Terms & Conditions

These Terms & Conditions apply to services provided by Happy Hounds Cornwall, including dog walking, group walks, solo walks, puppy and pet visits, pet sitting and house sitting in St Austell and surrounding areas.

By booking or using our services, you confirm that you have read, understood and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

All services are subject to availability. We recommend booking as early as possible, particularly for pet sitting, house sitting, weekends and busy holiday periods.

A booking is only considered confirmed once it has been agreed by Happy Hounds Cornwall.

Regular bookings may be arranged with clients depending on availability. We reserve the right to make reasonable changes to walking times or schedules where necessary due to weather, traffic, emergencies or the needs of the animals in our care.

Before providing services to a new client, we may arrange an initial meet and greet to get to know you and your pet.

This gives us the opportunity to discuss your dog's personality, behaviour, routine, exercise requirements, medical needs and any other information necessary to provide appropriate care.

Clients are responsible for providing complete and accurate information about their pets.

Dog walks will be provided for approximately the duration agreed when booking. Walk times may vary slightly depending on weather, travel, the dog's individual needs and other circumstances.

The safety and welfare of the dogs in our care will always take priority. We reserve the right to shorten, alter or adapt a walk where we believe this is necessary for a dog's wellbeing.

This may include particularly hot weather, severe weather, illness, injury or circumstances that could make continuing the planned walk unsafe.

Happy Hounds Cornwall offers carefully managed group walks with a maximum of four dogs.

Dogs taking part in group walks must be suitable for walking alongside other dogs. Clients must disclose any known behavioural issues, aggression, reactivity, resource guarding or other concerns before their dog joins a group.

We reserve the right to move a dog from group walks to solo walks or discontinue group walking if we believe this is necessary for the safety or wellbeing of the dog, other animals or members of the public.

Solo walks are available for dogs that benefit from individual attention or are not suited to a group environment.

We will make reasonable efforts to tailor the walk to the dog's age, personality, fitness, behaviour and exercise requirements.

Puppy visits and drop-ins can include companionship, feeding, toilet breaks, play and other agreed care.

Puppies will only be walked outside once it is appropriate and safe for them to do so. Owners are responsible for following their veterinary professional's advice regarding vaccinations and when their puppy can safely begin outdoor walks and socialisation.

Exercise will be adapted to the puppy's age, development and individual needs.

Clients must tell Happy Hounds Cornwall about any known behavioural concerns before services begin.

This includes, but is not limited to, aggression, biting, reactivity, fear, anxiety, chasing, poor recall, resource guarding, escape behaviour or difficulties around other dogs, animals, children or adults.

Failure to disclose relevant behavioural information could put your pet, other animals and people at risk.

Happy Hounds Cornwall reserves the right to refuse, modify or discontinue a service where a dog's behaviour presents an unreasonable safety risk.

Owners are responsible for providing suitable, secure and properly fitting collars, harnesses, leads and other equipment required for their dog.

Dogs must have legally required identification, including an identification tag where applicable, and owners are responsible for ensuring their dog's microchip details are accurate and up to date.

If we believe equipment provided is unsafe or unsuitable, we may ask for appropriate replacement equipment before continuing the service.

Dogs will only be allowed off lead where this has been specifically agreed with the owner and Happy Hounds Cornwall considers it appropriate and reasonably safe to do so.

Even with good recall, animals can behave unpredictably. Environmental factors, wildlife, other dogs and unexpected events can also affect a dog's behaviour.

Happy Hounds Cornwall may choose to keep a dog on a lead or long line at any time where we believe this is safer or more appropriate.

Owners must provide accurate and up-to-date information about their pet's health, medical conditions, allergies, injuries and medication.

Please notify us of any changes to your pet's health before their next booking.

If your pet is unwell or may have an infectious or contagious condition, you must inform us before the service takes place. We may need to cancel or rearrange a service to protect other animals in our care.

Owners are responsible for ensuring their pets receive appropriate veterinary care and preventative healthcare.

You must inform Happy Hounds Cornwall if your pet has fleas, worms, ticks or any known or suspected contagious illness that could present a risk to other animals.

We reserve the right to temporarily suspend services where there is a reasonable concern about the health or safety of other animals.

Where agreed in advance, Happy Hounds Cornwall may be able to administer medication provided by the owner.

Clear instructions must be supplied, and all medication must be appropriately labelled and provided in its original packaging where possible.

We reserve the right to decline to administer medication where we do not feel suitably able to do so safely.

In the event of illness, injury or another emergency, we will make reasonable efforts to contact the owner or their nominated emergency contact as quickly as possible.

If we are unable to reach you and reasonably believe that urgent veterinary attention is required, Happy Hounds Cornwall may seek veterinary treatment in the interests of your pet's welfare.

Where possible, your usual veterinary practice will be contacted. In an emergency, however, it may be necessary to use the nearest available veterinary service.

Unless otherwise agreed or where liability legally rests elsewhere, veterinary costs incurred for the treatment of the owner's pet remain the responsibility of the owner.

