in Sophies Pawtique & Spa I 160 Union Grove I Aberdeen I AB10 6SR
All clients are required to complete and sign our terms and conditions and then promptly return them to us before we undertake your dog’s first pampering session. We understand Data protection is very important therefore all your data is strictly confidential and under no circumstances will it be shared with any third party. If your dog has any new health conditions or anything has changed before their pampering session, we would appreciate it if you could please inform us of these changes so that we can best care for your dog to the highest possible standards and ensure a safe and comfortable environment for them.
OUR BUSINESS INFORMATION:
We are Sophies Pawtique & Spa, and our business address is 160 Union Grove, Aberdeen, AB10 6SR. We are reachable by phoning us on 01224 383721 or by sending an email to info@sophiespawtique.com, which we aim to reply to within 24 hours of receiving it. If there is a need for us to contact you we will do so by phone or by emailing the email address provided to us by yourself. Please state your preferred method of contact in our introduction forms so that we can use this for future reference.
BEFORE YOUR DOGS ARRIVAL:
Before dropping your dog off with us, please make sure they have had access to do the toilet before their pampering session begins so they are comfortable during their time with us. We also advise that you don’t feed your dog 30 minutes before their scheduled pampering appointment. Please be assured that your dog has access to fresh water throughout the duration of their appointment.
LATE ARRIVAL:
We kindly ask that you arrive on time for your appointment so that our day runs smoothly, and we are on time for our other appointments. We understand things happen, but we also must be conscious of our workload and keep to the allocated appointment times, therefore, if you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your scheduled appointment, we may have to reschedule to another date. We work by appointment only and don’t accept walk-ins, so the appointment time and slot booked by yourself is exclusive to your dog only and will not be filled if you are late or don’t show up resulting in a loss of earnings. We, therefore, must treat late arrivals as cancelled/missed appointments. The deposit paid for your dog’s pampering session is therefore non-refundable so we can cover the costs of the missed appointment. We do offer an appointment reminder service so be sure to tick the yes box in your client introduction forms.
LATE COLLECTION:
As we are a Pet Services Spa, we are unable to accommodate dogs staying after their pampering session has finished therefore, we must charge a nominal fee of £5.00 for every 15 minutes past the agreed pick-up time. This cost will be added to your dog’s appointment invoice and payment can be made at the same time as paying for the pampering service. I am sure you will understand we must do this as we have overheads to meet.
DEPOSITS & CANCELLATIONS:
Customers are required to pay a deposit equal to 50% of the estimated overall costs at the time of booking their dog in for a pampering session. You agree that this deposit will be non-refundable if an appointment is cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice, if an appointment is missed or if continual re-scheduling occurs. If your appointment goes ahead as scheduled the deposit you have paid to us will be deducted from the total cost of your dog pampering session. If you provide us with 48 hours’ notice for cancellation, we can then carry over your deposit to your next pampering session. A record will be made of this. If you wish to cancel a pampering session slot you can do so easily by personally calling or emailing the Spa on the contact numbers provided. If the cancellation is more than 48-hour notice, then we will be happy to refund you the deposit that was paid at the time of booking. The deposit will be refunded by the method you used for payment at the time of booking your pampering appointment. If you wish for it to be refunded using a different method, please inform us of how you would prefer to be refunded, and we will do our best to accommodate you. Refunds can take up to 14 days from us being informed of the refund request. We will confirm the request by writing either by email or letter. If for any reason the 14 days cannot be met, we will inform you immediately. If the pampering session has started but we are unable to proceed and finish the full session due to your dog’s uncooperative or aggressive behaviour, we will have to end the session immediately for the welfare and safety of ourselves and your dog. We ask that you honestly answer our questions about your dog’s temperament and any worries you may have about them being pampered so that we can prepare ourselves for their pampering session and assess whether we think they are suitable to be accommodated in our Spa safely. We reserve the right to cancel the pampering session if we feel under threat and that we have not been properly informed of your dog’s behaviour. A reasonable charge will be charged for the time spent trying to pamper your dog and the allocated slot appointed to you.
