Shop Policies

Here at The Dirty Dog Grooming, we value each and every one of you as a client, and we strive to do what is best and safest for your furry family member. In return, we ask that you please read through our policies and agree to our terms and conditions of service as discussed below:

Proof of an up-to-date rabies vaccination is required to be on file (PACFA, Broomfield County law). Starting July 1st, 2023, every client will be asked to provide a record of their pet’s most recent rabies license, including the vet, rescue, and/or shelter’s name, and administration and expiration dates. It is the client’s responsibility to provide this updated information after each subsequent vaccination. In the case that your pet has a medical condition that prohibits them from receiving this vaccination, we will also accept a waiver signed by your pet’s veterinarian. For the health and safety of every person and animal in our shop, we will not accept pets for an appointment if they have not been vaccinated for rabies, or if their rabies vaccination has fallen out of date. As we are only a grooming shop, we are not qualified to issue vaccination reminders or medical advice of any kind.

When a client books an appointment with us, we specifically reserve and tailor that time to meet that pet’s individual needs. ‘No-shows’ and late cancellations directly affect the schedules and compensation of our groomers. Thus, more than 48 hours of notification for cancellations is required and greatly appreciated.

If a client has not arrived 15 or more minutes past the start of their pet’s scheduled appointment, the client’s profile will receive a ‘no-show’ mark, and a 50% non-refundable ‘no-show’ fee will be owed. This fee must be paid in full before the client will be able to rebook for any scheduled services again.

If a client cancels their pet’s appointment less than 48 hours (not including Sundays and holidays) before it is scheduled to take place, the client’s profile will also receive a ‘no-show’ mark, and a 50% non-refundable ‘late cancellation’ fee will be owed. This fee must be paid in full before the client will be able to rebook for any scheduled services again.

If a new client cancels their first appointment with us, we will ask for an estimated 50% non-refundable deposit to put toward the next rescheduled appointment. This prepaid deposit will be subtracted from the service total when the rescheduled appointment is completed, and the client will be responsible for the remaining service costs.

We are not a dog boarding or daycare center. We have the means to meet a dog's basic needs while they are present for their appointment, but we cannot support a dog for an extended period of time. We encourage clients to be considerate of our limited kennel space throughout the day, and to please pick up their dogs in a timely fashion. Pets are required to be picked up within an hour after their appointment has been finished. If your pet is not picked up within that first hour, a $5 kennel fee (per hour, per pet) will be added. If you’ve previously communicated to us an approved pick-up time that exceeds one hour and your pet has still not been picked up by that time, the same $5 kennel fee (per hour, per pet) will be added.

If a client brings in a medicated/prescribed shampoo, a preferred bathing product or treats from home to use for their pet specifically, a release form will need to be filled out to then keep on record.

Animals with one or two live fleas will be given a mandatory flea bath with a $20-$25 charge based on the size of the pet. In the case that there are three or more live fleas, the pet will be given a mandatory flea bath with a $20-25 charge based on pet size, as well as an additional $25 decontamination clean-up fee, and the appointment will be discontinued immediately.

Animals with one or two live ticks will have the tick(s) removed and the pet owner will be notified. In the case that there are three or more live ticks, an additional $15 clean-up fee will be added, as well as an additional $5 for each additional tick found. Depending on the severity of the tick infestation, the groomer may determine it is best to discontinue the appointment and advise veterinarian intervention.

If the groom is unsafe to continue for your dog and/or the groomer, we reserve the right to refuse or discontinue the service immediately, especially if a dog has stitched wounds, open wounds, signs of infection or heat, etc. You will be held responsible for the cost of any services rendered, materials used, or special supervision, as this takes away from providing quality service to other furry friends in our care. Conditional boarding or handling fees may apply until pick-up.

In the event that a pet is matted, we will do what is safest and most humane. Matting is painful, damaging, and threatening to an animal's health and wellbeing, and depending on how severe, can greatly increase the risks involved during the grooming process. To remove matting, we need to carefully shave under the matting in the space available above the skin. This process can be uncomfortable and/or painful for the pet and may result in skin irritation, redness, nicks, cuts, and bruising caused by the hair pulling tightly on the skin. Heavy matting may also conceal pre-existing conditions and/or injuries that may be discovered during the grooming process. In the case that a pet’s matting is so severe we cannot safely continue the groom, we reserve the right to terminate the service and refer the client to a facility that can better handle the circumstances. We will do our best to minimize discomfort to the pet, however, we are not responsible for any injuries and/or medical issues that are a direct result of the condition of the pet’s coat.

The quoted price of a service is a base price for the pet according to established service prices or an average price for pets of similar size and coat type. We reserve the right to charge extra fees for behavior, special handling, bites, coat condition, de-matting, severe matting, skunk treatments, and/or flea and tick treatments.

