Our Pet Care Services and Costs
Summary of Charges:
Cat visit half hour £15
Litter change £5
Litter refresh £2
Meds £5
Petrol 45p per mile
dog walks for one dog:
Half hour £15
1 hour £20
1 ½ hours £30
2 hours £35
3 hours £50
Reactive Dog per hour from £25/hr
2 dogs same house
1 hour £25
½ hour £20
1.5 hrs £35
2 hrs £45
3 dogs same house
1 hour £55
½ hour £25
2 hours £70
Dog Sitting per night
1 dog £50
2 dogs £60
1 Dog All Day 9-5pm £60
24 hour care (no break ie puppy) £80
Other pets are extra
Evening/day dog sitting £12/hr
Puppy Sitting £20/hr
Weekend/out of hours surcharge £10
Dog Sitting:
We offer a great alternative to sending your dogs to unfamiliar places. We all feel better knowing that our dogs are in the comfort of their own home causing them much less nervous stress when you are away. If you prefer to have someone in your house whilst you away, we can offer overnight stays. Most pets prefer their own territory with a bit of company and your loved ones will avoid the risk of contracting kennel cough and any other and complaints/illnesses that they might pick up from other animals in kennels/catteries and the resultant vets fees.
We do not require your dog to be neutered or vaccinated, that is your own personal choice. By law now, boarders require this to obtain a licence, if they don't ask, they are probably not licensed (or insured, as a result of operating illegally without a licence) beware as there are many well meaning unlicensed boarders and daycare providers still operating despite the law change (The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018) so make sure you check this as the law is there for the protection of your dog. Over the years we have heard some horror stories from clients who did not know this and who's dogs have suffered long term damage. See more on the link below *. Also, your dog may not be keen on other unknown dogs and to be in their company for extended periods can be very stressful for them, on top of missing you and being away from home.
We will give them a lot of love and affection to make up for your absence and dog sitting is widely considered to be the best possible care choice for your dog if you have to leave them: https://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/ktudor/2013/oct/which-is-better-pet-boarding-pet-sitting-30981
We can visit daily to feed, water, walk and clean where necessary. We can also water the odd pot plant, if required.
Charges range from £50 per night for one dog from approx 4-pm until around 11am, (depending on the regular jobs we have that day but we come and go in between and rarely leave your dog for longer than 4 hours) and £60 for two including an hour's morning walk and lots of love. Additional middle of the day visit/walk is extra. Evening dog/puppy sitting from £12 hour but call for quote as we are flexible. Deposits of 50% are required in advance to secure the booking please. We are currently experiencing a high number of enquiries so please give us plenty of notice.
Security: Whilst visiting your pet, we will pick up post, switch lights on
or off and do any any other security checks that you wish us to do.
If you provide a key to access your property, rest assured, we will take
good care of it and not put any identifying details on it.
Regular updates via our Facebook Page: Everyone worries when they are away from their beloved pets. We can offer a great way to see how they are doing. The Surrey Ark has a Facebook page where you can see our photos of your pets, having fun with us whilst you're away. Should you wish to use this facility we will provide regular updates on their progress and you can also contact us via Facebook/Whats App if you are abroad to avoid mobile phone text message charges. We usually send you photos and videos of your dog having fun with us.
Delayed?: Do not worry, just give us a call and we can extend the care until your return, if we possibly can.
Dog Walking:
We are different. We specialise in bespoke walks for your dog and do not put them in vans with lots of other dogs and we operate discretely so that it's not obvious to onlookers that you are out (which our customers prefer). Their one hour walk with us starts immediately from your house and is tailored to your dogs particular needs. We will make the utmost fuss of them, play with them and give them lots of attention. Walking one to one is excellent for lead training and building trust with us. We play with them, give them some fun activities with suitable and well matched other dogs. We don't put your dog in with a crowd of dogs they don't like or know and have no escape from, as this can cause your dog unnecessary stress, just like it would to a human! We like to find nearby parks, commons or woodland to walk your dog to give them plenty of controlled stimulation. After the walk, we will bring your dog home and make sure he/she is settled, feed him if necessary and towel dry him/her if wet. We can do half hour walk/half hour play if you prefer.
We generally do not walk more than one dog per carer, if we do we make sure the dogs are a well matched in terms of play styles, so as to build a proper friendly connection and avoid your dog feeling overhwelmed by other dogs'. We often walk on or off lead but if you prefer your dog to be walked off the lead, we can do this with the owners prior written consent and at our discretion.
Your dog must have good recall
and good social skills with other dogs if you prefer
'off lead' walking. We will make sure your dog
is walked in a safe environment away from traffic and will have
a great run around and a lot of fun.
Charges: Prices start from £20 per dog for 1 hour individual
daily walk on foot from your house depending on where you live
Two dogs from the same household from £25, 3 for £55 but
please call if you have other requirements as we are flexible.
Reactive Dog Sitting and Walking
We have a lot of experience walking and dog sitting for reactive dogs
but please email for a quote as there is an extra charge depending
on the issues. Sue our Behaviourist will need to do a full
assessment beforehand. Walks start from £25/hour.
Distances
Please note in all cases petrol costs will apply if we drive to you (45p per mile) but we will quote you on this as if you are local to Claygate this should be minimal.
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Bank Holidays will be double the normal charge.
