Terms & Conditions

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") apply to every dog grooming appointment and service booked with Hairy Tails Ltd ("we", "us", "our", "Hairy Tails"). By booking an appointment with us — online, by phone, or in person — you ("you", "your", "the owner") agree to be bound by these Terms. Please read them carefully before booking, and feel free to contact us if anything isn't clear. We follow the Best Practice Guidelines for Dog and Cat Groomers published by the Canine and Feline Sector Group (CFSG) with the Pet Industry Federation (PIF).

1. Bookings, Deposits & Payments

Deposit: a non-refundable deposit of £10 is required to secure every grooming appointment. This is deducted from the final cost of the groom.
Rescheduling: if you give us at least 48 hours' notice, your deposit can be carried forward and used as credit towards a new appointment.
Short notice: if less than 48 hours' notice is given, or you do not attend, the deposit is forfeited (see Section 2).
Pricing: the price quoted at booking is based on your dog's breed, size, coat type and condition, and is an estimate. Any additional charges set out in these Terms will be added to your final bill.
Payment: full payment is due on collection of your dog. We accept credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, tap-to-pay, and cash. We do not currently accept bank transfers.

2. Cancellations, Rescheduling & No-Shows

We ask for at least 48 hours' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

48 hours' notice or more: no charge, and your deposit can be moved to a new appointment.
Less than 48 hours' notice: your deposit is forfeited.
No-show (failing to attend without letting us know): your deposit is forfeited, and a new deposit will be required before we can book any future appointment for you.

3. Arrival, Timekeeping & Collection

We operate strictly by appointment, so please try to be punctual.

If you arrive more than 10–15 minutes late, we may need to reschedule your appointment, and the cancellation terms in Section 2 may apply.
Most grooms take around 1.5–2 hours, though this varies by dog. We'll give you an approximate collection time at drop-off and text you around 15 minutes before your dog is ready.
Please collect your dog promptly. If we need to look after your dog for more than 30 minutes past the agreed collection time, an additional charge may apply.

4. Your Dog's Health & Welfare

By bringing your dog to their appointment, you confirm that, to the best of your knowledge, they are fit and healthy.

You must tell us before the appointment about any pre-existing medical conditions, allergies, injuries, behavioural issues, or recent surgery. We may ask for written confirmation from your vet that your dog is fit to be groomed.
If your dog appears unwell on arrival, we may decline to groom them that day to protect the health of the other dogs in our care, and ask you to rebook once they've recovered.
We do not accept liability for any pre-existing condition aggravated by grooming, or for any allergic reaction to shampoos, conditioners or other products, provided we haven't been told of a known sensitivity in advance. Please tell us about any known irritations so we can take extra care.
Grooming a sick, elderly or medically compromised dog is undertaken entirely at the owner's risk.
We reserve the right to stop or decline a groom at any time — before or during the appointment — where we believe continuing would cause distress, pain or injury, or where we have health or welfare concerns. Where a groom is stopped part-way through, the full or partial grooming fee may still apply.
Before every groom we assess your dog's temperament, health, age and medical history. Dogs showing signs of anxiety or aggression may need special handling or a shorter session, or may not be groomed if it would not be safe to do so.
While in our care, your dog will always have access to fresh water, a secure holding area and comfort breaks, and will never be left unattended.
Nervous or first-time dogs often settle better with something familiar, so you're welcome to leave a towel or blanket with your scent.
Hot weather: to keep your dog safe in very hot weather, we may adjust appointment times or rearrange appointments (including collection & delivery). There is no charge if we rearrange an appointment for this reason.

5. Vaccinations, Microchipping & Puppy Grooming

All dogs must be up to date with routine vaccinations and flea/tick treatment before attending. Keeping this up to date is your responsibility.
Puppies are welcome from 8 weeks old for their Stage 1 introduction visit, which involves no bathing or grooming. Puppies must have completed their initial course of vaccinations before any bath or groom (Stage 2 onwards).
We will not groom a dog that has been microchipped within the last 24 hours.
Dogs that are pregnant or in season will be accepted for grooming unless we consider it unsafe to do so.

6. Fleas & Ticks

To protect every dog that visits our salon, if fleas or ticks are found on your dog during their appointment, we will carry out a flea and tick treatment. This is charged from £15, includes a special shampoo, and will be added to your final bill.
If you think your dog may have fleas or ticks, please let us know before your appointment so we can rearrange it at no cost to you.

7. Matting & Coat Condition

We will use reasonable efforts to groom your dog to your requested style. However, if your dog's coat is matted, it may not be possible to achieve the style you'd like.

In line with the Animal Welfare Act, we will not spend more than 15 minutes de-matting any one dog. Matting can be painful and dangerous to remove, so your dog's comfort always comes first — severely matted coats will be clipped short for their welfare. We will ask for your written consent before any de-matting, or before clipping your dog's coat short (a full clip or shave-down). Additional charges depend on severity:

Targeted de-matting (e.g. under the legs, behind the ears): +£5
General de-matting over the whole body, where achievable in under 15 minutes: +£10
Clipping out (shaving) a matted coat: +£10

We don't accept liability for irritation, redness or nicks that come to light once a mat has been clipped or removed — these often exist under the coat and are only visible once it's gone. After a clip-down for matting, your dog's skin may feel sensitive and they may lick or scratch the area; we recommend a soothing product such as aloe vera and ask that you keep an eye on them over the following days, especially around sanitary areas.

