We know that you will be nervous about having a stranger come into your home for the first time. Pet sitting services will be performed by the owners of Big Sky Animal Nanny, LLC or their hand-chosen helpers only. Our helpers are reliable, responsible people we've chosen that we entrust our own homes and pets to, along with our business reputation. References will be provided upon request. We have taken extra steps to ensure the safety of your pets and your home while you are away. It is our job to ensure that you, your pets, and your property are safe and secure at all times! We would like you to be completely comfortable with us, so we encourage you to ask lots of questions! Our goal is to build a trusting and lasting relationship with you. We are certain that you will feel completely at ease after the first or second service.

For dogs, we recommend two visits per day, and that they have access to outside at all times through a doggie door or outside kennel. This provides a lot of flexibility as to when we do our visits. For cats and other animals, we do a minimum of one visit per day. It has been advised to us by area veterinarians that we visit cats a minimum of once per day. Why? Because a cat can get into trouble or become ill quickly if more than 24 hours pass before they are checked on.

Morning visits are typically between 7:00 – 10:00 am, mid-day visits 11:00 am – 2:00 pm and evening visits 4:00 – 6:00 pm.

First and foremost, Big Sky Animal Nanny, LLC is a professional service. That means that this is all we do for a living. We carry a business license and liability insurance, have trustworthy pet sitters, and ensure that if anything happens to your personal pet sitter, your pet care will continue, uninterrupted. We have many years experience in caring for pets and belong to professional organizations in the industry (Association of Pet Sitting Excellence, Professional United Pet Sitters, Pet Sitters Associates, LLC) that provide ongoing information about pet-related issues and provide us with updated information for improving services. We truly LOVE what we do! More than a profession, pet sitting is a vocation. Unlike the part-timer, the errand service, or the kid-next-door who pet sit for extra cash, we have devoted ourselves to providing your pet the best possible care.

A very good question! We care for all breeds of dogs ONLY IF they are accepting of strangers coming into their home and that the individual dog (especially naturally protective breeds) does not and has not displayed protective displays of aggression toward strangers. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept any dog in which we feel may be capable of fearful and/or aggressive related attacks. With specific breeds – as much as we love them – it is our policy to ask certain questions relating to the breed’s behaviors. This helps to protect you, us, and your best friend.

We don’t specialize in walking dogs mainly due to our Liability Insurance, but we do make sure to give them plenty of exercise in your yard or house. It's not that your dogs would be an issue, it's other dogs on leashes and loose dogs that can pose a big risk.

As a general rule we do not offer same day – or last minute bookings. The reason for this is that we service many clients daily all over the Billings area and scheduling is a full time job. However, we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Not at this time.

• If your pet chews on things, set out “chew toys” and do whatever is necessary to protect your personal items and home furnishings from its teeth while you are away.
• If your pet has any unusual habits like destructive behavior when left alone, change in bowel or eating habits, etc., tell your sitter about these in advance.
• Set out everything your pet needs in one visible and accessible area. This includes food, treats, utensils, food and water bowls, medications, leash, can opener, toys, paper towels, cleaning supplies, garbage bags, litter and scoop, broom and dustpan and/or vacuum cleaner, pet towels, newspapers or other housebreaking materials, and watering can for plants.
• Provide extra food, litter, and supplies just in case you are home later than expected.
• Close off any areas of your home that are off limits to the pet or sitter, and let him/ her know about it in advance. If there are any particular problems he or she should be aware of, such as a leaky faucet or a cat that likes to get into the garbage, tell him/her before you leave.
• If you are leaving anything specifically for your pet sitter, such as a batch of cookies or a tip, leave him or her a note. Sitters will not take anything from a house unless he or she is specifically invited to.
• Notify your veterinarian in writing that a pet sitter will be caring for your pet and authorize the vet to extend medical care during your absence if it becomes necessary.

We will normally pick up the keys during the initial consultation. We request you give us 2 fully tested keys. If only one key is provided, we can make a copy for you at a minimal charge. The keys will be labeled with a code, not any of your personal information, for safety purposes. During your services one key will be with your sitter, while the second key is kept in a safe location in case a key is broken or fails to work. After your sit, your keys will be stored in our safe until your next reservation. Key storage is free. This eliminates the cost of key pick-up and drop-off and also alleviates the hassle of arranging meeting times to exchange keys. If you would like your key returned at the end of your service, you will need to call and schedule a time to do this transfer. This may be subject to a key pick-up/drop-off fee.

Each household is different so times will vary; this is something we discuss in detail at the Initial Meet & Greet.

For liability purposes, we will not share pet sitting duties with anyone other than Big Sky Animal Nanny, LLC pet sitters. Sharing duties can also become confusing, especially if the pet has a special diet, requires medication administration, or has other special needs.