Terms & Conditions

Dog Walking

New clients will be required to read and agree to Woof and Whiskers Terms and Conditions outlined here. In making a booking with us, you will be agreeing to the Terms and Conditions.

An initial meet and greet is required before booking any services with us. This is free of charge and allows us to get to know your dog's personality, behaviour and routine. It also helps us to ensure that your dog feels comfortable with us.
A dog walking contract must be reviewed and signed prior to any walks taking place. This contract is essential to ensure the wellbeing of all dogs in our care.

You will be paying for services provided by Woof and Whiskers. Payments, made either weekly or monthly in advance via bank transfer, must be received prior to your dog’s scheduled walk date. If payment is not received by then, no further services will be provided until full payment has been made.

We understand that plans can occasionally change but to allow us to manage our schedule effectively, the following cancellation policy applies:

A minimum of 3 days notice is required
Cancellations made with less notice than stated above will be charged in full.

In the event that we are unable to provide services due to illness, no fee will be charged and any payments made for the affected dates will be fully refunded. We will give as much advance notice as possible for any planned absences such as holidays. In the case of illness, you will be notified as early as possible on the day,

We are unable to provide specific walk times. All walks are scheduled within one of the following time slots:
Morning 8am-11am
Midday 11am-2pm
Afternoon 2pm-5pm
Whilst we do our best to accommodate preferences, walk times may vary slightly day to day due to factors beyond our control (traffic, weather, changes in the schedule.) You will receive a notification via the app when we are on our way to your property.
We hold valid, in date liability insurance and this can be shown to you upon request. We shall not be held responsible for damage or loss of property if your property is left unlocked by you or if keys are left in an insecure location.

If we are required to keep a key to your property, this will be held with no other information than the pet's name and a record will be kept of all keys provided.

In the event of an emergency, we reserve the right to act in the best interests of your pet at all times, including seeking veterinary care if your pet becomes ill or injured. We will contact you immediately; however, if you are unreachable within a reasonable timeframe, we will then contact your designated emergency contact. If neither party can be reached, we will proceed with veterinary treatment as necessary. Please note that you will be responsible for any associated veterinary costs incurred.

At Woof and Whiskers, we care for your dog as if they were our own, ensuring they receive exceptional attention and care while with us. However, Woof and Whiskers cannot be held liable for any loss, injury or death of your dog during the period they are in our care.

Woof and Whiskers accepts no liability for any loss, damage or breach of security to your property if access is granted to any other person during the term of this agreement.

All dogs must be fully vaccinated, including against Kennel Cough and be on a regular flea and worm prevention program. Please note that if your dog has recently received the Kennel Cough vaccination, they cannot join any walks with us until at least 7 days have passed since the vaccination was administered.

All dogs must be microchipped and have a suitable identity tag on either their collar or harness.

It is agreed that the first two walks for each dog are undertaken on a trial basis to ensure they are well-behaved, trained, socialised and suitable for group dog walks.

Woof and Whiskers reserves the right to cancel the contract at any time and with immediate effect if your dog does not respond well to other dogs in the pack or if they are not well trained enough to walk within a pack or on their own.

During the initial consultation, we will ask you whether you would prefer your dog to be walked on or off lead. All dogs will be walked on lead at first however once we have built a good relationship with your dog and with written permission, we will allow your dog off lead. All dogs will be walked off lead away from roads and livestock. By giving us written permission, you are agreeing that you understand the risks of dogs being off lead and will not hold Woof and Whiskers responsible if any harm comes to your dog if they do not recall when needed. If, for any reason we feel it is necessary for the safety of the dog, they will be kept on the lead.

For the safety and wellbeing of your dog, in extreme heat or adverse weather conditions, we may decide that walking is not safe and will recommend alternative arrangements, such as Drop-In Visits.

We will make every effort to return your dog in a clean and dry state. It is your responsibility to leave us a towel by the door and provide instructions on where to leave your dog if they are not fully dry.

Boarding

1. MEET AND GREET AND TRIAL STAYS
All first time bookings are subject to a mandatory meet and greet session, organised by Woof and Whiskers. In accordance with the Higher Standard regulations, for any stay of 3 nights or longer, an overnight trial stay is required at the standard nightly rate. Bookings cannot be confirmed until a successful trial stay has been completed.

Trial night assessments: All trial nights are subject to a daytime evaluation first. To comply with council licensing and animal welfare standards, if a dog displays severe anxiety, continuous howling/barking/crying or distress during the daytime hours, the trial will be discontinued immediately and owners must be available to collect their dog. The trial fee covers the professional assessment and the held slot and is non-refundable.

2. HEALTH, FITNESS AND NEUTERING
The owner certifies that the dog(s) are in a fit and healthy condition.

Neutering: We do not accept unneutered male dogs or unspayed female dogs. All dogs boarded with us must be neutered or spayed.

