receive a break that they need, however, just like people, pet’s cold tolerance can vary from pet to pet based on their coat, body fat stores, activity level, and health. We are aware of your pet’s tolerance for cold weather, and will adjust accordingly. We may need to shorten your dog’s walks in very cold weather to protect us both from weather-associated health risks. Arthritic and elderly pets may have more difficulty walking on snow and ice and may be more prone to slipping and falling. Long-haired or thick-coated dogs tend to be more cold-tolerant, but are still at risk in cold weather. Short-haired pets feel the cold faster because they have less protection, and short-legged pets may become cold faster because their bellies and bodies are more likely to come into contact with snow-covered ground. Pets with diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, or hormonal imbalances (such as Cushing’s disease) may have a harder time regulating their body temperature, and may be more susceptible to problems from temperature extremes. Our team will make the best decision on the needs of your fur-baby.