Terms & Conditons

Confirmation of booking by deposit confirms I have read and accepted these terms and conditions of Balmain Cat Boarding

“BCB” = Balmain Cat Boarding

“BVH” = Balmain Veterinary Hospital

“My cat” = a cat or cats that I own and am financially responsible for, and make all decisions regarding their health

“Carer” = person that I have authorised to make decisions on my behalf

GENERAL CONDITIONS:

1. BCB does not accommodate unvaccinated cats and the minimum requirement is an F3 vaccination. I must supply proof of up-to-date vaccination status prior to check-in. There will be an administration fee if staff are required to source a valid vaccination certificate.

2. BCB reserves the right to refuse admission to my cat if it’s showing signs of illness or infectious disease upon check-in, regardless of vaccination status.

3. BCB does not accommodate kittens under 16 weeks of age. All cats and kittens must have received a full primary course of vaccinations.

4. BCB will only accommodate desexed cats. The exception are kittens aged between 4-6 months.

5. My cat must be up to date with flea treatment. My cat will also be given a compulsory flea adulticide treatment (Capstar™) upon arrival as part of BCB’s commitment to maintaining a hygienic, flea-free environment. BCB will make all reasonable attempts to contact me if they find my cat requires further flea or worming treatment. If they cannot establish contact with me, they reserve the right to apply such treatment, at an additional cost, which must be settled upon check-out. Any cat showing signs of flea infestation may be held in isolation until deemed fit to transfer back to the cat hotel.

6. In the event that a carer drops my cat off to BCB, I acknowledge that BCB can rely on good faith on the carer being my nominated representative for my pet and all decisions and directions given by the carer are effectively an extension of my wishes (in the absence of you being able to sign consent upon check-in). I understand that BCB will reply on any information authorised by the carer in the absence of my personal directive. We accept no responsibility for conflict of communication, or communication errors between you and a nominated carer.

7. If my cat falls ill or is injured during its stay, I authorise BCB to organise an examination of my pet by a Veterinary Surgeon. I agree that this examination will be performed just like a normal consultation and that I will be liable for all relevant costs associated with this. A consultation fee will apply for each physical examination of my pet that is carried out during their boarding (this excludes the first original complimentary health check on check in). A Veterinarian will make every effort to contact me and/or the carer to advise of my cat’s situation, what measures need to be taken and an indicative estimate of the costs required.

8. In the event I (or the carer) cannot be contacted, I authorise BCB/BVH to proceed with all necessary treatments and investigations and will pay all veterinary costs in full upon check-out. In addition, I am aware that if my cat falls ill during its stay, it may be relocated to isolation or the hospital until it is deemed medically fit to return to boarding. If my cat suffers an illness that requires 24- hour care, I give permission for BCB/BVH to stabilise my cat and then transport to a 24-hr care facility. I authorise BCB/BVH to permit basic life preserving care at the 24-hour facility. I agree to pay BCB/BVH for their medical care and transport, and I also agree to pay the 24-hr facility for the costs incurred in treating my cat.

9. If I request a Veterinarian to examine my pet, or engage in ongoing communication with a Vet (whether this is by phone, electronic or by any other means) regarding my pet during their stay at BCB, and this is above and beyond a basic boarding stay experience (where there is no communication between a Vet and the owner), I acknowledge that I will be charged for their time to attend to my requests/correspondence.

10. All phone calls, emails and/or any other communication that is required by a Veterinarian regarding my pet will be charged at a flat rate of $15.00 per communication (this excludes any examination fees of your pet).

11. Where my cats are requested to be housed together, they may be separated if the arrangement is causing undue stress for one or both cats, or if they begin to fight and are at risk of causing injury to each other. Additional accommodation and/or veterinary costs will apply in this situation. We will endeavour to make contact with you to discuss. BCB will not be held responsible for any fight- related injuries sustained during a boarding period in a multi-cat household where it has been requested that they be housed or spend time together.

12. Whilst BCB takes all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of my cat during its stay, unforeseen accidents may occur during playtime, especially if my cat is particularly active. Additionally, my cat may become unwell for some reason during its stay and this may be out of the control of BCB or not reasonably prevented.

13. The ability to perform complimentary veterinary health checks or additional services requested is dependent on my cat’s behaviour and may not be carried out if deemed too stressful for my cat or unsafe for the staff.

