Terms and Conditions
By booking a dog walk or pet care service with Nicola's Dog Walking & Pet Care,
you deem acceptance of the following terms and conditions.
you deem acceptance of the following terms and conditions.
General
1) We will request to see and take a copy of your Vaccination Card to ensure your pet is up to date with its vaccinations.
2) It is your responsibility to ensure your pet is up to date with its Flea/Tick/Worming vaccinations.
3) In the unlikely event that something should happen to your pet whilst in our care, we will try and contact the owner or the designated person in case of emergencies. If we are unable to contact you, we will make every effort to take your pet to your preferred vet; however we will act in the best interest of the pet which may mean visiting a different vet.
4) Whilst we do have insurance, any vet bills your pet may incur whilst in our care will primarily need to be paid by the owner so we strongly advise you have insurance for your dog. Should your dog need to use our insurance services, or should anyone make a third party claim against your pet, you will be expected to pay the excess premium (£100 per claim) which forms part of the policy. If your pet is injured in our care, any vet fees under £100 will need to be paid by the owner. Our insurance will not cover any illness or injury as a result of any pre existing condition. We reserve the right to refuse to walk your dog or care for your pet if he/she is not insured.
5) If we are required to enter your property, we will require a set of keys, or for a set to be left in a safe place set by the owner. In the unlikely event that your keys are misplaced by one of our pet carers, our insurance policy covers the replacement of locks & keys.
6) Should your pet need any medication whilst in our care, we will need to be advised of this during their assessment and all medication must be provided by the owner. Please also remember to advise us if your pet begins a new medication or if dosage requirements change. We will follow instructions to administer medication as advised to your pet however we cannot be held responsible for any complications that arise as a result.
7) Payments for dog walking or pet care are required within 7 calendar days of receiving your invoice. We will leave your invoice on the last day of walking your dog/caring for your pet for that week. Payment can be made via cash or bank transfer. If payment is not made within 7 calendar days, we reserve the right to refuse to walk your dog/care for your pet. Small animal home boarding will require a 50% non-refundable deposit which is due at the time of booking. The remaining 50% is required upon dropping your pet(s) to us.
8) We will take photos of your pets which may be used on our website and social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram. If you do not want photos of your pet used, please let us know.
9) Our holiday dates will be provided to you at the start of every year. Should you take up our services mid year, we will provide you with our holiday dates for the remaining period of the year. We aim to cover our holidays with other local pet carers and dog walkers but we cannot guarantee this so we strongly advise you make alternative arrangements for holiday cover.
10) Should we need to permanently discontinue your dog’s walks or pet care for any reason, we will advise you in writing of this and we will give you 2 weeks notice to find alternative pet care.
11) In the event that additional items needs to be purchased in the absence of the client, i.e, pet food, litter or other necessary items that contribute to the health and well being of your pet, the pet carer will purchase these items, retain a receipt and the pet owner is responsible for reimbursement of these items on their return.
12) It is your responsibility to keep us updated with any changes to your own or emergency contact details and your pet care needs.
13) We fully dispose of your pets waste in an ethical manner. We do require for all home based animals that the appropriate waste items are provided. I.e, litter trays, scoopers and waste bags and you will need to let us know where you would like the waste disposed of.
14) We will clean up after your pets within your home to the best of our ability. Please advise us of the designated area in which your cleaning supplies are kept.
15) We will not accept any responsibility or liability for any animals that escape or become lost or injured, fatal or otherwise when instructed to leave the clients animals in a fenced area.
16) We aim to walk your dog/care for your pets in the agreed timescales however sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances, we may need to change these timings at short notice but we will keep you informed via text message.
Dog Walking
1) All dogs must wear a collar and Identification tag during their walk. The law now states all dogs must be micro chipped so we strongly advise you to check with the micro-chipping database to ensure they hold the correct contact details for your dog. All dogs in our care will wear one of our personalised Identification Tags at all times during their walk.
2) We are not able to walk any female dog whilst they are on heat or within 6 weeks of having puppies.
3) Should your dog have any behavioral (territorial, dominance etc) problems, we need to be made aware of this during your home visit and prior to your dogs first walk. If your dog requires a muzzle for their own safety, other dog’s safety, or their walker’s safety, this must be provided by the owner.
4) We walk dogs of all ages including puppies; as long as they have been given the correct vaccinations and this has been certified by your vet.
5) We will walk your dog on a trial period to begin with. If your dog shows any signs of aggression towards people or other dogs, we reserve the right to terminate the walk early and to refuse any further walks.
