Happy Tails Policies

Thank you for trusting us at Happy Tails with your pet & their grooming needs! Listed below are some of the policies we’d like you to understand and familiarize yourself with prior to our grooming your pet.

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Appointment Policies

If you must cancel or reschedule your appointment, please do so within enough time for your spot to be filled. A cancellation made within 24 hours of appointment time will be subject to a fee of 50% of the quoted grooming price.  Chronic cancellations may result in the inability to book future appointments.

Showing up late for your appointment is considered a missed appointment and will also be subject to a fee of 50% of the quoted grooming price.  Depending on our schedule, if you are running late, we might still be able to provide grooming, but the appointment will be subject to a late fee.

Our grooming services are by appointment only, and no walk-in services are available.  We ask that you arrive no earlier than 10 minutes for your appointment. We will call you when your dog is finished the groom, and we ask that you pick up your dog within 30 minutes of this phone call.

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We reserve the right to refuse service to customers whose pet may pose a threat to us or to the other pets left in our care, whether it be aggression, difficulty grooming, poor health and/or parasites.

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In case of an emergency or sickness of my pet, if myself, or the emergency contact given is unreachable, I hereby give consent to Happy Tails to seek care at an accessible veterinary clinic or animal emergency hospital as deemed necessary. I agree that I will be solely responsible for all medical expenses that are incurred on behalf of my pet and I will reimburse Happy Tails for the same.

 

Fleas and ticks

We recommend that all dogs be on a safe flea and tick prevention, prescribed by a veterinarian, all year round.  If fleas are found on your pet, it is our policy to use a flea shampoo with the additional cost of $10. 

 

Behavior

If your pet has any history of biting or injuring a previous groomer, we require notification of this. Every pet handles being groomed differently and for different reasons. It is important that we know this ahead of time to help prevent injury and or unnecessary added anxiety to your pet.

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In an effort to keep our staff and the pets in our care safe, we do not groom overly aggressive or difficult dogs. 

 

Health

Please keep in mind that grooming can be stressful for elderly pets.  We will continue to groom an elderly pet as long as it is considered safe to do so.  At some point, we may need to offer your dog a “comfort groom”, meaning we may need to groom your dog with a shorter length clip, with no special features.  Longer length clips and special features will extend the time length of the groom, and cause unnecessary stress to the grooming process.

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Happy Tails will not be held responsible for any pre-existing medical conditions or the aggravation of those conditions: such as, but not limited to heart disease, arthritis, obesity, infections, or any other medical condition that may be affected by the grooming process. 

 

Matted Coats

If your dog is heavily matted, there will be a $10 fee, as the process of grooming a heavily matted dog is time consuming, as well it causes more wear and tear on our equipment and tools. 

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The groomers at Happy Tails will make practical decisions based on your dog's coat condition.  If your dog’s coat is in matted condition, a short clip will be necessary.  This short clip may also include ears, head, face, muzzle, feet, toes and tail.  We ask that you trust that we will use our skills, education, certification, and considerable experience when caring for my pet.

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Matted fur allows for less air movement and can suffocate the skin.  This restricts blood flow to the skin, resulting in an area harbouring moisture and bacteria, and trapping it close to the skin.  Hot spots, sores, bacterial infections, or any other form of skin breakdown may be uncovered and exposed during the process of removing these matts.

 

Happy Tails will not be held responsible for clipper burn and/or minor nicks resulting from grooming of matted, neglected coats, or for irritation caused by removing coats from pets possessing mild to severe skin allergy.   

 

Double Coated Dogs (Huskys, Golden Retrievers, Pomeranians...)

At Happy Tails, we do not shave double coated dogs.  When you shave a double coated dog, you may irreparably impair their ability to properly heat/cool themselves and protect their skin. The best way to keep this kind of dog cool and comfortable is to regularly bathe and brush them.