Terms and Conditions

Muddies Dog Daycare (referred to as Muddies, us, we, or our) takes pride in the services it provides to its clients (both dogs and their humans) and believes that these terms and conditions are essential for creating a happy and safe environment for everyone in the Muddies family.

Please carefully read these terms and conditions (and ensure you explain them clearly to your dog) as they govern the legal relationship between you (the Client) and Muddies (the Conditions). Muddies may update these Conditions periodically, and any changes will be effective from the date they are posted on the Muddies website (www.muddies.dog).

By attending Muddies or allowing your dog to attend Muddies, you are deemed to have accepted these Conditions. Your access to Muddies' premises, for both you and your dog, is solely at the discretion of Muddies and is strictly subject to these Conditions, as well as any reasonable rules, requests, or guidelines that we may publish and impose from time to time.

These Conditions are an integral part of your membership agreement (together referred to as the Contract). Any defined terms or expressions in these Conditions that are not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the membership agreement entered into between you and Muddies.

Definitions

“You” or “The Client”: The owner of the dog named on the Registration form; “your” shall be construed accordingly. “We”: Muddies and its representatives; “our” or “us” shall be construed accordingly. “Registration Form”: The document completed by you at the time of booking on our online system.

Our Commitment to You

We aim to meet the highest standards of care in looking after your dog in our facility and on walks with us. All our staff undergo a training program before starting with us and will always make decisions that are in the best interest of the dogs’ welfare.

Insurance

Muddies is insured with Protectivity for pet business insurance.

Bookings

All dogs must be registered before booking and attend at least 1 trial session. All our dogs commit to a minimum of 1 regular day a week. Muddies operates as a fixed system where customers are committed to pay for their care in advance. Clients can swap days in advance, provided there is availability. This includes swapping days in emergencies or using their allotted holiday allowance, as long as advance notice of non-attendance has been given (see Cancellation Policy).

Ad-hoc Dog Daycare Bookings (Non-regular Clients)

Ad-hoc booking is available once a dog is registered with us. The £40 registration fee is non-refundable but allows future access to this service. If the client decides to move from ad-hoc daycare to regular daycare, the registration fee remains non-refundable. Ad-hoc bookings are priced at £60 per day and must be booked via WhatsApp. These will be charged upon booking and, if cancelled, will be refunded provided 48 hours' notice of non-attendance has been given (see Cancellation Policy).

Opening Hours

Our opening hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays. Muddies is closed for dog daycare on Saturday and Sunday, unless by prior arrangement or for dog boarding (exclusively for regular dog daycare clients). All drop-offs and pick-ups by clients must be within these hours. We offer a free breakfast club for dogs attending regular doggy daycare, starting from 7:30 am, which must be pre-booked. A late penalty fee of £20 will be charged if a client is late picking up without prior arrangement. If you anticipate being late, please notify us as soon as possible so we can plan accordingly. If lateness becomes routine without explanation, unfortunately, we will be unable to continue caring for your dog due to staff work/life balance concerns.

Annual Operating Schedule

Muddies is open all year round, except for 2 weeks over the summer holidays, 2 weeks over December/January, and occasional ad-hoc days throughout the year. We will provide advance notice for any closures, including ad-hoc family holidays, during which we may have stand-in staff available for reduced service. As we operate in line with the Merton Council school term calendar, dates are subject to change each year. Exact closure dates and any changes will be communicated well in advance via our usual channels, including emails and center notices. Feel free to contact us directly for the most current information. Please note that our services will not be available during specified closure periods. We recommend planning ahead to ensure your dog's needs are met during these times.

Fees

Please visit our Prices page to view a comprehensive breakdown of our fees.

Payments

All clients sign up for automatic payments. Additional/ad-hoc services will be charged upon booking.
Payments must be made within 1 day of receipt.
All late payments will incur a charge of 10% of the invoice.

Cancellation Policy

In emergencies and for your allotted holiday per year, you may request a free switch day to replace a rolling day. These need at least 7 days' notice, but in the case of a severe emergency, can be done on a case-by-case basis with 24 hours' notice. Any days canceled with less than 24 hours' notice will not be able to be switched.

Switching Days: Important Information

We run on a system similar to a children’s nursery. Your dog is enrolled for a minimum of one weekly day, and payment for this day is required regardless of attendance. This ensures we can plan and compensate our staff properly. However, we understand that situations arise. We offer the flexibility to switch days to minimise charges for missed days.

You can request a switch day by contacting us via email or WhatsApp. Please specify the date you wish to switch from and the new date you require. Switching is subject to availability.

Dogs attending daycare 1 to 2 days a week have 2 weeks of holiday per year, while those attending 3 or more days a week have 5 weeks of holiday per year. This holiday time allows you to switch a day free of charge.
Switch days cannot be booked on regular days you are already committed to.
Switch days are charged as “£0” and will appear on your invoice accordingly.
If we have space, you will receive an approval email confirming the new day. If we don't have space, the request will be declined, and you will be informed of other availability. If no suitable days are available for you to switch to, you will not be able to switch.
In an emergency we will do our best to accommodate the change providing we receive 24 hours notice before the service start time. If we cannot accommodate you will not be able to switch the day.
Client switch days are not affected by Muddies' closures, including planned holidays and emergencies.

