Terms and Conditions. 

Karen's number one priority is that all animals that visit here enjoy their stay as best they can.

To ensure this, please read the following information.

For the health and safety of all visiting and resident animals, the following conditions apply.

Please agree to the terms & conditions when booking. 

It is a requirement for professional pet carers to keep accurate client and pet records.

 

Transparency:

For a transparent and smooth booking experience please read the following information including, price structure, booking deposits, payments, cancellations, what to bring / not bring, what food we use and why, Vaccinations and parasite control, grooming requirements, labelling items, food and medication and preparing your pet for their boarding experience. 

 

Karen has Zero tolerance policy to aggressive, threatening, or violent behavior, if a client displays any of these, you will be asked to leave and must do so immediately, without any issues to Karen or her property. If Karen does not feel safe handing over pets to such a client, you will be either asked to return later once you have settled, or you can send a family member or friend. Displaying this type of behavior will get you banned from returning. Please note, no pet leaves here unless all invoices are paid in full, and it is safe for Karen to hand them over.

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An emergency contact must be included, that is a different person and different number to your own. 

In case you are not contactable a family member or friend must be listed that has authority to make decisions regarding your pets.

I advise notifying emergency contacts and your Vet regarding instructions for your pets. 

It is very important that you let me know of any change in details, phone numbers, emergency contact numbers, address or pet details.

Also keep them updated on your customer portal. 

 

Opening Hours are by appointment only.

Closed for Dropping Off and Picking Up Pets, on all Sunday's, and all public holidays including Anzac Day.

Please note it is up to the client to make sure that your drop off or pick up dates do not fall on these days. Please select a time from the AM or PM time slot in 15 minute or half hour increments. 

If you arrive outside of your appointment time, there is no guarantee of availability to drop off or pick up your pets. And you will have to wait elsewhere until the next available open time. 

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Upon Arrival,

Park in the allocated parking spots and head down the carpark to the purple building, there is an office sign on the wall. 

Ring the Bell located on the fence.

Do not enter gates or open doors. Do not force gates open. Please wait for Karen to let you in.  

If you arrive and there is no one at the property, please leave and wait elsewhere, do not wait at the property.

If you have permission from Karen to wait on the property, please wait in your car, do not linger by the gates, cattery, house or fences, this will encourage dogs to bark. 

Do not allow children to touch anything or climb on fences.

Do not put hands over or through the fences as dogs may bite.

Do not allow your pets to come in contact with other animals, until directed to do so. Do not release animals on the property until asked to do so.

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House Guests and Volunteers: 

From time to time there will be house guests or Volunteers that have nothing to do with the running of my business Bay and Basin Boutique Pet Boarding. Please do not approach them to drop off or pick up your pets or make enquiries. 

Turning up outside of opening hours and outside of your scheduled drop off / pick up time is not recommended and most certainly not appreciated. A new appointment is not guaranteed, and you may be asked to leave and return at the next available appointment.

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Parking:

One disabled and three parking spots available.

Please use allocated customer parking spots when available, and please do not block the driveway.

Driveway:- The driveway is one way only. Please follow the signs and exit the driveway accordingly. 

No littering: Please put rubbish in the bins provided.

 

Illness or Injury: Please Note, the owner or emergency person on your file will be notified.

In the unlikely event that your pet becomes ill or injured you authorise Karen to seek veterinary treatment.

No responsibility is taken by Karen for pets becoming ill or injured. 

Note contagious diseases such as Canine Cough and Cat Flu are airborne diseases and can be contracted in boarding facilities or in your own back yard. Vaccinations are mandatory for this reason. 

Expenses: All veterinary expenses are the pet owner's responsibility. 

Please note that if your regular Vet is not local to us, we will use one of the following local vets. Jervis Bay Veterinary Clinic, Bay & Basin Veterinary Hospital, South Coast Veterinary Service, Glynis, or After-Hours Vets North Nowra Veterinary Hospital or Nowra Veterinary Hospital.

You must not book any pet in for boarding or daycare if they are sick with a contagious illness or disease, it is the pet owners responsibility to inform Karen.

Special needs or end of life pets:

I look after special needs pets and end of life pets that are often under the guidance of a vet and maybe on medication. Please note these pets may incur additional fees for administering medication. 

