1. About us and these terms

1.1 These terms apply to all boarding services provided by Clarkes Pet Boarding Essex ("we", "us").

1.2 "You" means the person who books the stay and is responsible for the animal. "Animal" means the pet(s) named on your booking.

1.3 A booking is confirmed only when we have sent over relevant information of your booking and we have received your deposit. Minimum deposit is £20. Boarding stays under this amount need to be paid in full. Stays over £20 is 20% deposit whichever is greater.

1.4 We board only the following small animals: rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats, chinchillas, snakes, lizards, tortoise, ferrets, hens, ducks and birds. We do not board dogs or cats. We may decline any animal at our discretion. Please ask for any others.

2. Our home and standards

2.1 In England, a local authority licence is currently required for boarding cats and dogs but not for boarding small animals. We always follow the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and meet each animal's welfare needs: a suitable environment and diet, the ability to behave normally, appropriate company or separation, and protection from pain, injury and disease.

2.2 Animals stay in areas of our home, away from our own pets and children, at a suitable temperature, with daily checks, cleaning, fresh food and water.

2.3 Our household includes many animals due to also running an animal rescue. They do not have access to the boarding animal, but some animals may still notice their presence.

2.4 We hold insurance that covers boarding animals at our home.

3. Health

3.1 You must tell us before the stay about any illness, injury, medication, allergy, behavioural issue, history of aggression or escape, or anything else that could affect the animal's care or the safety of other animals and our staff. Failing to disclose this may breach these terms.

3.2 We do not accept animals that are showing signs of infectious disease. If this appears during the stay, we may isolate the animal and contact you and your vet.

3A. Housing and handling

3A.1 We may refuse a stay if we reasonably believe an animal is unwell, or poses a risk to other animals, people or our household pets.

3A.2 Each animal is kept in its own enclosure and is not mixed with others. Animals that live together, such as bonded pairs, should arrive together and will stay together in one enclosure.

3A.3 Any time out of the enclosure for exercise or handling is at our discretion and depends on the animal's temperament and health. You may opt out on the booking form.

4. Booking, fees and payment

4.1 Our current prices are on each animal type page.

4.2 A non-refundable minimum deposit is £20 is due at booking by bank. Boarding stays under this amount need to be paid in full. Stays over are £20/20% deposit whichever is greater. The balance is due on the first day of their stay, in either cash or bank.

4.3 Charges are per day. Days count as to when we have them in our care. Drop off and pick up is in 2 time frames in a day, between 8-10am or 6-9pm only. Any time outside of these times need to be arrange on day f booking. E.g. you have a stay from 1st -5th. Total days charged 5 days regardless of time dropped off or picked up on that day.

4.4 Extra services, medication, nail trims, extra handling time or other extra care, can be arranged when booking and will be charged extra.

4.5 If you collect early, we do not refund unused nights.

4.6 Unless agreed, if you arrive late for pick up with no contact you may be charged for an additonal daily fee.

5. Cancellations and changes

5.1 If you cancel more than 48 hours before the stay, we will refund payments made except the deposit.

5.2 If you cancel 48 hours or less before the stay, or do not arrive, you will not be given a refund. We cannot fill this space.

5.3 Deposits are non-refundable.

5.4 You can ask to change dates and we will try to accommodate this, subject to availability.

5.5 We may cancel a booking if we cannot provide the service because of events outside our control, or because of a breach of these terms. We will refund payments for services not provided.

6. Drop-off and collection

6.1 Drop-off and collection are by appointment only at our home, during 8-10am 6-9pm Please don't arrive without an appointment. Out-of-hours arrangements are arranged prior when booking.

6.2 Please bring your animal in a secure carrier. Please also bring its own enclosure, bedding, water bottle or bowl, hay or other forage, and enough of its usual food for the whole stay if needed.  We provide the housing and bedding for some of the animals. This is stated on the animal pages. We will not change the animal's diet without your consent unless a vet advises it.

6.3 Enclosures, bedding, toys and accessories are brought at your own risk. We take reasonable care of them but are not responsible for wear, loss or damage.

6.4 Please label carriers and belongings with your name and phone number, and give us accurate details of the animal's age, sex, diet, routine, handling needs and any identifying marks.

6.5 We will release the animal only to you or to a person you have named on the booking form.

7. Veterinary care and emergencies

7.1 You authorise us to get veterinary treatment for the animal if we reasonably believe it is needed. We will contact you first but if we have no response over a certain time we will make the best choice for the animal.

7.2 You will pay all veterinary fees, medication and transport costs. We may ask for payment, or for your agreement to a cost, before treatment starts.

7.3 We will use our registered vets. All invoices will need to be paid prior to your animal being picked up.

7.4 If an animal dies or is seriously ill, we will tell you as soon as we reasonably can and follow your instructions about the body. You will pay any costs involved.

7.5 Euthanasia will be authorised only on the advice of a vet and where delay would cause suffering, and where we cannot reach you or your emergency contact.

8. Our responsibility

8.1 We will provide the services with reasonable care and skill and will look after your animal in line with our licence conditions.

8.2 We will not be responsible for illness, injury, escape, stress or death that is not caused by our negligence or breach of these terms. Boarding is a stressful event for some animals, small animals can hide signs of illness and become seriously unwell quickly, and some conditions (such as respiratory infections or mites) can spread even where good hygiene and vaccination are in place.

8.3 Nothing in these terms limits or excludes our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that cannot be limited by law. Your statutory rights as a consumer are not affected.

8.4 We hold public liability and animal boarding insurance. We recommend that you also hold pet insurance. Insurance may not cover pre-existing conditions or boarding-related claims, so check your policy.

8.7 You are responsible for any injury, damage or loss caused by your animal to people, other animals, or our premises or property.

9. Your responsibilities

9.1 You confirm that the information you give us is accurate and complete and that you are the owner of the animal or have the owner's permission to board it.

9.2 You will pay all charges when due. If an invoice is not paid on day of first boarding day, we may refuse entry.

9.3 You will collect the animal on the agreed date. We may keep the animal as set out in section 10 if you do not.

10. Animals not collected

10.1 If you do not collect the animal within 7 days of the agreed date and we cannot reach you or your emergency contact, we will take reasonable steps to find you, including by email, phone, post and any other contact details you've given us.

10.2 After that, we may give written notice that we intend to rehome the animal, and we may do so after the period allowed by the Animals Act 1977 (currently 28 days from the notice). We may recover from you all fees and costs we incur, to the extent the law allows.

10.3 Until the animal is collected or rehomed, you remain liable for the daily fees and costs of its care.

11. Photos and social media

11.1 We may photograph or film animals during their stay for the purposes of updates to you.

12. Personal data

12.1 We collect and use your personal data (contact details, emergency contacts, animal and vet information, payment records) to provide the service, meet our legal obligations and keep our records as the licence requires. We handle it in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

13. Complaints

13.1 If you are unhappy with our service, please tell us as soon as possible at clarkespetboardingessex@gmail.com  so we can put things right. We aim to respond within 3 working days.

14. General

14.1 We may change these terms from time to time. The terms in force on the date of your booking apply to that stay.

14.2 If any part of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the rest will remain in force.

14.3 We are not responsible for delay or failure caused by events outside our reasonable control, such as severe weather, utility failure, disease outbreak, or government restrictions. In such cases we will contact you as soon as we reasonably can.

15. Customer agreement

By paying your deposit or confirming your booking, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to these terms.