Membership F.A.Q.

Pet Sitters & Potential Business Owners

1.  Is this a scam or get rich quick scheme?

Since this is a very common question, we've added a new page to address these concerns, complete with a list of members willing to tell you more about PUPS.  Please see:

Is PUPS A Scam/Get Rich Quick Scheme?

2.  Will I get the forms instantly when I join?

No, we process all members by hand.  95% of  memberships are processed the same day (usually within 8 hours), but we ask that you give us at least 48 hours.  Your login and password as sent out when your membership is processed.  You can download forms and other items as soon as you receive your login information via email. 

Do email us if you do not receive your information within 24 hours.  Something is probably wrong with email if we haven't processed you within 24 hours.

Please note, if you have paid by check - via paper check or paypal check - we will not process your membership until the check clears.  It takes us up to a week to go to the bank, and it can take 2 more weeks for a check to clear.  So we recommend you choose to pay via paypal with a credit card or paypal account so that you can get your membership instantly instead of waiting.

3.  Can I put a rush on my order?

No.  We process memberships between our pet sits - so we will sign you up as soon as we can.  Often this will be less than 8 hours after joining, but we can't promise that because we don't always get a chance to come home as often between pet sits on busy days.

4.  Do I need to have my business name selected before I join?

No, you do not have to have your business started in any way before you join.  Members completely manage their own listings, so you can activate, edit and change information (including your business name), customize, and/or deactivate your listing information at any time.

5.  Can I start with little or no money?

There are certainly lots of very successful sitters who started with little or no money.  However, I recommend against it.  It's very hard to advertise with no money.  And in most areas, if you don't advertise you will find yourself not getting the clients you need to keep the business going. 

I recommend you keep a 2nd job, a second source of income, or save up enough to support yourself for 8 months to a year plus more to invest in advertising and other business expenses before you start your pet sitting business.

6.  Can I talk to a live person?

This group is completely managed by pet sitters, and we are happy to help you all we can.  However, we are in and out all day pet sitting and we find it very inconvenient to talk on the phone.  But we love to talk via email and message boards.

So if you have questions or comments, we ask that you email them to us so we can answer at our convenience.  We also like to share our answers with everyone, so using email allows us to copy topics to the message board so everyone can learn and give their own feedback.

Or, even better, ask your questions right to the message board when you join.  That way all members can share their opinions and ideas with you and others. 

If you are having email problems, we do have a phone number you can call.  It is listed on the Contact Us page.   This is a very low budget group, so we do not have any hired staff. 

7.  How do I get insured (and other insurance questions)?

PUPS is not affiliated with any insurance providers.  We do not offer any insurance.   However, feel free to take a look at the pet sitter insurance provider comparison chart we have put together to find a list of independent companies that do insure pet sitters. You can find a link to that page under the "Home" button on the main menu.  

Please do not confuse us with insurance provider Pet Sitters Associates LLC - we are not related in any way to PSA.  Membership to PUPS does NOT include any insurance.

8.  Will I receive something in the mail?

With a basic membership, you will not receive anything in the mail.  Everything you need will be available for downloading from the Members Area.

With the CD membership you will receive a CD that contains a simple copy of all the Members area items.  No additional instructions or membership information will be sent with the CD. 

9.  What if I don't have the programs needed to open the forms?

You can find a list of free programs compatible with Microsoft office documents at the bottom of the "readme.htm" document mentioned in your Welcome email after you join.

10.  Can I cancel my membership if I decide to close my business?

In order to protect the copyright of the PUPS forms and other items, we do not offer any refunds once payment has been received or the membership has been purchased via Ebay.  

We have committed to keeping the membership fee low so that even people who are just investigating Pet Sitting as a career can join PUPS without making a large investment of any kind.

When you join, you are paying for a lifetime membership.  However, if you would like us to remove your membership status, we would be happy to do so.  And you can deactivate your listing yourself at any time after you join.

11.  Is this a franchise?

No.  When you join, you are joining an international pet sitting support group.  We do not offer any type of franchising or business sales, and we will not try to sell you anything else after you join. 

The only other items we offer are listed in the menu bar above (custom logos, and some group promotional items like t-shirts).

Most pet sitters start their own business from scratch.  Our goal is to help with that process by providing some of the information and forms we wish we had when we started!  And we with to provide them in an easy to use format, all in one place, so that you can spend all that time you saved advertising your new business.

12.  I'm confused.  Do I have to pay extra for the forms?

I know - it sounds "too good to be true" to get lifetime membership AND forms AND a directory listing AND more for the price listed.   But that is what we've has decided to include in membership.

Our goal is to provide help & forms to new sitters so that they will start up in a very professional nature.  The more professional sitters there are, the more well known Professional Pet Sitting industry becomes.  The better well known the industry is, and the more professional we all are, the more clients we all get.   So offering these items at these prices indirectly helps our  business - Happy At Home Pet Sitters - to prosper.

Plus, doing this helps us to share the information we have all in one place, and not to answer the same questions over and over in different places  for new sitters :) .  We really enjoy being a part of this great bunch of pet sitters!

13.  How much to just get my business listed in the directory?

The directory listing is included with regular membership.  The price is the same to get a just directory listing as it is to become a full member.

14.  Are these forms specific only to the U.S.A?

No, there is nothing specific to certain areas in these forms.  We currently have members from various countries using these forms.

The forms are also completely customizable.  So if there are special "licensing numbers" or anything else you'd like to add or change on the forms, you are certainly welcome to do so.