Terms and Conditions of Business
Bookings are subject to these Terms and Conditions. Variations to the Terms and Conditions may be made from time to time and will be posted on our website.
Creature Carers will treat your personal information confidentially and will not pass on your details to any third parties other than your Carer.
Information given in the initial registration form will be used for all subsequent bookings unless we are notified that there has been a change in your pet’s condition or requirements.
Charges
Our charges and details of the service you require will be agreed with you and your Carer at the time of booking. You will be deemed to have accepted the charges of Creature Carers upon confirmation of your booking.
Subject to any agreed variation by the Carer assigned to you, you will normally be expected to pay prior to or on commencement of the assignment. If the charges are not paid within ten days of the agreed date Creature Carers reserves the right to charge an administration fee of 25% of the unpaid charges.
Please note that Creature Carers do not accept debit or credit cards but can accept payment either by bank transfer or in cash. Unfortunately due to the cost imposed on us to clear cheques, we are unable to accept payments by cheque.
Bank holidays incur an additional charge as set out on our website.
If you are unable to provide your Carer with a key at the time of booking, a key collection charge of £5 will be incurred to cover the cost of fuel and wear and tear on their vehicle for the additional journey. This should be paid directly to your Carer when he or she comes to collect your house keys.
A deposit of £20 for Pet Visits or in the case of Overnight stays, a deposit equal to one nights charge is to be collected by the Carer on their initial consultation with you. This is to secure your booking and is non-refundable if you cancel.
You are required to pay a nominal fee of £3.00 per day should your Carer be required to use his or her vehicle during the assignment. This fee is to be paid direct to your Carer and is to cover fuel and wear and tear on their vehicle.
Cancellations
The cancellation policy for Creature Carers is as follows:-
Pet Visits/Overnight Stays
- If cancellation is given by you fourteen or more days prior to commencement of the assignment there will be no charge except the deposit paid during your initial consultation with us.
- If cancellation is given after that date but more than 72 hours prior to the commencement of the assignment in addition to the deposit a fee will be charged at 25% of the total agreed assignment fee.
- If cancellation is given less than 72 hours prior to the commencement of the assignment, in addition to the deposit a fee will be charged of 50% of the total fee.
Regular Dog Walking
If you have a regular dog walking service you must give at least two weeks’ notice to cancel or you will be charged in full for those walks.
Occasional Dog Walking/Pet Visits
Occasional bookings of any description, including dog walking, will be subject to the normal cancellation charges.
In the unlikely event that your Carer is unable to honour your booking we will make every effort to substitute an alternative Carer. If we are unable to we will refund any fee paid in full.
Visits/Walks
We will always endeavour to adhere to the time slot agreed but on occasions due to circumstances out of our control, this may not be possible. Where medication required is time constrained, we will always prioritise these Pet(s).
On occasions, unless you have specifically requested a solo walk due to your Dog(s) temperament, we may have to walk them with another dog who is sociable and friendly. This will only be as a result of external circumstances out of our control and we will endeavour to contact you in this regard.
Your Carer will use their personal judgement and may cut dog walks short in the case of extreme weather conditions or the poor health of your Dog(s).
If your Carer is visiting cat(s) who have free unsupervised outdoor access, if your cat(s) are not home when they visit, they may undertake a shorter visit but spend longer than the agreed time on another visit to allow your cat(s) longer time for human interaction.
If your Dog(s) requires drying by towel at the end of a walk, your Carer will reduce the length of the walk to accommodate this.
Carers
Creature Carers takes all reasonable care in the selection of our Carers. Save as required by statute, no liability is accepted by Creature Carers for acts of omissions by any Carer or any loss or damage caused or contributed by the Carer.
Carers are independent contractors and are not employed by Creature Carers.
If you agree with your Carer that they may have the companionship of a third party during an assignment it will be at your risk. Creature Carers will not accept liability in relation thereto.
Once registered with Creature Carers you agree not to negotiate directly with any Carer introduced to you by Creature Carers, infringement of this condition will jeopardize the future of this Carer with Creature Carers. Owners agree to compensate Creature Carers for any losses caused by this breach.
If you are booking shortly before your departure, please note that it may not be possible to provide your regular Carer.
