Pet Maintenance (Preventative Care)
Improve your Pet’s quality of life, reduce unexpected vet bills and identify problems earlier
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Help your pet live their longest, healthiest life, with fewer surprise vet bills.
Why Pet Maintenance matters
Ever wished you’d caught a lump or issue earlier? Pet maintenance helps you do exactly that. Early detection can prevent disease, reduce the likelihood of unexpected costly vet bills, and even extend your pet’s life. Skipping simple tasks—like regular teeth brushing—leads to plaque, gum disease, and those $1,000+ unexpected dental vet bills. With routine pet maintenance, your pet gets the essential care they need, consistently.
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How does Preventative Pet Maintenance work?
Post a Job for Pet Maintenance and this will send out a job alert in a 25km radius around you and available Pet Professionals will apply in under an hour. You review their profiles, and then click to request a Meet & Greet with the Pet Professional you select.
1
Download the PetCloud App, post a job and select the best sitter for you.
2
Meet your chosen Pet Maintenance Professional at your home.
3
Seamlessly book and securely pay via PetCloud.
4
Relax knowing you’ll have less bills due to them being regularly maintained.
What does Pet Maintenance involve?
Preventative Maintenance is an ongoing subscription service by Professionals who will visit your home and do a 7 point P.E.T. S.C.A.N. ™ check and provide a health score out of 5 for each area. They will then perform preventative services of your choice using your equipment and laundry, bathroom, or outdoor area.
- P – Paws (check for cracks, check for grass seeds which can create painful abscesses or travel to the lungs)
- E – Ears & Eyes (Clipping around the eye area and ear cleaning)
- T – Teeth (Brushing)
- S – Skin (nose to tail check for hot spots, cuts, lumps and bumps)
- C – Coat (flea shampoo wash, brushing, cutting out mats)
- A – Anal Glands (External Expression) and hygiene area clipping
- N – Nails (Grinding/clipping of all 4 paws and dew claws)
How much does Pet Maintenance cost?
The cost of Preventative Pet Maintenance depends on the size of your pet, and how long it has been since their needs were maintained and how many hours on a regular basis you can afford. The starting price for 1 hour is $75 inc GST and includes any 2 services in the 7 points.
Scope
Each 1-hour session includes a minimum of 2 preventative care tasks from the P.E.T. S.C.A.N. checklist or other agreed services. Additional services may require more time or hours. The exact number of tasks completed depends on your pet’s size, coat, behaviour, and the complexity of each task. Your Pet Professional will prioritise the most pressing tasks that impact on your pet’s immediate comfort and health within the booked time.
- Small Dog / Cat Package – 1 hour, 2-3 tasks
- Large Dog Package – 2 hours, 4-5 tasks
- Exotic Pet Package – 1 hour, 1-2 tasks
Verbal and Written agreement before starting
Before each session, the Pet Professional will confirm which tasks will be completed during the hour to ensure clarity and avoid misunderstandings. For pets requiring multiple services, we recommend booking 2+ hours to ensure all tasks are completed thoroughly. Tasks must be agreed on by both parties in messaging on PetCloud before the session starts.
Equipment & supplies provided by Owner before starting
Pet Professionals can only complete services for which the pet owner has provided appropriate equipment and supplies. Missing equipment may limit what can be completed in an hour.
What is Pet Maintenance?
Also known as Preventative Care, Pet maintenance is ongoing care for a pet's health, happiness, and well-being, encompassing daily needs like food, water, exercise, and shelter, pet taxi trips to vet check-ups, pet taxis to vaccinations, parasite prevention, grooming, training, and mental stimulation to ensure a long, healthy life and prevent problems. It's a commitment to their physical and emotional needs, treating them as family members.
During a Pet Maintenance booking, a Pet Professional can perform a range of in-home tasks such as:
- Brushing teeth - Regular brushing prevents bacteria and plaque build up leading to gum disease, which can enter the blood stream and impact vital organs.
- Washing, drying, and brushing your pet - Removes fleas, loose fur, dirt, and prevents matting and skin issues. Brushing removes shed hair, prevents painful mats, distributes natural oils, and helps you spot skin problems, lumps, or ticks.