14. On occasions, my cat may not receive a complimentary health check. Circumstances such as if my cat regularly boards, if the stay is less than 48 hours, if my cat shows signs of aggression or when the Veterinarian hospital case workload prevents them from being able to perform this duty.

15. If my cat is outwardly aggressive or extremely stressed, the staff will work with me to find the best solution for the future. This may include recommending alternative accommodation if the option of the hotel environment is not suitable for my cat.

16. In the unfortunate circumstance that my cat dies during its stay, BCB will hold my cat’s body in appropriate storage conditions until contact can be established with me to seek my wishes with regards to the body.

17. My cat’s image may be used on social media (the name of the cat may be used but personal details are strictly confidential and are never publicly disclosed). I will advise BCB on check in if I do not give consent.

18. In the event my cat is not picked up within 2 weeks of the expected check out date, and in the absence of being able to establish contact with myself, the owner, or my nominated carer, my cat will be considered abandoned. In this event, my cat will either be surrendered to the pound or will be re-homed. All costs involved in this process will be recovered from me via appropriate channels.

19. My cat’s microchip registration must be up to date on the NSW Pet Registry. This is to protect my cat in the unlikely event of escape from our premises during its stay.

20. I acknowledge that, at peak times of movements within the hotel (check ins and outs) or if I am late to collect my cat or early to check in, my cat (on the day of check in or out) may be moved to a holding unit to allow for adequate cleaning and turnover of my cat’s room prior to the next guest’s arrival. This is done to ensure the room can be adequately cleaned and prepared to ensure the comfort and well – being of all guests in between stays.

21. I understand that if my cat is very unwell, or has a terminal illness and is in poor health, I must arrange for a face-to-face Veterinary appointment upon check-in. BCB will need to gather specific details of your wishes upon what is to occur in the event your pet deteriorates in health during their stay with us.

MEDICATIONS

20. Cats that are required to be medicated during their stay will have the following charges applied per day:

One medication (given once or twice daily) = Free of Charge

Two medications (given once or twice daily) = $34.00 daily surcharge

Three medications (given once or twice daily) = $51.00 daily surcharge

Four medications (given once or twice daily) = $68.00 daily surcharge

More than four medications to be given (once or twice daily) = $120.00 flat daily surcharge (this is our medical boarding fee)

21. Cats that are diabetic will incur a $30.00 daily surcharge. Cats on oral chemotherapy treatment will also incur a $30.00 surcharge on the days of chemotherapy administration. If these cats are receiving additional medications, further charges may apply.

22. As part of the paid service for BCB, all relevant daily functions of your cat, in addition to any medications that need to be delivered are chartered on our electronic system called Smart-flow. If you specifically request us to fill out additional information (like journals) or any other such request that requires our staff to take extra time to attend to your request, a daily administration fee of $15.00 will apply.

23. Cats with any history of illness that are not patients of BVH must have their medical history emailed to BCB prior to admission. Failure to do so may result in refusal of admission. Permission to request my cat’s medical records from other Veterinary Hospitals in the event there is a query on a medication must be granted.

24. All medications must be supplied with clear and correct labelling. Medications that require refrigeration must be clearly marked as such.

25. Adequate amounts of medication must be supplied for cats that are not patients of BVH. Repeat prescriptions not originally prescribed by BVH cannot be dispensed without written permission from my prescribing Veterinary Surgeon. This is a legal requirement.

26. An administration fee of $15.00 will apply if staff of BCB are required to source a prescription, vaccination certificate or other medical information from another Veterinary practice.

FOOD & BELONGINGS :

27. Personal belongings are left at my own risk and BCB is not responsible for any damaged or lost items. Items are to be clearly labelled, or staff may need to identify by other means, such as the use of a permanent marker, if deemed necessary.

28. BCB provides a range of high quality commercial wet and dry food for all life stages (kitten, adult, mature) and a small selection of Prescription diets, as part of my cat/s accommodation cost. Fine Dining Menu items and other specialty diets are not part of my cat/s stay but may be purchased.