Weekends/Evenings/Early Mornings: We operate 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday at the normal rate but any jobs outside of these hours (except house/pet sitting) will include an extra £10 surcharge for walks and/or visits. Weekends are £10 extra in addition to any after hours visits.
Pre Visit:
No charge for initial meeting and key collection at time of meeting
£5 charge for key collection if not provided at meeting.
Deposits and Cancellations House Sitting: (not applicable during the pandemic as we may all need to cancel at short notice) : 50% deposit is required on total charge of house sits in advance. Then if cancelled within 30 days before the job, there will be no refund of the deposit. If cancelled within one week before then full payment will be charged. Dog walks: We require more more than 24 hours notice for cancelled walks or the walk will be charged, as we have set aside that time slot for you.
Cats/Small Mammals/Exotics/Birds/Small farm animals
At the Surrey Ark we are familiar with a wide range of species. With our training we know how to handle them correctly, know about appropriate feeding routines and know how to look out for any signs of ill health. We will come into your home and feed your furry, scaled and feathered pets. We will feed them, clean out cages, change litter trays, put pets out into runs and can groom them if required. Of course, we will give them plenty of cuddles, love and attention as well.
Charges: From £15 per 1 daily 30 minute visit (up to two cats). Prices vary depending on size of hutch/cage/enclosure if a full cleaning service is required. For a number of animals please call for a quote.
Medication: Pets requiring medication are an additional £5 per visit but call for a chat if complicated.
Cats Litter Trays: For cats requiring daily litter changes each day an additional £2 per day will apply for a litter refresh and a full litter tray change (usually done once or twice a week) is £5 for up to 2 cats, call for prices if there are more cats.
Puppy Care
Bringing a puppy into the home can be a wonderful experience,
however, difficult for owners who go out to work. Puppies have to
keep away from other dogs and outside areas where other
animals may have been until they are about 12 weeks old or
approximately one to two weeks after their last jabs to
prevent the risk of infection. Puppies cannot be left at home
alone all day, so we will visit your puppy, take them into the
garden, feed them and spend time playing, house training and interacting
with them and clear up any mess. We will visit them in the
middle of the day for an hour and tire them out so they will happily
sleep until you return home. We provide Whatsapp photos and videos and use Facebook/Instagram if you are happy for us to. We can help your pup with socialisation and carry them out to see the big wide world and all its sights, sound, people and animals before they are able to walk on the ground and of course afterwards. Sue, our Behaviourist can offer 121 Puppy Starter sessions at your home as an increasingly popular alternative to puppy classes if that's what you prefer. She will provide ongoing support in the early months afterwards. See more on our Dog Behaviourist Help page on the Button above. When your puppy reaches an age where it is safe to interact with other dogs, we will happily walk them for you and introduce them to well matched dogs. A crucial part of a young dogs development is meeting other dogs in a controlled way and experiencing as much as possible to become a confident and socialised dog. We have now helped train and care for many local puppies and continue to walk some of these as our bond is so strong.
Charges £20 per 1 hour daily visit.
Dog Behaviour Consultations:
Click on the button at the top of this page for more information
Sue, our resident, certified Dog Behaviourist can help you with:
Jumping up
Pulling on the lead
Reactivity toward other dogs/people/children
Excessive barking
Territorial Aggression
Resource Guarding
Mouthing and biting
Inappropriate toileting
Rehabilitating rescues
Recall
Separation Anxiety
Good social manners with dogs/people
Fear based issues
Choosing the right puppy for you from a litter
Puppy training/house training
121 Puppy training in your own home
(an increasingly popular alternative or add on to puppy classes)
Introducing your new dog to children
Teaching your children how to be safe around your dog
Teaching dog body language to humans
Help choosing the right breed for you
Owner/dog training walks
inappropriate Mounting
All Bookings:
Please note that all bookings must have:
1. a signed and completed Booking Form
2. a signed Terms and Condition Form
both returned to us 2 days prior to departure.
Please click below to be directed to the forms for
printing.
Information on Dog Licensing which protects your dog:
*For a brief outline of current boarding licensing law which has your dog's welfare and safety at heart:
https://www.protectivity.com/knowledge-centre/your-guide-to-dog-boarding-licences/
* The Dog Licensing Laws changed in 2018 for good reason: If you choose to use a dog boarder or daycare provider using their own home, we strongly recommend you use a licensed provider, as all of the appropriate checks have been made by the local authority and their insurance will be valid. ALL Dog boarders/Daycare providers, large and small now need to be licensed by law, many still operate unlawfully without. If they are operating without a licence, their insurers will not honour any claims they make and the punishments are clearly set out. They can be prosecuted and sentenced to up to three months in prison and fined up to £500. We know of many dogs now who have had bad experiences often in domestic homes (which all need to be licensed) and have become reactive as a result as sadly it is easy money and dogs can't tell you they are unhappy there.
Simple check is to ask to see their licence, your dog will thank you.
Here is a current list of Elmbridge Licensed Dog Boarders http://emaps.elmbridge.gov.uk/ebc_licensing.aspx?requesttype=parseTemplate&template=LicAnimalsList.tmplthttp://emaps.elmbridge.gov.uk/ebc_licensing.aspx?requesttype=parseTemplate&template=LicAnimalsList.tmplt