Please read our terms carefully. In proceeding to use our services you are accepting our terms in full without variation.

 

1.    Services

1.1    All services are provided by K9 STARS Ltd, a company registered in England & Wales under company registration number 15853735, “the Company” or “Us” or “We”.

1.2    Any references within these terms to “you” or “the Customer” or “the Client” mean the person purchasing the services as named on the invoice. By making a booking, you are accepting these terms in full.

1.3    Following an enquiry made by you, you will be asked to provide information about your pet. If we believe that we can help we will offer you the opportunity of either an in-person or virtual (online) session or course.

1.4    Prior to a session or course class, we may need detailed information from you, including video footage of any issues so that we can fully prepare to support you.

1.5    All initial pre-class assessments, whether remote or in person, will be approximately 30 minutes in duration and you will be provided with a summary of our assessment by email within 48 hours of the session.

1.6    Where you are purchasing a package of 1 to 1 sessions or a group course, all subsequent sessions will be 45 minutes in duration. The time period between sessions is agreed at the point of purchase and we book in the dates for all of the sessions at the outset.

1.7    A booking can only be confirmed once we receive the full booking fee and the completed booking form. Bookings will be confirmed via email.

1.8    Should you fail to provide the booking fee and completed booking form within 7 days of receiving the invoice then the dates of any sessions or places on the group course will be released for alternative bookings so to allow flexibility in the diary for others.

 

2.    Payments and Pricing 

2.1    Our prices are as advertised on our website. You can purchase one-off sessions, package sessions and course bookings. Please see the website for more details.

2.2    Group course locations, dates and times are set well in advance and keep to a structured timetable. Please make sure you can attend all dates before booking.

2.3    Quotes may be higher or lower for certain 1 to 1 customers depending on various factors, such as the mileage we are required to travel.

2.4    Payment is required in advance. You can make payment directly through our website or via bank transfer.

2.5    Where a package of 1 to 1 sessions is purchased, you must use all of the sessions within six months of the original date of purchase. Any 1 to 1 sessions which have not been used within this period will expire.

 

3.    Weather Policy, Alterations to Bookings and Cancellations

3.1    Due to the nature of the training support services we provide, our services are unlikely to be significantly impacted by any inclement weather as sessions and classes can often be conducted inside, however, please do ensure that you have appropriate clothing and footwear if we are going outside.

3.2    In the event of bad weather, we will notify you that the session or class can not proceed. “Bad weather” will be determined by weather warnings and guidance which is put in place. We will use our professional judgement, acting in the best interests of your pet, when deciding to postpone a session or class. We will notify you as soon as possible about the session or class being unable to proceed and reschedule as soon as possible after the original date.

3.3    Very occasionally we may need to reschedule a session or class due to unforeseen circumstance. Should we need to reschedule for any reason we will provide you with as much notice as possible. If a session or class cannot be rescheduled, a refund to the value of the session or class will be issued to you.

3.4    Should you need to postpone a 1 to 1 session or course, you will be required to give notice in writing. If 48 hours’ notice is given, then the session or course can be postponed and rescheduled. If less than 48 hours’ notice is given, that session or course will be forfeited and can no longer be used.

3.5    Payment is due in advance to secure your place on the course. All group courses are run as 6 week classes. Your payment keeps your place available for you, even if you are unable to attend every class.

3.6    Refunds will not be issued for missed classes. However, regular attenders of our rolling classes will receive a reduced payment for the following course if they have been forced to miss 2 or more classes due to extenuating circumstances or a bitch in season.

3.7    For classes missed due to holidays, social appointments, human illness; we cannot reschedule these or carry them forward.  Please make sure you have checked your course dates before booking.

3.8    The work we do often requires a relaxed and calm approach. If you are more than 10 minutes late to a session or class, it may not be in the best interests of your dog for the session or class to go ahead. Where possible we will reconfigure the work within the session or class, however, where it is not possible to do this the session or class may have to be forfeited.

3.9    A pre-class assessment is required for dogs over 46 weeks who have not joined a class with us previously. On rare occasions, a dog or puppy may find the group classes too stressful to learn. If this is the case, you may be asked to leave the class and will be offered 1 to 1 sessions to the value of your booking.

3.10    Once you have agreed to these terms and conditions you can request a refund in accordance with clause 5. Termination, or cancellation, of the contract can only take place in the limited circumstances set out in clause 10.

3.11    We will follow all government guidelines and safety recommendations including, but not limited to, guidance on isolating and quarantining. Should it be required by those recommendations, it may be necessary to deliver face-to-face sessions or classes online. If there are any changes to how the session or class will be delivered, we will notify you as soon as possible via email.

 

4.    Health of Your Pet and Welfare Policy 

4.1    Just like you, we are passionate about the correct treatment of animals. When delivering our services we are keen to ensure that we always put animal welfare at the forefront of everything that we do.

4.2    K9 STARS fully abide by the Professional Association of Canine Trainers (PACT) Code of Conduct.

4.3    We do not endorse, nor do we utilise, the use of prong collars, e collars, choke/check chains. Any breach of our Welfare Standards may result in the withdrawal of our services to you.

4.4    Our training and handling methods are kind and humane. Should we see any conduct or treatment which does not align with our approach we will terminate the delivery of our services immediately.

4.5    We recommend that your pet is seen routinely by a veterinary professional. It is your responsibility to ensure that your pet is up to date with any vaccinations, including the kennel cough vaccine, worming and flea treatment and other necessary treatments.

4.6    All dogs must be vaccinated, including the kennel cough vaccine and have up to date worming and flea treatment prior to joining a class, unless an exemption letter is supplied by a veterinary professional.

