Terms & Conditions 
the Bark Bath

These Terms & Conditions apply to grooming services provided by Bark Park Play Centre for Dogs, trading as The Bark Bath (“Bark Bath”, “we”, “us” or “our”).

By booking and paying for a grooming appointment, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

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Booking Your Appointment

To provide the best possible care for your dog and maintain a reliable appointment schedule, the following booking and cancellation policy applies.

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• Deposit: A 50% deposit is required at the time of booking to secure your dog's grooming appointment.

• Rescheduling: You can reschedule your appointment without penalty provided you give us at least 24 hours' notice. Your deposit will automatically transfer to your new appointment date.

• Late Cancellations: If you cancel or reschedule with less than 24 hours' notice, your 50% deposit will be forfeited to cover the groomer's reserved appointment time.

• No-Shows: If you do not attend your appointment and provide no notice, your deposit will be forfeited. Future bookings may require full payment at the time of booking.

 

We understand that unexpected situations and emergencies happen. If something prevents you from attending your appointment, please contact us as soon as possible.

 

Preparing for Your Appointment

Setting your dog up for a positive grooming experience starts before they arrive.

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• We recommend giving your dog a short walk and toilet break before their appointment.

• We recommend avoiding a large meal immediately before grooming, particularly if your dog is prone to nausea or anxiety.

• Please ensure your dog is receiving appropriate, current flea and tick prevention. If live fleas or ticks are found during the appointment, additional treatment or cleaning charges may apply.

• Your dog's vaccinations should be kept up to date in accordance with your veterinarian's recommendations.

 

Arriving for Your Appointment

Please arrive at your scheduled appointment time.

If you arrive early, we encourage you to take your dog for a short walk while you wait. We will open the door for you at your scheduled appointment time.

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• Please bring your dog wearing a collar and/or harness and leash.

• Dogs must remain on leash until they have entered the designated off-leash area.

• Please tell us about any changes to your dog's health, behaviour or circumstances when you arrive.

• Before grooming begins, our groomer will assess your dog's coat and condition and discuss any additional charges or changes to the booked service with you before proceeding.

 

Pick-Up & Late Collection

Please arrive at your agreed pick-up time to collect your dog.

Bark Bath operates on a 1:1 appointment schedule, so late collection can impact the next appointment. We understand that unexpected delays can happen, so please call us as soon as possible if you are running late.

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If you are more than 30 minutes late for your dog's scheduled pick-up time, a $15 late collection fee will apply for each additional 15 minutes, or part thereof.

For example:

• 31–45 minutes late: $15

• 46–60 minutes late: $30

• 61–75 minutes late: $45

 

If you know you are going to be significantly delayed, please contact us as soon as possible so we can make appropriate arrangements for your dog.

 

Grooming

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Matted Coat Policy

Your dog's comfort and wellbeing always come first.

If your dog's coat is severely knotted or matted, additional time, equipment and careful handling may be required to groom them safely.

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A matting fee starting from $10 per affected quadrant may be added to the base service price, depending on the severity and extent of the matting.

In some cases, severe matting may mean that the requested groom cannot be completed safely or that a shorter clip is required. Any significant changes to the groom will be discussed with you where possible.

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Heavy or Blown Coat Policy

If your dog's coat is particularly heavy or impacted with blown coat, additional time and specialised products may be required.

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A fee starting from $10 per affected quadrant may be added to the base service price to cover the additional time and products required.

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The final additional charge will depend on the condition and amount of coat requiring additional work.

 

Welfare & Behaviour Policy

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At Bark Bath, it's humanity over vanity. Your dog's comfort and wellbeing always come first.

If your dog shows signs of significant stress, discomfort or distress during their groom, we may decide to stop or modify the groom before it is finished. We will never continue a groom at the expense of your dog's wellbeing simply to complete the service.

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If this happens, we'll discuss what remains outstanding and arrange a second appointment to finish the groom when appropriate. There is no additional service fee for this follow-up appointment; it is included as part of your original grooming service.

 

Dog Owner Responsibilities

As the owner or person responsible for the dog, you are responsible for providing Bark Bath with accurate and complete information about your dog before their grooming appointment.

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You must disclose any known or suspected:

• Health conditions, injuries or physical limitations

• Allergies or skin conditions

• Medications or recent medical treatment

• Pain, sensitivity or areas that may be uncomfortable to handle

• Previous reactions to grooming or handling

• Fear, anxiety, aggression, biting or other behaviours that may affect the grooming process

• Any other information that may affect your dog's ability to safely participate in a grooming service

 

Failing to disclose relevant information may increase the risk of injury, stress or an adverse reaction during grooming.

Bark Bath may decline, modify or stop a grooming service if information provided by you, or your dog's condition or behaviour during the appointment, indicates that continuing the groom may not be appropriate or safe.

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Please do not bring your dog to a grooming appointment if they are showing signs of illness or have been diagnosed with a contagious illness. You must notify Bark Bath if your dog has recently been unwell or has been exposed to a contagious illness so that we can determine whether the appointment should be rescheduled.

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You are responsible for notifying Bark Bath of any changes to your dog's health, behaviour or circumstances that may affect their grooming appointment.

 

Grooming Risks & Liability

Dog grooming involves professional grooming equipment, handling and close physical contact with your dog. While Bark Bath takes reasonable care and appropriate precautions, there are inherent risks associated with the grooming process.

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These risks may include minor cuts, scratches, clipper or grooming-related irritation, nail bleeding, accidental injury caused by unexpected movement, and reactions associated with your dog's coat, skin, nails, physical condition or underlying health.

Dogs may also react unexpectedly during grooming due to fear, stress, discomfort, pain or unfamiliar handling. These reactions may result in injury to your dog, the groomer or another person.

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Bark Bath may stop or modify a grooming service where, in the groomer's reasonable judgement, continuing may pose a risk to your dog's wellbeing or to the groomer.

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By proceeding with your booking, you acknowledge these inherent risks and understand that Bark Bath cannot guarantee that injury, irritation or other unforeseen incidents will not occur.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes, restricts or modifies any rights or remedies you may have under the Australian Consumer Law or other applicable law.

 

Australian Consumer Law

Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law.

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For major failures with the service, you are entitled:

• to cancel your service contract with us; and

• to a refund for the unused portion, or compensation for its reduced value.

 

You are also entitled to be compensated for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage.

If the failure does not amount to a major failure, you are entitled to have problems with the service rectified within a reasonable time. If the problem is not rectified, you may be entitled to cancel the service contract and obtain a refund for the unused portion.

These rights apply in addition to any other rights you may have under Australian law.