Policies & Procedures

• All bookings must be confirmed in advance via email, phone, or WhatsApp.

• Last-minute or ad-hoc bookings are welcome and will be accommodated wherever possible, subject to availability. 

• In the near future, we will be moving to an online booking system through our new platform, making it easier and faster to manage your appointments. We'll keep you updated as this rolls out. 

• Cancellations made with more than 24 hours notice: You may choose to receive a full refund or reschedule your service at no additional charge.

• Cancellations made on the same day as the scheduled service: Full fees will apply. We understand that emergencies happen, if you need to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, please let us know as soon as possible and we'll do our best to accommodate.

• Pet Sitting Cancellations: If you cancel your pet sitting services with at least two weeks notice, your deposit will be returned in full. Cancellations made with less than two weeks notice will forfeit the deposit.

• BACS Transfer: Clients may pay via bank transfer (BACS) based on an invoice issued weekly. Payment is due within 7 days of invoice.

We ask all clients to ensure the following before their pet's first booking:

• All relevant medical, dietary and behavioural information must be disclosed.

• Pets must be up to date with vaccinations, flea and worming treatments.

• A current emergency contact must be provided.

• Any changes to your pet's health, behaviour or routine must be communicated promptly.

All of these details are covered in our Pet Questionnaire which must be completed and returned before we confirm your first booking. By booking our services, you confirm that all information provided is accurate and up to date.

• All dogs must have a secure and properly fitted collar/harness with ID tags.

• Leads, collars and harnesses must be in good working condition.

• Aggressive or unpredictable behaviour must be disclosed before the booking.

• We reserve the right to walk dogs individually or modify handling based on safety concerns.

• Dogs showing aggression, high reactivity or extreme anxiety may require a solo walk surcharge or behaviour consultation.

• We carry a dog first aid kit at all times and are trained in pet first aid to respond quickly and calmly in the event of an incident.

Our services continue in most weather conditions, with safety always as our top priority. We do not cancel walks due to rain, cold or heat alone but we do adapt our approach to ensure your pet's well-being.

• Hot weather: Walks may be shortened during hot spells, with routes chosen for shaded areas and water access. We carry water in our packs and wagons to ensure dogs stay hydrated. In some cases, walk times may be adjusted to cooler parts of the day. For dogs booked on solo walks we may offer garden time with enrichment as a safer alternative. 

• Severe weather (e.g. Storms, lightning, high winds): Walks may be cancelled or replaced with pop-in visits or garden time for safety. We will contact you in advance if the forecast requires changes to your pet's booking.

In the event of a medical emergency or serious incident involving your pet:​

• We will attempt to contact you immediately using the details provided in your pet questionnaire.

• If you are unreachable, we will contact your emergency contact.

• Should urgent veterinary attention be required, we will make every effort to take your pet to their registered veterinary practice. If this is not possible (e.g. due to distance, or practice closure) we will take your pet to the nearest available veterinary clinic. 

• All veterinary costs are the responsibility of the owner.

• We will remain with your pet and liaise with veterinary professionals until you or your emergency contact can be reached. 

• Our team is trained in pet first aid and will act quickly and calmly in the best interests of your animla's welfare.

• All keys, fobs and access codes are stored securely and used only for agreed purposes related to your pet's care.​

• Client information (including personal contact details, address and pet information) is kept strictly confidential and never shared with third parties.

• We take data protection seriously and store records in secure, access controlled systems. We are registered with the ICO and comply fully with UK GDPR data protection regulations. 

• We retain client and pet recoreds (including questionnaires, consent forms and incident reports for up to 6 years in line with business and insurance requirements. All data is stored securely and deleted or destroyed responsibly once no longer required. Clients can request access to or deletion of their data at any time by contacting us directly.

• We will never publicy share identifiable details including clients full name, home addresses or walk locations, pets full names.

• Photographs or videos used for social media or marketing purposes will always be shared with your prior consent, as outlined in our pet questionnaire. 

• Any accidents, injuries, behavioural incidents or unusal events involving your pet will be documented and you will be informed promptly. ​

• We aim to communicate clearly and honestly in the event of any incident, no matter how minor to ensure full transparency. 

• An internal incident report will be completed for every event and logged in our records. These reports are available upon request and can be shared with you at your request. Incident reports are retained securely for a minimum of 1 year.

• Where appropriate, we may also notify your pet's veterinary practice or recommend follow-up care. 

• All carers are trained to respond calmly and appropriately, using pet first aid where necessary and reporting concerns in line with our safeguarding and safety policies. 

We understand that sometimes care is needed outside of regular working hours. We do our best to accommodate emergency or last-minute requests whenever possible.

• Out of hours services (before 9am or after 5pm) are subject to availability and may incur additional charge, depending on timing and duration. 

• Emergency visits outside normal hours will be handled with compassion and urgency, but cannot always be guaranteed.

• Travel beyond local area: Services required outside of our standard 5-mile service raduis may incur a mileage charge, typically £0.45 per additional mile, calculated using the shortest reasonable driving route. We'll always confirm and agree this charge with you in advance, as part of the booking.

All Hound & Hoof team members are expected to uphold the highest standards of care, compassion and professionalism. This includes:

• Treating animals with kindness, patience and respect at all times. 

• Communicating clearly, honestly and politely with clients. 

• Respecting client confidentiality and privacy.

• Reporting concerns promptly, whether related to animal welfare, safety or household issues. 

• Handling keys and access details responsibly. 

• Adhering to all safety, hygiene and pet-handling policies. 

• We are proud to maintain a supportive, ethical and conscientious working culture. 

All Hound & Hoof team members are expected to uphold the highest standards of care, compassion and professionalism. This includes:

• Treating animals with kindness, patience and respect at all times. 

• Communicating clearly, honestly and politely with clients. 

• Respecting client confidentiality and privacy.

• Reporting concerns promptly, whether related to animal welfare, safety or household issues. 

• Handling keys and access details responsibly. 

• Adhering to all safety, hygiene and pet-handling policies. 

• We are proud to maintain a supportive, ethical and conscientious working culture. 

We take all feedback seriously and aim to resolve concerns quickly and fairly. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please contact us directly via email or phone. 

• We will acknowledge complaints within 48hours.

• We aim to resolve most issues within 5 working days.

• If the issue requires further investigation, we will keep you informed and work towards a fair outcome. Feedback helps us improve and we're always open to honest, respectful conversation about how we can do better.