The following document will be provided at your first appointment with us for you to sign. We have provided it here for you to take your time reading it.
Four Paw Spa Inc. Terms of Service & Liability
And No Show Policy
All customers will be required to agree to our terms of service before the beginning of their first grooming appointment. Failure to do so will result in loss of appointment. The signer of our terms of service will be treated as the “pet parent” and “owner” for our following terms.
Our stylists and team members work extremely hard, and care for each pet as if they were their own. Any abusive language or behaviour towards our staff will not be tolerated.
APPONTMENT & NO-SHOW POLICY
At Four Paw Spa, we value your time and ours. To ensure we can provide the best service to all of our clients, we have implemented the following appointment policy:
Appointment Cancellations & Rescheduling
We kindly request at least 24 hours’ notice for any cancellations or appointment changes. This allows us to offer your appointment time to another client.
Late Cancellations
Cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice will be recorded as a late cancellation.
No-Shows
A “no-show” is defined as missing a scheduled appointment without any prior notice.
No-Show & Late Cancellation Policy.
After 3 no-shows or late cancellations, Four Paw Spa Inc. reserves the right to:
-Require advance booking approval
-Restrict or disable online booking privileges
-Decline future appointment requests
Late Arrivals
If you arrive late, we may need to shorten your pet’s grooming session or reschedule your appointment to avoid delays for other clients. This may be treated as a late cancellation if we are unable to accommodate your service.
Booking Restrictions
We reserve the right to deny or limit booking access (including online booking) for clients who repeatedly miss or cancel appointments without proper notice.
Emergency Situations
We understand that emergencies happen. Please contact us as soon as possible, and we will review situations on a case-by-case basis
PET SAFETY AND HEALTH
DISCLOSURE
We retain the right to refuse to groom any pet that we feel is a health risk or are in a substandard condition, for both the pet and stylists safety. Grooming can be stressful for a pet and infrequent grooming can be very traumatic for your pet. It is imperative that you share any known health issues, recent vet visits or history of groom issues so your stylist can watch for warning signs of trouble. If you fail to disclose information about any allergies and/or skin conditions, Four Paw Spa Inc. will not be held responsible for any irritation, patchiness, abrasions or hair loss that may arise due to the grooming process. If you fail to disclose information regarding any physical and/or medical conditions (such as elbow or hip dysplasia, epilepsy, etc.), Four Paw Spa Inc. will not be held responsible for any injury incurred during the grooming process.
Your stylist may uncover evidence of a health issue while grooming your pet and will always advise you of any further recommended actions, i.e. visit to the vet. The client agrees that Four Paw Spa Inc., its owners and operators are not liable for any pre-existing conditions and problems found during grooming, and the pet owner agrees to pay for all medical treatment incurred due to such.
VETERINARY TREATMENT
In the event that your pet requires emergency medical treatment, you authorize Four Paw Spa Inc. to bring them to a nearest veterinary clinic for care. We will always perform due diligence in contacting you about your pets health, but if we are unable to reach you, we will not hesitate to transport your pet to the nearest clinic.
Your pet’s safety and health will always be our top priority.
FREQUENCY
Pet’s lifestyles, breeds and health history will determine how often they need to be groomed. We recommend pets be groomed every 4-8 weeks. Certain elements of the grooming process such as nail trimming, ear cleaning and brushing are going to vary by each individual pet. For example, some pets need their ears cleaned every few weeks. Other pets can have their ears cleaned at grooming and be dirty again the next day. This could be due to wax production, or something preexisting like an ear infection. The company cannot take responsibility for bodily functions that vary drastically between each pet. We can only complete the standard procedures in a grooming appointment.
