FAQs
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General Questions
Questions from Pet Owners
What are the requirements to have an animal placed in the program?
Will W & W adopt my pet to someone who will care for it if I cannot?
May my family or friends check on the health of my pet while I’m away?
Who pays for my pet’s food and medical care while it is being temporarily cared for?
Questions about becoming a Volunteer Pet Caregiver
May a Volunteer Pet Caregiver care for more than one animal at a time?
May I choose the type of animal and breed I want to care for?
How often is Wags & Whiskers in touch with the Volunteer Pet Caregiver?
GENERAL QUESTIONS
What Does Wags & Whiskers do?
We match pet owners with serious health issues who can’t take care of their pets with a compassionate volunteer who provides a temporary, loving home until the family can be reunited with his/her furry companion. Owners needing medical care no longer have to forego treatment and risk their own life or face the agonizing decision to surrender their pets to a shelter when no one is available to look after them.
How does Wags & Whiskers work?
Wags & Whiskers has developed a team of loving, trained Volunteer Pet Caregivers who care for the pets of family hospitalized, sick or recovering and then re-unite the family once the sick family member is back home and on their feet.
Wags & Whiskers partners with a network who refers pet owners with medical needs. Once a referral is received, the Wags and Whiskers team member contacts the family member with medical issues to learn more about the pet and family to determine if the program is right for them. If all parties agree to move forward, the coordinating team will match the pet in need to a Volunteer Pet Caregiver until the owner is back home.
For how long will Wags & Whiskers care for a pet?
The duration of care varies depending on need, the preferred minimal stay is 2 weeks. Generally, pet care is between two and six weeks.
What if a pet damages the Volunteer Pet Caregiver’s property or harms another animal or human while being care for by the Volunteer Pet Caregiver?
The Pet Owner is responsible for any damages or injuries caused by their pet while being cared for by the Volunteer Pet Caregiver. Note that the Pet Owner is required to notify Wags & Whiskers and the Volunteer Pet Caregiver in advance with application if their pet has any behavior issues that might endanger the Volunteer Pet Caregiver, their property, other animals, or humans. This includes behaviors such as: aggression, jumping, digging, chasing, chewing, and marking.
What happens if the Pet Owner is unable to resume care for their pet?
If the Pet family is not able to resume care, Wags and Whiskers team will transfer the pet to the families designated Point Of Contact.
QUESTIONS FROM THE PET’S FAMILY
What are the requirements for an animal to be accepted into the Wags & Whiskers program?
be microchipped with updated contact information
always wear a collar with updated contact information, and
be insured against injury or illness to give Pet Owners peace of mind in the event of an accident.
1- Reason: Wags & Whiskers (W & W) will offer temporary care only to pets of pet owners who are unable to care for them while the owner is temporarily hospitalized, sick or recovering. Wags & Whiskers must be an option of last resort to prevent pets from having to be surrendered to a shelter. Owners must exhaust all other options before approaching W & W.
2- Dates: Owners must designate a date they agree to drop off their pet at the Volunteer Pet Caregiver’s home and a date they agree to pick up their pet from the Volunteer Pet Caregiver’s home. The pet must be transported to and from the Volunteer Pet Caregiver’s home by the owner or the owner’s designee. W & W team will coordinate drop-off and reunions.
3- Pet Health: The Pet must be up-to-date on all required shots. Dogs and cats must be spay/neutered and current on flea/tick/heartworm preventative before entering the Volunteer Pet Caregiver’s home.
4- Care: Pet Owners agree to cover all costs for their pet. This includes the pet’s’ food, medical care including emergency care, and any damages to the Volunteer Pet Caregiver’s property as set forth in the Pet Owner. The Pet Owner must designate in advance a state-side Point of Contact who can make emergency decisions regarding the pet if the Pet Owner is unavailable.
5- Behavior: Wags & Whiskers will not allow aggressive or destructive animals into it’s program. Should a pet bite, scratch, snap at, be destructive or excessively disruptive while being cared for by the Volunteer Pet Caregiver, the pet must be immediately removed and will be released to the Pet Owner’s previously designated Point of Contact.
