Policies
We will have you sign these forms at drop off.
Liability Policy
Your pets are important to us –
(Please review and sign the following liability waiver for Canine Cottage)
The following listed items are common pet issues that can occur. By signing the below, you are providing consent to allow Canine Cottage to follow best practices for health and safety. In addition, by signing this form, you are releasing Canine Cottage LLC and all affiliated parties from liability in the event of unforeseen, accidental and uncontrollable spontaneous health events and or injury of your pet.
· Matted Fur – If your pet is matted, unfortunately we may have to shave your pet. Since mats rest tightly on the skin, they often hide pre-existing conditions and become high risk for accidental cuts. Shaving mats can cause or reveal injuries such as inflammation, infections, restricted movement, and blood circulation problems. Mats that occur on ears can restrict blood flow and can cause hematomas. Removing mats on ears can trigger a sudden rush of blood. Thus, bleeding can occur, typically at the tips of the ears. We are not liable for the injury, health event or sudden death of your pet as a result of this.
· Senior Pets – These are high risk pets. We will do our very best to complete your senior pet’s groom quickly. Sometimes senior pets need breaks to keep them comfortable. They also tend to be a little more difficult. This creates a longer total groom time. Given that each pet is unique in their ability to handle stress at a higher age, we are not liable for the injury, health event or sudden death of your pet as a result of this.
· Cat Grooming - When cats are exposed to a new environment, they can experience elevated stress levels. If your cat is too stressed to safely continue with the groom, all activities will stop, and you will be notified. We are not liable for the injury or death of your pet. Occasionally, grooming can also expose or aggravate a hidden medical problem. Shaving mats or normal grooming can be dangerous since cats have thin skin that may tear even with gentle handling.
· Behavior – Pets that have behavior issues during the grooming process may require a muzzle and may take longer to finish. Pets that are difficult while grooming do a lot of the following: whipping, pulling, biting, alligator rolling and jumping. Because of these acts, grooming is difficult, and your pet has a higher chance of hurting itself. We will do our best to complete the grooming session safely. If we are not able to finish the groom, we reserve the right to charge the full grooming price. We are not responsible for injury or death of your pet due to problematic behaviors.
· Video/media/photo – signing this form, you agree to the release for use of image and likeness of your pet for all social media platforms and website.
We (Canine Cottage LLC) request your permission to obtain appropriate treatment for your pet should it become necessary.
I hereby grant permission to this grooming establishment to obtain emergency veterinary treatment for my pet at my expense.
If the owner of the pet is not the one who drops off and picks up the pet, you and the owner are aware of our policies and the owner has given you permission to pick up/drop off and sign for their pet(s), acknowledging this liability and other Canine Cottage LLC liability/policy forms.
Humanity before Vanity
Here at Canine Cottage, we believe in humanity before vanity. This means if your pet is matted, we will shave him/her. This will require an additional fee. This is because removing matting can be difficult and dangerous. Not only is it hard on our equipment but more importantly it is hard on your pet. To avoid matting in between grooming appointments, we recommend brushing and combing thoroughly multiple times a week. If you would like to maintain your pet’s hair but can’t keep up on the brushing, we recommend more frequent grooming-even if it’s just a Bath&Brush.
This is not a form we have you sign but a a motto we like to go by.
LEASHES AND KENNELS
Please bring your dog on the ground and on a leash or in a crate.
Please bring your cat in a crate.
This will ensure the safety of your pet and staff. These precautions are so your pet does not jump out of our arms and injure itself or our staff or get loose.
Thank You
Attendance Policy
At Canine Cottage LLC, we strive to provide the best service possible for all our clients. As an appointment-based business, no-shows and last-minute cancellations affect us greatly by taking up valuable time that could have been offered to another client. To help avoid implementing a non-refundable deposit system, we’ve established the following attendance guidelines. Please review them carefully before booking an appointment.
Three-Strike Rule
Each client is allowed up to three strikes for no-shows, late cancellations, or arriving late beyond our grace period. After three strikes, a $30 attendance fee will be applied to future appointments. If you have multiple pets it will be $30 plus $10 per extra pet. This policy is designed to help us manage our schedule fairly while avoiding the need for non-refundable deposits.
1. Running Late
We understand that delays happen, so we offer a 15-minute grace period for late arrivals. Please call us as soon as possible to let us know if you’re running late.
• Arriving after the 15-minute grace period may result in the cancellation and rescheduling of your appointment.
• Whether we proceed with your appointment after this period is at the discretion of the staff.
• Arriving late—whether we proceed with the appointment or need to reschedule—will count as a strike.
2. Cancellations Within 24 Hours
We require at least 24 hours’ notice for cancellations.
• Canceling within 24 hours of your appointment will count as a strike.
• Since we are closed on Sundays (and have been for over several years), canceling on a Sunday does not count as valid notice. Cancellations made on Sunday will be considered canceling within 24 hours, as we won’t receive the notification until Monday morning.
3. No-Shows
If you cannot make it to your appointment, please give us the courtesy of a call.
• No-call, no-shows or calling after the appointment time will count as a strike.
• No-shows significantly impact our ability to accommodate other clients and hurt our business operations.
Walk-Ins
We are an appointment-based business and typically do not have room for walk-ins. However:
• If we can accommodate a walk-in request, a $25 additional fee will apply.
• Acceptance of walk-ins is at the discretion of the owner and authorized staff. This is not a guarantee that we can take you without an appointment.
Please respect our business hours by picking up your pet before our scheduled closing time.
• If you arrive after our closing time without prior notice, we reserve the right to place your dog in boarding. You will be responsible for a boarding fee, and you can pick up your pet the next business day during regular business hours.
• If you notify us in advance that you will be late, and we agree to wait for you, a $20 after-hours fee will apply.
• If you arrive later than the agreed-upon time after notifying us, we reserve the right to place your dog in boarding, and you will be responsible for the boarding fee and next-day pick-up.
Thank you for understanding and respecting our policies. These guidelines help us maintain fairness and ensure every client receives the quality care and attention they deserve, while also allowing us to avoid requiring non-refundable deposits for appointments.
— Canine Cottage Team
By signing this form, you agree that you are the owner/guardian of pet and by signing this form you agree you have read and understand the attendance policy and the fees that apply. If you did not pay the fee during the time of payment collection, it will be added to your next appointment as an owed fee.