CHARGES:
Our prices are based on the size and breed of your dog. Please understand that quotes charged for a standard cut of the breed of dog you request to be pampered may vary if the dog is matted or needs a special trim which will include shave downs. Please inform us of the exact cut you require at the time of booking so we can provide you with an accurate price. The price of the pamper will be the price stated at the time of booking if the exact clipping style is agreed upon. Please note that our standard pampering charge is for dogs that are used to being professionally pampered and their coats are well maintained by brushing and washing in between appointments. If when your dog is dropped off and we do our consultation, we feel your dog’s coat may need extra services to get it to the expected standard we will discuss this with you before we start the service. If we need to contact you we will do so by your preferred method of contact. Please be aware that extra charges may occur if your dog’s coats are matted, knotted, maintained to a poor standard, or excessively overgrown. This is because it will take extra time to get their cut to the standard we aim to reach. An uncooperative or aggressive dog during our pampering session may also be charged more as it will require unexpected extra time and care. If we are unable to complete an appointment due to behavioural problems or aggression you will be charged the full price of the pamper. All costs are payable in full at the time you collect your pet. Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa have the right to refuse to pamper a dog at their discretion without a given reason.
PUPPIES’ FIRST PAMPER:
Here at Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa, we start puppy pampering from 11 weeks old, after they have completed their second set of vaccinations. We recommend having their first pampering session when they are this age so they can get used to the pampering process young, so it won’t be a stressful experience for them later in life. We allocate more time for puppies to have their first pampering session so we can make them feel as safe and secure with us as possible.
PARASITES/ TICKS/FLEAS:
Any ticks found on your dog during the appointment will be removed at your discretion. If we find fleas/parasites on your dog, we will contact you straight away so you can collect them immediately. Pampering will be stopped at this point, depending on where we are up to in the appointment process a fee may incur. We will then arrange a new date that is convenient for you to complete the full service.
LIABILITY:
The owner understands that by leaving their dog in our care they leave their dog entirely at their own risk and discretion. Whilst we take every safety measure extremely seriously, we cannot accept any responsibility or liability in the case of any injury, death, or illness of your dog whilst in our setting. We advise having pet insurance before your dog’s pampering in the unlikely event your dog needs emergency veterinary care.
DANGEROUS DOGS:
We will not under any circumstances pamper any dog registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and/or the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997. It is the responsibility of the owners to notify Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa if their dog is aggressive in any way towards people or other dogs. Please be aware it may be appropriate to use a muzzle if we feel our safety is in jeopardy during any stage of the pampering process. We will discuss this with you and agree on a suitable way to pamper your dog safely, but to also make sure your dog is not stressed and uncomfortable. We want to make the experience as positive as possible for your dog. By signing our contract in the Pawtique, you are agreeing that if we feel it is completely necessary for the safety of us and the dog that a muzzle may be used. Please be reassured that using a muzzle will not harm your dog and is simply a way to keep both us and your dog safe. It is the owner’s sole responsibility to notify us if they do not wish for their dog to use a muzzle. Refusal to wear a muzzle may result in the session being cancelled. Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa reserves the right to refuse to pamper your dog if your dog shows any aggressive tendencies as we cannot risk our safety. If there is an incident where we are injured by your dog you agree that you are fully liable for any medical bills, loss of income, or damage to equipment or premises. If you are unsure how your dog will react to the pampering process, please inform us and we can assess your dog for their first appointment with us.
ACCIDENTS:
Although extremely unlikely, accidents can happen during the process. In the event of an accident or serious medical issue that arises during your dog’s session, you the owner authorises Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa to seek appropriate emergency veterinary treatment. You as the owner will be responsible for paying the costs of any veterinary treatment needed. Things like cuts, scrapes, scratches, etc can happen due to the nature of the job and how dogs like to move about. Please be assured we make every effort to make sure your dog is handled and treated safely.
