The Whole Kitten Capoodle’s Policies
Updated November 2019
Our Rights
We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
Entering and Exiting The Salon
All dogs must be on leash, in your arms, or in a carrier when in the lobby. All cats must be in a carrier when in the lobby. We ask that you arrive a little early to give your dog a chance to go potty before their appointment time. Do not open the inner door even to let your own dog out, there may be other dogs nearby that you may or may not see that may try to bolt out the door (only employees may open the inner door). If no one has seen & waved at you to let you know we know you are here, you can ring the doorbell to right of the door. Please do not ring if someone has waved at you.
For pets that have never been groomed before:
We do everything in our power to not cause stress or trauma. Our preference for the first groom is to introduce the grooming process to your pet. We will do as much as we can the first time without stressing your pet. We recommend starting with just a bath & face, feet, and sanitary trim for their first experience so as not to overwhelm them.
Senior Pets and Pets With Health Problems
Grooming procedures can sometimes be stressful, especially to a senior pet or a pet with a health condition. Grooming can expose hidden medical conditions or aggravate existing ones. Because these pets have a greater chance of injury, they will be groomed for cleanliness and comfort, in styles that will not add stress. The Whole Kitten Capoodle will not be held responsible for any injury sustained during the grooming process of an elderly or health compromised pet.
Fleas/Ticks
We recommend that your pet be on some sort of flea preventative. We are not responsible for any fleas acquired.
Pets In Heat
If your pet is in heat please call to reschedule your appointment for a few weeks in the future. If we notice Aunt Flo is visiting your pet during their appointment we will quarantine them (for sanitation and their safety) and ask that you pick them up immediately and reschedule your appointment for a few weeks in the future.
Sedation
We do not allow pets in our salon under sedation for their safety, however natural calming aids are allowed.
Pregnancy
We do not groom pregnant pets for safety reasons.
Shave down/Matted Hair Removal
Removing heavily matted fur includes risks of nicks, cuts, or abrasions due to warts, moles, or skin trapped in the mats. Matting can also trap moisture near the skin allowing bacteria to grow causing skin irritations that exist before the grooming process, effects of mat removal can include itchiness, skin redness and irritation, abrasions, and in some cases failure of hair to re-grow as originally. Shaved pets are also extremely sensitive to the sun for long periods of time until their hair can re-grow and provide protection from the sun. While we take every precaution to insure your pets safety & comfort, The Whole Kitten Capoodle is not responsible for any adverse reaction as a result of mat removal and/or shave downs.
If your pet is matted your options are:
- Brush & COMB the matted coat out at home and schedule another grooming for when your pet is mat free.
- If the coat is in good enough condition to be de-matted without being unfair to your pet or putting us behind schedule we can de-mat it for an extra fee.
- If the mats are small we may be able to spot shave the mats out.
- If the pet is too matted we can give them a shave down for a fresh start.
Cats
We do not offer styled cuts for cats. We only do mat removal haircuts for cats because cats need their coat for protection and cats have very thin, stretchy skin which greatly increases their risk of injury during shaving. Also we feel the grooming process is already a stressful one for cats & it is unfair to put them through anything more than is necessary. Cats can be very unpredictable when it comes to stressful situations such as grooming which can be dangerous if they become very aggressive which is why in these cases we must send them home without finishing their service (we will only charge for the services we were able to do) & recommend they see a vet for their services where they can be sedated & monitored for safety. Cats must be picked up within 1 hour of being finished to minimize stress & because should they potty on themselves we may not be able to rebathe.
Emergency Care
Your pets comfort and safety are our first priories. We make every effort to ensure that your pets grooming is pleasant and safe, however, if your pet becomes ill or hurt and the services of a veterinarian are required, you hereby give The Whole Kitten Capoodle permission to obtain medical treatment for your pet if you are not available to do so and you agree to pay all veterinary expenses that are not covered by The Whole Kitten Capoodle’s insurance policy such as pre-existing conditions.
Vaccinations
We require proof of current rabies vaccination to be on file with us before your pet can be groomed as required by California state law. Exceptions will only be considered with a signed note from your pet’s veterinarian stating the reason why your pet is not being vaccinated, even with a signed note we retain the right to refuse grooming services at our discretion. When your pet gets their rabies vaccination updated please bring their new proof of vaccination with you to their next appointment. If we do not have current rabies vaccination on file at the time of your appointment and we are unable to get confirmation from your vet that they are up to date we will have to reschedule for another day after your pet’s vaccination is updated. We only require rabies, but we recommend that your pet be fully vaccinated for their safety. The Whole Kitten Capoodle takes every precaution to ensure the health & safety of your pet but is not responsible for any illness they may acquire from being around other pets due to not being fully vaccinated.
Early drop offs
You are welcome to drop off early, but we may not be able to start your pet until their appointment time.
Late Arrivals
We schedule our appointments to fit in as many pets as we can while giving enough time to give them the love & care they need. Late arrivals take away from the time we can give your pet & can cut into later appointments & leave our hourly paid bathers waiting which is why there is a 5$ fee for arriving more than 5 minutes after your appointment time.
Late Pickup
We are open by appointment only and close after the last pet is finished. If you need to leave your pet longer than their latest estimated groom time please ask your groomer so we can make arrangements for you if possible. If someone must wait for you to pick up your pet there will be an added fee.
Cancelations/No Shows
Groomers wages are commission based. If you do not show up for your appointment, or cancel last minute, not only do we lose out on fitting in another customer, but the groomer loses income.
o Cancelations
- Please be courteous and call to cancel with as much notice as possible if you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment.
- Prices are subject to change for your next groom for Cancellations made less than 48 hours before your appointment time & Same Day Cancelations.
- Cancelations made after 3pm the day before will be considered a Same Day Cancellation. We are closed on Sundays so any cancelations for Mondays must be made before 3pm on Saturday to not be considered a Same Day Cancelation.
No Shows
- If you can not make it to your appointment, please call atleast 1 hour BEFORE your appointment time to let us know. Canceling at the time of your appointment will be considered a No Show. If you are more than 15 minutes late, you will be considered a No Show. After 1 warning all no shows will result in a need to pay for the missed the appointment before any more appointments can be scheduled. If more appointments are already scheduled the missed appointment will need to be payed for within 48 hours in order to keep the scheduled appointments.
Payment
All grooming fees must be paid in full at the time of pickup. Fees may vary each visit depending on services, changes to hairstyle, pet’s condition & behavior. We accept cash & checks & all major credit cards. Checks returned due to insufficient funds will be charged a $30 service fee.
Photographs
By signing The Whole Kitten Capoodle’s client form you authorize The Whole Kitten Capoodle to take photos of your pet while in our care to use for social media. All photos taken are property of The Whole Kitten Capoodle.
Satisfaction
Your satisfaction is important to us. Please let us know when you pick up your pet if there are any adjustments you would like made to your pets groom & we’ll be happy to fix it then. We understand that sometimes it’s easier to notice things at home than during the excitement of reuniting with your pet and if you call us within 48 hours of your appointment we will fit you in for a fix up asap free of charge (more than 48 hours after your appointment we will need to redo the bath & do the fixup at full charge).