tails of the city as petsitters?

[Anonymous]

Any one used them? Any feedback appreciated!

thanks -

[Anonymous]

If you are talking about tails of the city in dc, they are great. i've used them a couple of time while away on business trips. they are prompt in responding and very flexible.

[Anonymous]

I don't have pets, but I love the name of their business! Not a helpful comment, really - sorry.

[Anonymous]

I used them and was not pleased. I would not recommend them and I would never use them again. Several things --

1. If I remember correctly, the owner or manager (can't remember her name, only that it was unusual) was hard to reach or didn't respond quickly to calls or emails. This wouldn't have been an issue except that I had other complaints which required me to try to contact her.

2. At least twice if not three times, the dog walker didn't show up. We were using them to walk our dog several times a week while my husband and I both worked. The dog walker was supposed to leave a note to let us know that she had been there. The first time there was no note, there was some sort of "emergency" (which I learned only after calling to inquire whether she had been there). The second time, there was another excuse. The third time I was obviously ready to fire them (which we did anyway) but they claimed that she had come that time but had just forgotten to leave a note. Either way, we were fed up.

3. Even when she did come (and it was supposed to be the same person every time, though if I remember correctly, I think the walker changed without prior notice), I don't think I got my money's worth. We were paying for a set amount of time of a walk -- can't remember if it was 15 or 30 minutes a day -- and a neighbor told me that she saw the walker come once, take our dog right outside, and return not five minutes later. When I called to inquire/complain, the owner made some lame excuse, like the walker had been sick that day or, alternatively, that she had a bad back and it was hard for her to walk our larger dog. (Which, if that's the case... don't be a dog walker.)

We were thoroughly displeased and looking back, I can't believe that we kept them after the second time they failed to show up. In the end, I got no indication that they cared about my dog, they were unprofessional, and -- bottom line -- I could not trust that they were going to do the job. I want a dog walker during the week to whom I can turn when we go out of town and need an overnight or weekend petsitter, and there was NO WAY that I would have trusted Tails of the City for that. If they didn't show up during the day, the only thing that happened was that our dog was uncomfortable because she had to hold it all day long, but what if we went out of town and they were supposed to keep her and didn't show up? Unacceptable.

We now use Saving Grace on Capitol Hill -- 180 degree difference. The dog walkers (we've used two of Saving Grace's walkers) are amazing -- they LOVE our dogs, we love them, I trust them, their scheduler is super responsive and friendly. Four star service. (And no, this isn't an ad; I promise I am totally unaffiliated except as a satisfied customer. I appreciate SG all the more after having had such disappointing service from Tails of the City.)