If your pet has a pre-existing illness or injury, and they are boarding with Karen and they need vet care while you are away, you need to notify your vet or a vet closer to Karen to approve any vet visits, treatments or check ups at your own cost.

There may also be travel fees or additional charges depending on the case. If your pet needs additional medical support, in addition to normal boarding, this may incur additional charges from Karen as well. 

 

Neglected, poor health or contagious pets:

Please do not book in your pets if they have extremely matted fur, have a contagious disease, vomiting, diarrhea, or are in generally poor or neglected health. 

Please contact Karen before booking in sick or contagious pets, grossly matted or neglected pets. 

 

Dental issues:-  Please note any pet that has dental disease or teeth issues can have difficulty eating and should seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.

Rabbits and guinea pigs' teeth can become overgrown and prevent them from eating and drinking, these issues may not be visibly noticeable. Please get their teeth checked at least annually.

Birds beaks can become overgrown too, please make sure they are getting a nutritional diet and appropriate ways to naturally wear down their beaks. 

 

Preparing Cats and pocket pets for boarding. For owners wishing to leave their pets long term, short overnight visits are great way to transition and help ease your cats and pocket pets into a longer-term experience. If your cat is fearful of a pet carrier, make the experience more enjoyable for them. Make sure your carrier is sturdy, clean, in good condition, if it doesn't feel safe to you, your cat won't like it either and make sure it is plenty big enough for your cat, they need to be able to stand up and turn around. You can turn your carrier into a bed, perhaps remove the top, or door, put a cosy blanket in there, some treats, spray some catnip or Feliway. It may take a few months, weeks or days for your cat to adjust to the carrier, be patient, and over time you can add the top back on and the door. If your cat is fearful of the car, you can start with short trips around the block. In severe cases of anxiety, you may be able to seek veterinary medication.

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Cats requiring medication: If you plan on boarding your cat long term, I may require your cats to have several overnight trials to get used to me handling them. This is particularly vital for diabetic cats and cats needing oral medication. The sooner you prepare them the better. That way you can still enjoy your holidays, but know your pets are well cared for. Please keep in mind that just because your pets take their medication easily at home, that doesn't necessarily mean they will allow me to administer their medication easily. However, once they are used to Karen handling them, it will be easier to medicate them.

 

Long term boarding:

For reference, I have cats that are here for a year, and have had others for well over 6 months, without any major issues. I try and make their experience here as comfortable and as enjoyable as I possibly can, giving them as much free time outside of their rooms as possible and giving them access to the Catio. 

 

Dog Boarding:-

I have worked extremely hard to create a clean, safe and calm as possible environment for your dog to stay in, like a home away from home, specifically for your dog. 

I am a kennel free environment. All dogs sleep in my home and have outside access to the fully fenced yard via a doggy door.

All clients must be completely transparent with regards to their dog's behavior. For example, are they toilet trained? Are they destructive? Do they chew? Do they climb fences? Do they climb onto kitchen benches or other places they shouldn't be?

Please note cleaning fees and damage fees, for example to property and or Karens personal belongings will be charged to the owners. Dogs / Pets will not be released until All Fees are paid. These fees are in addition to boarding fees and special needs fees.

Preparing dogs for boarding. All dog owners must inform Karen if a dog is likely to try and escape. No reactive or aggresive dogs are allowed sorry.

I can however help with and overcome some anxiety issues. 

Meet and greets and daycare are mandatory prior to boarding. 

The aim is for a dog to think of this as their second home until their owners arrive back from holidays. 

Dropping them off suddenly to a complete stranger without any preparation, is likely to cause your dog anxiety. Preparation is Key.......

 

I require dogs to attend regular daycare prior to boarding them, it helps dogs, especially anxious dogs with the transition to boarding.

This will also allow me to assess a dogs behavior and suitability for boarding, without the security of their owners. 

Although dogs must attend regular daycare, this does not automatically guarantee eligibility to board overnight. Unfortunately there is a handful that are not suitable for boarding. 

Meet and greets are important so a dog can get familiar with Karen and inspect the yard and meet any other animals. It is also a way for Karen to assess your dog's suitability, and to make sure they are not reactive, aggressive, overly anxious, or try to escape. This is the time to ask Karen questions and Karen will ask you questions. 