6- Transport: The Pet Owner is responsible for their Pet’s transport to and from the Volunteer Pet Caregiver’s home.
Will Wags & Whiskers adopt out my pet to someone who will care for it if I cannot
No. Wags & Whiskers is not an adoption program. Wags & Whiskers provides only temporary care for pets of people facing illness and re-unites pets with pet owners and forever homes at a designated time.
Will Wags & Whiskers accept my pet if it is not spay/neutered? Not current on shots? Not current on flea/tick/heartworm medication?
No. Pets must be spayed/neutered, current on all required shots, and current on flea/tick/heartworm medication before they can be accepted into the Wags & Whisker’s program.
How soon can my pet be placed in a temporary Caregiver home?
Every case is different. Wags & Whiskers works diligently to place an animal in the best temporary home as quickly as possible.
Will Wags & Whiskers accommodate my pet if it has special needs such as separation anxiety or needs medication?
Wags & Whiskers will strive to find a temporary home to accommodate a pet’s needs, but cannot guarantee matching every pet with a temporary home.
What if my family or friends want to check on the health of my pet while I’m away?
Wags & Whiskers will provide information to only authorized individuals provided by pet’s family.
Who pays for the food and medical care of the pet being cared for?
The Pet’s family is responsible for all food and medical care for their pet. This is specified in the Pet Owner Agreement. Usually, the Pet’s family will deliver all their pet’s food and medicine at the time they drop off their pet with the Volunteer Pet Caregiver’s
What if my pet is injured while being cared for by the Volunteer Pet Caregiver?
If a pet is injured while receiving temporary care, the Volunteer Pet Caregiver will make every attempt to immediately take the Pet to the designated veterinarian for evaluation. Pet Owners are financially responsible in case of such an incident.
What are the requirements to be a Volunteer Pet Caregiver?
Wags & Whiskers (W & W) requires all individuals interested in becoming a Volunteer Pet Caregiver to:
Complete a detailed application on the W & W website.
Assure that all people in the applicant’s household accept the temporary pet care into the home.
Provide a safe and appropriate home for the type of pet being cared for.
Assure pets will be kept inside the home most of the time. Pets will be supervised when in the secured fenced backyards and on leash at all other times outside the home.
Complete a approval process and training.
How do I prepare my home to be a Volunteer Pet Caregiver’s home?
Pet-proofing a home is important for Volunteer Pet Caregivers. Here are some things a Volunteer Pet Caregiver must do:
Remove house plants poisonous to animals.
Keep medications and chemicals out of reach of animals, perhaps in latched cabinets or on high shelves where animals cannot reach.
Cover trash containers accessible to pets.
Block any small spaces, nooks, or holes in walls, cabinets, or behind the washer/dryer that pet can access.
Put shoes, laundry, string/craft items, and children’s toys out of reach of animals, perhaps behind latched cabinet doors or on high shelves out of the animals reach.
Remove all cords out of the pets reach or have a cord covers in place.
Install a pet gate if there are stairs in the home to prevent the pet from having falls or unwanted excursions.
Consider putting fragile knick-knacks away so they are not knocked by the animal.
May a Volunteer Pet Caregiver care for more than one animal at a time?
Yes. Volunteer Pet Caregiver may care for more than one animal at a time at Wags & Whiskers’ discretion.
May a Volunteer Pet Caregiver choose the type of pet and breed they want to care for?
Yes. Wags & Whiskers will coordinate with all Volunteer Pet Caregiver concerning preferences for types of animals, breeds, sizes, temperaments, and activity level.
How do Pet’s family & Volunteer Pet Caregiver stay in communication and how often?
Wags and Whisker’s team will customize a communication plan and help facilitate the Volunteer Pet Caregiver and Pet’s families communication.
How can I volunteer?
Complete the on-line Volunteer Pet Caregiver application under “Do You Want To Help”
You can also Contact Wags & Whiskers (W & W) at info@wagscare.com if you want to volunteer or have any questions. THANK YOU for your interest! It is because of people like you that W & W can give peace of mind and hope to people facing medical issues and preserve a precious relationship.