Health and Medical conditions- Procedures within the grooming environment can be stressful for some dogs, especially for senior, young, overweight dogs or those with medical concerns. The process may expose unknown medical conditions or aggravate a current one during or after the groom. In the best interest of your pet, this agreement will give Chichester Pet Salon permission to seek emergency veterinary treatment if we deem it necessary for whatever reason. We will do our best to contact you first, before taking your pet for treatment; however, this may not always be feasible. Unless we are deemed to be negligent, all medical expenses are the responsibility of the owner.  

Elderly, Infirm, Overweight or Young Dogs- A full groom can take in-excess of 1HR 30MINS (every dog is different) and is physically demanding the longer the groom, as well as stressful for some animals. Whilst Chichester Pet Salon makes every effort to provide additional support to elderly/infirm/overweight and young dogs we cannot guarantee that your dog will be able to adequately support themselves for the duration of the groom which may result in serious health risks. There is also an increased risk of other injuries such as cuts and grazes. Chichester Pet Salon reserves the right to stop the grooming process at any time with payment being due on collection of your dog. Sick/ unwell dogs or dogs who have just had an operation must NOT attend a grooming appointment; therefore, they will be refused. 

Vaccinations- By using our services, owners confirm that their dog is up to date with their annual vaccinations against Canine Distemper, Infectious Canine Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, and Canine Parvovirus. An unvaccinated dog may put itself and others at risk. Chichester Pet Salon takes no responsibility for any dog that may contract any of the diseases. 

Chichester Pet Salon may ask for proof of vaccination and veterinary information which must be provided. 

Fleas & Ticks- Chichester Pet Salon is proud to be a tick/flea free environment. If your dog is known to have a parasitic infestation, we ask that your grooming appointment is rescheduled to a time when your pet is free from said infestation. 48 hours' notice must be provided to avoid a cancelation charge. We recommend that you contact your veterinary to provide you with the best recommended treatment. If fleas are found on your dog, we will use a flea shampoo and be required to do additional disinfection of our premises and equipment. An additional £15.00 will be charged to your bill if fleas are found. If ticks are found, an additional £5.00 will be charged to include removal. We will not be held responsible for any infection caused by the tick or removal thereof. 

Worms-
We request that all pets that come to Chichester Pet Salon are treated against worms with an appropriate Veterinary recommended application. If worms are found the groom will be stopped immediately and owner called to collect their pet, and a deep clean fee will be charged at £45.00 as the salon will need to be thoroughly disinfected before any other dog comes in as worms are contagious, so next appointments after the infected dog may need to be moved or cancelled therefore there’s a loss of earnings. The dog may only return to the salon once appropriate veterinary treatment has been completed and is clear of all worms.

Coat Condition- Chichester Pet Salon practice humanity over vanity. If we are presented with a neglected coat and believe, in our professional opinion, it is kinder to remove the coat than it is to de-mat this will be done in accordance with The Animal Welfare Act 2006. Whilst we will make every effort to identify this as part of the pre-groom consultation and coat assessment, there may be occasions where the degree of matting cannot be fully identified until we commence the groom. 

In our professional opinion, we do what we believe is in the best interest of the welfare of the dog. By agreeing to these Terms and Conditions you are expressly agreeing to the following De-Matting disclaimer: 

De-Matting Disclaimer- Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal: this includes prolonged ‘de-matting’ which is painful and detrimental to the welfare of the dog. If you bring your dog with more than 15 minutes of de-matting work, we are required by the Act to clip your dog short humanely or refer you to your vet to do the same. We will only attempt to de-matt 5% of a dog – which equates to about a 50p sized mat behind each ear, same size in the armpits and perhaps one or two in the groin or tail area. We have assessed your dog’s coat and found it to be matted; therefore, it needs to be clipped short. This can be prevented by daily brushing with a slicker brush and comb. Will be happy to explain the correct way to brush your dog and suggest a grooming programme that will allow us to achieve the look you would like for your dog, this may involve more frequent visits to our salon and will certainly involve daily grooming at home. When a dog’s coat becomes matted, it causes discomfort as the mats pull tightly on the skin and underlying health conditions may not be visible. When a matted coat is clipped short, it may occasionally reveal sore, reddened, and irritated skin. This is due to the fact that the skin has not been able to breathe, and air circulation is not restored. Clipping a matted coat can take longer and cause additional wear and tear on our equipment, so a further fee may be chargeable in addition to the normal groom price. 

