Terms of Service

General

The Groomery is a pet care salon offering pet grooming and temporary pet housing (boarding/daycare) services as well as retail products.  The Groomery is not a veterinary clinic and does not offer veterinary services or medical advice.

Requirements for the Provision of Services

When requesting the services of The Groomery, you must disclose any health condition and/or behavioral problems that may reasonably be expected to pose a risk to the staff of The Groomery, its customers, and/or any other animals in the care of The Groomery.

Please do not enter the grooming salon with sick pets, pets with skin diseases, pets with fleas and/or ticks, or pets whose vaccinations are not current.  Pets who fall within one or more of these categories may receive services at The Groomery however they require special handling and we must be aware of their conditions before they enter the salon.

Prices

The staff of The Groomery will make every effort to provide you with an estimate of the cost of your services before services are rendered.  In certain circumstances it may not be possible to estimate the exact cost in advance.  Fees quoted prior to grooming are estimates only and are subject to change.

Fees may be adjusted (at the sole discretion of The Groomery) based on the difficulty of the grooming process caused by excess undercoat growth, matted coats, health conditions which require slow and/or special handling of your pet, and/or pet behavior problems.

Pets are welcome to stay at The Groomery both before and after their grooming services are provided.  However, pets which are delivered to The Groomery more than one hour prior to their appointment and/or are picked up more than one hour after the customer is notified of completion may be subject to daycare fees.

Payment Terms

Payment is due upon receipt of grooming services.  Payment is due in advance for boarding and daycare services.

The Groomery accepts cash, debit cards, and (upon presentation of identification) personal checks, and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover.)

No-Shows and Last-Minute Cancellations

Appointments that are cancelled with less than 12 hours notice will be subject to a NO SHOW FEE.  For current fees, please contact The Groomery at the telephone number(s) and/or email address(es) available at www.groomery.biz or by consulting your local telephone directory.

In the event The Groomery is forced to cancel or reschedule an appointment with less than 12 hours notice, the customer shall receive a discount on their next grooming/boarding services to compensate them for their inconvenience.  For current discount rates, please contact The Groomery at the telephone number(s) and/or email address(es) available at www.groomery.biz or by consulting your local telephone directory.

Any customer who fails to keep a scheduled appointment (or who cancels an appointment with less than 12 hours advance notice) may be required to pay a non-refundable deposit (in the amount of their normal grooming fee) when they schedule future appointments.  This deposit will be credited toward grooming fees.

Boarding/Daycare

When leaving your pet with The Groomery for boarding and/or daycare, you agree to the following terms:

1. That you will pay the rate for boarding as indicated on the check-in documents.
2. That you will pay all costs and charges for special services requested and all veterinary costs for your pet during such time that pet is in the care of The Groomery.
3. That your pet will not be released to you until all charges are paid.
4. That all information that you provide concerning your pet, its health, and its behavior is complete and accurate to the best of your knowledge.
5. That The Groomery's maximum shall in no event exceed the lesser of (a) the current chattel value of a pet of the same species, breed, age, and condition or (b) $200 per animal, unless there shall have been some applicable statutory value established in which case The Groomery's maximum liability shall be the minimum statutory value so established.
6. That you shall be solely responsible for any and all acts or behavior of your pet while it is in the care of The Groomery and you shall indemnify and hold The Groomery harmless from any and all such acts.
7. You certify that you are the sole owner of the pet and that the pet is free and clear of all liens and encumbrances.
8. You certify that the pet has not been exposed to rabies or distemper within the thirty (30) days prior to boarding/daycare.
9. All boarding and/or daycare charges incurred by you shall be due and payable in advance.  Grooming service charges are due and payable upon receipt of services.  You grant to The Groomery a lien on the pet for any and all unpaid charges resulting from boarding, daycare, and/or grooming.  You hereby agree that in the event any charges are not paid when due as specified herein, The Groomery may exercise its lien rights upon five (5) days written notice to you via certified mail to the address(es) you have provided to us.    The Groomery may sell the pet for any and all unpaid charges at a public or a private sale, at the sole discretion of The Groomery.  You specifically waive all statutory and/or other legal rights to the contrary.  If such sale shall not secure sufficient funds to fully pay all delinquent charges, plus all costs of the sale, you shall be liable for the difference.
10. In accordance with the provisions of California Abandoned Animal Act (C.C.§ 1834.5 (set forth in the section entitled CALIFORNIA ABANDONED ANIMAL ACT), if you do not pick up your pet within 14 calendar days after the day pet was due to be picked up, the pet shall be deemed to be abandoned.  The Groomery shall first try for a period of not less than 10 days to find a new owner for the animal, and, if unable to place the animal with a new owner, may, at its sole option, thereafter humanely destroy the animal so abandoned.
11. If pet becomes ill or if the state of pet's health requires professional attention, The Groomery, at its sole discretion, may engage the services of a local veterinarian of its choice, administer medication or give other requisite attention to the pet.  All expenses so incurred shall be your responsibility and shall be paid by you.

