Garden Lodge Bunny Retreat

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Luxury Rabbit Boarding

We want to provide a comfortable, safe and caring environment for your pets during their stay with us.

Terms & Conditions are important for our business to run smoothly - but at the same time we don’t want to overwhelm you with too much to read - so we have decided on a more simple contract agreement.

By proceeding with your booking it is deemed that you have read and agree with the following:

VACCINATIONS – NEUTERED/SPAYED – INSURANCE

All guests must be fully vaccinated, neutered or spayed and insured to stay with us. 

A vet health plan is not insurance. 

If your female rabbit is too young to be spayed or your rabbit is too old to be insured we can discuss any options with you.  Males need to be neutered at least 6 weeks before boarding to let hormones settle.

Vaccination cards must show both your and your rabbits full details - not just the rabbit’s name.

If your rabbit's booster vaccinations are overdue, then their next injection is classed as first time vaccination and they will have to wait 21 days, to build up their immunity, before they can go into boarding -  as advised by MSD Animal Health who manufacture the vaccine.   Your booking can not go ahead if overdue boosters have not been given in time and your booking will be cancelled and the cancellation fee (that applies to your booking) will be invoiced to you.

BOOKINGS

We only hold enquiries open for 48 hours - you need to get vet forms and/or vaccination cards back to us during this time as we need these before we can confirm your booking.

However, we work on a ‘first come - first served’ basis and we will confirm whichever booking gets their forms and vax certificates to us first.

Our Prices are  £13 a day (for a suite) for 1 rabbit or £15 a day for 2 bonded rabbits sharing or 3 little nethies sharing.

You pay for each day a suite is booked – which includes the day you drop your pets off and the day you take them home.

We charge an extra £10 for any Bank Holiday your pet stays with us.

Our minimum stay price is £52 for a single rabbit or £60 for a bonded pair for 2, 3 or 4 days. This is due to the cleaning & disinfection required when guests check out.

DEPOSITS - GENERAL BOOKINGS

We no longer ask for a non-refundable deposit when we reserve a suite for you - so we can speed up the process and confirm your booking more quickly - giving you peace of mind that your pet has a place to stay.  However, if you need to cancel your booking please let us know asap so we can offer the suite to somebody else.

DEPOSITS - CHRISTMAS

Due to only having 3 suites available, during the busy festive season, we ask for a £35 deposit which is deducted from your final invoice.

CANCELLATIONS

We don't mind cancellations as long as we know in plenty of time - so we can try to get another booking in – so we don't lose out financially - as we are a business and don’t do this as a hobby.

To make things easier we ask that you fill in the cancellation form which you can find here.

10/10 CANCELLATION FEES

•  We operate on a 10/10 Cancellation Fee. You will be charged £10 if you cancel up to 10 days before your start date - this is just to cover the administration time invested for booking and cancelling your pets holiday.

•  If you cancel a booking between the day of arrival and 10 days before the booked arrival date then the full amount is still due.

•  If, after you have paid your invoice, your booking can’t go ahead due to your pet becoming sick and their condition means we are unable to board them - we may offer a partial refund.  To be able to offer this we would need to see a copy of your pets full veterinary and treatment record within a week of the cancellation.

      If we sell some or all of your cancelled dates you will get a refund for the dates we have sold.

The cancellation fee is to cover our administration time spent on processing your booking (from enquiry to confirmation) and the time we spend cancelling your booking and re-issuing an amended invoice.

All refunds are processed month end, after your original dates have passed, to give us time to advertise and re-sell those dates.

CHANGES TO BOOKINGS

We are happy to change arrival and departure dates, if we can, but we do need at least 14 days notice before your drop off date. We don't give refunds for days you book but don't use.

PAYMENTS

We send an invoice for your payment around 2-4 weeks before your expected arrival date.  Payment needs to be made by 12 noon the day before you drop your pets off. 

ANIMAL WELFARE ACT

We (as carers) and the vets are bound by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, Sections 9, (2), (e) in regards to animals being protected from pain, suffering, injury or disease.

HEALTH

For the comfort of all our guests we only board healthy pets.

If your pet becomes ill after you have booked then please let us know so we can decide if we can still board them. We look at each case individually and work with you and your vet. We can't promise to honour a booking if your pet has not fully recovered or something else has happened that might affect your booking.

If your pet has regular medication for arthritis that's ok - it will cost 50p (pence) to administer each dose of medicine. 

If your rabbit has had ecuniculi please get in touch as they will need a 9 day course of Panacur before boarding.

If you don't tell us that your pet is sick or has had any sort of medical treatment in the run up to their holiday – and you just bring them and mention it on the day – then boarding may be refused and any money paid will not be refunded.