Clients should provide a reliable emergency contact who can make decisions regarding their pet if the owner cannot be reached.

It is the client's responsibility to ensure that telephone numbers, addresses, veterinary details and emergency contact information supplied to Happy Hounds Cornwall remain accurate and up to date.

When providing pet sitting or house sitting, Happy Hounds Cornwall will follow the pet's normal routine and the owner's reasonable instructions as closely as possible.

Clients must provide sufficient food, medication, bedding, leads, cleaning supplies and any other items reasonably required for the duration of the booking.

Owners must disclose any relevant information about their property, pets, security systems and household arrangements before the booking begins.

Where access to a client's home is required, clients are responsible for providing suitable access arrangements.

Any keys, access codes or security information provided to Happy Hounds Cornwall will be treated with care and used only for the purpose of providing the agreed service.

Clients should notify us promptly if access arrangements, alarm codes or locks change.

For security reasons, keys should not contain information that directly identifies the property wherever reasonably possible.

Where house sitting, pet sitting or drop-in services are provided, we will take reasonable care to leave the property secure.

Clients are responsible for explaining any relevant alarm systems, locks, gates or security procedures before the service begins.

Happy Hounds Cornwall cannot accept responsibility for problems caused by faulty locks, alarms, gates, doors or other security equipment outside our reasonable control.

If other people will have access to your home during a pet sitting or house sitting booking, please let us know in advance.

This could include family members, neighbours, cleaners, gardeners, tradespeople or other pet care providers.

Happy Hounds Cornwall cannot be responsible for the actions, omissions or security arrangements of third parties entering the property during a booking.

Where transportation forms part of an agreed service, reasonable care will be taken to transport dogs safely and appropriately.

Owners must disclose any known travel anxiety, motion sickness, aggression or other issues that could affect the safe transportation of their dog.

Dog walking takes place in typical Cornish weather, including rain. However, services may be adapted during extreme heat, storms, severe weather, dangerous road conditions or other circumstances where normal walking would be unsafe.

During hot weather, walks may be shortened, moved to a cooler part of the day where possible, replaced with a shorter toilet break or adapted to reduce the risk of heat-related illness.

The welfare of the dog will always take priority over completing a particular route or duration.

We understand that plans sometimes change and ask clients to give as much notice as reasonably possible when cancelling or changing a booking.

For house sitting, pet sitting and other services where time has been specifically reserved, cancellation terms may be agreed at the time of booking.

Happy Hounds Cornwall also reserves the right to cancel or rearrange a service in exceptional circumstances, including illness, emergencies, unsafe weather or circumstances outside our reasonable control. Where this happens, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you as soon as possible.

Current prices are displayed on our website or confirmed directly when arranging a service.

Any additional charges will be discussed where applicable. Prices may be updated from time to time, but any changes affecting an existing regular arrangement will be communicated to the client.

Payment arrangements will be confirmed when booking.

Owners remain responsible for ensuring that the information they provide about their pet is complete and accurate.

You must inform us of any significant changes to your dog's health, behaviour, routine, home circumstances or care requirements.

You are also responsible for ensuring that appropriate food, medication and equipment are available where required.

Happy Hounds Cornwall will take reasonable care when looking after pets and providing services.

However, animals can behave unpredictably and some circumstances are outside the reasonable control of a pet care provider.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions is intended to exclude or restrict liability where doing so would be unlawful, including liability that cannot legally be excluded under UK law.

Clients remain responsible for disclosing information that could reasonably affect the safe care of their pet.

Owners are responsible for informing us of any known destructive, escape or other behaviours that could reasonably result in damage to property or belongings.

Happy Hounds Cornwall cannot accept responsibility for damage caused directly by a client's pet where reasonable care has been taken, except where responsibility arises due to our negligence or where liability cannot legally be excluded.

We may occasionally take photographs of dogs during walks or care sessions.

Photographs will only be used for Happy Hounds Cornwall's website, social media or promotional purposes where appropriate permission has been obtained.

If you do not want photographs of your pet to be used publicly, please let us know.

For privacy and security, we will not intentionally publish information identifying a client's home address or private access arrangements.

Happy Hounds Cornwall reserves the right to refuse, suspend or discontinue services where there are reasonable concerns regarding safety, animal welfare, inappropriate behaviour towards staff, non-payment or circumstances that make it impractical or unsafe to continue providing the service.

Where reasonably possible, we will discuss any concerns with the client before ending an ongoing arrangement.

Personal information provided to Happy Hounds Cornwall will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable UK data protection requirements.

Please refer to our Privacy Policy for further information about how personal information is collected, used and stored.

Happy Hounds Cornwall may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time to reflect changes to our services, business practices or legal requirements.

The latest version will be made available on our website. Where a significant change affects an ongoing service, we will make reasonable efforts to bring it to the client's attention.

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions affects any statutory rights you may have as a consumer.

If you have any questions about these Terms & Conditions or would like to discuss your dog's individual requirements, please contact:

Happy Hounds Cornwall
St Austell, Cornwall
cornwallshappyhounds@gmail.com

Happy Hounds. Happy Owners.