HEALTH & WELLBEING:
Sometimes during the pampering process, we come across medical issues that need addressing. If you have not informed us of the condition in your introduction forms, we will try to contact you should the need arise using the phone number you have provided to discuss what you would like us to do. If your dog has a new condition that we are unaware of please inform us so we can update your files and be aware when we are pampering your dog, so they are as comfortable as possible. If your pet is unwell on the day of your appointment, it may not be accepted for the session due to the risk of spreading viruses to other dogs. We recommend that your dog is up to date with their vaccinations. They may pass or interact with other dogs whilst on our premises but please rest assured we disinfect surfaces and all equipment between appointments. If your dog had been microchipped within 24 hours of your booking, we will unfortunately, not be able to proceed with the appointment as your dog may still be sensitive around the neck area from the needle. Unfortunately, we are unable to pamper pregnant dogs and dogs in season for obvious reasons. Please book in around their season. Please note ears are only plucked upon request.
PHOTOGRAPHS:
We love taking photos of your dogs during their pampering sessions especially our before, during, and after appointment photos. Photographs may be used on our Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa website, socials, and printed promotional documents. Please let us know if you prefer your dog not to be photographed and have its picture on any of our social media.
MATTED DOGS:
If your dog’s coat is matted you acknowledge and agree that it may not be possible for Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa to achieve the style that you desire. Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa will try our very best to meet your requirements however a matted coat may result in us having to clip/shave your dog’s coat short. If your dog’s coat is badly matted, it will require a long pampering session. In accordance with the Animal Welfare Act, we will not spend more than 15 minutes de-matting. It is extremely important to us that your dog is comfortable, and matting can be painful to remove, therefore clipping/shaving short may be the most suitable option. It’s important to not leave the fur matted as this will aggravate your dog’s skin resulting in your dog being in pain and discomfort. We will discuss this prior to the pamper and Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa will require you the owner to sign the De-Matting policy. There are risks such as cuts, or abrasions when shaving and this may result in irritable itchy red skin. It’s important to keep on top of your dog’s coat to prevent this from happening in the future. De-matting is not without risk, so we do not accept liability for any abrasions, cuts, or sores after the session. If you need any advice about how to look after your dog’s skin after being shaved just let us know, we are happy to help. There will be an additional charge for de-matting due to the amount of time and care it takes at £20.00.
APPOINTMENT FEEDBACK:
Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa will provide you with detailed feedback after every pampering session. We will speak to you directly but understand that sometimes you may be in a hurry, and it may not be possible, so we also do an end-of-session report with all the pampering your dog has had and how they were during their pamper. If you have any queries or need further clarification or information, please just ask or contact Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa asap. We are more than happy to discuss any details of your dog session or advise you about how best to care for your dog’s coat after their pampering sessions. If you are however unhappy with any part of the service that you have received, please let us know before you leave the salon. We are happy to alter the cut immediately or note down any changes for the next pampering session. We want you to be 100 percent satisfied with your dog cut so please do let us know if we can do anything to make your experience even better.
ELDERLY DOG POLICY:
From time to time, pampering can expose underlying medical problems or aggravate an already existing one. If your dog is over the age of 10, please make sure you have updated your pet’s introduction forms with any new illnesses or health conditions that you may feel could impact your dog’s experience. It is important we know of any health issues no matter how big or small before starting the process. Older dogs have a higher chance of being injured during the pampering process. By agreeing to have your dog pampered with us you are accepting that you alone are liable for any accident or injury that may occur whilst your dog is at the salon and any vet expenses are for you to settle. By signing these terms and conditions, you the owner agree to hold Sophie’s Pawtique & Spa harmless from any liability or responsibility whilst your dog is in our care. Any alteration to this agreement must be in writing and signed by both parties, although the terms of this agreement can change at any given time. You will be notified of any changes.