Grooming Terms & Conditions

Last updated: October 2026

These Terms & Conditions apply to grooming appointments, services, memberships, bookings and other services provided by Wild Bush.

By making a booking with Wild Bush, paying for a service, purchasing a membership or leaving a dog in our care, you agree to these Terms & Conditions.

Our priority at all times is the welfare, safety and comfort of the dogs in our care.

1. Bookings & payment

Appointments may be booked online, by telephone, in store or through an authorised Wild Bush booking link.
Payment may be required in advance to secure an appointment.
Where an appointment is rebooked following a groom, payment must be made to secure the new appointment. An unpaid rebooking may be treated as provisional and Wild Bush reserves the right to release the appointment if payment is not received.
Prices shown when booking are based on the information available to us at that time, including breed, size and service selected.
Additional charges may apply where additional time or work is required, including because of matting, coat condition, behaviour or services requested by the customer.
Where reasonably possible, additional charges will be explained before they are incurred.

2. Cancellations & rescheduling

We require a minimum of 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule an appointment.
Appointments cancelled or changed with less than 24 hours' notice may not be eligible for a refund or credit.
Failure to attend an appointment without notifying us will be treated as a no-show. Payments relating to a no-show are non-refundable and Wild Bush may require management approval and/or advance payment before accepting further bookings.
We understand that genuine emergencies occur and Wild Bush may, at its discretion, make exceptions in exceptional circumstances.

3. Late arrival

Please arrive on time for your appointment.
Late arrival can affect subsequent appointments and the time available to groom your dog.
If you arrive late, we may need to modify the service, shorten the appointment or reschedule it entirely.
Where there is insufficient time to complete the booked service safely and to an appropriate standard, the appointment may be treated as a late cancellation.

4. Collection of dogs

Customers should collect their dog promptly once notified that the groom has been completed.
Where a dog remains with us substantially beyond the agreed collection time, an additional care charge may apply.
Our current late collection charge may be up to £15 per 30 minutes.
Repeated late collection may result in restrictions being placed on future bookings.

5. Grooming times

Grooming times are estimates and can vary depending upon breed, coat condition, behaviour, age and the services being carried out.
A typical appointment may take approximately 1.5 to 3 hours, although some dogs may require more or less time.
We will always prioritise the welfare of the dog over completing a groom within a particular timeframe.

6. Matted coats

The welfare of the dog comes before achieving a particular hairstyle or coat length.
Where a coat is significantly matted, attempting to brush or demat it may cause unnecessary pain, stress or damage to the skin.
In these circumstances, we may recommend clipping or shaving the coat shorter than originally requested.
Additional time required for manageable dematting may be charged at our current rate. Where applicable, this may be charged at £10 per additional 10 minutes.
For significantly or severely matted dogs, we may require a separate Shave-Off / Matted Coat Consent before proceeding.

7. Shave-off & matting risks

Where a severely matted coat needs to be removed, the skin underneath may already be irritated, inflamed or damaged.
Removing tightly matted hair can also increase the risk of temporary redness, irritation, clipper rash, minor nicks or cuts and can expose previously hidden skin conditions, lumps, wounds or parasites.
Wild Bush will take reasonable professional care to minimise these risks.
Customers acknowledge that these risks can arise as a consequence of severe matting even where reasonable care and professional grooming techniques are used.
We will not unnecessarily force a dog through painful or excessively stressful dematting purely to preserve coat length.

8. Dog health & medical conditions

Customers must tell us about any relevant medical condition, injury, allergy, skin condition, recent operation, medication, behavioural concern or other issue that could affect the safe grooming of their dog.
This includes any known history of seizures, heart conditions, breathing difficulties, joint problems, skin sensitivity or previous adverse reactions to grooming products.
Please also tell us about any lumps, wounds or existing injuries before the appointment.
Groomers are not veterinary professionals and observations made during grooming should not be considered veterinary diagnoses.
If we identify something of concern, we may recommend that you seek veterinary advice.

9. Accidents & emergencies

Every reasonable effort is made to groom dogs safely. However, grooming involves animals, moving equipment and sharp grooming tools and therefore carries some inherent risk.
If an accidental injury occurs, or a serious medical condition becomes apparent during an appointment, we will attempt to contact the dog's owner or nominated emergency contact as soon as reasonably possible.
Where we believe urgent veterinary attention is necessary to protect the dog's welfare and we cannot contact the owner, the customer authorises Wild Bush to seek appropriate veterinary assistance.
Unless otherwise agreed by Wild Bush, veterinary costs remain the responsibility of the dog's owner.
Wild Bush may, at its discretion and depending upon the circumstances, agree to contribute towards reasonable veterinary costs where appropriate. Any such contribution does not automatically constitute an admission of liability.

10. Behaviour & aggression

Customers must tell us before an appointment if their dog has previously bitten, attempted to bite or displayed aggressive, highly anxious or difficult behaviour during grooming or handling.
We use reasonable, humane handling techniques and do not believe in forcing a dog through a grooming procedure where doing so would create an unacceptable welfare or safety risk.
If a dog becomes excessively distressed or presents a risk to itself, our team or other animals, we may stop or modify the groom.
The customer may still be charged for the time and work completed up to that point.
Wild Bush reserves the right to decline future appointments where we reasonably believe we cannot provide the service safely.

