Terms & Conditions of Engagement

NEW CLIENT REGISTRATION

•  A one-off £20 registration fee applies to new clients (excludes one-off bookings). This covers the initial meet & greet, registration paperwork, pet information/profile, risk assessment, terms & conditions, key collection/management and setting up your client and booking records.
• Upon proceeding with your first booking, the £20 registration fee will be credited in full against your first invoice.
• The registration fee is non-refundable where the initial meet and greet and registration process have already been completed, but no further services are subsequently booked or required.

BOOKINGS & AVAILABILITY

• Bookings are subject to availability and are not confirmed until agreed with Meraki Dogs.
• Regular clients are encouraged to provide their usual days/times wherever possible.
• Meraki Dogs reserves the right to decline a booking where the requested service is unsuitable or cannot be provided safely.

CANCELLATIONS

• More than 24 hours' notice: no charge.
• Less than 24 hours' notice: 50% of the booking price.
• Same-day cancellation/no-show: 100% of the booking price.
  Genuine emergencies will be considered individually.
• Repeated late cancellations may result in different cancellation terms.

WEATHER & SAFETY

• Your pet's safety always comes first. Walks may be shortened, changed to a home visit or cancelled where weather or environmental conditions make walking unsafe or unsuitable, including excessive heat, extreme cold, ice, storms, flooding or dangerous conditions underfoot.
• If Meraki Dogs cancels a walk due to unsafe conditions, you will not be charged.
• All dogs must be microchipped and have a collar with the owner’s name and address on it; this is a legal requirement under the Control of Dogs Order 1992.

GROUP WALK REQUIREMENTS

• Dogs joining group walks must be suitable for group environments, comfortable travelling in the Meraki Dogs vehicle, have appropriate vaccinations, be free from contagious illness and have suitable recall/lead control for the agreed level of freedom.
• All new dogs are introduced gradually.
• Meraki Dogs may move a dog from group care to solo care where necessary for welfare or safety.

DOGS IN SEASON

• Dogs in season cannot attend group walks. This reduces the risk of unwanted mating, unwanted attention from other dogs and disruption within the group.
• Solo walks or suitable home visits can be arranged where available.
• Please let us know as soon as you become aware that your dog has come into season.

MEDICATION & SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Please provide full and accurate information about your pet's health, behaviour, medication and care requirements.
• Medication can be administered where agreed in advance and where it is safe and practical to do so.
• Additional requirements that significantly increase the time or complexity of a booking may incur an additional charge, discussed beforehand wherever possible.

ACCESS & KEYS

• Clients must provide safe and reliable access to their property.
• Keys should be clearly labelled and must not contain identifying information such as your full address. Where possible, we recommend a secure key safe.
• If Meraki Dogs needs to make a separate journey solely to collect or return keys, a £5 fee may apply.
• Clients must inform Meraki Dogs of changes to locks, access codes or security arrangements.
• Staff/volunteers engaged by me have your full permission to gain access to carry out duties as agreed.

PET INFORMATION

• It is the client's responsibility to provide accurate and up-to-date information about their pet, including medical conditions, allergies, medication, behavioural issues, reactivity, previous incidents involving people or animals, escape behaviour, fear/anxiety, bite history, dietary requirements, veterinary details and emergency contacts where applicable.
• Failure to provide relevant information may affect our ability to safely provide care.

VETERINARY EMERGENCIES

• In an emergency, Meraki Dogs will make reasonable attempts to contact you or your nominated emergency contact.
• If veterinary treatment is considered necessary and you cannot be reached promptly, you authorise Meraki Dogs to seek appropriate veterinary assistance on your pet's behalf.
• Any veterinary fees, medication costs, transport costs or other expenses incurred remain the owner's responsibility.
• Meraki Dogs is in partnership with Langford Vets.

PET BEHAVIOUR & SAFETY

• Meraki Dogs may stop or modify a service if a pet's behaviour presents a significant risk to the pet, other animals, members of the public or the Meraki Dogs team. This may include aggressive behaviour, repeated attempts to escape, severe distress, unsafe interactions or behaviour not disclosed during registration. Where possible, alternative arrangements will be discussed.
• Additional time or specialist arrangements may incur an additional charge.
• Should you give permission for your dog to be walked off lead and your dog then fail to return on command, this is entirely at your risk and we cannot accept responsibility or liability for any loss or injury sustained.
• Meraki Dogs accepts no liability for any loss, injury or death of a dog(s) or damage to property.

PHOTOS & VIDEOS

• Photos and videos may be taken during walks and visits and, where permission has been provided, may be shared on Meraki Dogs' social media and marketing materials.
• If you do not want your pet featured, please let us know. Your preference can be changed at any time.

PRIVACY

• Personal information provided to Meraki Dogs will be handled responsibly and used only for purposes connected with providing services, communicating with you, managing bookings and maintaining appropriate business records. Your information will not be sold or shared for marketing purposes with unrelated third parties. Please see our Privacy Notice for further information.

PAYMENT

• Costs are at the current rates stated in our pricelist.
• Public holidays and weekends are at the quoted rates x1.5 and subject to availability.
• Invoices are issued electronically on the 26th of each month and must be paid by the due date shown.
• Overdue invoices may result in future bookings being paused until the account is brought up to date.
• In the event of non-payment, a £50 administration charge will be added to the total amount owed to help cover the costs associated with recovering the outstanding payment.

ONE-OFF BOOKINGS & CLIENTS OUTSIDE OUR USUAL SERVICE AREA

• New clients residing outside Meraki Dogs’ usual service area who wish to use our services on a one-off basis will be required to pay a non-refundable £5 registration fee. The registration fee is payable to cover the administrative and set-up costs associated with registering a new client.
• The £5 registration fee is separate from and additional to the cost of the requested service and is non refundable, including where the booking is consequently cancelled.
• Full payment for the requested service must be paid up front and in full before the service is provided.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU

• We know that leaving your pets in someone else's care is a big deal. Our promise is to treat every pet as an individual, put their welfare first and provide the same care, patience and attention that we would want for our own. We will always aim to keep you updated, communicate openly and let you know if anything changes. Your pets aren't just another booking in our diary — they're part of the Meraki Dogs family.