- Administering parasite control - this involves applying your chosen treatment for your pet.
- Grinding or Trimming nails helps prevent posture problems or nails growing back into the leg
- Cleaning ears helps prevent ear infections
- Trimming fur and cleaning around the Eyes - Removing discharge, and trimming fur reduces discomfort and infections
- Cleaning pet habitats - Includes cat litter trays, bird cages, rabbit hutches, hosing balconies, or small-animal enclosures or backyard poo patrol
- Basic coat clipping or de-matting - Keeps your pet’s coat manageable and comfortable between full grooming sessions.
- Hygiene Area clipping - clips away fecal matter from the body.
- Paw Pad Checks - Cracked paw pads can be moisturised and checked for grass seeds. Grass seeds can become lodged and cause abscesses in between paw pads, and can travel through the body and end up in the heart or lungs.
Each maintenance visit can be customised to suit your pet’s breed, size, and living environment.
Here are some examples of how Pets need ongoing maintenance
I need 6 weeks of critical socialisation & desensitisation, otherwise I’ll grow up into a reactive dog and possibly surrendered to a shelter.
I need washing with flea shampoo every 2 weeks. I need 6 weeks of obedience training, loose lead walking, and toilet training.
Cavoodle. My curly coat needs brushing and dematting weekly, otherwise I may develop painful hot spots, or become overheated. My teeth need brushing weekly otherwise I will develop gum disease, impacting my vital organs.
My ears are floppy and are prone to infection and need regular cleaning.
I need washing with flea shampoo every 2 weeks. My indoor rewashable puppy mats need washing to prevent the build up of ammonia and fecal matter.
Staffy. I suffer from separation anxiety. I will destroy myself (teeth included) and the house or will fence jump when I am left alone.
Terrified of thunderstorms. Daily walks produce serotonin keeping me happy & relaxed. I need washing with flea shampoo every 2 weeks. I need backyard poo patrol once a week.
I need enrichment in the form of sniffing (away from my backyard) to stimulate my brain and make me feel happy & relaxed.
Senior Dog. I have a thick long coat and I shed a lot. I need brushing several times a week. As I age, my needs change. My joints can become stiff, I need gentle daily walks help keep me mobile.
I have a heart murmur. I need morning and evening medication every day otherwise I’ll drown in my own fluid.
My teeth need extra attention because dental disease is common in older dogs. My nails may grow faster and need frequent trimming.
Regular grooming helps to spot lumps, skin changes, or discomfort early so I can stay comfortable longer. I need washing with flea shampoo every 2 weeks. I need backyard poo patrol once a week.
Husky. I’m a working breed dog. WBD’s require up to 2 hours of exercise per day otherwise they will cause noise complaints due to howling and barking. I need washing with flea shampoo every 2 weeks. I need backyard poo patrol once a week.
I’m a bird. My nails and beak grow continuously and need regular monitoring and trimming using a dremel or file.
I need mental stimulation every day to prevent boredom, loneliness, plucking my own feathers out and other behavioural issues.
My water and cage needs frequent cleaning to prevent illness. A balanced diet and regular interaction keep me healthy and emotionally well.
I need plenty of daily out of cage time to stretch my wings under supervision.
I’m a male cat. I am prone to developing a urinary tract blockage, which can be fatal, so I need daily visits.
I toilet in a kitty litter tray that needs daily refreshing to prevent the build up of pheromones and ammonia in the house, my claws need clipping monthly.
I need regular dematting and brushing. My teeth should be brushed regularly — dental disease is common in cats and can affect my kidneys and heart.
Soiled litter or contaminated surfaces carry a risk of toxoplasmosis, particularly for toddlers and pregnant women if surfaces are touched and hands then go into the mouth.
Ensuring tasks are completed safely and consistently is part of maintaining a healthy living environment, which aligns directly with the intent of Core Supports.
Rabbits & Guinea Pig. I poop 100-300 times per day. I need daily spot cleaning and regular full cage cleans to stay healthy.I need regular nail trims because my nails grow fast and can curl painfully. My teeth grow continuously and require constant chewing on hay.
