Contact

If your enquiry is relating to a booking, please use the following options:

Get in touch

Our Sitter Locations

Our sitter's locations span throughout the North West. We cover North Lancashire, South Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway.

Prices

We believe our rates are very competitive. We strive to provide an affordable alternative to kennels but within a home from home environment.

Prices are based per dog and not on the size, age or activity level of the dog. Your dog will continue to get all the exercise, playtime and attention you would give them. We provide sitters with general guidance on a daily dog routine  but we recognise every dog is different.

Prices are per  calendar day (drop Monday and collect Friday would be 5 days irrespective of the timing). Pick up/drop off timings are flexible – so  less stress if you are delayed.

Daily rates for Cumbria and North Lancs

One Dog                               £25

Each additional dog           £15

We may offer a single overnight  discount depending on timings.

Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Eve and Day

One Dog                                £37.50

Each additional dog            £22.50

Rates  may vary in other areas but will be no higher than those published

First Stay

It is worth noting that it can take a couple of days for dogs to settle into a new environment, but each dog is different and you know your dog, so if you want to build up to longer stays we can assist with that.

 

FAQs

If you’ve got a question, take a look below and see if it’s been asked before!

  • Can I meet the sitter before I book?

    Yes, with some exceptions we insist on this. It is important you are confident about where your dog will stay, that your dog has met any resident dog and that your dog is able to be comfortable and relaxed in their holiday home.

  • Do you offer a collection service?

    Generally no. We believe it is best for a dog when the owner drops them off & settles them into their holiday home, but please ask if you are unable to do so. If we can help we would charge at a standard mileage rate.

  • My dog doesn’t get on with other dogs but is fine with people, would this be a problem?

    We would give this careful consideration at the booking stage and would match to a house without dogs. Obviously, extra care would have to be taken on any walks and when out of the house. Dogs which have bitten or attacked another probably would not be suited.

  • My dog normally sleeps on my bed, will the sitter allow them to do this?

    Sitters generally do not allow dogs to sleep on their beds, however, we do have a few exceptions! Please let us know when you are registering and we will make sure we only consider sitters that are happy to have dogs on their bed.

  • What if I visit the recommended sitter and there is a problem?

    It is rare this happens but ocassionally the environment may not be quite right for your dog. If that were the case we can evaluate the reasons and try to offer alternatives.

  • Does my dog need to be vaccinated?

    Yes, they must be up to date with their annual vaccinations and have had recent worming and flea/tick treatment. We do not specify a kennel cough vaccination. Occasionally there may be a reason your dog cannot be vaccinated. We will consider valid exemptions on the understanding that it is at your risk.

  • Do you accept puppies?

    Yes we do, as long as they are fully vaccinated, house trained and do not chew furniture or belongings. Not all sitters are suited to puppies but there are those who love them!

  • What do I need to provide for my dog?

    When dropping your dog for their holiday you should bring enough food for their stay, their bed and bowls, toys, collar & car clip if used, lead, poo bags, Vaccination certificate and any medication required. We aim for home from home.

  • What if I forget to bring something to the sitters?

    Don’t worry, we should be able to supply it. However, there may be a charge if your sitter has to purchase it.

  • Does my dog have to wear a collar?

    Yes, this is essential, it is a legal requirement and we will be attaching a Top Dog Sitters tag, with your sitter's contact details.

  • Are all dogs suitable for Home Boarding?

    In short - no. We cannot accept dogs that are aggressive, have been used as attack or guard dogs, have serious behaviour problems or are not house trained. Your dog would be staying in a family home, so our service is only suitable for friendly, family dogs. We are duty bound to report banned breed dogs.

  • What happens if my dog becomes unwell during their stay?

    The well being of your dog is of utmost importance to us. If we are concerned we will take your dog to the vet. We will use your own vet where possible, but if this is not feasible, we will use the nearest vet. You are liable for all costs. You have the option to provide us with additional details on your registration form as well as emergency contacts in which case we will let you or your contact know what is happening.

  • My dog is on medication, can the sitter administer this?

    Yes, we will have taken full details at the registration stage. If the medication levels change, please let us know at drop off. You will be asked to sign an authorisation form that confirms medication needs.

  • My dog mustn’t be let off the lead. Will this be a problem?

    No, your dog will be exercised as per your instruction given at the registration stage. Whilst we give guidelines on a routine to sitters we try and adapt to your own dog's routine and needs.

