Safe Hands Pet Care
Categories: Pets Pet Services Dog Walkers Pets Pet Services Pet Boarding/Pet Sitting Dog Walkers, Pet Boarding/Pet Sitting [Edit]
Kensington, CAServing Kensington and surrounding area
(510) 528-7870
$10 off with bookings of 5 or more visits for all new clients! http://www.safehandspe... OR 510.528.7870
Lauren N. said: "My husband and I are so glad we found Piedmont Pet. We have a 4 year old yellow lab who has a lot of energy and we hate leaving her alone all day when we are at work. I was just looking for a dogwalker - but we found so much more.…" read more »
22 reviews for Safe Hands Pet Care
22 reviews in English
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Review from PictureGirl F.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 2/9/2012 3 photos
About 5 months after our pug Pious passed away, we adopted a 5 year old pug named Phoebe. We continue to use Safe Hands Pet Care for Phoebe. They always take really good care of our girl. When she first arrived at our home, they came over to meet her and inquire about her personality and needs. We have made some changes to her diet and they are always good about following instructions regarding the food and treats she should receive. They are mindful about opening windows and turning on fans if the house becomes too warm on a hot day. I have worked freelance for the past year and my schedule is always in flux. They always do their best to cover her walks when I make last minute requests. I highly recommend Safe Hands Pet care. We have used them for over 5 years and have no complaints.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/6/2006 First to Review
Safe Hands Pet Care is fantastic! They come and walk my pug Pious every day. They always leave a… Read more »
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Review from Paul L.
Vallejo, CA
12/12/2011
I LOVE Safe Hands! They are incredibly professional and capable. More importantly they really do care about your pets. They are the only service I would use!!!
Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 12/12/2011
Thank you Paul! We hope you, your family and of course your… More » -
Review from gaby g.
Oakland, CA
4/15/2011
I think it's really lame that people are reviewing this service with one star on the basis that Safe Hands was unable to find a sitter for their particular location. Yelp is supposed to be a site for reviews about services.
I have been using Safe Hands for the past few months, since my boyfriend and I travel frequently and our two pudgy housecats need love! And I am 100% pleased with Safe Hands. They are professional and organized. They email us with updates during our trip, with personalized info about the cats. They clean the box and feed and play with the cats. And upon our return, there's a handwritten note giving a witty and informative run-down of how the cats were doing and what the sitter did with them as far as playtime, food, etc.
I've suffered through a lot of pet sitters in my time. Safe Hands is the best I've ever used. Absolutely recommended!Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 11/18/2011
Gaby - thanks for your support! As you know, we strive to… More » -
Review from Miu M.
Berkeley, CA
1/1/2007
Safe Hands is an excellent in-home pet sitting service in the Berkeley - Oakland - El Cerrito area. They really care about our furry friends!
For $19/day (cats), a pet sitter assigned by the business will go to your residence once a day to care for your pets (they will make more than one visit per day for a higher fee). They do all the essentials (food, litter box, etc...) but also check mail, turn lights on/off, water plants, and generally look after your place. Although a number of people pet sit for Safe Hands, the same person is "assigned" to you and your pets, so that they (1) are familiar with your place and (2) your pets get to know them.
An added bonus: your pet sitter will email you with updates on your pets if you are gone for a certain period of time. And when you get back, they leave a report in your home explaining how your pets were while you were away.
Another added bonus: after the initial in-home introductory visit (the owner of the business, Lee, and your designated pet sitter visit your home and get introduced to your pets), you can do everything online - reservations and payment (Paypal). Very convenient.
And finally, one more bonus: Safe Hands really cares about your pets and asks that you call or email them once you get back to town so that they know that you're home to care for your pets. (in case of delayed flights or unforeseen circumstances) If they don't hear from you, they will contact you to make sure everything is OK!