The process of de-matting increases the risk of injury including but not limited to cuts and grazes, skin irritations caused by the shortness of the clipper blades that will be used as well as possible hematomas. In addition, you may see some behavioural changes such as head shaking, excessive scratching, licking, and “scooting”. This is where the dog will scrape their back end on the floor to relieve itching and irritation. Should you have any concerns, you should seek advice from your usual vet. 

Additional charges may be incurred due to the wear on equipment, additional products used, as well as time and skill needed to remove matting. 

Behavioural Charges- Aggression - Owners have the obligation to inform Chichester Pet Salon of any known aggressive behaviour traits their pet may have to other animals or humans. Specifically, the owner must inform Chichester Pet Salon if they have been advised by pervious groomer(s) of any behaviours. 

Nervous/Anxious Dogs- Although Chichester Pet Salon caters to dogs with nervous traits, owners have the obligation to inform us of any such behaviours in order for us to cater to their needs to the best of our ability. 

Behavioural charges will be decided by Chichester Pet Salon depending on the severity of the behaviour and the time, skill, and equipment required to groom the dog. If your dog should bite, you agree to be responsible for all related medical bills, loss of earnings, and equipment damage. We reserve the right to refuse service if we believe your dog may become a danger to itself or those within the salon. In the event of any of these behaviours present during the groom, the session may stop at any time, and the full fee is incurred. 

Time Keeping- Chichester Pet Salon works in a strict time frame to ensure that your dog receives ample grooming time and one-to-one care. We expect to admit you at your given appointment time. If you are early, we may not be able to grant immediate access and would ask that you wait until your allocated time. Likewise, if you are more than 15 minutes late, we may have to refuse your groom on welfare grounds as rushing the groom may lead to unnecessary stress and possible injury. A fee equal to the cost of the groom will be incurred. If you are more than 15 minutes late collecting your dog, a late collection charge will be incurred. 

Pricing- Any prices provided are an estimate only. Additional charges may be incurred due to: 

• Overweight dogs or oversized for the breed 

• Unkept/neglected coats 

• Aggressive, senior, nervous or timid dogs that require additional handling 

• Fleas and/or ticks 

• Dogs that require additional handling for whatever reason 

Cancellations/ No shows. 

We require 48 hours' notice for cancelled appointments or the full grooming charge will apply and must be paid in full before re-booking.  

Pregnant/ In season- Chichester Pet Salon is unable to groom pregnant or in season bitches and will not provide services for any dogs noted under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Should your Bitch be in season during the time of a pre-booked appointment 48 hours' notice must be provided to avoid the cancellation charge noted above. 

Photography- Occasionally we may take photos and videos of your dog to upload to the socials and our YouTube, we do have forms you can fill out to state whether you’re okay with this or not

Please toilet your dog before attending their appointment. 

If they toilet on our property, please make sure you pick up the dog mess and put it in the bin. We have poo bags if needed, thank you. 

All dogs must be on leads on premises, 

By following this grooming policy, we aim to provide a safe and comfortable grooming experience for your dogs in our care. 

I, as the owner have read and understand the above policies/ terms and conditions and can confirm that my pet is fit and healthy and fully vaccinated, I agree that the groomer will not be held liable or responsible for irritation, abrasion, patchiness, or hair loss due to pre-existing skin condition, or as a result of the process of grooming, de-matting, thinning, or shaving, or mishap caused by my non-disclosure of my pets medical condition or behaviour. If my pet bites or attempts to bite any person or pet, a muzzle may be used, or at the discretion of the groomer, treatment may stop and I will have to pay for all work that has been carried out to that point, and I will pay any damages and expenses my pet has caused. If I fail to collect my pet at the agreed time, I will pay the extra cost due. If my pet has any infestation of fleas or ticks, I will pay the extra cost due. I can confirm that all the above facts I have supplied are true to my pet. And I agree to pay any charges due to appointments cancelled or no showed without adequate notice. By allowing the groomer to carry on with the groom after reading these Terms and Conditions, I accept and entirely consent to the terms and conditions shown above.