Terms & Conditions
Terms and Conditions
for Pet Au Pair operating in Australia
Welcome to the Pet Au Pair family. By using Pet Au Pair’s services, you agree to abide by the following terms and conditions. Please read them carefully.
Definitions:
Pet Au Pair: specialises in sourcing and placing Pet Carers and dog walkers for families on a casual, temporary & permanent basis.
Au Pair/Pet Carer/Representative(s) means: The person nominated by Pet Au Pair to provide pet services to the Family.
Family/Families/Fur Family/Parents/Owners/Clients means: the person(s) who engages with the Pet Au Pair Service to provide the services in accordance with these conditions.
1. Services Offered:
1.1 Dog Walking: Individual and group dog walking
1.2 Pet Sitting: Care for pets in their own home.
1.3 Pet Transport: Transportation service for pets for vet visits, grooming, or other appointments. This is not an emergency service and must be booked in advance.
2. Booking and Payment
2.1 Bookings must be made in advance either through our website, phone, email, sms, or in person.
2.2 Automatic Payments: You agree to save and maintain a valid credit or debit card in your Pet Au Pair/PetBoost account, and we will automatically charge your stored payment method when an invoice becomes due. We accept bank transfers, MasterCard, Visa, and Apple Pay. We do not accept cash, checks, money orders, or peer-to-peer transfers through PayPal.
2.3 Past Due Invoices: If services have already been rendered, or we have paid third-party vendors on your behalf, and the invoice for such rendered services or third-party expenses becomes past due by 3 business days, a $1 late fee will be added every day that a balance remains. After 60 days, if the total balance has not been paid, we reserve the right to take legal action to recover the balance owed and/or send the account to a third-party collection agency.
2.4 Dog Walking/Group Walk/Doggy Daycare/Pet Transport Cancellations: We are unable to issue refunds on dog walking/group walk/Doggy Daycare/Pet transport services. Cancellations made 24 hours in advance will receive full credit to be utilised for future service. Cancellations on the day of service or no-shows will be charged in full for the total service.
2.5 Petsitting/Housevisit Cancellations: All pet-sitting services have a non-refundable $50 deposit fee. if you cancel your reservation for any reason within 48 hours or less of your booking start date, 100% of fees are non-refundable. 14 days or less notice of cancellation will receive 50% refund minus all payment processing fees and non-refundable deposit.
2.6 Restricted Access: Owners are responsible for Pet Au Pair’s access to their pet on the day of service. If for some reason a pet carer is unable to gain access due to faulty locks, an unreasonable obstruction to the entrance, or other factors other than cancellation within the stipulated period, the service will be charged at the full rate.
2.7 Rates & Extra Fees: All Pet Au Pair service rates can be found on our website, and are subject to change at any time and for any reason. Extra fees may be added for holidays, weekends, and after-hours. All primary service charges and extra fees will be detailed on your invoice and must be paid by the due date to maintain your reservation.
2.8 Third-Party Expenses: Pet Au Pair requires immediate reimbursement for third-party expenses such as veterinary medical care, pet supplies, and locksmith employment if we have paid for such expenses on your behalf. We will make every attempt to contact you to confirm your choice of action in the event third-party expenses are expected or have been incurred.
3. Responsibilities
3.1 Pet Au Pair and its representatives agree to provide care for pets as per the booking arrangement in a reliable, safe, and sanitary manner. The owner acknowledges Pet Au Pair and its representatives allow dogs to play and interact directly with other dogs in off-leash areas, on lead, and within vehicles. The owner acknowledges that due to this, injuries to pets may occur. The owner agrees that Pet Au Pair or any representatives will not be held liable for any injury or illness and expressly waives any and all claims against Pet Au Pair, or its representatives for any loss, injury, or illness to their pet or their property while in the care of Pet Au Pair or its representatives.
3.2 Pet owners must inform Pet Au Pair of any medical conditions, past or present injuries/illnesses, dietary needs, or behavioral issues their pets may have.
3.3 Pet owners must provide accurate information about their pets and ensure they are up-to-date with vaccinations and preventative treatments such as flea and tick treatments.
3.4 Pet owners must provide a fitted collar or harness that the dog can not slip out of.
3.5 Pet Owners are solely responsible for their pet’s safety when left at home. The pet owner is responsible for ensuring the house, balconies, yard, and the security of fences/gates/latches are pet-proofed.
4. Liability
4.1 Pet Au Pair and its representatives are not liable for any injuries or illnesses that occur while pets are in our care, provided all precautions are taken. Unless caused by our negligence or willful misconduct, you release us from all liability related to: any breach of security by a third party that results in loss of or damage to your property and/or pet, such as burglary or criminal trespass; any mishap of whatsoever nature which may befall your pet while unsupervised; any damages beyond the control of Pet Au Pair, such as damage caused by the elements; transporting your pet to and from any veterinary clinic, kennel, or boarding facility, and the expense thereof; medical expenses and damages resulting from an injury to your pet sitter, other pets, other people, and property which were caused by your pet. Pet Au Pair is not liable for any damages reported 24 hours or more after a reservation has ended. The maximum liability we shall have in any claim will not exceed the sum of the total fees paid to us. You have no right to special, punitive, circumstantial, or other damages.