My cats are always well adjusted (not pissed off) and well fed when I return from trips, and I have Safe Hands to thank. Highly recommended! -
Review from Jessica K.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 8/13/2011
Unfortunately, after several months of paying hundreds of dollars in dog walking fees to Safe Hands, quite a few months back I caught my assigned dog walker, Melissa, not walking my dog. Long story short, I stayed home sick one day and since it was too late to cancel the dog walker appt. that afternoon and still get a refund, I decided to have Melissa come by to walk my dog anyway. I'm naturally a skeptical person (I guess it comes with being a journalist), so I decided to spy on my dog walker to see if she was actually walking my dog. I know, that sounds really paranoid, but it turns out that my paranoia was justified because I caught Melissa basically coming in to my apartment, taking my dog out for about 5 minutes and then coming back into the apartment and talking on the phone for the next twenty minutes (I paid for a half hour walk). I was pissed, but I didn't want to do anything rash in case this was a one time thing, so the next day I stayed home from work and spied on her again. This time she did actually walk my dog to the park, but then 10 minutes into the walk I saw her sit down on the bench with my dog and proceed to throw her treats for the next twenty minutes while she texted on the phone. Ignoring my dog while she chats up her friends was definitely NOT what I was paying a ton of money for and who knows how long she had been doing this.
To say the least, I was extremely upset and disappointed, especially because my dog is very high energy and is really in need of an actual walk. I spoke to the owner that afternoon and she was very, very apologetic and professional about the whole thing. In fact, she is so nice and courteous that I really had to think a long time about whether I should update my review on Yelp, but after a lot of thought I feel like it's unfair to not let people know about this in case Melissa still works at Safe Hands. People have a right to know if they can trust their dog walker, after all.
Anyway, I guess my advice is that even though I think the owners of Safe Hands are amazing people, keep in mind that there is always one bad seed in a bunch, so it might not be a bad idea to spy on your dog walker. After all, if they're not doing anything wrong, then why should they care?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/25/2010
Safe Hands is great. The owner is really nice, the staff is wonderful and my dog walker is very… Read more »
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Review from Yen P.
Berkeley, CA
5/10/2010
I've been using Safe Hands for weekly walks for my dog for over six months now. I also had them watch Isabelle over Thanksgiving for about a week. My dog is pretty easy on leash, but I would describe the service as very professional and reliable.
I think it's a little unfair that Safe Hands has a few one star reviews (from folks who never actually used the service) because of what might be perceived as selective coverage -- I don't know or think this but am just going off what others seem to have experienced. However, if they can't cover your home, it could be for a number of reasons. And it might even be concerns based on the reputation of a given neighborhood, but to call it classism or xenophobia is a bit extreme. I know they are concerned with the safety of their walkers, mostly women; and a good employer would not force its employees to enter situations where they do not feel comfortable.Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 11/30/2011
Thank you! We do our best to provide excellent service and… More » -
Review from Anne B.
Santa Rosa, CA
8/18/2007
Safe Hands was an absolute lifesaver to our family. When we rescued our pit bull mix at the age of 6 months, we decided to hire Safe Hands to provide walks in the middle of the day while we were at work. They provided a 1/2 hour walk and play session 3 days a week for 3 years (until we moved out of their service area:(
Every single visit, they would write a brief description of the events of the day. Believe it or not, I saved almost all of the notes. Not sure why, it was just kind of fun, like reading the diary of a dog.
Every now and again we would have new dog walker assigned to Tulip but the transition was always smooth and flawless. I would recommend them in a heartbeat. Special props to dog walker Heather, who was by far our fave! -
Review from Jennifer D.
Oakland, CA
10/31/2007
I've been a loyal Safe Hands customer for two years. My cats are family members, and I wouldn't trust their care to anyone else. I can't recommend Lee Pang and her team highly enough.
I appreciate Safe Hands' attention to detail. When you sign up as a new customer, you're asked to fill out a pet profile, detailing not just your pet's feeding and basic care routine, but their personality, preferences, and habits. They schedule an on-site visit with your assigned pet sitter, so everyone can get to know one another.
They really get to know you and your pets! They know that one cat prefers to sit on a particular rug to receive her pets. They know the other receives medication in hand-shredded roast chicken. No questions asked, no eyebrows raised. Safe Hands totally indulges my tendencies to be an indulgent "parent."
Safe Hands is as careful with the "businessy" side of their business as they are with the pet care itself. Every aspect of this business is meticulous and professional. Scheduling service is convenient and efficient (I email my reservation requests). They confirm all services in writing. They accommodate reservation changes and requests for additional services (mail pickup, plant watering) well. Their rates are reasonable, and billing is accurate. They ask you to check in with them upon your return so they know that your pets are safe. This is an extremely well run company.