It is essential that any health or behavioral issues/changes are disclosed prior to your visit, as they could affect the grooming process. The pet owner will be held liable for any bites that require medical attention/treatment, as well as any property damage caused by the pet. If the service is unsafe to continue, we reserve the right to end/refuse the service at any time. Any harm caused by the pet to any person, animal, or property will be the pet owner’s responsibility.

The Dirty Dog Grooming takes every precaution to ensure a safe environment for the pets in our care. However, accidents do happen, and in the case of such an accident, the client agrees to absolve The Dirty Dog Grooming and all of its staff from any and all responsibility involving injury, escape, damage, or disease while within The Dirty Dog Grooming facility and premises.

In the event of a medical emergency, we will immediately contact the client and continue with the best course of action, depending on the severity of the situation, and if the client has formally opted in or out of ‘Emergency Pet Care Authorization’ via the provided form.

In the event that a client is not able to be reached, but has opted in for Emergency Pet Care Authorization, The Dirty Dog will act as an agent for the care of the pet, and pursue all/any life-saving measures that are necessary to ensure the safety of the animal.

In the event that a client is not able to be reached, and has opted out of Emergency Pet Care Authorization, The Dirty Dog will do everything within our means to keep the pet medically stable until the client is contacted.

All vet expenses will be the financial responsibility of the client, unless injury is the direct result of negligence of an employee. The Dirty Dog Grooming will not be held responsible for any sickness and/or injury caused by the pet to itself while in the facility, or any accidental death of a pet due to a pre-existing health condition and/or natural disaster.

In our front lobby, when entering and exiting the shop, all pets must be kept on a leash, in a transport carrier, or held firmly in your arms. If a dog is not secured, we will kindly ask you to temporarily use a shop slip lead to transport your pet to or from your vehicle. Failure to secure your pet presents a safety risk to you, your dog, and others. Please be cautious and respectful when approaching and interacting with other dogs.

We do not have a restroom available for public access. The shop workspace beyond our front gate is an "employees only" zone, unless given explicit permission from an employee. Please note nearby businesses that offer such facilities in case of an emergency.

Canine Respiratory Illness RESPONSE UPDATE (effective 11/1/23 to Summer 2024): In monitoring the recent epidemic of canine "kennel cough" throughout the greater Denver area, we hope to raise awareness and, in turn, decrease its spread. This unidentified canine respiratory illness initially presents through coughing, wheezing, sneezing, nasal and optical discharge, and labored breathing, and progresses rapidly with often fatal results. Symptoms last for weeks longer than typical "kennel cough" symptoms, and seems to be both airborne and contact spreading. If your dog is experiencing "kennel cough" symptoms at any severity, please visit a veterinarian immediately. If your dog has a scheduled appointment for grooming with us and is presenting symptoms, please notify us as soon as possible. For precautionary measures, your scheduled appointment will be canceled at any time without penalty and we will wait for veterinarian approval to rebook. If we observe these concerning symptoms at appointment drop-off, we reserve the right to turn your pet away and advise a veterinarian visit. In case of unforeseen contamination or exposure within our facility, all clients will be notified and encouraged to visit a vet immediately. Due to the illness' airborne nature, our facility will decontaminate and sanitize all effected areas and tools to the best of our ability. Depending on severity of the contamination or exposure, our facility may be forced to close temporarily for a complete disinfection and sanitization.

COVID-19 RESPONSE UPDATE (effective 12/16/21 through 2/5/22): We strive to maintain a safe and comfortable shop environment for our customers, furry friends, and staff, especially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In accordance with The City and County of Broomfield's Public Health Order 2021-004 and with consideration of PACFA requirements, all unvaccinated customers are required to wear a mask inside the shop, and when interacting with staff face-to-face. Even though your visit may only be a few minutes, if you wish to be exempt from this order, please allow a member of our staff to view your proof of vaccination card or digital vaccination log. Regardless of vaccination status, we strongly encourage all customers inside our shop to still wear a mask over their mouth and nose at all times. Babies and toddlers aged two years or less are exempt from this mandate, as well as adults with conflicting medical conditions. If a customer enters our shop without a mask, we will kindly ask that a mask be worn while inside. Disposable, single-use face masks are available by request or offer if a customer does not have a mask of their own to wear. If a customer refuses to wear a mask inside our lobby, we will kindly ask to view proof of vaccination or offer to assist them outside of our shop with appropriate distancing precautions. We reserve the right to ask any unmasked customer to please wait outside for assistance. In extreme cases, we reserve the right to discontinue service. As always, we ask that all customers help to keep our lobby area clean and clear by using hand sanitizer and social distancing. Please be courteous to both other humans and dogs by choosing to wait outside when we appear to be at capacity. Any questions or concerns regarding our pandemic response can be sent to us via email.

By filling out our New Client informational packet, Client Agreement form, and Emergency Pet Care form, you agree to ALL of the above listed terms and conditions.

The Dirty Dog Grooming

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