During the worldwide Coronavirus crisis, the Pawshake team is here to support you with any concerns over your upcoming pet sitting bookings. It may take us a little bit longer than usual to get back to you, due to the large number of enquiries - we hope you understand.
Below are some frequently asked questions by pet owners:
- My trip has been cancelled due to COVID-19, how do I cancel my booking?
- I would like to change my booking to a later date
- I would like to make a new booking for later this year - can I still do that?
- I cancelled a booking, but haven't received my refund
My trip has been cancelled due to COVID-19, how do I cancel my booking?
We're sorry that your plans have been affected by COVID-19! We understand that this must be a stressful period of time, and we're here to help with any booking cancellations required as a result.
Please follow the steps below to cancel your booking:
Step 1: Check your sitter's cancellation policy to see what refund is payable:
- Flexible cancellation policy: Full refund if you cancel by 12:00pm (noon) the day before the service begins. 50% refund for the cancelled days if cancelled after 12:00pm (noon) the day before the service begins.
- Moderate cancellation policy: Full refund if pet owner cancels by 12:00pm (noon) 7 days before the service begins. 50% refund for the cancelled days if cancelled after 12:00pm (noon) 7 days before the service begins.
- No refund is possible if the cancellation is on, or after, the day the service is due to start.
- Home visits, home boarding, and housesitting can have a Flexible or Moderate cancellation policy, as chosen by the sitter.
- Dog walking and Doggy Daycare always have a Flexible cancellation policy.
Please keep in mind that your refund depends on your pet sitter's cancellation policy. These policies exist to protect the income of the sitter, as short notice cancellations can often not be replaced by another booking.
If you get a 50% refund, your sitter gets paid out the other 50% (minus Pawshake contribution).
Step 2: Inform your sitter of the booking cancellation via the booking thread.
- PLEASE NOTE: It's your sitter who determines the policy, not the Pawshake team. We merely enforce our sitter's policy unless informed of a waive by the pet sitter. Should you not be entitled to a full refund, your sitter can decide to waive their policy and grant you a refund after all. In that case, please ask the sitter to state clearly in the booking thread on Pawshake that they are willing to give you a FULL REFUND (and not just that they're okay with the cancellation). We are happy to process that for you in that case. Due to the current situation, most sitters are willing to do so, but we can only do it if they confirm.
Step 3: Cancel the booking
If you are entitled to a full refund as have cancelled the booking in accordance with your sitter's cancellation policy, you may cancel the booking by yourself.
If you are unable to self-cancel the booking due to your sitter's cancellation policy, do contact Customer Support. We're always happy to help you out!
Please mention the reason for the cancellation, as well as the reference number of the booking. Make sure that your pet sitter is aware of your intention to cancel.
I would like to change my confirmed booking to a later date
Pawshake currently doesn't have any way of postponing your booking indefinitely (due to technical limitations), but if you have specific dates in mind and your sitter is available, you can contact us to have your booking dates changed. You can read all about changing bookings in this article.
The alternative is to cancel your booking for now (see above), and rebook when you know what the new dates are.
I would like to make a new booking for later this year - can I do that?
Yes, absolutely! Together, we will get through this, and once we can resume our activities, you can keep on using Pawshake just like before. You can already contact and book pet sitters for future bookings. If you choose a sitter you've never booked before, don't forget to have a meet & greet. That way you can make sure that the sitter is a good match - but do maintain social distancing and hygiene. Video calls may be an option, so feel free to exchange phone numbers or other contact details. You can always have an in-person meeting closer to the booking, once the situation relaxes.
Please know that the cancellation policies on Pawshake are generous, so you can book risk-free and cancel (or change the booking) if the situation requires it. Pet sitters can choose their own cancellation policy, and they have the choice between flexible (full refund upon cancellation before noon on the day before the booking) or moderate (full refund upon cancellation up to 7 days before the booking). You can find all details about cancellation policies in this article or above.
I cancelled a booking, but haven't received my refund
We are currently processing a large number of cancellations due to the coronavirus, and, as such, there may be some delays with receiving your refund at this time. Please don't be alarmed: we are working hard to resolve this and you will receive your refund within the next 30 days.
We're very sorry for any inconvenience caused, and thank you for your patience!