  • I have two dogs. Will you accept both into the one house?

    Yes, we would always aim to board dogs from the same family together and would recommend sitters who can take more than one dog. If you already have a booking and then need to add an additional dog please contact us to ensure your booking still suits.

  • How far ahead do I have to book?

    The more notice the better particlaurly if you want a specific sitter. We will try and accommodate last minute bookings but it is safer to book in advance.

  • What if I cancel my booking?

    Please refer to our terms and conditions for associated costs if you cancel your booking.

  • My dog is getting on in years. What happens if they pass on after I have booked my dates and paid my deposit but before my trip?

    This is one of the hardest parts of being a dog owner & we are sympathetic to this. Please just let us know.

  • What if I collect my dog early?

    You are at liberty to collect your dog early however no refund is due if you chose to do so. Your sitter will have been allocated for your pre-booked dates; whilst the sitters do this because they love dogs we do not ask them to give up their time for free.

  • What if my flight is delayed or I’m late back?

    Ring your sitter (or this office if you don't have their number) as soon as possible and let them know about the change in your collection times.

  • Do you offer any discounts for longer stays?

    Generally no, our service and sitters are regularly booked out and we believe we offer a reasonable rate for an excellent service, however we are a personal service that can adapt. Please ring with details and we can advise you better.

  • Can you provide day care?

    We will try and accommodate this but we do not offer a doggie day care service. We offer this as an extra to customers that use our holiday service and have been to stay in the past. The charge would be the daily rate.

  • Can I stay with a different sitter next time?

    Yes, not a problem. We tend to find that customers, dogs and sitters all like their friends to return but you are at liberty to request a change. We recognise that a dog's needs evolve.

Terms & Conditions

Take a look at our booking terms & conditions

Definitions

“Top Dog Sitters” and “Us” and “We” : Top Dog Sitters Limited Company Number 08160472.
“Owner” and “You” : The person making the booking, whether or not they are the legal Owner
“Dog(s)”: The dog or dogs named on the Booking Form.
“Sitter”: The person named on the Booking Form with whom the dog will stay.

1. By making this booking, You hold yourself out as Owner or person in control of the Dog, whether or not you are the legal or registered owner. You will take all responsibility for the Dog and any consequences set out within these terms.

Contract

2. Payment of the Deposit shown on the Booking Form creates a binding contract.

3. The balance shown on the Booking Form is payable to the Sitter on drop off. Failure to pay the Sitter will constitute breach of contract and entitle the Sitter to refuse to take the Dog at their discretion.

Cancellation by you

4. Should you wish to cancel the booking, you must notify Us as soon as possible.

4.1 Cancellation more than 90 days before date of drop off (as per the Booking Form). You can choose either:

  • A fixed fee of £20 will be retained by us, and the balance of the deposit will be refunded to you; OR
  • The whole of the deposit can be credited to your account with us in full to be used against a future booking.

4.2 Cancellation between 90 – 45 days prior to the drop off (as per the Booking Form). You can choose either:

  • A fixed fee equal to 50% of the deposit paid will be retained by Us, and the balance of the deposit will be refunded to You; OR
  • The whole of the deposit can be credited to your account with Us in full to be used against a future booking.

4.3 Cancellation less than 45 days before date of drop off (as per the Booking Form):

  • We will retain the entire deposit; OR
    50% of the deposit can be credited to your account with Us to be used against a future booking.
  • Credit notes are Valid for two years from date of issue.

Cancellation by Top Dog Sitters and/or the Sitter

5.1 In the unlikely event that the Sitter is unable to take the booking, We will, wherever possible, provide an alternative suitable Sitter, which You are at liberty to accept or decline.

5.2 In the event that it is not possible to find an acceptable alternative Sitter, the deposit will be refunded, but neither We nor the Sitter are liable for any consequential losses arising from cancellation of the booking.

Early or Late Collection

6.1 Should you decide to collect your Dog before the end of the booking, You will not be entitled to any refund of the fee.

6.2 If the Dog is not collected at the end of the booking, and You have not contacted Us or the Sitter to make alternative arrangements, We will keep the Dog for two additional days. This will be with the same Sitter if that Sitter is able to keep the dog, but alternative arrangements may have to be made.

6.3 We will make all reasonable efforts to contact You (or any nominated third party) during that time, but if after two days no contact has been made the Dog may be placed in a local rescue centre.