Vaccinations: Dogs must have completed their primary vaccinations (Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, and Parvovirus) at least 14 days prior to boarding. Valid vaccination certificates must be presented before arrival; failure to do so will result in a refusal of boarding.

Kennel Cough: Vaccination is strongly advised. We cannot detect asymptomatic carriers and are not liable for transmission.

Microchipping: The owner confirms the dog is microchipped as per UK law.

Parasites: All dogs must be up to date with preventative flea, tick and worming treatments prior to arrival. If parasites are detected, we reserve the right to either seek veterinary treatment at the owner’s expense OR contact the emergency contact to collect the dog immediately (within 4 hours) to protect other animals in our care. If a dog must be collected early due to parasites, no refund will be issued for the remaining duration of the stay.

3. VETERINARY CARE AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS
Any pre-existing medical conditions must be disclosed at the time of booking. Should veterinary attention be required, we will attempt to contact the owner or emergency contact immediately. If unreachable, we will proceed under the advice of your regular vet or our appointed practice.

Financial Liability: The owner is solely responsible for all veterinary fees associated with any illness contracted while boarding or any recurring/pre-existing illnesses that crop up during the stay. If the dog suffers a specific physical injury directly resulting from a dog-on-dog incident (such as a dog bite) while in our care, Woof and Whiskers will cover the veterinary costs and pass the claim to our business insurance. This insurance coverage does not apply to general physical injuries or accidents, such as a dog slipping, tripping or falling during a walk or playtime; such incidents remain the financial responsibility of the owner.

4. BEHAVIOUR AND SOCIALISATION
We do not board aggressive or destructive dogs. Owners are liable for any damage caused to the property or injuries to other animals/persons. All dogs must be house-trained.

Mixing Households & Familiarisation: By signing these terms, the owner gives explicit consent for their dog to be mixed with dogs from other households and to undergo our mandatory familiarisation protocol. This protocol involves a neutral ground walk upon arrival or within 4 hours. Mixing in communal areas thereafter is at our sole professional discretion.

Non-Compatibility: If dogs are deemed incompatible, they will be kept separate using the physical barriers and designated rooms protocol required by our license. Such dogs will still receive individual exercise and enrichment.

Emergency Collection: In the event of extreme aggression where safety is at risk, the emergency contact must be available to collect the dog within 4 hours. Should the dog need to be collected early for this reason, the remainder of the booking fee is strictly non-refundable.

5. BOARDING RISK AND LIABILITY
Whilst every effort is made to provide the highest level of care, dogs are boarded at the owner’s risk. Woof and Whiskers is not liable for illness, injury, loss or death, except where such an event is a direct result of the proven negligence of the business. We are not liable for medical expenses or claims arising from the dog’s own behaviour.

6. SEPARATION AND SUPERVISION POLICY
All dogs must be comfortable being left unattended for up to 3 hours. This allows for errands, commitments and daily tasks. By booking, the owner confirms the dog does not suffer from separation anxiety that leads to distress, excessive barking or property damage. If a dog is unable to be left alone or does not settle during a trial session or the stay itself (contrary to the boarding form), we reserve the right to terminate the booking. In such cases, no refund will be issued for the remaining duration of the stay and the owner remains liable for any damage caused.

7. PAYMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS
Standard Rate: £40 per night.
Bank Holidays: £50 per night (Add. dog £30).
Premium dates (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, NYE, New Year's Day): £65 per night (Add. dog £45).
Policy: A 50% deposit is required to confirm. The balance is due 14 days before arrival. Cancellations with less than 4 weeks’ notice are non-refundable.

Please note: Bookings are only fully confirmed once payment has been received. To secure your slot, payments must be settled within 3 days of receiving the invoice. Places cannot be held or secured until the required payment (trial stay fee or 50% deposit) has been received, after which the date will be released to other clients.

8. DROP-OFF AND COLLECTION WINDOWS
To manage our day effectively and cause the least amount of disruption to the dogs in our care, we operate strict daily windows:

Collection Window: 8am - 10am
Drop-off Window: 3pm - 5pm
If you require a drop-off prior to 3pm, or a collection after 10am, this must be requested and agreed upon in advance. Out-of-window requests are subject to operational availability and will incur a flat surcharge of £25. Late collections without prior agreement may impact future bookings.

9. FOOD AND BELONGINGS
Owners must provide sufficient food for the duration of the stay. If additional food is required, this will be at the owner's cost. You are welcome to bring items for your dog such as bedding, toys and treats. To help us care for your dog safely, please provide a checklist of all items you are leaving with us. Whilst we take care to supervise and manage all items, we cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to client-owned items. We recommend leaving only essential items and keeping valuables or irreplaceable belongings at home.