Daycare is great for socialisation, mental stimulation, enrichment, exercise, routine and to teach your dog it is okay to be away from the safety of their own home and owner. Dogs gets excited about play dates, daycare is just as important to a dogs ongoing learning and training as school is to children. 

Overnight trails are recommended for anxious dogs. And dependent on the individual dog the amount of daycare and overnight trials can vary greatly. 

Boarding Congratulations, if your dog has made it to this stage, that is great.

My aim is for your dog to enjoy their stay in a loving, clean, safe and calm as possible environment. 

Regular Daycare dogs at this facility will have priority to boarding services. If your dog has never been to a meet and greet or daycare here, and you require boarding, you need to arrange this with plenty of time to prepare your dog, otherwise you may miss out. 

 

Dogs staying in my home. My rates for dogs are set to reflect the high-end nature of boarding I provide. 

Dogs are welcome to sleep on pet beds provided by me, on the lounge or in my bed.

All linen, bedding and my home is cleaned and sanitised frequently. I also, obviously have to replace linen and furniture more often. This style of boarding obviously incurs a high boarding fee.

Dogs do not sleep outside; they have access to my home via a doggy door. It is important that all dogs are toilet trained. They do learn pretty quickly how to use a doggy door. 

 

Abandoned pets: should you not return to pick up your pet, all attempts will be made to contact you and any emergency numbers; unclaimed animals will be kept for two weeks then passed on to a local shelter or rescue group.

 

Food And Prescription food. Important information.

If your pet is on prescription food, you must bring enough food for the duration of your pets stay. 

HOUSE FOOD:-

While I am happy to supply regular house food, please note a sudden change in diet can upset tummies, and cause vomiting or diarrhea. 

CATS:- I stock Purina dry food for cats and a variety of supermarket and Pet Store brands wet food and treats. 

DOGS:- I stock Providor, SPD Prime 100 Roll and Nosh. These are all high value, premium foods for dogs, available at Pet Barn Stores. And a variety of treats. 

Please note I no longer stock any dog food that contains Chicken. Due to the high levels of protein found in chicken, and the increased number of dogs that have skin allergies.

Since I have stopped using chicken, I have found that skin irritations have dramatically reduced. 

Note, multiple family pets requiring different food, may be better suited to separate rooms, as it hard to keep food separate, and this can also upset tummies if your pets eat each other's food. Note this may incur additional costs, for example cats requirering seperate rooms, will be charged per room.

 

Pocket pets' food. I use and supply pasture hay for rabbits and guinea pigs for bedding and enclosures. I also supply fresh vegetables and fruit daily. If you have fruit and vegetables you need to use up before leaving for holidays, please bring that along too. 

The owner needs to supply enough dry food / pellets and hay for the duration of stay, you can purchase small bags of Timothy, pasture, oaten, hay from your local pet supplies. Any extra food Karen needs to purchase may incur additional fees.

    

Frozen Food: Any food that you require to be frozen or refrigerated should be packed up in portions for each pet for each meal and clearly labelled with names. DO NOT BRING KILOS OF MEAT FROZEN IN ONE PACKAGE AND EXPECT ME TO KEEP THAT FRESH FOR A CAT OR SMALL DOG. ONCE THAWED OUT, MEAT SHOULD NOT BE RE FROZEN AND SHOULD BE CONSUMED IN A FEW DAYS.

 

Medications:- must be in original packaging, clearly labelled with your pet’s name your surname, name of medication, dose rate & strength and route e.g., oral, ocular, injection etc. Include any clear instructions, such as with or without food. Owners, please provide prescription diets. Any pet on veterinary medication is required to have had a vet checkup within two weeks of boarding, and to make sure your pets are on the correct dose of mediation, you must notify your vet that your pet is staying with me if it is a long-term booking. You may prefer to ask your vet if they offer boarding for pets on medication or for special needs pets.

High needs patients / End of life patients:  Pet patients requiring a high level of care or that require multiple treatments or multiple doses of medication each day for example more than two times a day will incur additional fees. The fees are determined on a case-by-case basis and will be on top of the normal daily rate. I suggest calling to discuss prior to booking. 