6.4 You will be liable for the additional boarding costs and all other associated costs, fees or expenses.

Your Dog – prior to the stay

7.1 Prior to any booking You will need to ensure that the details are correct on your Registration Form https://www.topdogsitters.co.uk/register-your-dog/

7.2 It will be an implied term of this contract that you have completed the Registration Form fully, honestly and accurately.

7.3 Any changes must be notified to Us immediately, and in any event before the stay commences.

7.4 Your Dog must not be suffering from any illness which could cause ill health to humans or other animals.

7.5 Your Dog’s vaccinations must be up to date and evidence provided to the Sitter on drop off. In circumstances where vaccination cannot be done (e.g. Titre tested dogs) this must be advised at the time of booking, and liability accepted by the Owner.

7.6 Your Dog must be up to date with flea, tick and worming treatments.

7.7 Your Dog must be microchipped. The number must be on record with Us.

7.8 Your Dog must not have been registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. It must never have been trained to attack, or used as a Police dog, Guard dog or for hunting.

7.9 You confirm that your Dog is suitable for home boarding; not all dogs are.

7.10 You confirm that you have met the Sitter and are satisfied with the arrangements or have exempted us from this step.

7.11 You are aware that the Sitter may have other dogs living or boarding with them, unless specifically agreed that no other dogs will be present during the stay.

Your Dog – during the stay

8.1 In the event of accident, injury, or illness, the Sitter will use their discretion to treat the Dog themselves or take it to a qualified veterinary surgeon and will always act in the best interest of the Dog.

8.2 In the event that your Dog attacks or is involved in a fight with another dog or person, you will be liable for any injury or damage suffered.

8.3 If at any stage the Dog becomes aggressive, to any person or animal, or a nuisance beyond what could be reasonably expected, we will contact You (or any nominated third party) to arrange collection. If collection cannot be arranged the Dog will be placed in boarding kennels.

8.4 You will be liable for all veterinary, boarding or other fees incurred by the Sitter or Us under paragraphs 8.1 to 8.3 and You will settle this on collection of the Dog.

8.5 If at any stage the Dog, in the opinion of the Sitter, the dog is distressed to the point where its welfare is suffering, We will contact You (or any nominated third party) to arrange collection.
Your liability

9.1 You will be liable to the Sitter for any damage caused to their home or property during the stay.

9.2 You will be liable to the Sitter for any costs incurred in treating their animals, home or property as a result of flea or other infestation introduced by your Dog.

9.3 You will be liable to the Sitter and/or Us for any veterinary, boarding or other fees incurred as a result of breaches of this contract.

9.4 You will be liable for any injury or loss caused to third parties by your Dog.

9.5 We recommend that your Dog is insured for all such losses and eventualities. Details of such insurance should be provided to us on the Registration Form

Exclusion of Our Liability / the Sitter’s Liability

10.1 Whilst We hold public liability insurance, it does not cover any vet’s fees for illness or injury.

10.2 We do not exclude liability for death or personal injury, caused as a result of our negligence or that of the Sitter.

10.3 We are not liable for any consequential associated losses arising from the cancellation of any booking.

10.4 Our liability is limited to the cost of the booking.
Publicity

11. You agree that We may use photographs of your Dog on our website, social media accounts, or for other advertising purposes, unless specifically notified in advance. We do not post live on social media during stays.

No direct bookings

12. No contact must be made, directly or indirectly, with any Sitters introduced by Us to You with a view to excluding us from future bookings. All bookings must be made through Us.

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy sets out how we use and protect any information that you give Top Dog Sitters when you use this website.

Top Dog Sitters is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

Top Dog Sitters may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 1st December 2019.

What we collect
We may collect the following information:

  • Name
  • Contact information including email address
  • Demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests
  • Other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers

What we do with the information we gather
We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, in particular for the following reasons:

  • Internal record keeping.
  • We may use the information to improve our products and services.
  • We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address you have provided.
  • From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone, fax or mail. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

Security
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online. We do not post live on social media whilst a dog is staying with us.

How we use cookies
A cookie is a small file that asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information that you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Controlling your personal information
You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

  • Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes
  • If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at [email protected]

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish for this to happen.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. A small fee will be payable. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to Top Dog Sitters, 1 Beacon Buildings, Yard 23, Stramongate, Kendal LA9 4BH

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.