Safe Hands has serious heart. Their passion for the furry and four-legged shows in everything they do. -
Review from Jeff K.
Oakland, CA
4/9/2010
Safe Hands has been watching Zoe and Flame for the last few years, and I have no complaints. The kitties get fed and entertained, the litterboxes are changed, plants are watered, and the mail is brought in. I get e-mails twice a week letting me know how they're doing, and a written summary when I get home telling me how things went while I was away. Would definitely recommend them.
Oh, I live in Montclair, so they obviously service at least part of Oakland.Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 11/30/2011
Thanks Jeff - we do service many areas and are growing all… More » -
Review from ilana g.
Berkeley, CA
3/10/2011
I have been using Safe Hands regularly for the past four months and am delighted with the service this company provides. Renee walks our dog, Benny, three times a week and words cannot describe how wonderful it is to not have to give her reliability a second thought. She always comes in the window of time we have agreed upon, takes excellent care of our dog, and is courteous and professional in my communication with her. I am confident that Safe Hands only hires the best.
Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 11/30/2011
Thanks Ilana - we appreciate your support (and Benny's!)! More » -
Review from Corina P.
Las Vegas, NV
2/1/2007
I love LOVE Safe Hands. They have been watching our fur-daughter Ares at our home for about 3 or 4 years now when we're out of town. Their rates are very reasonable and they really care about their charges.
In the beginning, the owner, Doug, came over for an introductory meeting, where he met our baby. He took copious notes on her routine and background. Now, when the designated sitter comes in our home, they know Ares and what to expect. They scoop her litter, feed her, change her water and play with her.
I like that they humor me -- most people don't understand why I can't just leave the cat at home with a lot of food for a couple of days. But my cat is like my kid, and I want to make sure she's safe and well cared for. She once jumped off the fridge with a glass pitcher caught in her leg, and as a result, she severed a leg tendon when the pitcher hit the ground. I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if we hadn't have been home for a couple of days.
This Christmas was the first time we wouldn't be taking Ares with us ... I was very sad, but Safe Hands was extra nice and supportive about it. They even write reports so when we get home from a trip, we know what Ares has been up to.
I highly recommend for pet lovers. -
Review from Simone G.
Berkeley, CA
3/28/2010
A lot has already been said about the in-home pet-sitting service that Safe Hands offers, so I won't go into detail about that. Having worked with other similar services, this company was by far the most professional. The person who came to our home was so confident and organized that we could hardly worry about our cats while we were out of town. (And believe me, I am great at finding reasons to worry!)
It was very comforting to know that there was a responsible person taking care of our cats, and that if anything were to prevent her from coming, there would be a back up with all the necessary information to step in.
We will definitely be using their services again in the near future.Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 2/9/2012
Thanks Simone - we so appreciate your review!!! More » -
Review from Piper E.
Oakland, CA
4/14/2010
While Safe Hands Pet Care claims on their website that they serve a wide swath of the East Bay ("Currently Safe Hands serves Oakland, Berkeley, Kensington, Albany, El Cerrito, Piedmont, Montclair, Rockridge, Lake Merit and Jack London." -from their FAQ, and I won't even be jerky and point out that they misspelled "Merritt."), the unfortunate truth is that they only selectively serve the East Bay.
We attempted recently to set up coverage for our elderly and suddenly very dependent cat while we go on vacation, but were informed by SHPC that they don't have "enough coverage in your area of Oakland." We pointed out that their office is nearby (1.2 miles away), and they serve areas much further away. They replied: "Alcatraz & College is our office location, and, while it is most representative of our coverage radius, our sitters actually build up a client base within a small radius of their own homes, and we just don't have anyone in your area of Oakland yet. We're working on it and apologize for the inconvenience." This sounds completely reasonable until one realizes that a) their office is only about a mile away, b) they claim that their office location is most representative of their coverage radius---really, how big is that? A block? and that c) their website lists "Oakland" as the first city they serve! How about someone from the "office location" comes on over to help out our cat who lives right down the block in Oakland? Oh, right, I don't live in the most expensive zip code in the city.