Your Pet
It is of the upmost importance that you give full information in relation to the needs and requirements of your Pet(s). Creature Carers will rely upon the information you give at your initial booking in connection with subsequent bookings unless you advise us that your Pet’s condition or requirements have changed.
We cannot accept bookings for aggressive animals. Either Creature Carers or a Carer may terminate an engagement immediately if it is reasonably thought that a pet(s) is aggressive either towards humans, animals or property. You will be liable if your pet injures a third party or the Carer.
We will not walk your dog(s) without a lead without your prior authority and your acceptance of the associated risks.
If you prefer your Dog(s) to have unsupervised access to the outside areas of your property, Creature Carers will not be held responsible if they go missing as a result of inadequate boundaries.
In the event of an emergency or illness of your Pet(s), Creature Carers will endeavour to contact the owner and/or the emergency contact. Creature Carers reserve the right to make an informed decision, taking the Veterinary Surgeon's advice and the Pet’s best interest into account. All veterinary treatment costs will be the sole responsibility of the owner.
Although we are able to care for most domestic pet(s) we are unable to take bookings for animals kept for commercial purposes in an agricultural setting or for horses.
You must supply enough food, treats, cat-litter, toys and bedding for the duration of the assignment. Failure to do so will result in a re-supply charge as well as the cost of goods.
If you your Pet(s) have unsupervised access outside your property, Creature Carers may be unable to regularly check that they are in good health. It is also your responsibility if he or she goes missing, becomes injured whilst outdoors or we are unable to medicate as a result. We will always endeavour to locate your Pet(s) but it must be understood that this will not always be possible within the allotted visit time.
Property
Carers are instructed by Creature Carers to leave your property as they found it. You are respectfully asked to note that they are not professional cleaners and if additional emergency visits (e.g. if your travel home is delayed) are required, we may not be able to leave your property in the level of cleanliness that we normally would.
Creature Carers will only use equipment and facilities that have been agreed upon during the initial consultation. The only exception to this is in the case of an emergency.
If the Carer does not consider that your property is of a reasonable standard of cleanliness and habitation, he or she may decline the booking.
In the event of a problem or emergency arising the Carer will contact us immediately and if necessary contact will be made with the client.
Access to Your Property
Creature Carers keep your keys in a secure location and the fobs do not identify the property to which they relate.
It is an unfortunate fact of life that sometimes keys can be mislaid or can break in locks. With this in mind, we ask that we are provided with two keys to your property unless you have an external key locker with a code or a key is kept with a third party. One of the keys will be kept in the secure location whilst the other will be with your Carer to enable them access to your property. If you are unable to provide two keys, we will at our expense make a second copy for this purpose.
Your key will only be utilised for the purpose of visits/walks and only Creature Carers will have access to them.
If the lock on your property becomes unusable and we are unable to gain access to your Pet(s) we will try to contact you immediately but if this is not possible we will arrange for a qualified locksmith to gain access. The cost of doing so is at your expense.
Insurance and Liability
It is your responsibility to insure your property and pet. Creature Carers accept no liability for damage caused by your Pet(s) or a carer during an assignment.
You will be liable in the event that the carer or a third party is injured by your Pet(s).
Carers have insurance in relation to the performance of their duties as Carers under Creature Carers agreements only and not on their own account. It is not a substitute for your own insurance cover. Our pet sitters insurance only operates when a Carer is working on an assignment referred to them by Creature Carers for the duration and times booked.
Adequate insurance must be in place if you wish a carer to drive your vehicle. It is your responsibility to check the validity of their driving licence.
In the event that due to conditions beyond their control your Carer is unavailable and your fee has been refunded to you, Creature Carers accept no liability for any additional losses that may occur.
It is recommended that you take out holiday cancellation insurance as Creature Carers may not be able to accommodate pets who become ill or are injured after the booking is confirmed.
The client must before handing over the assignment to their Carer make sure they have given full written details and instructions on the care of their pet and the property. Neither Creature Carers nor any Carer will be responsible if full instructions are not given in advance on the assignment.
The client will indemnify Creature Carers against any claims for loss or injury caused to either a Carer or their property which are caused by the client’s Pet(s) or as a result of breach of these terms and conditions, negligence or otherwise.
In the event that your Carer is not the only party to have access to your home, Creature Carers will not be responsible for any breaches of security or breakages on the other person's behalf.