Terms of service
- All clients will be deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions (as laid out below) on signature of the contract.
- Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. will not confirm any booking until a face-to-face consultation has been carried out, with both the client and the pet, with full details of any special requirements, and a contract has been signed by the client.
Cancellation policy and payment
- Full payment for services (agreed either at time of booking or subsequently) is to be made monthly in arrears. Invoices will be sent monthly and must be paid within 4 days of receipt of invoice or by the date specified on the invoice, via bank transfer. If full payment has not been received within this time, then any future bookings will be cancelled.
- If service is cancelled within 24 hours of service being due then full payment is required (except if agreed otherwise)
Security and keys
- If it is necessary for keys to be picked up or dropped off, charges may be applied to the final bill to cover each trip. Keys will need to be provided 48 hours prior of the service commencing.
- Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. can not be held liable to any accident or injury to your pet or damage to the property when we are not in your house, this includes in the unlikely event of a fire or burglary.
- Please inform Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. of any video cameras/additional security measures in place. In the failure to do so we have the right to terminate the contract.
- For safety purposes Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. will always have their phone on them during service.
- If you have any additional security measures please inform us before the service takes place.
Medical/veterinary
- The client is responsible for any veterinary bills, regardless of how they are incurred, whilst the recipient is in the care of Dolittles Animal Training Ltd..
- In the unlikely circumstance that we need to take your pet to the vet payment plans should be organised prior to the service taking place.
- Please inform us of any medical history your dog has prior to walking arrangements.
- Please form us of any allergies your dog has prior to walking arrangements.
Behavioural/training issues
- Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. must be alerted to any behavioural problems with the client’s pets at the time of booking or prior to service. Failure to do so may result in additional charges or cancellation of any future contract.
- All behavioural issues/training will be discussed during the initial consultation, please note any additional training is not included in the service but can be requested at the time of booking.
- Please inform us of any likes/dislikes or fears/phobias your dog prior to walking arrangements.
Emergency contact
- The client must provide Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. with two names and contact numbers of a third party, whom can decide relating to the pet in case of emergency. If the contact is not available, Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. reserves the right to consult with a veterinary surgeon and decide which is in the best interests of the pet.
- In the unlikely event of the client being delayed from returning from work an emergency contact needs to be in place to take over the service, if we are unable to continue doing so ourselves.
Equipment/household supplies
- The client must provide all items necessary for the recipient to be adequately cared for in the absence of the client; including (but not limited to) ‘waste bags’, food/treats, medication, leads, tags, collars. Should pets require any additional supplies whilst in the care of Dolittles Animal Training Ltd., these will be purchased and added to the final bill. If any required items are taken from the client’s home then the client will be informed, however the restocking of such items remains the responsibility of the client (unless agreed beforehand and added to the final bill).
Public liability
- Although Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. holds full Public Liability insurance, pets should also be insured by the client (wherever possible). Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. reserves the right to refuse a booking for any recipient which is not insured.
Loss/injury
- Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. will endeavor to care for the recipient as you would and, whilst we will make every effort to ensure that your pet is well looked after in your absence, Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. cannot be held liable for any loss, injury or death to the pet, either inside or outside of the home, whilst in our care.
Photography
- Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. may wish to take (and retain) photographs of the pet to demonstrate their services. At no point will these pictures feature the owners, their family or their homes (in such a way that could result in a compromise the security of the premises). These pictures will not be used for any other purposes other than as described. If you would prefer that Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. did not retain such pictures, please indicate this on the contract.
- Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. may have other pets at any one time so, to ease confusion, pictures of the recipient may be taken; this will be purely to aid recognition and (in the unlikely event that the recipient gets free) to aid in retrieval. Should the client have indicated their wish for such pictures not be retained then the picture/s will be erased at the end of the contracted period.
- Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. will often post photos of your dog on Social Media. Please inform us if you do not want any of your dogs’ photos shared.
Legislation and safety
- In accordance with the control of Dogs Order 1922, dogs should wear a collar with the name and address (including post code) of the owner engraved or written on it. A telephone number is optional but advisable. Failure to do so may result in a fine, which the dog owner will be liable for. Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. can source a tag and collar, at an additional cost which will be added to the final bill.
- Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. reserves the right to cancel the contract (at any time & with immediate effect) if any dog/s under the contract do not respond well to the dog walker or other dogs (where the continuing of said contract is deemed, by Dolittles Animal Training Ltd., to constitute a risk). In the likelihood of such events your emergency contact will be contacted.
Trial period
- We may request a trial period to ensure that they are happy and familiar with Dolittles Animal Training Ltd..
Walk requirements
- All dogs will be exercised on a lead unless prior agreement has been reached with Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. and the disclaimer section of the contract has been signed.
- The walker will apply personal judgment and cut short a walk, if necessary, because of extreme weather conditions; including, but not limited to: excessive heat, torrential rain, thunderstorms and snow/ice. The decision to do so lays with the judgment of the walker, for the safety of themselves, members of the public, other animals and that of the recipient.
- If the recipient requires towelling off after walks, towels must be provided and left by the front door. We towel dry dogs after a walk, however cannot guarantee that all mud traces will be removed. We recommend protecting household items such as sofas or providing extra covers on these items or having a separate area to keep dogs after a walk.
- Dolittles Animal Training Ltd. has flexible dog walking session slots. Please discuss times of walk at our initial consultation. We try where possible to walk your dogs within a requested allocated time on a first come first basis, however due to traffic and dogs being walked we can never guarantee any specific times. Therefore, we always give a half an hour window within your suggested walking/pick up time if requested.
- Dogs will be walked in a group of no more than 4 dogs.
- Dogs will be picked up and transported to a safe walking location. The duration of the walk (not including travel time unless a Training Walk) will be 60 minutes.
- All dogs will be transported in a secure van/car and crated or secured for their safety, please inform us if your dog has any travel sickness history.