Transform Your Booking Process with New Service Availability Controls

We're delighted to announce the launch of Service Availability Controls, a major new addition to Pet Sitter Plus.

Designed to help pet sitters and dog walkers take full control of when clients can request services through their client portal, this update gives businesses more flexibility, fewer unwanted requests, and a smoother experience for clients using the Client Portal.

Whether you run a solo dog walking service, a growing pet sitting team, or a multi-service pet care businesses, these tools will make managing availability clearer, faster, and more efficient.

Watch our New Release video below, or read on to learn more about what it can do for you.

Why We Built Service Availability Controls

For many pet businesses, managing incoming requests can quickly become a challenge. Clients may request times outside your normal hours, during holidays, or on days when you’re fully booked. Declining these requests takes time - and can occasionally lead to confusion or disappointment.

The new Service Availability Controls solve that problem by letting you set clear rules about when services can be booked. Your clients only see what’s available, making the whole process easier for both them and for you.

This release represents the next step in our ongoing mission to provide the most flexible, powerful, and intuitive pet sitting and dog walking software available.

What’s Included in This Release

Clear, Customisable Client Notices

Three new notices help you guide clients with extra information when they need it - from within their Client Portal, while they’re making a booking:

• Service Request Info Panel - company-wide messaging at the top of the request screen

• Client Portal Notice - targeted guidance once a client selects a service

• Unavailability Popup Notice - explains why a date or time cannot be booked

These are perfect for sharing reminders, conditions, seasonal updates, holiday details, weather disruptions, or service-specific instructions.

Flexible Availability Settings at Three Levels

You can now define your business availability based on your regular operating days and hours, and apply these settings at:

• Company level - ideal for simple, business-wide rules

• Service group level - lets you override company-wide settings when different categories, such as walking, boarding, grooming, or other services, require their own specific rules

• Individual service level - for complete precision when services have unique requirements

This means you can choose exactly when each service can be requested in the portal - from “Anytime”, “Unavailable”, or fully customized hours for every day of the week.

Public Holidays & Company Vacations

You can now prevent clients from requesting services on specific days such as:

• public holidays

• staff training days

• planned business closures

• times when you’re fully booked

Simply mark these dates in your calendars and let the system take care of the rest.

Better Client Communication, Less Admin for You

Your clients will see exactly what’s available before submitting a request, helping you avoid declines, misunderstandings, and unnecessary messages.

It’s simpler for them - and dramatically more efficient for you.

Who Benefits the Most?

These controls are designed for every type of pet care business:

• Dog walkers who work set hours each day

• Pet sitters managing multiple services with different schedules

• Home boarders who accept bookings outside regular operating hours

• Groomers with timed appointment slots

• Larger teams coordinating multiple staff and service groups

• Flexible pet carers who fit their services around other commitments

  
  

If you’ve ever wished clients could only request services when you are genuinely available - this update is built for you.

How to Start Using Service Availability Controls

A detailed step-by-step training video is now available in The Learning Zone both on YouTube and within your system, covering:

• how to switch the module on

• how to create notices

• how to set availability rules

• how clients will see your settings in the portal

You can watch the implementation video below now or save it to watch later.

We’ve also published new Knowledge Base articles to guide you through each part of the setup process.

For existing Pet Sitter Plus subscribers, you can also access help directly within your system using the Info Icons, which provide clear explanations and tips right where you need them.

If you need any further support, simply reach out to our support team or your software coach - they’ll be more than happy to help.

Take Control of Your Booking Requests Today

Service Availability Controls give you the flexibility, clarity, and confidence to manage bookings on your terms. Helping you to stay organised whilst delivering a smoother experience for your clients.

If you're already a Pet Sitter Plus user, you can start setting up your availability rules in your software today and immediately enjoy the benefits of clearer schedules and fewer unwanted requests.

If you're not yet using Pet Sitter Plus, now is the perfect time to discover how our professional pet sitting, dog day care and dog walking software can streamline your operations, enhance communication, and support your growing business.

Start your free 30-day trial and see how Pet Sitter Plus can transform the way you manage your schedule - so you can focus on what matters most: providing exceptional pet care.