11. Fleas & contagious conditions

Please do not bring a dog into a Wild Bush location if you know or reasonably suspect that it has fleas or a contagious condition.
If fleas are discovered during grooming, we may stop the appointment to protect other dogs and the premises.
The dog will need to be appropriately treated before returning.
Where an appointment has to be stopped because fleas or another contagious condition were not disclosed before the appointment, the original booking/payment does not automatically cover a replacement appointment.
A new appointment may need to be booked and paid for separately.

12. Grooming instructions & expectations

Our groomers will make reasonable efforts to understand the style and length requested.
Photographs can be helpful, but results will depend upon the dog's breed, coat type, coat condition, previous grooming, matting and behaviour.
We cannot guarantee that a particular photograph or previous groom can be reproduced exactly.
Where the requested style cannot safely be achieved, we will prioritise the dog's welfare.

13. Satisfaction & groom adjustments

We want customers to be happy with their dog's groom.
If you believe an adjustment is required, please contact the relevant Wild Bush branch as soon as possible, preferably within 24 to 48 hours of the appointment.
Where appropriate, we may offer a reasonable adjustment or tidy-up relating to the original groom.
Any corrective appointment must be arranged with us in advance and is limited to reasonable adjustments to the service originally provided.
A request for an adjustment does not automatically entitle the customer to a refund.

14. Complaints

If you have a concern about a service, please raise it with us as soon as possible so that we have an opportunity to investigate.
Complaints can be escalated to Wild Bush management at: info@wildbush.co.uk
Please provide your name, dog's name, branch, appointment date and a description of the issue. Photographs may be requested where relevant.
Animal welfare concerns will be prioritised.
We aim to provide a substantive response to formal complaints within 10 working days, although more complex matters may require additional investigation.
Refunds, credits or compensation are considered on a case-by-case basis and are subject to management approval.

15. Rebooking

For many dogs, regular grooming is important for maintaining a healthy and manageable coat.
Our team may recommend a suitable grooming interval, commonly around 6 to 8 weeks, depending upon breed, coat and grooming requirements.
Future appointments are only guaranteed once any required payment has been completed.

16. Memberships

Where a customer joins a Wild Bush grooming membership, the specific membership terms presented at the point of purchase also apply.
Unless stated otherwise in the relevant membership offer, Wild Bush VIP Memberships operate for a 12-month term, with grooming costs divided into monthly payments.
Membership benefits may include allocated grooming appointments, priority booking and discounts on eligible Wild Bush grooming, retail, services and coffee.
Membership benefits are personal to the registered customer/dog and cannot normally be exchanged for cash.
Where cancellation is permitted, the applicable notice period and any outstanding contractual payments will apply in accordance with the membership terms accepted when joining.

17. Photographs

We may take photographs of dogs before, during or after grooming for grooming records, quality control or to assist with future appointments.
Where separate marketing consent has been provided, photographs may also be used on Wild Bush social media, websites or promotional material.
Customers can withdraw marketing consent for future use by contacting us.

18. Customer information

Customers are responsible for ensuring that the contact, dog, medical and behavioural information provided to Wild Bush is accurate and kept up to date.
We process personal information for purposes including administering bookings, taking payments, communicating about appointments, maintaining grooming records and providing our services.
Marketing communications will only be sent where permitted by applicable law and customers can unsubscribe from marketing communications.
Further information about the processing of personal information should be provided in the Wild Bush Privacy Policy.

19. Refusal or termination of service

Wild Bush reserves the right to refuse, stop or modify a service where reasonably necessary because of:

animal welfare;
aggressive or unsafe behaviour;
undisclosed medical or behavioural conditions;
contagious conditions or parasites;
severe lateness;
abusive, threatening or inappropriate behaviour towards our team or other customers; or
circumstances where continuing the service would be unsafe or unreasonable.

Where possible, we will explain why a service has been stopped or refused.

20. Prices & services

Prices, services, opening hours and availability may change from time to time.
The applicable price will normally be the price displayed or agreed when the appointment is booked, subject to additional work or services subsequently agreed and circumstances such as undisclosed matting or coat condition.
Promotional offers, vouchers and discount codes may be subject to separate conditions and expiry dates and cannot necessarily be combined.

21. Liability

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes or limits any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, including liability arising from negligence where applicable.
Customers remain responsible for providing accurate information concerning their dog's health, behaviour and grooming history.
Wild Bush will not be responsible for loss arising from information that was materially inaccurate or withheld where that information affected our ability to provide the service safely.
Nothing in these Terms & Conditions affects a customer's statutory rights.

22. Changes to these terms

Wild Bush may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time to reflect changes to our services, booking processes, prices or legal requirements.
The version applicable to a booking will normally be the version in effect when the booking is made.

23. Contact

Questions regarding these Terms & Conditions can be sent to: info@wildbush.co.uk