Extremely difficult requests made by owners that have out of the ordinary requests for pets may also be charged additional fees, again this is determined on a case-by-case basis. 

Pets that require medication: - Pets maybe easy to medicate at home by their owners, but they may not be so cooperative in a strange environment. An overnight trial is recommended to ensure medication is able to be given. This is really important especially for insulin patients and lifesaving medications.

 

Proof of Desexing Vaccination and Registration is Required.

All dogs and cats are required to desexed. Puppies and kittens maybe exempt, depending on age. Please check with Karen. 

Vaccinations: Dogs, cats and rabbits must have had a full series of vaccinations a minimum of 14 days prior to admission. A Vaccination Certificate with your pets' details and your Vets details is Mandatory, I will no longer accept health records with no details of your pet or your vet.

Invoices for vaccinations are not accepted as proof os vaccination.

Minimum vaccination required. Dogs C5 - C7, Cats F3 - F4. Rabbits Calicivirus 12 monthly or 6 monthly if recommended by vets. All pets not requiring vaccination such as guinea pigs or birds must have had a Veterinary health check within the last 6 months.

It is the pet owner’s responsibility to: Supply updated vaccination Certificates. NO CERTIFICATE – NO ENTRY.

All dogs and cats must be microchipped and lifetime registered, and your contact details up-to-date, on the registry in your state. 

Why must animals be microchipped and registered?

Dogs, Cats, Rabbits and Birds can be microchipped. 

Dogs and cats must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age.

If your pet escapes from your own home, a family member or friend or any boarding facility, your pet will have a better chance of being reunited with you if the microchip details are up to date.

Only you, the owner can claim your pet.

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​​Parasite Prevention: Administer two days before you arrive. Make sure all pets are up to date with flea, tick, mite and worming prevention and supply enough products that need applying or administering while you are away. It is recommended that all adult dogs and cats be de wormed every 3 months for life. No responsibility taken if your pet gets parasites, fleas, ticks or tick paralysis. Even if your pet does not go outside, ticks can be carried around by other visiting pets, blown in by the wind, or can come in on people. 

Paralysis Ticks are in the Shoalhaven year round, your pets can become sick or pass away from paralysis ticks, please make sure your pets are covered for prevention at least every 28 days. Follow the instructions carefully on your prevention packaging.

 

Grooming: Long hair cats, dogs and rabbits should be groomed prior to boarding to help prevent ticks, matting and tangling of fur. Long coats may void your booking. Rabbits and other pets also need grooming if they have long fur. I am not responsible for giving full grooms or hygeine grooms to your pets, grooming will incur an additional cost, any grooms required from a professional groomer will incur costs and should be arranged between you and the groomer. Some pets may have difficulty going to the toilet with matted fur, or may have difficulty seeing if their face is overgrown, a full or hygiene clip is advisable prior to boarding. Hygiene clips required during boarding will incur a fee. Grooming some animals can require two people, especially for Rabbits, one to hold one to clip, you will be charged accordingly.         

Grooming fees apply because grooming equipment needs to be maintained, blades and scissors need to be sent away to be sharpened or replaced altogether, and grooming supplies need to be replaced. 

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What to bring:-  Only bring food that is necessary, any medications, parasite treatments if your pet is due, while you are away.  

What not to bring:- Do not bring beds, blankets, toys, bowls, litter or litter trays. These items only make more work for Karen. I have enough of everything. 

Most owners bring extra items of worn clothing or blankets to ease their own anxiety about leaving their animals, however after observing animals for many years, these items will likely not change or improve or ease anxiety or make an animal any more comfortable. Most animals just adjust to the environment and even enjoy coming here and don't need those items.

Please do not bring dirty, smelly, bowls, clothes, beds or linen. We have enough bowls, toys, beds and blankets, we have very limited space to store items, items laying around become a tripping hazard, and makes it hard to keep the place clean. Beds blankets and toys may be damaged by other pets.  

Cattery:- I do not change room configurations, each room has a scratch post with bed, clean linen, litter tray and bowls. Heat mats / discs available upon request or when cold. 

I also have raised bowls and slow feeders available for dogs and cats that need them. 