Regular grooming keeps your dog's coat in better, more manageable condition. If appointments are left longer than recommended and extra time or de-matting is needed as a result, the charges above may apply.

8. Muzzling & Aggressive or Difficult Dogs

Please tell us before your appointment if your dog has ever shown aggression towards people, other dogs, or during handling or grooming.
We reserve the right to muzzle your dog at any point where we consider it necessary for the safety of our groomers or other dogs. We can't be held responsible for any injury your dog causes itself while trying to remove a muzzle.
Dogs that show aggression towards our groomers or other dogs may be declined, and we reserve the right to refuse or stop a service at any time. Additional handling charges may apply for dogs that need extra time, care or restraint.
Where we refuse or stop a groom for these reasons, the full or partial grooming fee may still be payable.

9. Ear Plucking & Anal Gland Expression

We only pluck ears or express anal glands where you've specifically asked us to, and where we consider it appropriate to do so — for example, where your dog attends regularly enough for this to be done safely.
Anal gland expression should only be requested where your vet has advised it, or where you believe your dog is uncomfortable due to full glands.
These procedures can occasionally cause irritation. We don't accept liability for any condition arising from either, where carried out at your request, and we'll always advise you to see your vet if we notice any issues.

10. Grooming Accidents & Emergency Veterinary Treatment

We use sharp, professional scissors and clippers on a live, moving animal, and every precaution is taken to prevent injury — but accidents can, very occasionally, still happen.

Grooming can sometimes be stressful for dogs and may expose or aggravate a hidden medical problem. Where we consider it necessary, we will seek immediate veterinary treatment for your dog, and you agree to be responsible for the cost of that treatment.
If your dog needs veterinary care as a result of an incident during grooming, we will look into what happened. You may be liable for the associated costs where the injury results from neglect of your dog's coat, or from your dog's own behaviour.
We can't be held responsible for injury to your dog's eyes caused by hair getting into the eyes during or after grooming.

11. Limitation of Liability

While every care is taken of your dog while in our care, any dog left with us is left entirely at the owner's risk.
We strongly recommend you insure your dog. We take all reasonable precautions to prevent loss, injury, illness or death, but we don't accept responsibility for these except to the extent we're unable to exclude or limit our liability under applicable law.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited by law.

12. Photography & Marketing

Your dog may be photographed or filmed before, during or after their groom. We may use these images and videos on our website, social media, and other marketing or printed materials.
If you'd rather your dog wasn't photographed or featured in our marketing, just let us know before your appointment and we'll make a note on your file.

13. Feedback & Complaints

We welcome your feedback, good and bad. If you're happy with your dog's groom, we'd love it if you left us a review on Google or Facebook.
If you're unhappy with any part of the service you've received, please let us know within 48 hours of your appointment so we can do our best to put things right.

14. Collection & Delivery Service (“Your Chariot Awaits”)

Service area and price: Our collection & delivery service is available to addresses within 5 miles of the salon. It costs £15 per appointment, which covers collection from your home and return after the groom, and is added to your final bill.
Booking: Please book collection & delivery when you book your appointment, and at least 48 hours in advance. The service is subject to availability and is not guaranteed until confirmed.
Collection and return times: We will give you an approximate time window for collection and return. Traffic, weather or earlier appointments may cause short delays, and we will let you know if we are running late.
Handover: You, or an adult you have nominated, must be at home to hand over and receive your dog. Your dog must be ready on a secure collar or harness and lead. If you would like us to use a key or access arrangement, this must be agreed in advance and in writing.
Missed collection: If no one is available when we arrive and we cannot reach you within 10 minutes, the appointment will be treated as a no-show and Section 2 applies (your deposit will be forfeited).
Missed return: If no one is available when we return your dog, we will wait up to 15 minutes and try to contact you. If we cannot, your dog will be taken back to the salon and kept safely until collected, and an additional charge may apply.
Safe transport: Dogs travel one at a time (or with dogs from the same household), secured behind a dog guard with a safety harness or in an appropriately sized crate, and are never left unattended in the vehicle. Our vehicle is cleaned between dogs. Please give your dog the chance to relieve itself before collection.
Health and behaviour: Please tell us in advance about travel sickness, anxiety in cars or any history of aggression. We may decline to transport a dog that appears unwell, distressed or cannot be handled safely. Sections 4 and 8 also apply.
Insurance: Our collection & delivery service is fully insured. If your dog becomes unwell or injured while in our care, Section 10 applies and we will contact you straight away.
Cancellations: The cancellation terms in Section 2 apply to appointments that include collection & delivery.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time — for example, to reflect changes to our services, pricing, or the law. The current version will always be available on our website and in the salon. Continuing to book with us after an update means you accept the revised Terms.

16. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please get in touch:

Hairy Tails Ltd

The Oaks, Clapgate, Albury, Herts, SG11 2JW

Phone: 07432 197436

Email: info@hairy-tails.co.uk

Website: www.hairy-tails.co.uk