Companion Animal Behavioural Services

Please note that every effort is being made to ensure the safety of all participants in behavioural and training sessions during the current Covid-19 restrictions. All sessions are undertaken in the expectation that the latest government guidelines are being followed by both parties. Every effort will be made to continue with sessions throughout the pandemic, however, these terms and conditions may be altered at short notice if the government impose restrictions that prevent sessions from continuing in line with clauses 12 (behavioural consultations) and 9 (training sessions) below.

Behavioural Consultations

1. 1. 1. 1. Committing to a behavioural consultation constitutes agreement to abide by these terms and conditions. You will be asked to give explicit written consent when confirming the booking that you have read, understood and agree to these terms and conditions
         2. Data will be recorded and stored in line with GDPR requirements
         3. Companion Animal Behavioural Services will provide a qualified, fully insured behaviourist abiding by the code of conduct and ethics of the International Society of Animal Professionals. All advice is given in good faith and in confidence, notwithstanding a defined need to share information with other relevant professionals as per Clause 9 below
         4. In booking a consultation and behavioural programme, you will be expected to take an active role in implementing all advice
         5.  The consultation fee must be paid in advance of the agreed behavioural consultation date. The initial fee covers the cost and time of travel, the consultation and/or time spent in writing the report
         6. A package of additional sessions will be recommended as required following the initial consultation. Full payment must be made in advance for additional sessions following the initial consultation. An on-call service is not provided, but queries will be answered by e-mail or telephone as soon as possible after receipt.
         7. Any additional consultation via e-mail or in person will be quoted and invoiced separately if required and must be paid for in full in advance of the sessions commencing.
         8. All payments must have been received and cleared in the specified account before the consultation will take place or behavioural programme be instigated or before additional communications commence.
         9. The report and behavioural programme outline will be shared with your veterinary surgeon and any other relevant parties who may be consulted by the behaviourist at any point during contractual period (normally three months after the initial consultation date). You will be informed of any other parties being allowed access to the information. You have the right to withhold or withdraw consent; however, this may result in termination of the behavioural programme if, in the opinion of the behaviourist, doing so would hinder the implementation of the programme and/or put an animal at risk. Refunds will not be made if these circumstances pertain
         10. Cancellation of a consultation with fewer than 10 days’ notice will be subject to an administration fee of £50. If cancelled following the initial consultation, the fee for any part of the process that has proceeded will be forfeited in its entirety unless circumstances as outlined in Clause 12 below pertain. If a report has been written but the behavioural plan has not been implemented due to cancellation not under the terms as outlined in Clause 12 below, Companion Animal Behavioural Services reserves the right to retain all or part of the fees paid to that date
         11. The postponing of an appointment with fewer than 10 days notice will result in the deposit being retained until another appointment is made. Should a new appointment not be made within one month of the original date of the consultation, the balance of the deposit will be returned once an administration fee of £50 has been deducted unless the circumstances are deemed, at the sole discretion of the behaviourist, to be exceptional (see below). The postponing of an appointment within 5 days of the planned visit will result in the fee being forfeited unless the circumstances are considered to be exceptional. Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to:
             Any illness in the companion animal that, in the opinion of a registered veterinary surgeon, would render the appointment redundant in the immediate term or permanently
             Death of the companion animal
             Illness or death of the owner or close bereavement.
             All such circumstances will be assessed on an individual basis.
         12. Should the behaviourist be required to cancel an appointment due to unavoidable circumstances, including but not limited to, illness or injury, bereavement, inability to travel caused by adverse weather conditions or other disruption to transport or similar or government imposed restrictions that is not deemed likely to last longer than one month, the deposit will be retained until a new appointment can be made, unless both parties agree to a longer retention period. In the event that either party is not able to re-schedule the appointment within one month of the original date or longer if agreed mutually, the deposit will be returned in full unless the cancellation is due to travel disruption where travel costs have already been incurred. In this case, the cost of travel only (not time incurred) will be deducted before the balance is returned.

Training Sessions

1. Committing to a training session constitutes agreement to abide by these terms and conditions. Confirming the booking/attending a session assumes that you have read, understood and agree to these terms and conditions
2. Data will be recorded and stored in line with GDPR requirements; consent will be implied for continued contact with an unsubscribe option available
3. Companion Animal Behavioural Services will provide a qualified, fully insured trainer abiding by the code of conduct and ethics of the International Society of Animal Professionals, the Animal Behaviour and Training Council codes of conduct and the Karen Pryor Academy Certified Trainer Pledge and . All advice is given in good faith
4. In booking a training course, you will be expected to take an active role in implementing all advice
5. Full payment for private and group sessions must be made and cleared in the destination account as specified in the invoice before the first session takes place
6. Group classes are payable in an 8 weeks package for puppies or 6, 12 or 18 week packages for non-puppy courses. Full payment must be made and cleared in the destination account before the first session takes place
7. Group classes are non-transferable. Group classes must be undertaken on consecutive weeks and cannot be carried over into another block of classes in the event of a class being missed by the participant. Group classes cannot be exchanged for private tuition. Missing classes can be made up in a private session or sessions for an additional fee charged at the hourly rate then pertaining
8. No refunds will be made once one or more session in the agreed training package has been undertaken, including the induction session. Refunds may be made prior to the first induction or training session taking place in the event of an emergency at the sole discretion of Companion Animal Behavioural Services and R+ Dog Training
9. In the event that the trainer is required to cancel training due to unavoidable circumstances, including but not limited to, illness or injury, bereavement, inability to travel caused by adverse weather conditions or other disruption to transport, unavailability of venue or similar or government restrictions that is not deemed likely to last longer than one month, monies paid will be retained until sessions recommence. In the event that sessions cannot recommence within one month of the original date or longer if agreed mutually, any outstanding sessions will be refunded in full.