Frequently Asked Questions
What is your service coverage area?
We offer dog walking, cat care and pet sitting services throughout these Brooklyn neighborhoods. Please note that weekend cat care is currently limited in some neighborhoods.
Bedford-Stuyvesant
Clinton Hill
Crown Heights
Fort Greene
Park Slope
Prospect Heights
Prospect Lefferts Gardens
What types of small animals have you cared for in the past?
We have cared for rabbits, fish, iguanas, guinea pigs, rats, snakes, tortoises, chinchillas, chickens and other birds.
Can my dog be walked at a specific time?
For all dog walks, we require a 2-hour window around your preferred walk time. Solo walks and same day requests may not be available during peak walking times (between 12pm and 3pm M-F) and may require a 3-hour window. Walks on weekends and holidays, and walks performed for clients who only provide HouseBroken with one complete set of their keys, may also be subject to restrictions on walk times. For puppy visits and dogs with special medical needs, we will attempt to narrow the window to approximately one hour around your preferred walk time.
Can a dog walker let my dog off-leash in a park or a dog run?
Even with your permission, for safety reasons we will not let your dog off-leash.
How much time will my dog be outside during a walk?
Our dog walks begin as soon as we enter your apartment and end when we leave your apartment. If we have to obtain keys from a doorman or lockbox, the walk will begin when we ask the doorman for your keys/open your lockbox. Please note that any time spent putting on coats/booties, feeding, medicating, trying to open a problematic door/lock, trying to leash a timid dog, cleaning up accidents, etc. becomes part of the walk duration.
Will the same person walk my dog each day?
We generally assign one primary dog walker per route and two secondary dog walkers per route, and try our best to limit the number of walkers that would walk your dog. Unfortunately, we cannot always guarantee that the same dog walker will be walking your dog each day. Please note that our weekday staff is often different from our weekend staff.
It should also be noted that for clients without a repeating dog walking schedule and for clients with same day requests, we may not be able to accommodate your preference for a specific dog walker.
How do I schedule your pet care services?
If you are already a HouseBroken client, you can login to your Precise Pet Care account and schedule your own services (Client Login). You can also email us at Pets@HouseBrokenNY.com, or text/call our office at 718.622.0600. Regardless of which method you use, you must receive an email confirmation that your pet has been scheduled for the walk or visit. If you have not received a confirmation, please do not assume that your pet will receive a walk or visit.
Please note that the following surcharges may apply to your requested service:
Requesting a service after 6:00pm the day before the service is to be performed - $5 will be charged to your account. For last minute scheduling requests, we cannot guarantee that the specific service or exact timeframe for service you desire will be available.
Canceling a service after 8:00am the day of the service - $5 will be charged to your account.
If a walker arrives at your home for a scheduled appointment and you cancel upon our walker’s arrival, your pet is not home when a walker arrives, the walker is unable to leash your dog or the walker is unable to gain access to your home - $15 will be charged to your account.
How do I make a payment, and what forms of payment do you accept?
Although we can accept checks, Zelle and Venmo, all clients must provide a valid credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover), and be enrolled in our weekly automatic debit plan before we will begin performing services. You can always view your current account balance and update or change your credit card information on file by logging into your Precise Pet Care account.
Please note that we take every precaution to safeguard your credit card information. Your credit card number and the security code are encrypted before being stored in Precise Pet Care. Credit card numbers and security codes are never revealed to HouseBroken or Precise Pet Care staff, and are not even stored in Precise Pet Care's database.
Unfortunately, we are unable to maintain account balances, and your services may be suspended if we cannot debit your credit card.
What days will accrue a "holiday" surcharge?
The following holidays have a $15 surcharge added to services:
New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
July 4th
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
The following holidays have a $10 surcharge:
New Year's Eve
Martin Luther King Day
Presidents' Day
Columbus Day
Day after Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve
How is my dog walk affected during inclement weather?
Walks during inclement weather may be shortened in duration at the discretion of the dog walker and/or a HouseBroken manager. Shortening could be due to safety concerns (high winds, thunderstorms, extreme hot or cold temperatures) or other reasons (your dog won't walk when it is raining). We will do our best to get your dog to go potty before taking him/her back inside, and of course all changes in duration will be reflected in your final bill.
Why do you need two sets of keys to my home?
We require two complete sets of keys (all building keys and apartment keys necessary to enter your home) to ensure that we can efficiently mobilize to walk or visit your pet outside of our normal office hours if necessary, perform multiple walks/visits in a single day if requested, and be able to perform a last minute request for a walk/visit. Without two complete sets of keys available, the pet care services and timeframes available to you may be limited.
I no longer need HouseBroken’s services. How can I get my keys back?
If you would like to permanently close your account, and you do not have an outstanding balance, you can arrange to pick up your keys at our office. We also may be able to drop your keys off at your home, depending upon your location and our availability (a $10 fee may apply). If your account has remained "inactive" (i.e., you have not ordered services within the past year), and you have not contacted us to collect your keys, your keys may be disposed of by HouseBroken.