4.7    If your dog is unwell, showing vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, is lame or is a female in season, we ask that you do not attend classes.

4.8    Human safety is just as important to us as that of your pet. Please ensure that during all sessions any young children have alternative adult supervision so that you and your pet can focus on the session.

4.9    All dogs are to be kept on lead and under control at our training venues. This applies to the car park, grassed areas and in class, unless you are asked by an instructor to remove your dog’s lead for a particular behaviour or activity.

4.10    All clients are required to clean up after their dogs, please be prepared with poo bags.

4.11    Please ensure that we meet your dog for the session or class in a controlled manner. If attending a group class, ensure you give your dog and other dogs space before, during and after the class.

4.12    If you are aware of any behaviour within your pet e.g. a history of aggression or any behavioural concerns, then please let us know. We appreciate that it may be difficult to share this information, but it helps to support the safety of everyone involved.

4.13    We do not support, promote, or otherwise enable blood sports such as hunting or shooting and are proud to be part of the Business Without Blood Sports Pledge. We do not accept dogs that are actively used or are to be used in any type of blood sports, including, but not limited to, the flushing and retrieving of game.

 

5.    Complaints and Refunds

5.1    We are committed to providing you with a high-quality service. Should there be any cause for complaint in relation to any aspect of our service please contact Dr Gina Eagle at office@k9-stars.co.uk. We agree to investigate your complaint carefully and promptly and take reasonable steps to resolve it.

5.2    Should you change your mind within the first 14 days following your booking, you shall be provided with a refund in full, subject to the services not already having been delivered. If some services have already been delivered as part of a package, then a refund will be provided pro-rata in accordance with the amount of sessions delivered and time dedicated to the planning and preparation of your sessions.

5.3    If a refund is requested more than 14 days following the date of the booking, no refund will be provided. This includes circumstances where: you have rehomed your pet, your pet has passed away or is ill, you cannot attend a session or class and you have not provided the necessary notice to postpone, or you have changed your mind.

5.4    All refunds will be provided in accordance with your statutory rights. 

 

6.    Liability and Limitations

6.1    At all times during the session or class, your pet is entirely your responsibility. Even where the trainer is working alongside you.

6.2    We will not take responsibility for any loss or damage caused by your pet. We accept no liability for any loss, injury, or damage to any person or property caused by you or your pet.

6.3    We do not accept any liability when it is not possible to attend the session or class due to adverse weather or road conditions. Neither will we be responsible for any losses arising in circumstances where we become unable to deliver the services such as illness, bereavement, or circumstances beyond our control. In such circumstances we will make every effort to keep you updated and advised and an alternative session or class will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

6.4    We make no guarantees or claims as to yours and your dog’s success as this is contingent on many different and variable factors. Each individual and their dog(s) are unique, and their abilities, temperament and behaviour are unique to them. All training/behaviour modification is acquired at different rates for each dog.

6.5    We are not responsible for any action or inaction which you take as a result of the information provided to you within the session(s).

6.6    No content in the session(s) or class(es) should be construed as veterinary or nutritional therapeutic advice. If you believe that your dog(s) requires veterinary attention you should seek assistance from a veterinary professional immediately.

6.7    Any testimonials used within our marketing are provided freely and independently but they are illustrative only. We cannot guarantee results as to outcome or in respect of timescales.

6.8    Nothing in these terms shall limit or exclude our liability in respect to fraudulent misrepresentation, death, or personal injury, resulting from our negligence, or any other liability which cannot be limited or excluded by law. 

 

7.    Data Protection and Confidentiality

7.1     We are committed to protecting your data. Our privacy policy is available at https://www.k9-stars.co.uk/privacy-policy/.

7.2     We do not share with anyone else the specifics of the services provided to you as these have been designed for you and your dog(s) alone.  We commit to adhere to professional standards of confidentiality.

 

8.    Intellectual Property

8.1    From time to time, we may share with you written assets such as workbooks or guidance material, or video content. We shall own any, and all, intellectual property we create. You are not permitted to duplicate, republish, reproduce, distribute, translate, or provide copies to third parties, without our prior written agreement.

8.2    During sessions or classes, we may take photographs or videos of you and your pet. Such content can be useful for training purposes. Please email us at office@k9-stars.co.uk if you do not agree to us sharing images or video footage of our sessions or classes on social media or within our online training materials and resources.

8.3    Where you provide us with a testimonial, you are providing consent for us to use that testimonial within our marketing and you shall not receive a fee or compensation of any kind. Should you provide an image with your testimonial, you are confirming that the image is free of any copyright restrictions and that we have full rights to use it howsoever we choose.

 

9.    Insurance

9.1     We hold effective indemnity insurance covering the services that we provide and the insurance policy is taken out with a reputable insurer.

 

10.      Termination

10.1     We reserve the right to terminate the services provided to you at our sole discretion.  Grounds for termination include, but are not limited, to:

10.1.1    Your failure to adhere to the Welfare Standards set out above;

10.1.2    Any behaviour by you which we deem detrimental to group activities.

10.2    In the event of termination, no refund will be provided for any services previously provided to you, subject to your statutory rights set out below.

 

11.    Third Party Rights and Applicable Law

11.1    No person other than the person provided with a copy of these terms shall be deemed to have the benefit of the services or have any rights to enforce or rely on any of the terms.

11.2    These terms are our standard terms and conditions of business and shall at all times be construed in accordance with the laws of England & Wales.

11.3    The English Courts will have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any claim, or dispute arising out of this agreement or any matter arising from it.