COMPLETION OF GROOMS
Four Paw Spa Inc. will not subject any pet to unacceptable levels of stress. If during the grooming process your pet finds any part of the grooming process too stressful, that part will not be completed. Pets that are elderly, aggressive or easily stressed may not be safe to groom. If, at any time, our stylist feels they cannot safely complete the grooming process they will return them to your care. We will not put a pet in harm's way to complete a groom. Payment will be due for the portion of the groom that was completed (time involved). Under no circumstances can we guarantee the completion of a groom. Each pet can react differently each time they are groomed. We groom each pet to the owner’s specifications, as far as the pet will tolerate and the coat condition and type allows. We will always place a pet ‘s welfare, safety and peace of mind above adherence to a particular style. In case of being unable for any reason to groom to the exact style wished by the owner, we will contact the owner and agree upon a suitable alternative style.
VACCINATIONS
Your Pet must be current and up to date on their rabies vaccination before any services can be performed on your Pet. If your pet's rabies vaccination is expired at the time of the service, Pets will be turned away and rescheduled when vaccinations are up to date. Your pet will not be exposed to any other animals (other than those from your residence) in our care. This limits the risk of contact illnesses. Though the staff in our salon are thorough when cleaning and sanitizing, Air borne illnesses may still be present, and Four Paw Spa Inc. will not be held responsible in the event that your pet contracts such illness, so we encourage proper vaccination whenever possible.
MATTED PETS
We understand pets can become matted and may require a complete shave to resume a normal grooming schedule. This should always be a last resort. Severe matting generally causes skin issues and sores that will be exposed when the coat is removed. Four Paw Spa Inc. does not assume any liability for issues resulting from having to shave a pet down that is considered matted. Further, we reserve the right to determine when a matted coat may be de-matted. Brushing through matted hair can be very painful to your pet, as well as time consuming resulting in additional fees. It is the owner’s duty to maintain their pet’s coat between professional grooms and we are always more than happy to show you how to look after your pet’s coat. As the pet’s owner you agree that Four Paw Spa Inc. shall not be held liable for any cuts/nicks/grazes or any post groom effects caused whilst removing a matted/neglected coat. These effects may include, but are not limited to the following; itchiness, skin redness, or self-inflicted irritations/abrasions from excessive rubbing, licking or scratching.
SHAVING PETS
We understand that each owner has a unique lifestyle and may choose to keep their pet’s coat at a length that is best for their home. We can shave a pet down, if requested, which may drastically change your pet's appearance, as their hair will be short and close to the skin. Some breeds will change color when the topcoat is removed. Some pets' coats may not grow back the same color, texture or fullness after being shaved short. Pets may also feel itchy, irritated or self conscious after being shaved (matting or no matting) and Four Paw Spa Inc. will not be liable if such side effects occur after grooming.
ELDERLY PETS
Pets that have not been groomed until the later years of their lives, or have been groomed all their lives and are now coming into their senior years, are at even higher risk for injury during the grooming process. This can be due to their unfamiliarity and stress levels for new environments, or having trouble with mobility or other physical ailments. It is important to remember this for their haircut appointments. A lot of the time something we call a “comfort groom” will have to be performed (i.e. shaving instead of de-matting, or short one length all over so grooming can be less frequent). As we make every effort to keep every pet comfortable, elderly pets will be allowed to sit and lay down, which will make the groom process more difficult and can cause uneven hair lengths. When elderly pets become stressed or uncomfortable we will return them to the pet owner in an attempt to reasonably avoid injuries or undue stress.
PUPPIES
The younger you can start regular grooming, the more confident your pet will be in the process. However, less than 6 weeks is considered too young to be professionally bathed, and less than 12 weeks is considered too young to cut the pet's hair for the first time. We require all puppies in our care to have a round of vaccinations before coming into our salon. This includes the Distemper, Hepatitis/Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus Vaccinations. Your puppies safety is our top concern, and in order for them to be comfortable and happy for a lifetime of grooming services, we will not be performing any Full Haircut services on a pet for their first appointment with us, at minimum you must bring your pet in once for a Puppy Appointment before we attempt any Full Haircut.