Matted Pet Release

About Mats

A mat is basically a mass of tangled hair, but might also be held together by burrs or barbs from plants, particles of skin dander or other debris.  Sometimes mats start quite close to the pet's skin, making it difficult, if not impossible, to see the skin beneath.

The Groomery's Care

Your pet stylist/bather will use all care and precautions during this procedure, but a matted pet may experience reactions such as hot spots and irritated or sensitive skin.  In addition, shaving the pet may reveal pre-existing skin conditions that we were unable to determine beneath the matting.  Should a pre-existing condition require immediate medical attention, we will attempt to contact you and take your pet to our veterinarian; the charges will be added to your invoice.

Pet Parent Consent

By leaving a matted pet in the care of  The Groomery, you agree to the following terms:

Due to the amount of matting in your pet's coat, you agree that all or part of the coat cannot be saved without causing undue discomfort to your pet.  You therefore authorize The Groomery to remove (shave down) your pet's coat.

You release The Groomery from any and all liability for any skin condition that might be revealed by the removal of the matted coat.  You understand that such pre-existing conditions are not the responsibility of The Groomery.  Revealed medical conditions may require veterinary care and you will assume all financial responsibility for any such expense.

California Abandoned Animal Act

Senate Bill No. 1018 ... (Senator Walter W. Stiern)

An act to amend section 1834.5 of the Civil Code, relating to abandoned animals

Section 1.  Section 1834 of the Civil Code is amended to read:

1834.5  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever any animal is delivered to any veterinarian, dog kennel, cat kennel, pet-grooming parlor, animal hospital, or any other animal care facility pursuant to any written or oral agreement entered into after the effective date of this section, and the owner of such animal does not pick up the animal within 14 calendar days after the animal was due to be picked up, the animal shall be deemed to be abandoned.  The person into whose custody the animal was placed for care shall first try for a period of not less than 10 days to find a new owner for the animal, and, if unable to place the animal with a new owner, shall thereafter humanely destroy the animal so abandoned.

If an animal so abandoned was left with a veterinarian or with a facility which has a veterinarian, and a new owner cannot be found pursuant to this section, such veterinarian shall humanely destroy the animal.

There shall be a notice posted in a conspicuous place, or in conspicuous type in a written receipt given, to warn such person depositing an animal at such animal care facilities of the provisions of this section.

Signed by Governor Ronald A. Reagan

August 5, 1971

Release of Liability

By leaving your pet in the care of The Groomery you agree to save and hold harmless The Groomery and its owners, operators, employees, officers, and directors from any damage, loss, or claims arising from any pre-existing condition your pet may have, whether you have made such condition known to The Groomery or not.

In the event an emergency should occur with your pet, or in the event special services or handling are required as deemed necessary by The Groomery in the care of your pet, you agree to pay all such costs.

Said damage, loss or claim shall include, but shall not be limited to death, injury, and/or shock.  Said pre-existing conditions shall include, but shall not be limited to advanced age, extreme nervousness, neurosis, illness, malformation or previous injury.

The terms special services or handling shall include, but shall not be limited to veterinarian emergency services, boarding, caretaking and/or transportation.

Under no circumstances shall The Groomery be held liable for acts of God and/or for conditions which should reasonably have been prevented by the owner/guardian of the pet.

Returns and Exchanges

Items purchased from The Groomery may be returned or exchanged (upon presentation of the original receipt) subject to the following terms and conditions:

Special orders (for items not normally held in inventory by The Groomery) and/or items that do not include all original packaging are subject to a 25% restocking fee upon return or exchange.

Jurisdiction

These terms shall be governed under the laws of the State of California, County of Kern.  Any provision of these terms which are found to be unenforceable in a court of law shall affect only the unenforceable provision.  The remainder of the terms shall continue in force.

Changes in the Terms of Service

These terms of service are subject to change at any time without notice.  Changes to the terms of service shall become binding upon all parties immediately upon posting to The Groomery web site at www.groomery.biz/tos.htm

Contact Us for Additional Information

Questions concerning these terms of service may be submitted in writing to info@groomery.biz, by telephone at (661) 256-3629 or by regular mail at The Groomery, 4401 Rosamond Blvd., Suite 7, Rosamond, California 93560..

Version: 20060108A