 

Label all items. No responsibility taken for lost or damaged property, please only bring what is absolutely necessary, and label it.

Label, food, medication, bags or containers that food is in. Label pet carry cages. 

Be clear about food, medication and any other information. Write or type it out clearly.

 

Cleaning and Veterinary disinfecting: All rooms and enclosures for all species of animals are cleaned and veterinary disinfected between visitors. This includes walls, floors, all bedding, bowls and toys are washed and cleaned between clients. ​

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​Full Disclosure:

Aggressive, highly reactive, destructive behavior or Barking dogs are not welcome, the owner of any pet that causes damage will be charged for damages, repairs, cleaning fees, tip fees and anything related to the damage.

It is the pet owner's duty and obligation to notify Karen if your pets or dogs displays any negative traits or behavior's, illness, contagious illness, allergies or other issues that should be made known for the health and safety of every visitor here. If there is an issue with your pet, you will be asked to pick up your pet immediately or the pet will be removed from the property immediately. You must be transparent at all times. 

DO NOT BOOK IF YOUR PET FITS IN THIS CATEGORY, you will lose any deposit and be billed accordingly.

Always give clear and accurate information and instructions, as there will be no responsibility taken for false, misleading or inaccurate information regarding your pets.

Arrival:

Pets must arrive in a secure clean carry cage, carry cages must be used for all cat's rabbit's guinea pigs and other pocket pets and must be clearly labelled with pet's name and your surname, the cage must be in good working order, not broken or damaged, the lock must work properly, and the cage must stay here when your pet is boarding here, in case we need to evacuate or go to the vet.

Birds must arrive in a cage or pet carry cage. Owners need to supply bird cages. 

Do not bring pets, especially cats and rabbits in cardboard boxes, your booking will be cancelled immediately without refund. 

Dogs must arrive on a leash.

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Gates and Doors:

Please do not open gates or doors or release your own pets on this property until you have permission from the Karen, this is for the safety of all animals and people.

Do not open gates or doors without permission. There could be dog's cats or other animals that may accidentally get out and escape. 

 

Bookings, deposits and payments:-

Due to an increasingly large amount of fake bookings, all bookings now require a deposit.

If you book in but cannot keep your booking you must notify Karen immediately, a minimum 14 days notice is required.

This business is strictly for genuine clients only. No shows will be banned from using this business. Communication is very important. 

If deposits have not been paid within three days of booking or contact has not been made to explain when you are paying, your booking may be cancelled without warning.

Note, cancellations, changes to, or shortening your dates must have a minimum of 14 days notice. 21 days for peak periods. Failure to do so may find your booking being cancelled altogether and deposits not getting refunded. 

Payments and deposits: CASH, EFTPOS OR BANK TRANSFER. All bookings now require a deposit. 

Rates are charged for each day:- Day of drop off, day of pick up and each day inbetween. Check price list for each species. 

Full balance of payment of your booking must be paid at the commencement of your booking by cash, EFTPOS or bank deposit and must be cleared prior to your pet’s arrival. Take note of your due amount very carefully, anyone who deliberately underpays the nominated amount will lose your booking. 

Some services will require payment before the procedure eg: Microchipping and nail trims.  

Cancellations / Changes to booking dates. If you plan on changing or shortening your dates, you are required to give me a minimum of 14 days' 21 days for peak periods, notice during peak season or you will be charged the full amount. 

Misc. charges to be paid and cleared before checkout of all pets.

NO refunds for cancellations during any NSW school holidays or long weekends, unless more than 14 days' notice is given before your booking. 

No refund policy for early returns.

 

Social media:

Please follow “Bay and Basin Boutique Pet Boarding and Microchipping’ page for updates, information or to see pictures of your pets.

Please let Karen know if you do not want pictures of your pets published on social media or business pages.

 

Dumping of pets is prohibited on this property. If you have a pet to surrender or you have found one, please call 0402 092 493 for advice.​

 

Automated emails:

Please make sure to check your spam or junk mail and please add boutiquepetcare@mail.com to your contacts so you do not miss important emails.

Please do not reply to automated emails, please call or send all enquiries and replies to 0402 092 493

WhatsApp is available to any clients travelling overseas. 0402 092 493

 

Updated January 2025