29. Other diets (including Prescription diets) are to be provided by me in sufficient quantities to last the duration of my cat’s stay. BCB accepts no responsibilities if your pet is not provided with a sufficient quantity of prescription food during their stay and becomes unwell as a result. BCB will attempt to source a replacement, if possible, but this is not guaranteed. I am aware that if BCB can provide a replacement diet that this will be added to my bill and must be settled upon check-out.

30. BCB does NOT feed raw chicken or raw chicken products. If I provide a raw diet, it is to be transported to BCB in a cooler bag. Raw food considered spoilt will not be fed to my cat.

31. Any cat fed a raw diet is at a higher risk of bacterial poisoning than cats fed a processed diet. We do not recommend feeding raw food at BCB. If my cat is showing signs of potential bacterial poisoning, he/she may be isolated from the other hotel guests and not allowed in common areas. BCB will not be liable for any costs associated with food borne poisoning if you have directed us to feed your cat this diet. If my cat is being fed a raw diet, I will be required to worm my cat every 3 months regardless of if they are strictly indoor or outdoor. BCB staff reserve the right to administer a worming tablet (at my cost) to my cat, if evidence of intestinal worms are found during its stay.

BILLING, CHARGES, CANCELLATION AND EARLY CHECK- OUT POLICIES:

32. Charges are generated in HALF DAY blocks as a PER OPERATIONAL DAY basis with the mid-point of an operational day defined as 1:00pm, seven days per week.

33. Check-ins before 1:00pm and check-outs after 1:00pm will incur a FULL DAY charge. Check-outs PRIOR to 9am do not incur an additional charge on the day of check-out.

34. Check-ins and check-outs must occur between 7:30am – 6:00pm Monday to Friday and 8:00am – 4:00pm on Saturdays. There are no check-ins and check-outs on Sundays or public holidays.

35. Any requests to lengthen or shorten a specific booking (that has been pre-paid in full) may be made up to 48 hours prior to check-in, provided BCB can accommodate the new dates. In off-peak periods, any price reduction to the total deposit paid as a result of a shortening of stay, will be credited to my account for 12 months (the difference between the original stay price and the shortened stay price), to be used for future boarding stays. In peak-periods please see below as credits are not applicable for shortened stays. Any extra days (lengthening of stay) can be settled at check-out if required.

36. Refunds will not be issued if I collect my cat earlier than the expected check- out date.

37. A public holiday surcharge of 15% will be applied to public holiday days only.

38. Exceptions to the cancellation policy include serious illness or hospitalisation of the cat, client illness or hospitalisation, natural disasters or the death of the cat or owner.

39. Waiving of any cancellation fees, or other penalties are at the discretion of management.

40. BCB/BVH do not run accounts and I agree to settle all costs incurred, in full, upon check out.

41. BCB/BVH do not accept personal or bank cheques.

42. All fees are subject to change without notice.

OFF-PEAK BOARDING :

43. A 100% deposit is required to secure my booking, with any additional services or fees to be paid on check- out.

44. The deposit is fully refundable if cancellation occurs prior to 48 hours of the check-in date.

45. The deposit is non-refundable if cancellation or date changes to the booking that result in a shorter stay occur within 48 hours of the check-in date.

PEAK PERIOD BOARDING POLICY (PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND NSW SCHOOL HOLIDAYS):

46. A 100% deposit is required to secure my booking, with any additional services or fees to be paid on check- out.

47. The deposit is fully refundable if cancellation occurs prior to two weeks of the check-in date.

48. The deposit will be refunded by 50% if cancellation occurs within two weeks of the check-in date (up to 48 hours before).

49. The deposit is non-refundable if cancellation or date changes to the booking that result in a shorter stay occur within 48 hours of the check-in date.

EASTER HOLIDAY PERIOD (A 4-WEEK PERIOD EACH YEAR) AND CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PERIOD (14TH DECEMBER – 14TH JANUARY):

50. A 100% deposit is required to secure my booking, with any additional services or fees to be paid on check- out.

51. The deposit is fully refundable if cancellation occurs prior to two months of the check-in date.

52. The deposit will be refunded by 50% if cancellation occurs within two months of the check-in date (up to two weeks prior).

53. The deposit is non-refundable if cancellation or date changes to the booking that result in a shorter stay occur within two weeks of the check-in date.

54. A minimum booking period applies to all Easter and Christmas holiday bookings.