The Scoop on Picking up the Poop

Duty Free Pets Inclement Weather Policy and Conditions

Our comprehensive Inclement Weather Policy and Conditions procedures are designed to eliminate guesswork about whether your lawn will be serviced on your scheduled day.

Duty Free Pets has been a leader in reliable pooper scooper service since 2006. We scoop thousands of clients each week, averaging over 40 homes per day per technician. However, Colorado weather—and Mother Nature—can occasionally affect our ability to complete scheduled services.

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Client Agreement

By using Duty Free Pets, you agree that we reserve the sole discretion to delay, cancel, or reschedule service due to weather. These decisions are based on full-route conditions, not individual properties, and include whether service credits are issued and in what amount.

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Factors That Determine the Decision to Scoop

Several individual and combined factors determine whether we can provide service:

• Snow Accumulation – Both in the days leading up to service and on the service day itself

• Weather Conditions – Rapid snowfall, extreme fog (under 5’ visibility), sheet rain, lightning, hail, sustained winds over 35mph, or arctic cold (below 20°F sustained or with wind chill)

• Hazardous Driving Conditions – As determined by CDOT

• Technician Safety – Includes all hazardous road, weather, and environmental conditions

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Snow Accumulation

We may cancel a service day when 100% snow coverage affects the majority of homes on a route. Our guideline is that if we can access approximately 20% or more of waste across an average route, we will attempt to scoop. Due to geography, trees, ground treatments, and temperatures, some clients may see more or less coverage.

Not all snow is equal. Two inches of snow on warm ground may still allow access to a majority of waste. On the other hand, a light snowfall combined with arctic cold can freeze or conceal most of it.

Colorado weather is unpredictable. Snow may fall overnight but melt by the afternoon. We may still scoop and will leave a “SERVICE ALERT” note explaining conditions if waste was missed due to coverage.

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Weather Conditions on Service Day

We do not want to miss a service day. However, we must consider safety and efficiency. Our techs spend 75% of their day outside. In sustained temps under 20°F, warming up becomes nearly impossible.

Driving conditions also matter. Even if your lawn looks accessible, CDOT warnings or deteriorating road conditions may cause us to delay or cancel service for safety. Rain is rarely a factor but can lead to flooded yards and submerged waste.

Lightning and hail may also delay or prevent service. In most cases, techs wait out the storm or skip to a safer part of the route, possibly returning later. If they cannot return, we’ll contact you that day or the next morning with our plan for makeup or credit.

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Hazardous Driving Conditions

We rely primarily on CDOT for determinations regarding road safety. However, we may make early calls to pull technicians off the roads if conditions begin to deteriorate rapidly.

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The Decision: Credit vs. Makeup Service

Whether we reschedule or issue a credit depends on several factors, including weather and available manpower. If makeup service is possible, we’ll schedule it. If not, a snow credit will be issued.

We’ll always inform you via email or phone. If you don’t receive a message and don’t see us on your scheduled day, check your spam folder. Words like "poop," "credit," or "proxy server" may get flagged.

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Snow Credits

When Duty Free Pets Cancels Service:
If we cancel due to inclement weather, you’ll be notified as early as possible. Missed days are not rescheduled. Instead, a snow credit—typically 25% of your regular fee—is applied. For example, $17.50 service = $4.38 credit.

Snow days often result in more poop the following week due to dogs staying indoors. Routes are also harder to navigate and take longer, especially with frozen piles and icy paths.

When the Client Declines Service:
If we are scooping but you feel your lawn doesn’t need it due to snow coverage, notify us by 9:00 AM via phone or at PooFree.com/request. If approved, a credit up to 25% will be issued.

If you wait until your tech texts you and then decline, no credit will be given, as time has already been committed. Missed waste will double (or more), adding time and cost to future service.

Many companies don’t offer snow credits—we do, and we aim to keep it fair for everyone.

How Snow Credits Are Applied:
Approved snow credits will be applied to your following invoice, even if your current invoice has not yet been paid. They will appear as an itemized line item including the date of the credited service.

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Makeup Service

If we cannot service your lawn within four days of your regular visit (for weekly clients), we will not make up the missed service.

Makeup service depends on labor, weather, and route availability. While we can’t guarantee exact days or times, we will communicate a date range and send email or phone updates. A complimentary text-ahead is available upon request.

If you cannot accommodate the makeup day, we will issue a snow credit. If we arrive on a makeup day and cannot access your lawn—and you didn’t notify us at least 24 hours in advance—you will be charged the full service fee.

We aim to avoid missing two weeks in a row. If bad weather is forecast for your next service day, we may shift your schedule (e.g., from Monday to Saturday). If your dogs require a confirmed text-ahead, we must receive confirmation before servicing your lawn on a non-regular day.

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Access Requirements

Clients are responsible for maintaining a clear path and fully functional gate. If we cannot access your yard due to snow, ice, or mechanical issues, the full service fee will still apply.

Uncleared paths or locked gates result in missed service and accumulated waste. The next visit will take longer and often require the time equivalent to two regular visits.

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Inclement Weather Communications

We aim to keep clients informed. If a full snow day is called, emails are generally sent before noon. If we’re unsure, we may wait until later or follow up the next morning by phone or email.

For smaller route changes, we may call affected clients directly. If we can’t reach you, we’ll leave a voicemail and often follow up by email.

Emails will explain whether service was missed, if a credit is being issued, or if a makeup is planned. If a makeup is scheduled, you may request a credit instead—but this must be done at least 24 hours in advance.

You are expected to make your lawn safe and accessible on the makeup day. If you need a text-ahead, respond to the email and request one. If you do not, and we are unable to access your yard, the full service fee will be charged.

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Scooping Even if There Is Snow Coverage

Sometimes we scoop with snow still present. If snow is covering waste, we’ll do our best. In certain cases, we may leave a “SERVICE ALERT” card explaining the conditions.

However, service alerts are not issued for every snow-covered lawn. We reserve their use for cases where it may not be immediately obvious that snow will melt quickly, or where lingering coverage could cause confusion about the quality of service. Our goal is to communicate when appropriate without overusing alerts so technicians can maintain route efficiency.

Snow may melt later in the day and reveal waste that was previously hidden. This is not an indication of poor service—just a reality of working in snowy conditions.

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Week After Missed Service or Snow Melt

The following week may involve double the work. Ice-chipping, excess waste, and soft ground can add 3–5 minutes per home. With techs averaging 40 homes a day, this adds hours.

We start earlier, skip lunch, and work late to catch up. However, winter days are short. If your lawn cannot be completed that day, we will inform you and attempt service the following day.

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PooFree Guarantee

Our PooFree Guarantee ensures your satisfaction. However, inclement weather is one of the few exceptions. We can only scoop what we can see.

If snow is present, we’ll still try to get as much as we can. If we suspect there’s waste hidden under snow, we’ll leave a “Service Alert” to let you know what conditions we encountered.

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Thank You

Thank you for reviewing our detailed policy. It reflects nearly two decades of experience and a commitment to transparent, reliable pet waste removal—even in Colorado’s toughest weather.