We hope this information clarifies our switch day policy. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Cancellation by Us

In the event we ask you to pick up your dog early due to sickness, unacceptable behaviour, or any reason regarding their welfare or the welfare of the group, you will still be charged for the regular daycare full fee. You must be able to pick your dog up from daycare as soon as possible if asked to do so for the sake of the dogs’ welfare. If you are unable to, you must have an alternative emergency contact who is able to. If you are unable to collect your dog in an emergency this may result in the non-acceptance of the dog and termination of any bookings.

Cancellation by You

Ad-hoc bookings must be cancelled at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled day to qualify for a refund. This policy applies to both regular daycare clients and non-regular clients. As a small business, we are unable to waive this policy for cancellations made for any other reason.

Notice Period

We require a minimum of 4 weeks' notice should you wish to cancel your dog's regular day(s) in daycare. The Client agrees to provide such notice or pay the amount that would be due during this notice period. The Client may cancel with notice at any time; there is no minimum term of contract.

Dog Boarding

Reservations for dog boarding must be made in advance, especially during peak seasons, and a trial night is required ahead of the booking for compatibility and comfort assessment. Payment is required in advance. Proof of vaccinations must be provided ahead of boarding commencing. Check-in and check-out times are to be adhered to, with late check-outs possibly incurring additional fees. Special care instructions, including medication administration and dietary needs, should be clearly communicated. Dogs will be supervised and housed based on their temperament. Muddies prefers to limit the number of dogs boarding at any one time, although our license permits up to 5 dogs including Max. We reserve the right to refuse boarding to aggressive dogs. While we prioritise safety, Muddies is not liable for any illness, injury, or loss during your dog's stay. Cancellations must be made within the specified timeframe for a refund: 7 days' notice results in 100% refund, 48 hours' notice results in a 50% refund, and cancellations within 24 hours receive no refund. Additional charges may apply for extra services.

Veterinary Fees

By using our services, you agree that we may take your dog to a veterinary surgeon if we suspect he or she is not well or injured and you agree to accept full responsibility for payment of any veterinary fees incurred at daycare due to illness or injury.

Damage to Property

Clients are responsible for any damage caused by their dog to Muddies' property or equipment during daycare or boarding sessions. Costs associated with repair or replacement of damaged property or equipment will be the responsibility of the client. We recommend discussing any concerns regarding potential damage beforehand to ensure a smooth daycare or boarding experience.

General

Dogs must enjoy the company of other dogs and people and be socialised to join Muddies dog daycare. We will assess their suitability on their first day/s. We employ a "Pawsitive Success System" (PSS) with the dogs in our care to minimise stress levels and meet the needs of individual dogs as best we can. Dogs with behavioural difficulties or aggression issues will not be accepted. We do not accept dogs who bark excessively; as a home-run daycare, we have to respect our neighbours and the welfare of the group. Dogs who bark regularly and excessively will be asked to leave.

To ensure a safe and responsible group environment we insist that all male dogs over 1 year old must be neutered in order to attend. Females in season will not be able to attend during their season period. You must make a complete disclosure to Muddies of any matter, fact, quality, or characteristic which might deem your dog unsuitable for dog daycare including but not limited to:

Behavioural or Health Problems

Anti-social behaviour including aggression and fear of dogs and/or people
Separation anxiety
Unspayed bitches in season
Excessive pulling on the lead
Tendency to run away or escape on walks or in the home
Incontinence/lack of housetraining
Destructive behaviour inside or outside the home
Excessive loud barking/whining

Failure on your part to disclose any matter which in our view might deem your dog unsuitable for dog daycare may result in the non-acceptance of the dog and termination of any bookings and renders this contract invalid.

Muddies is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged leads, collars, tags, clothing, or any other item left for your dog.

All communication regarding bookings or any updates on health (etc.) must come via email or WhatsApp. This is so we can be sure it’s been received and responded to.

Condition of Dog

Dogs should be dropped off or collected by Muddies in an acceptable, clean, and groomed state.

All dogs accepted must have up-to-date vaccinations with proof of vaccinations emailed to Muddies (a kennel cough vaccination is recommended).

All dogs accepted require to be wormed and deflead regularly. All dogs must wear a collar or harness and tag with the telephone number of the owner engraved upon it.

All dogs are issued with a Muddies tag upon starting with us. This is a legal license requirement. Your dog should come wearing their tag at all times. Loss of a tag will result in a £5 replacement fee.

All dogs must be provided with a well-fitting collar or harness. No member is held liable for any injury or any damage caused or incurred by the service user’s dog escaping due to an ill-fitting or faulty collar/harness.

Off-lead Policy

Dogs will be walked on leads unless written consent is given to walk your dog off the lead. All dogs will be off lead in our secure outside garden area. You accept all liability for your dog off the lead and we advise that you have comprehensive insurance.
Dogs are taken for walks that range up to 60 minutes in an open field. Dogs will be off-lead with express written permission and if the temperament of the dog allows. When necessary, even if the dog is allowed off lead, Muddies may need to put the dog back on their lead for their safety or the safety of others, or if the dog does not have good recall.

Photo and Video Use

The Client gives consent for their dog’s image to be used in photo or video format on Muddies' promotional material, social media, or in any format that Muddies considers appropriate.