6) We will walk your dog on lead during his/her first few walks to make sure they are well socialised and bond with the walker. Should your dog be allowed off lead, we will require a signed disclaimer. We do carry dog treats whilst walking your dog, however if you would prefer they don’t have any treats, please make us aware of this. If your dog is rewarded with particular treats on his/her recall, these will need to be provided by the owner.
7) We aim to walk your dog in any weather but the walker will apply personal judgement and cut a walk short if necessary because of extreme weather conditions (extreme heat/thunderstorms etc) for the safety of the dogs and the walker.
8) Walking dogs can sometimes mean wet and dirty dogs. Our van is fully stocked to clean and dry your dog(s) to the best of our availability, however sometimes they may require a full bath which is the owner’s responsibility.
9) All dogs are transported in secure crates within our van and your dog will never share a crate with another dog, except those from the same household
10) If you need to cancel your dogs walk, we ask that you let us know as soon as possible. If less than 24 hours notice is given, we reserve the right to charge for your dogs walk even if they are not able to go on their walk.
11) We will NOT walk any dog that falls under the UK Banned Breed list (Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino & Fila Brasileiro). If we suspect your dog to be one of the UK banned breeds we reserve the right to either refuse their walks or to request a full DNA profiling which is payable by the owner.
Cat Visits
1) We require all food to be provided by the owner. We need to be advised of where the food is stored, how much food is given to your cat, where they like to have their food and the desired times for feeding.
2) For changing of litter trays we do require that the pet owners leave the appropriate items for this including litter, a pooper scooper and waste bags. Please advise us where you would like your pets waste disposed of.
3) We do require that your cat is fully vaccinated and the appropriate flea/worm treatments are administered on a regular basis.
4) If your cat has access to a cat flap, we will need to be advised if this is to be locked during particular times or if they have free access to this.
Small Animal Boarding
1) We will provide a secure hutch for your pet whilst they are in our care. We have a safe and secure garden for your pet to explore whilst they are in our care however if you would prefer your pet to be in a secure run, we also have this available. Your pet will have access to our garden during specific times during the day when they can be monitored at all times for their own safety.
2) Your pet will be in a secured hutch during the night which is kept in the garden. If temperatures drop below 8 degrees, we will move the secure hutch to our garage to ensure your pets do not get cold.
3) We will provide your pet with bedding, hay, straw, treats and fresh vegetables on a daily basis. Pet food will need to be provided by the owner and we will need to be advised of your pets feeding requirements.
1) We will request to see and take a copy of your Vaccination Card to ensure your pet is up to date with its vaccinations.
2) It is your responsibility to ensure your pet is up to date with its Flea/Tick/Worming vaccinations.
3) In the unlikely event that something should happen to your pet whilst in our care, we will try and contact the owner or the designated person in case of emergencies. If we are unable to contact you, we will make every effort to take your pet to your preferred vet; however we will act in the best interest of the pet which may mean visiting a different vet.
4) Whilst we do have insurance, any vet bills your pet may incur whilst in our care will primarily need to be paid by the owner so we strongly advise you have insurance for your dog. Should your dog need to use our insurance services, or should anyone make a third party claim against your pet, you will be expected to pay the excess premium (£100 per claim) which forms part of the policy. If your pet is injured in our care, any vet fees under £100 will need to be paid by the owner. Our insurance will not cover any illness or injury as a result of any pre existing condition. We reserve the right to refuse to walk your dog or care for your pet if he/she is not insured.
5) If we are required to enter your property, we will require a set of keys, or for a set to be left in a safe place set by the owner. In the unlikely event that your keys are misplaced by one of our pet carers, our insurance policy covers the replacement of locks & keys.
6) Should your pet need any medication whilst in our care, we will need to be advised of this during their assessment and all medication must be provided by the owner. Please also remember to advise us if your pet begins a new medication or if dosage requirements change. We will follow instructions to administer medication as advised to your pet however we cannot be held responsible for any complications that arise as a result.
7) Payments for dog walking or pet care are required within 7 calendar days of receiving your invoice. We will leave your invoice on the last day of walking your dog/caring for your pet for that week. Payment can be made via cash or bank transfer. If payment is not made within 7 calendar days, we reserve the right to refuse to walk your dog/care for your pet. Small animal home boarding will require a 50% non-refundable deposit which is due at the time of booking. The remaining 50% is required upon dropping your pet(s) to us.
8) We will take photos of your pets which may be used on our website and social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram. If you do not want photos of your pet used, please let us know.
9) Our holiday dates will be provided to you at the start of every year. Should you take up our services mid year, we will provide you with our holiday dates for the remaining period of the year. We aim to cover our holidays with other local pet carers and dog walkers but we cannot guarantee this so we strongly advise you make alternative arrangements for holiday cover.