4.2 Pet owners are responsible for any damage or injury their pets may cause during the service period.
5. Health and Safety
5.1 Pets must have current vaccinations. Proof may be requested.
5.2 We reserve the right to refuse service to any pet that is aggressive or poses risk to staff or other animals. Pets must be socialised and safe to be handled by individuals outside of their family. Pet Au Pair follows a Zero Bite policy, which means any bite history or a pet that bites any Pet Carer will automatically mean all services are immediately terminated. Pet Owners will be notified of the incident and informed of the service termination. The client will be informed of this decision. Full service fees will be charged for all services which were terminated due to a safety risk such as a dog bite.
5.3 Pet Au Pair and its representatives reserve the right to administer necessary aid and/or transport the pet to a vet should the client’s pet becames ill. Pet Au Pair will attempt to contact the pet’s own vet but reserves the right to transport the pet to another if necessary.
5.3 Owners are encouraged to use a regular flea and tick treatment to prevent illness, injury, or the passing of a pet due to a paralysis tick bite.
5.4 Inclement Weather: You agree to provide at least one Emergency Guardian specifically for Inclement Weather emergencies. Your Inclement Weather Guardian should live within walking distance, be home during the dates of your reservation, and be able to enter your home to care for your pet if called upon to do so in the event severe weather or natural disaster has caused roadways to be impassable or unsafe to travel, preventing us from reaching your pet.
5.5 Pet and Household Supplies: You are responsible for providing adequate pet care and household cleaning supplies for the duration of each reservation. Supplies may include, but are not limited to, food, medication, medical supplies, a sturdy harness or collar, leash, appropriately sized crate, litter, litter bags, cleaning sprays, rags, paper towels, vacuum, broom, and mop. If supplies run out during the reservation, we will attempt to contact you. If unreachable, we will use reasonable judgment and may purchase missing supplies at your expense. See “Third-Party Expenses” for details.
5.6 Pet Abandonment: If you fail to resume care, custody, and control of your pet on the agreed-upon date and time, and extended reservation charges are incurred and remain unpaid for 10 days, and reasonable effort to compensate Pet Au Pair has not been made by yourself or your representative, your pet will be considered “Abandoned”. Pet Au Pair is authorized to give the pet away or turn the pet over to the RSPCA, animal shelter, or other facility
6. Privacy
We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information.
6.1 All card data is stored via our payment processing system Stripe. All card data is encrypted and cannot be: viewed (excluding the final 3 digits of your card and expiry), copied, scanned, downloaded, or shared with any Pet Au Pair representatives.
6.2 Home Access, Privacy, and Security: By contracting us to care for your pets, you give us the authorization to enter your home as needed to perform the services outlined in each reservation. Before each reservation begins, you agree to disclose if, when, and where other people are expected to be on your property. This may include but is not limited to, landscapers, housecleaners, friends, or family. Failure to disclose this information may result in canceled services and/or police involvement as we are not familiar with who has permission to be on your property or in your home. You warrant that all security cameras are within legal placement and do not have a view of any restrooms, toilet areas, sleeping areas, or any other area in which your pet carer would reasonably expect privacy. For the safety of your pet carer, you agree to properly secure your property to the best of your ability prior to leaving the premises. You give us the authorization to employ a locksmith on your behalf in the event of a malfunction of the lock, key, or remote-control entry device. Unless such employment becomes necessary due to our negligence or misconduct, you accept full financial responsibility for the cost of employing a locksmith. See “Third-Party Expenses” for more information.
6.3 CCTV/Security video recording: Pet owners must notify Pet Au Pair if there is CCTV/live streaming recording inside of the pet owner’s home. The pet owner further agrees that cameras or any recording devices are not recording in any rooms where personal privacy is expected (bedrooms and bathrooms) and that all indoor cameras will be switched off whenever there is an in-home pet care arrangement with Pet Au Pair. This excludes any outdoor cameras or video doorbells.
6.4 Pet Photos: Pet Au Pair retains ownership of pet pictures and recordings. These may be used for websites, search engines, social media and/or marketing materials for promotional purposes. We take precautions to ensure we do not share your address or photos that reveal your house number. For additional security, we only share petsitting photos after the petsit has ended.
7. Key Handling
7.1 Key Handover: You agree to provide Pet Au Pair with keys and, if necessary, key fobs, remotes, and access codes, during the initial meet and greet. These will grant Pet Au Pair access to your property, including any relevant doors or security systems.
7.2 Key Storage and Security: All keys, fobs, and remotes will be securely stored, and will be labeled with non-identifying codes that only representatives of Pet Au Pair know how to decipher. Pet Au Pair will not make copies of the keys provided. All-access codes will be kept securely in your profile.
7.3 Access Authorization: You grant permission for Pet Au Pair to provide keys, remotes, fobs, and access codes to any authorized representatives of Pet Au Pair who are responsible for providing pet care services to your Pet.
7.4 Key Retention: Your keys, fobs, remotes, and access codes will be automatically retained by Pet Au Pair for future services unless a clear end date of services have been specified. All keys and personal items will be returned within 24 hours of your return home, or of Pet Au Pair receiving written confirmation of cancellation of Pet Au Pair services.
7.5 Liability: Pet Au Pair assumes responsibility for the proper handling of all keys and access materials provided. However, Pet Au Pair will not be liable for any security incidents unrelated to its handling of the keys.
8. Changes to Terms
8.1 Pet Au Pair reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. Clients will be notified of any changes.
By using our services, you confirm that you have read and agreed to these terms and conditions.
For any questions or concerns, please contact us at hello@petaupair.com.au or 0466252771