Terms & Conditions
Dog Walking
You can be sure that at Happy Buddies, your furry companion will be looked after to the highest standards. Your dog’s individual personality will be catered for and their physical and emotional wellbeing is of the utmost importance. Dogs in our care trust us, want to spend time with us and enjoy themselves while they are with us. We achieve all this through getting to know them, learning about them and watching their body language. We train, play and interact with them using only positive reinforcement and reward based methods, which is proven to have excellent results on both a dog’s behaviour and wellbeing.
Kind, positive, reward-based: that’s why our dogs are Happy Buddies!
That’s the fun bit out of the way, the next bit is a bit formal!
1. New Happy Buddies dogs (well, their owners) will be required to read and agree to the HAPPY BUDDIES Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) outlined here. In making a booking with HAPPY BUDDIES you will be agreeing to these T&C’s.
2. It is important to HAPPY BUDDIES that we get to know your dog before confirming any bookings – this is to provide you with peace of mind that your dog is happy with us; and for us to spend time with you understanding your dog’s personality, habits and much-loved quirks. The first booking can be confirmed once all important information is recorded during an initial free, no obligation consultation.
3. There are two methods of booking walks with HAPPY BUDDIES:
a. Weekly Rolling Bookings: These are repeat bookings where your dog is automatically booked onto the same walk(s) each week and your dog’s space(s) are guaranteed each week. Bookings are agreed with you initially and then no further action is required from you (unless you wish to change your rolling booking or need to cancel a booking).
b. Ad-Hoc Bookings: These are when you request a walk on a day that is not your usual walk day. Please note that we may not always be able to accommodate ad-hoc bookings as it will depend on what spaces are available – but it’s always worth asking!
4. Full payment for HAPPY BUDDIES’ services (agreed at time of booking) are to be received by Happy Buddies via bank transfer on the Friday of the week the walks have been undertaken. For customers with rolling bookings, we require a standing order to be set up. If payment is not received within 24 hours of the Friday the payment is due, HAPPY BUDDIES will add a 2.5% increase of the total bill for each day that payment is overdue and HAPPY BUDDIES will not be obliged to honour any future booking arrangements.
5. HAPPY BUDDIES understands that sometimes your plans can change at short notice and as such, we’ll try to be as flexible and understanding of cancellations as possible. Nonetheless, we ask that you try to give us the following notice of any cancellations where possible:
a. 5 working days’ notice for a rolling booking
b. 24 hours notice for an ad-hoc booking
Cancellations given in less than the times specified will unfortunately incur a full charge.
If for any reason we need to cancel the service (for example in heavy snow or extreme heat), then you will not be charged/refunds will be given.
6. You agree to provide keys, remote control entry devices and access codes to the property that your dog resides at - but don’t worry, HAPPY BUDDIES will keep a record of all keys and codes provided and these will be unidentifiable to anyone outside of HAPPY BUDDIES. They will also be kept safely and securely within a safe when not in use.
7. It’s very important that you provide HAPPY BUDDIES with an alternate contact (name and contact number). This person needs to be someone you can trust to make a decision relating to your dog(s) in the event of an emergency. HAPPY BUDDIES will only ever contact them if you cannot be reached. If you or your alternate contact is not available HAPPY BUDDIES reserves the right to consult with a veterinary surgeon and to make a decision which is in the best interests of your dog.
8. You agree that you are responsible for the cost of any necessary veterinary treatments whilst your dog is in the care of HAPPY BUDDIES.
9. As mentioned before – it is important to HAPPY BUDDIES (and to you too!) that we get to know your dog and their needs quickly. In order to do this we will ask you questions about you and your dog during our initial consultation. It is important that we understand your dog as much as possible, so please be honest and provide as much information as possible. This might include any special requirements, behavioural habits of your dog (for example: typical energy levels, love of squirrels, recall habits, any aversion to other dogs/specific breeds, allergies, etc.). It will be your responsibility to keep us updated about your dog and any changes to their behaviour whilst they remain a HAPPY BUDDY.
