SITTER AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT IS BETWEEN PACIFIC ASSISTANCE DOGS SOCIETY (HEREINAFTER, "PADS") AND THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL REGARDING THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL (HEREINAFTER, "THE SITTER")

Name(Required)

One form should be completed per person.

First Last

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City Province Postal Code

Email(Required)

Primary Phone(Required)

WHEREAS:

PADS is a not-for-profit organization which trains dogs to assist people with disabilities or to match them with community care professionals; and
The Sitter agrees to participate in the care and socialization of the puppies/dogs in the PADS training program;

In consideration of the mutual undertakings in this agreement, PADS and the Puppy-Sitter agree as follows.

Which Region (or Satellite) are you participating in?

Which program are your going to be volunteering in:(Required)

Puppy-Raising

Advanced Training

Ownership & Access

PADS owns the puppy; at all times, the puppy is the property of PADS.
The Sitter acknowledges that PADS employees, and their duly authorized representatives must be provided access to the puppy at reasonable times to facilitate and protect the health, safety, well-being, and training of the puppy.

Please initial below to indicate you’ve read and understood the terms of Ownership & Access(Required)

Volunteering & Compensation

Time: The Sitter agrees to volunteer their time, efforts, and talents to help with the training, socialization, care, and safety of the puppy and understands that that they are doing so with no financial compensation
Expenses
1. Incidental & Mileage: Volunteers may be eligible for a tax receipt, in exchange for incidental expenses incurred, in accordance with the Volunteer Tax Receipt Program (terms reviewed annually and subject to change).
2. Veterinary Expenses: PADS pays for or provides all normal veterinary expenses for the puppy. This includes microchipping, tattooing (performed at time of spay/neuter), routine vaccines, spay/neuters, deworming or extraordinary veterinary care that are related to an injury or illness that is not considered preventable by reasonable and due care by the raiser or sitter.
  1. Extraordinary costs are to be paid by the sitter: These include but are not limited to:
    1. emergency treatment of illness or injury that could have been prevented by due care and compliance with PADS puppy handling protocols (i.e. puppy is off leash in an on leash area and sustains an injury, is left unattended and consumes something that causes illness or injury, etc)
    2. The sitter is travelling to an area with the puppy that requires additional vaccination or treatment (ie heartworm, flea/tick control, etc)
3. Supplies & Food:
  1. PADS: All supplies for the puppy must be secured at the time of sitting and returned upon the end of the sitting arrangement. This could/should include crate, food, leash, collar, working vest, toys, etc. and must be returned to either the Puppy-Raiser or a PADS staff member upon return of the puppy.
  2. Sitter: The Sitter may purchase incidental items if they wish for the purpose and enjoyment of the various puppies they sit (this is not required and items may be requested from the volunteer or staff member arranging the sit). For example:
    - Treats and Toys (in accordance with PADS Treat & Toy Policy)
    - Grooming supplies i.e.: brush, nail clippers, toothbrush, toothpaste
    - Food bowls
    - Dog beds

Please initial below to indicate you’ve read and understood the terms of volunteering & compensation:(Required)

Terms of Program Participation

Direction:
1. PADS directs the puppy’s raising, training, and placement.
2. Training plans are developed by PADS in consultation with volunteers involved, and the Sitter commits to executing them to the best of their ability.
3. PADS is responsible for ensuring that the puppy is treated humanely, and that training is professional and of the highest standards.
Assessment of Progress: To meet its responsibilities, PADS will continually assess the puppy’s progress in training, care and socialization, as well as the suitability of its sitters.
Attendance: Instruction & Program Participation: The Sitter commits to attend regularly scheduled training and evaluation (delivered in person, virtually, field trips, 1-on-1’s or assessments) and a minimum of one special event per month (should events requiring volunteers be scheduled). PADS commits to providing regular instruction, learning materials and follow-up.
Reporting: Sitters are required to fill out:
1. Sitting reports:
  1. Puppy-Raising: These must be completed at the end of each sitting arrangement of 24 hrs or more.
  2. Advanced Training: Reports must be completed as requested by PADS training staff.
2. Other reports as requested/required (turn-in, incident, etc)
Assignment of Puppy: The volunteer acknowledges that should it be determined that it is in the best interest of the puppy (or another puppy in the program) that PADS may reassign puppies to different Sitters in order to support their well-being and training.
Health Care Commitment
1. Compliance: The Sitter must comply with:
  1. Any/all medical or veterinary advice as instructed by the PADS medical team &/or authorized veterinary professionals
  2. The PADS Medical Protocol for Illness and Injury (available online at hydrant.pads.ca/health/illness-and-injury/)
2. Notification: If at any time the puppy is injured or shows signs of illness, the Sitter must notify PADS in accordance with the PADS Medical Protocol for illness and injury.
3. Duty to Provide Care: If PADS does not promptly instruct the Sitter about the steps to take, or if the state of the puppy’s health requires immediate action, then the Sitter may call a veterinarian for medical care.
  1. The veterinarian’s expenses will be paid according to the health care guidelines that are described in point 2b of this Agreement.
Breeding: PADS holds all breeding rights on the puppy and makes any/all breeding decisions. The Sitter agrees to inform PADS immediately if an unauthorized mating occurs.
Spays & Neuters: PADS makes all decisions relating to whether a puppy is spayed or neutered.
Damage by Puppy:
1. The Sitter shall be responsible for any damage whatsoever and however caused by the puppy while in the Sitter’s care or possession.
2. The Sitter agrees to indemnify PADS and hold PADS harmless against any claims, demands and liabilities (and legal fees incurred in connection therewith) that may arise out of any action or legal proceeding related to the Sitter’s care, actual possession, and/or use of the puppy.
Authorized Handlers & Puppy Location
1. The Sitter must ensure that the puppy is only in the care of authorized handlers (active Sitters, Raisers, Raiser Support Handlers, PADS Staff or Veterinary Professionals)
2. PADS must know who is caring for the puppy at all times. Any sitting arrangements must be reported through the appropriate channels (varies by region/program).
3. Should the puppy need to be left in the care of an unauthorized individual (only in the case of a serious emergency) the Sitter must report this by calling the PADS emergency cell phone as soon as possible.

Please initial below to indicate you’ve read and understood the terms of Program Participation(Required)

Program Decisions & Releases

PADS reserves the right to make all program decisions regarding placement, release, etc.
If deemed unsuitable for training as an assistance dog, the assignment of the puppy for placement outside the PADS program will be governed by protocols in “Recareer & Release Protocol” which can be reviewed on Hydrant.

Please initial below to indicate you’ve read and understood the terms of Program Decisions & Releases(Required)

Clauses

Survival: PADS’ waiver of any breach or violation of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver by PADS of any subsequent breach or violation.
Termination of Agreement: PADS may terminate the Agreement at any time without notice if PADS has determined that the puppy’s care and socialization will benefit by terminating the Puppy-Sitting agreement. If this Agreement is terminated, PADS will take physical possession of its puppy which is in the care of the Puppy-Sitter at that time. The Puppy-Sitter may also terminate this agreement at any time, and must provide at least 24 hrs notice so that arrangements can be made to take physical possession of the PADS puppy.

Please initial below to indicate you’ve read and understood the clauses above(Required)

Acknowledgement & Signature

We look forward to creating a successful and enjoyable relationship with you as a volunteer at the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society. If these preceding terms are acceptable to you, please indicate this by signing below. A copy of the signed agreement will be distributed to all parties. I, the sitter, have read, understood, and accept the terms and conditions of this agreement, including any referenced policies/documents.

Signature(Required)

Date(Required)

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Volunteer: Sitter Agreement