My teeth grow continuously and require constant chewing on hay. Long-haired guinea pigs and rabbits need frequent brushing helps reduce fur ingestion and painful gut blockages and prevent matting.
I’m a fish. My water needs testing and cycling every 2 weeks otherwise I’ll die.
Some of us live in freshwater, some, in salt water. My water needs oxygenating. My tank glass needs cleaning, the gravel needs vacuuming where I drop my poo and food falls
I’m a large dog breed, a Saint Bernard. My poop is the volume of 2 tennis balls each time and I can go up to 3 times a day and I slobber everywhere. I need backyard poop patrol weekly and my coat needs brushing several times a week as I shed a lot.
What types of Pets need Maintenance?
Dogs, Cats, Fish, Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, Mice, Reptiles, Birds, Chickens, Ducks.
Who is Pet Maintenance for?
Pet Maintenance support and assistance is for Pet Owners who may be time poor, or have trouble with physical mobility, challenges eyesight and visual impairment, or mental overwhelm.
How is Pet Maintenance charged?
Hourly rate: Pet Maintenance visits are charged by the hour and can be:
- Multiple hours in a session
- Multiple times a week
- Weekly
- Fortnightly
- Monthly
- 6 weekly
Does the service occur in my home?
Home-visit convenience: The Pet Professional comes directly to your home — no transport stress for you or your pet.
What equipment and supplies do I need to provide?
Equipment and Supplies - as part of responsible Pet Ownership, all Pet Owners are required to supply all equipment and cleaning products. These vary depending on pet type, but generally include: a towel, flea shampoo, coat conditioner, slicker brush, scissors, coconut oil, bicarb soda, a soft bristle tooth brush, a towel, nail grinders, kitty litter scoop, a garbage bag, waste bags, washable pet mats, kitty litter your choice of parasite control.
Why do pets need Pet Maintenance?
Pets need maintenance because they are living beings with evolving physical and mental needs, requiring consistent care like feeding, grooming, exercise, training, and vet visits to prevent illness, ensure comfort, manage behaviour, and strengthen the human-animal bond, much like any responsibility that ensures well-being and prevents neglect or costly issues.
When should you book Pet Maintenance?
Pet Maintenance depends on the type of pet you have, how active they are, and whether they have a short, long or curly coat or whether they live in an aquarium. Below is a table of Suggested Maintenance by Pet Type.
Some Pet Owners book for 2hrs per week, ongoing.
| Pet Type | Weekly | Fortnightly | Monthly | Every 2 Months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-haired dogs | Brushing | Bath & brush | Nail trim, ear clean | Full coat tidy |
| Long-haired dogs & cats | Brushing, eye clean | Bath & brush | Full groom | De-shedding & trim |
| Rabbits & guinea pigs | Cage clean | Groom | Nail trim | Full hygiene check |
| Fish tanks & aquariums | Partial water change | Filter rinse | Full clean | Gravel vacuuming |
In what locations can I find help with Pet Maintenance?
Whether you are in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay, Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin or even Alice Springs – on PetCloud you’ll find Pet Professionals on PetCloud nationally, right across Australia who will visit your home.
What makes PetCloud different?
PetCloud’s strong focus on animal welfare and human safety is due to guidance from Senior Vets, we have been helping Pet Professionals to lead the industry in providing a safe standard of care.
Pet Professionals are Police Checked on PetCloud
On PetCloud we display Digital badges that show what verifications and qualifications Sitters have obtained.
What Verifications do Pet Professionals have?
Each Pet Professional listed on PetCloud has clear digital verification badges that display the police verifications they have attained.
What Training do Pet Professionals have?
Each Pet Professional listed on PetCloud is offered the online pet care training course created in collaboration with Senior Vets. Once they have completed the course, their profile will display an accredited badge. If they have not done the course, they will not have the badge.
When do I pay for my Pet Maintenance booking and how?
After the Meet & Greet, but before the stay begins if the Host clicks “Preapprove”in your message thread with them, you will be shown a button to pay. The Sitter will only have payment released at the end of the stay by PetCloud.
How much does Pet Maintenance cost?
Pet Maintenance is charged at an hourly rate with a minimum of 1 session per week for a minimum 12 week term.
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