Our commitment to clarity

At Four Paws & Fortress, we believe in transparent and straightforward communication. These terms and conditions are designed to ensure both you and your beloved pets have the best possible experience with our services. Please take a moment to review them.

Understanding our cancellation policy

For short-term bookings (two weeks or less), either party may terminate this pet sitting arrangement with a minimum of two weeks' notice prior to the visit without incurring penalties or damages, except for peak holiday periods. If the owner cancels with less than two weeks' notice, or during recognised holiday periods, a 50% cancellation fee of the total amount due will be charged. This fee may be waived by the sitter in cases of severe weather, death in the family, or medical emergency.

For longer bookings, the whole fee applies unless replacement bookings are received.

If the sitter needs to cancel less than 48 hours prior to the owner's departure due to unforeseen circumstances, the sitter may:

  1. Appoint a substitute sitter, with the owner's approval.
  2. Cover any difference in fees between the original agreement and the substitute sitter's charges, direct with their sitter.

Should any pet become aggressive or dangerous, the sitter may:

  1. Arrange with the pet’s guardian to assume responsibility for the pet until the owner’s return.
  2. Place the pet into a kennel or animal care facility at the owner’s expense.

Key details for your peace of mind

The sitter warrants to keep safe and confidential all keys, remote control entry devices, access codes, and personal information of the owner, and to return same to the owner at the end of the sitting period or immediately on demand.

In the event of an emergency, the sitter shall contact the owner at the numbers provided to confirm the owner's choice of action. If the owner cannot be reached in a timely manner, the sitter is authorised to:

  1. Transport the pet(s) to the listed veterinarian.
  2. Request on-site treatment from a veterinarian.
  3. Transport the pet(s) to an emergency clinic if the previous two options are not feasible.

The sitter will perform the duties required to the best of their ability in a responsible manner and accepts no liability for any breach of security or loss of or damage to the owner's property if any other person has access to the property during the term of the agreement. The sitter shall not be liable for any mishap of whatsoever nature which may befall a pet that has unsupervised access to outdoors. The owner shall be liable for all medical expenses.

Changing or cancelling your arrangements

For bookings less than two weeks, if the owner cancels with less than two weeks' notice, a 50% cancellation fee of the total amount due will be charged. This can be waived in cases of severe/dangerous weather, death in the family, or medical emergency. If cancellation occurs one week before the booking, 100% of the total amount is payable.

For bookings longer than two weeks, a 100% cancellation fee applies for peak holiday periods (all school holidays including Easter, April, June, July, August, December, and January). Where replacement bookings are received, this will be deducted from the invoice; all losses will form part of the final bill payable. For example, if a replacement booking is for one pet and the cancelled booking was for more than one pet, the charges may differ (e.g., £70 vs £120). If losing £50 per day, this must be covered by the cancelling client.

Protecting your property and privacy

The sitter warrants to keep safe and confidential all keys, remote control entry devices, access codes, and personal information of the owner, and to return same to the owner at the end of the sitting period or immediately on demand. The sitter accepts no liability for any breach of security or loss of or damage to the owner's property if any other person has access to the property during the term of this agreement.