We can not board pets:

• Within 21 days of a general anaesthetic.

• Who have a history of snuffles/pasteurella.

• Who have an active EC (E. Cuniculi) infection.

• Arrive with medication or an illness that has not been discussed with us before arriving.

• Who have had GI stasis, due to stress, during a previous holiday with us.

• Who will not use a litter box/not litter box trained.

• Rabbits who have had a fight or bullied their partner during a previous stay. 

DIRTY BOTTOMS – MATTED FUR AND MITES OR FLEAS

All guests are health checked when they arrive. If they arrive with dirty bottoms, any matted fur, mites or fleas we will not be able to board them until they have been cleaned up, successfully treated and any matts removed either during a grooming session here or for more serious matting or urine scalding they must see a vet for treatment or a sanitary clip/clean. Any fees paid are not refundable for unused boarding days.

GROOMING DURING BOARDING

If we feel your pet needs their nails trimming or a general groom during boarding we will discuss this with you on arrival and payment must be made before you collect your pets.  

Pets who arrive with matts on their bottom will be refused boarding until they are removed.  This is a preventative measure for flystrike (regardless of having flystrike treatment) and will make you pet more comfortable during their stay and in the longer term.  We can offer this service (cheaper than the vets) for £30 and payment must be made before you collect your pets.

Matting can be avoided with regular grooming at home and you need to check your rabbits, thoroughly, before they come to us for their holiday.

SICKNESS WHILE BOARDING

If your pet needs to see a vet during their holiday we will contact you straight away.

For an illness (where an overnight stay is not required) we will take them to Ashleigh Vets (Chorlton) or Vets4Pets on Altrincham Retail Park.

Our 'Out of Hours' vet is  Rutland House Veterinary Hospital in St. Helens.

In the case of Gut stasis we reserve the right to take your pet to with Ashleigh vets in Chorlton or Rutland House Veterinary Hospital in St Helens where your pet will be monitored, treated with medication & round the clock supported feeding.

Both rabbits in a bonded pair are taken to any veterinary appointments.  Should your sick pet be admitted their friend will stay with them.  Please be aware the vets may ask for a deposit on admission - (£200 Aug 2024).

Any fees must to be settled by you at the end of the consultation, where the veterinary receptionist can take your payment over the telephone.  We will be given a receipt to pass on to you.  We DO NOT pay for any vet fees. 

Any unused boarding days are not refunded. 

We charge £15 an hour for each journey to and from the vets and 50p for each administration of a medicine, cream, eyedrops or what not - when they come back to us.

Rabbits can deteriorate very quickly despite having medical treatment. If your pet passes away you will be contacted straight away to discuss your wishes.

PET CARRIERS

Rabbits must arrive in a secure PLASTIC pet carrier as required by our insurance company in case of an emergency evacuation or vets visit. Rabbits have been known to chew their way out of fabric carriers and injure themselves on zips.

NEW PARTNERS

Rabbits need to have been bonded with their new partner for 3 months before they can board together in the lodge.

FIGHTING

If your bonded rabbits fight during their stay they will be separated and you will be charged £13 a day for the additional suite or pen.  

MALE/MALE BONDED PAIRS

Male/Male bonded pairs may be more likely to be unsettled in boarding due to the smell of other rabbits in adjoining pens, which in our experience here , has lead to bullying or fighting. Because of this we no longer board Male/Male bonded pairs.  If you have bonded males we recommend The Burrows in Didsbury, as they have separate chalets (where rabbits can't see or smell other rabbits nearby) that will suit this type of pairing better.

ABANDONMENT

If you don't collect your rabbit/s within 7 days of the arranged collection date and we have not heard from you, your partner, or your emergency contact (the name given on your vet form) then we will assume you have abandoned your pet and arrange for them to go to a rehoming centre. You will be invoiced for any days they were still in our care.

INVOICES

Any unpaid invoices will be referred to our Pet Business Insurance for them to instruct a Debt Collection Agency to act on our behalf.

LIABILITY

Small pet boarding establishments do not need a licence. We do our very best to limit the risk of illness, injury and disease and the Garden Lodge Bunny Retreat are released of all liability if anything does happen while your pet is in our care.

Mites are naturally found in some bales and packs of hay. We use only the best quality hays and can not be held responsible for your pet going home with a mite infestation.

Debit & Credit Card payments to pay us back for anything we have paid on your behalf.
1.69% transaction fee if paid on a card when you collect your pets
1.5% fee if paid via a payment link before you collect your pets

Simple Contract Agreement as of
  May 2024