10. HAPPY BUDDIES is fully insured for all services provided. We take our role in ensuring your dog is well cared for and safe at all times extremely seriously, and while we hope that our insurance is never needed, we must encourage that you insure your home and dog as well – just for added security and peace of mind. HAPPY BUDDIES reserves the right to refuse a booking for any dog that is not insured.
11. HAPPY BUDDIES will care for your dog as if they are our own by making every effort to ensure your dog is excellently looked after our my care. However, HAPPY BUDDIES cannot be held liable for any loss, injury to or death of your dog whilst in our care.
12. HAPPY BUDDIES accepts no liability for any breach of security or loss of or damage to your property if any other person has access to the property during the term of this agreement.
13. HAPPY BUDDIES shall not be liable for any mishap of whatsoever nature which may befall a dog or be caused by a dog who has unsupervised access to the outdoors (your garden for example).
14. All dogs in HAPPY BUDDIES care must be fully vaccinated, including Kennel Cough and on a regular flea and worm control regime. If you have had your dog vaccinated against Kennel Cough, they are unable to attend a walk with HAPPY BUDDIES until 7 days after the vaccination has been administered.
15. All dogs in HAPPY BUDDIES care must be microchipped and have a suitable identity tag on either their collar or harness.
16. It is agreed that the first walk for each dog is undertaken on a trial basis to ensure they are well-behaved, trained, socialised and suitable for group dog walks.
17. HAPPY BUDDIES 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 a suitable match for the pack they have been introduced to.
18. HAPPY BUDDIES will ask if you prefer your dog to be walked on or off of the lead. All dogs will be walked initially on lead but once we have formed a good relationship with your dog and with your permission, we will allow your dog off lead – but only once we have tested for an effective recall (a disclaimer will be required to enable us to let your dog off lead). If, for any reason we feel it is necessary for the safety of the dog, they will be kept on the lead.
19. HAPPY BUDDIES’ walks last no less than 1 hour, however, we will apply personal judgment and cut a walk short if necessary. This may occur if one of the dogs or us becomes injured or falls ill or because of extreme weather (e.g. heat, thunderstorms, heavy snow) for the safety of both the dogs and us. In extreme heat it may not be safe to walk your dog and we may suggest alternative arrangements be made, such as a Home Pop In Service. We will always put the health and welfare of the dogs first.
20. HAPPY BUDDIES’ walks start at approximately 10am and 12pm. Pick up and drop off times will vary depending on the home locations of the dogs being walked, the location of our walks, traffic and weather conditions. The 10am walk collection times will be approximately between 9:15am and 09:50am and drop off times will be approximately between 11:10pm and 11:50am. The 12pm walk collection times will be approximately between 11:10am and 11:50am and drop off times will be approximately between 1:10pm and 1:45pm. However, these times cannot be guaranteed and we reserve the right to change the times to either earlier or later. It is your responsibility to ensure that your dog is present and ready for collection on the day of their walk.
21. We do not take your dogs to secure fields. Our walks are far more enriching and mentally stimulating than what a field can provide. Our walks will always be in safe places such as countryside, woodland and heathland that is away from traffic and roads.
22. HAPPY BUDDIES will make every effort to return your dog in a clean and dry state. Nevertheless, given the great British weather, it is not always possible to return them completely clean or dry. We will however, clean and towel dry your dog as best as we can, but it will be your responsibility to leave us a towel by the entrance door and provide instructions on where to leave your dog in the event they are not 100% dry.
23. If you require HAPPY BUDDIES to feed or administer pills to your pet on return from their walk, please notify HAPPY BUDDIES of this as soon as possible. Please leave the necessary food and medication out with clear instructions.
24. During our initial consultation, you’ll need to inform us if your dog has been neutered or spayed. We cannot provide any walks for bitches that are in season and it is at our discretion as to whether we accept an entire male over the age of 12 months on to our walks.