PREGNANT PETS
If your pet is pregnant, we do not recommend completing any full service. This can be quite stressful even when the pet is extremely accustomed to the process, and cause undue harm to your pet and/or the litter. Pets that have recently delivered puppies should wait AT LEAST four weeks before professional grooming.
PRE-EXISTING INJURIES
Pets with stitches will not be accepted, as stitches and sutures should not get wet. Pets with preexisting injuries will have to be reviewed with the stylist before we can accept them into a grooming appointment. If the injury could worsen during the grooming, we will not accept the pet into grooming. The company might ask the customer to seek permission from a licensed veterinarian before accepting the pet for grooming. This is for the pet’s own safety.
AGGRESSIVE PETS
While we have a great deal of experience and success in the grooming of difficult pets, we reserve the right to halt the grooming process should a pet become aggressive to the point of being a danger to the stylist or to his or herself. Full or part of the grooming charge may apply.
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
PRODUCTS
All products used (including all shampoos, conditioners, colognes, etc.) are specifically formulated for pets and as such, Four Paw Spa Inc. cannot be held responsible should any adverse/allergic reactions occur to the pet. Four Paw Spa Inc does not offer veterinary services and any advice given by company representatives should be verified with a licensed veterinarian.
FLEA AND TICK TREATMENT
We can offer basic flea baths and tick removal at your grooming appointment. Flea shampoo can be used to kill the fleas and ticks that are currently on the pet. Flea shampoo has absolutely no preventative power. If the customers yard, home, pet beds, collars, etc. are not treated, you will not see a reduction in fleas. All we can assist with are fleas that are currently on the pet. Preventatives need to be prescribed by your veterinarian.
SEDATION
We will not sedate pets and must be informed if you have given your pet any medication before our visit. This is absolutely necessary for the pet and stylist’s safety. It is the customers responsibility to notify Four Paw Spa Inc. of any new medical information. Under no circumstances will Four Paw Spa Inc. sedate your pet as we are not licensed veterinarians. If you have chosen to sedate your pet you must notify Four Paw Spa Inc. and your stylist before your pet's grooming appointment begins. The company reserves the right to refuse service to a pet under sedation.
AFTER APPOINTMENTS
Limit of Liability
Once you leave the site of a grooming appointment, it is complete. We cannot be responsible for what a pet might come in contact with after their grooming appointment. Many pets want to go roll in the yard, but that does not mean they were not clean at the completion of our appointment with them. We need to be notified of any concerns within 24 hours. If you will personally not see your pet within 24 hours following the appointment, be sure the pet’s caregiver signing off on the appointment knows what to look for.
Suspected Injury
Working with live pets and sharp instruments occasionally leads to an unexpected injury. Getting a pet proper veterinary care, if needed, is our first concern. If you believe that a pet has been injured due to the grooming process you must seek veterinary advice and contact the company within 24 hours. We will require a full written veterinary report stating the cause of injury being specific to the grooming process for us to accept any liability or negligence. The most common issue is too short of a nail trim, which is more probable for a pet whose nails are very long and not regularly maintained. We will take off as much nail as we can and want to avoid the quick (vein) inside the nail whenever possible. A “quicked” nail will bleed but can easily be remedied at home or by the stylist. If an injury was unavoidable due to the pet's matted coat, we expect the owner to take care of the additional costs as a risk of allowing the pet to become matted.
Alterations
If, after the groom is complete, there is anything about the groom that you would like altered, please advise your stylist before you leave the site. We are never offended by timely requests to make minor changes, so please ask. Within a 24-hour window from the completion of an appointment, if it has not met your satisfaction, please contact us about scheduling a “re-groom” appointment. If we believe our stylist adequately followed the original instructions given, there may be additional fees for a “re-groom’” appointment. After 24 hours of completion of an appointment, if you wish to have a stylist re-touch, there will be additional fees.