Methinks I smell some classism, with a dash of xenophobia. They will more than gladly help someone who lives in a tony area like Rockridge or Montclair, but won't help someone down the street in North Oakland. Tell me you're too busy, or shorthanded that week, but do NOT tell me that you do not serve my neighborhood. Get in your car and drive to my house, or hire someone who can walk more than a block from their house to provide this service you advertise. Charge me a you-don't-live-in-Rockridge fee or a crossing Shattuck surcharge that proves that capitalism thrives in America!
So, attention SHPC! Update your website to indicate your spotty scant coverage of Oakland, and stop bragging about your 5-star Yelp reviews because you are not a 5-star business.Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 2/9/2012
Dear Piper - thanks for letting us know that we need to… More » -
Review from Jessica P.
San Diego, CA
10/6/2008
I've been using Safe Hands for several years now, and I can confidently recommend them. A long time ago I used to board my cats when I went on long trips, and they were noticeably angry and resentful when I returned. They are much more comfortable staying in their own home with a petsitter visiting once or twice a day.
The petsitters at Safe Hands are very communicative. They send emails if you're away for more than a couple days, just to let you know that all is well. I was particularly impressed by their responsiveness one day last year when I heard, while traveling, that a really big storm had drenched Berkeley. In heavy rain my roof tends to leak in a certain place, so I worried about coming home to a soaked carpet. I called Safe Hands to ask about the house, and they made sure the leaks were contained.
One thing I particularly like about Safe Hands is that it is usually the same person who visits your house every time, so the animals have a chance to become comfortable with him or her rather than being startled by a series of strangers. -
Review from Heather B.
Austin, TX
5/9/2010
These people are professional, totally dependable, and genuinely care about my dog (an annoying little Jack Russell Terrier). I can't speak for the Oakland coverage complaints, since I live in Berkeley (not a fancy part), but there is not a bad thing I can say about this group.
Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 1/13/2012
Thank you Heather!!! More » -
Review from Melanie R.
Berkeley, CA
4/7/2011
I'd love to be able to actually review Safe Hands service, but, like others on yelp, I cannot because I'm "out of the service area". I live in Berkeley. Safe Hands advertises that they service Berkeley. And yet, they do not, because "we do not have any sitters who live or work close enough to cover your area of Berkeley at this time". I live 2.5 blocks from a BART station, how hard is it to travel to my address?
Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 12/12/2011
Thanks for your review, Melanie. We are so sorry we were not… More » -
Review from Kelly M.
Berkeley, CA
11/21/2010
I also live less than half a mile away from their office and was not able to receive coverage in my area. Apparently, they only have people in North Berkeley, not in North Oakland/South Berkeley. I agree they should change their advertised coverage areas and/or move their office. Why do they even need a business office if it has nothing to do with their clientele? Why list a business address at all?
Comment from Lee P. of Safe Hands Pet Care 12/12/2011
Great suggestion, Kelly. We have taken your suggestion and… More » -
Review from Jenna W.
Oakland, CA
9/4/2008
Safe Hands walked our two dogs every day for 3 years. They were great. Super professional, reliable, reasonably priced. Their walkers genuninely cared for our dogs, and left us a daily report. We had the same walker for a year, until she moved out of the area, then another walker for over two years, before we moved. Safe Hands worked hard to make sure we had walkers who knew our dogs - even the substitute walkers were consistently the same people, so our dogs had a routine.
We only stopped working with Safe Hands because we moved out of their service area. -
Review from S H.
Glendale, CA
3/23/2010
I had Beth watch my cat over Christmas break. Safe hands is very professional and I was at ease having her take care of my cat.
I would highly recommend. -
Review from kristen b.
Berkeley, CA
12/13/2009
We love Safe Hands! They have done a great job caring for our cats while we've been out of town. We've had Joan each time. She is so thorough and professional, and we can tell she really cares about the animals by the detailed reports she leaves for us. We feel really good about leaving the cats in her care.
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Review from Emily H.
Castro Valley, CA
1/17/2008
I've contacted them twice for pet-sitting and while they say on their website that they cover Oakland, they respond that they do not have coverage in Oakland. Don't advertise what you can't deliver.
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Review from Anneke F.
Albany, CA
10/6/2009
A friend recommended Safe Hands to me several years ago as a reliable place to get pet care, and I have been using them ever since. They're thorough, trustworthy, and take care of more than your pet --they will water your plants, get your mail, put out the garbage, etc., too. We've even been lucky enough to usually have the same person sit for our cat! Would recommend them to anyone.