10) Should we need to permanently discontinue your dog’s walks or pet care for any reason, we will advise you in writing of this and we will give you 2 weeks notice to find alternative pet care.
11) In the event that additional items needs to be purchased in the absence of the client, i.e, pet food, litter or other necessary items that contribute to the health and well being of your pet, the pet carer will purchase these items, retain a receipt and the pet owner is responsible for reimbursement of these items on their return.
12) It is your responsibility to keep us updated with any changes to your own or emergency contact details and your pet care needs.
13) We fully dispose of your pets waste in an ethical manner. We do require for all home based animals that the appropriate waste items are provided. I.e, litter trays, scoopers and waste bags and you will need to let us know where you would like the waste disposed of.
14) We will clean up after your pets within your home to the best of our ability. Please advise us of the designated area in which your cleaning supplies are kept.
15) We will not accept any responsibility or liability for any animals that escape or become lost or injured, fatal or otherwise when instructed to leave the clients animals in a fenced area.
16) We aim to walk your dog/care for your pets in the agreed timescales however sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances, we may need to change these timings at short notice but we will keep you informed via text message.
Dog Walking
1) All dogs must wear a collar and Identification tag during their walk. The law now states all dogs must be micro chipped so we strongly advise you to check with the micro-chipping database to ensure they hold the correct contact details for your dog. All dogs in our care will wear one of our personalised Identification Tags at all times during their walk.
2) We are not able to walk any female dog whilst they are on heat or within 6 weeks of having puppies.
3) Should your dog have any behavioral (territorial, dominance etc) problems, we need to be made aware of this during your home visit and prior to your dogs first walk. If your dog requires a muzzle for their own safety, other dog’s safety, or their walker’s safety, this must be provided by the owner.
4) We walk dogs of all ages including puppies; as long as they have been given the correct vaccinations and this has been certified by your vet.
5) We will walk your dog on a trial period to begin with. If your dog shows any signs of aggression towards people or other dogs, we reserve the right to terminate the walk early and to refuse any further walks.
6) We will walk your dog on lead during his/her first few walks to make sure they are well socialised and bond with the walker. Should your dog be allowed off lead, we will require a signed disclaimer. We do carry dog treats whilst walking your dog, however if you would prefer they don’t have any treats, please make us aware of this. If your dog is rewarded with particular treats on his/her recall, these will need to be provided by the owner.
7) We aim to walk your dog in any weather but the walker will apply personal judgement and cut a walk short if necessary because of extreme weather conditions (extreme heat/thunderstorms etc) for the safety of the dogs and the walker.
8) Walking dogs can sometimes mean wet and dirty dogs. Our van is fully stocked to clean and dry your dog(s) to the best of our availability, however sometimes they may require a full bath which is the owner’s responsibility.
9) All dogs are transported in secure crates within our van and your dog will never share a crate with another dog, except those from the same household
10) If you need to cancel your dogs walk, we ask that you let us know as soon as possible. If less than 24 hours notice is given, we reserve the right to charge for your dogs walk even if they are not able to go on their walk.
11) We will NOT walk any dog that falls under the UK Banned Breed list (Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino & Fila Brasileiro). If we suspect your dog to be one of the UK banned breeds we reserve the right to either refuse their walks or to request a full DNA profiling which is payable by the owner.
Cat Visits
1) We require all food to be provided by the owner. We need to be advised of where the food is stored, how much food is given to your cat, where they like to have their food and the desired times for feeding.
2) For changing of litter trays we do require that the pet owners leave the appropriate items for this including litter, a pooper scooper and waste bags. Please advise us where you would like your pets waste disposed of.
3) We do require that your cat is fully vaccinated and the appropriate flea/worm treatments are administered on a regular basis.
4) If your cat has access to a cat flap, we will need to be advised if this is to be locked during particular times or if they have free access to this.
Small Animal Boarding
1) We will provide a secure hutch for your pet whilst they are in our care. We have a safe and secure garden for your pet to explore whilst they are in our care however if you would prefer your pet to be in a secure run, we also have this available. Your pet will have access to our garden during specific times during the day when they can be monitored at all times for their own safety.
2) Your pet will be in a secured hutch during the night which is kept in the garden. If temperatures drop below 8 degrees, we will move the secure hutch to our garage to ensure your pets do not get cold.
3) We will provide your pet with bedding, hay, straw, treats and fresh vegetables on a daily basis. Pet food will need to be provided by the owner and we will need to be advised of your pets feeding requirements.