Policies & Procedures
At Pretty Pretty Paws, we focus on providing a safe, secure, and stress-free environment for our dogs. Please read carefully through all the policies, as they are put in place to ensure the safety of our staff and guests. If you have any questions, please let us know. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Vaccinations
Prior to any and every grooming service, the NYC Department of Health requires all dogs to be up-to-date with their vaccines. Those vaccines include Rabies, Bordetella, and Distemper Parvo. We do NOT accept unvaccinated pets.
Fleas & Ticks
Fleas and ticks can lead to a variety of health issues including but not limited to: skin irritation, disease transmission, and psychological problems.
Please note: If fleas or ticks are found during the grooming process, a surcharge of $20 will be applied. This covers the coat of flea and tick elimination. Also, depending on the severity of the infestation of fleas, you may need to provide flea and tick protection after the grooming service.
Senior Pets
We care about your pet’s safety and well-being and want to assure you that we do our best to make the grooming process as stress-free and pleasant for your senior pet as possible. For the safety of your pet, the grooming service will be stopped if we feel they are not doing well. Occasionally, grooming can expose hidden medical problems or aggravate current ones. This can occur during or after the grooming services are completed. Charges will still apply.
Special Handling
If your dog bites or is aggressive toward other dogs, people, or certain grooming procedures, you MUST notify us at the time of booking, so we can take the necessary precautions and book accordingly.
If they become aggressive during the grooming service, we may have to stop services for the safety of your dog and staff. Please note, that an additional handling fee will be charged in addition to the grooming cost for time spent on your dog and any staff attempting to service your dog. We reserve the right to refuse future services.
Double & Triple Coated Breeds
For the well-being of the pet and to maintain the integrity of their coat, we do not shave some coated breeds unless severely matted, such as Huskies, Pomeranians, and German Shepherds, to name a few. Shaving these breeds may compromise the coat and cause skin issues due to the lack of protection that these coats provide in any climate. Please consult with your veterinarian prior to requesting the service. An additional $10-$20 will be added to the service for dogs with undercoats; the price depends on the size of the pet as well as the coat condition.
Matted Dogs
Please note, we groom humanely and dogs that are severely matted will be shaved down.
Matting is a condition in your dog’s fur that is caused by dense tangles and knots. It is a painful condition for the dog that can lead to other health concerns such as infections or skin irritations, and can also mask other health issues or parasites. Dogs that are matted need extra attention during their grooming session.
De-matting is the removal of tangles which may require shaving. A heavily matted coat is time-consuming and the process takes extra care. De-matting or shaving will include extra fees. Both, proper brushing and keeping your dog on a proper grooming schedule are the best ways to prevent matting. There will be an extra charge for mat removal regardless if shaved or brushed out, starting at $10. The price will depend on the severity of the matting.
Accidents & Emergencies
Every necessary precaution will be taken to make sure your pets get groomed as safely and carefully as possible. Unfortunately, accidents still may happen!
Pets are constantly licking, scratching, jumping, and overall wiggly creatures. Our grooming tools are sharp instruments by necessity. If there is a severe mishap, we will contact you immediately, but we will take the necessary measures to get your pet the medical attention they may require. Any veterinarian bills resulting from a pet being matted, elderly, aggressive, difficult temperament, or from pre-existing or unforeseeable conditions will be the sole responsibility of the owner.
Pricing Policies
Pricing is based on breed, coat condition, temperament, age, and behavior. It is important to note surcharges will be applied if your pet has matting, if fleas and/or ticks are found, or if your pet has not been groomed within the recommended grooming time (matting). Prices shown at drop-off are an ESTIMATE, and the exact cost will be given at the time of pick-up.
Taxes and fees are NOT included, and our prices are subject to change at any time.
Every dog is an individual with different personalities and needs; as a result, grooming time can take anywhere between 1–2 hours for petite dogs and 3-4 for larger dogs.
Time can also vary depending on the breed, service requested, coat condition, and the pet’s overall behavior and health. We ask that you respect the time frames as they allow us to work better with your dogs and book accordingly. Please DO NOT show up before receiving a call or text from our staff to pick up your pet, as it distracts our pups, causing them to have bathroom accidents on the table. Pets may get too excited from seeing you, resulting in taking more time to calm them down, clean up, re-bathe them, and even health hazards, prolonging the overall grooming service. Give us a call or send us a text PRIOR to your arrival if you have any questions regarding your pup's grooming.
Cancellations & Rescheduling
There are no fees applied for cancellations or rescheduling as long as you cancel or reschedule 48 hours prior to your appointment.
We are a small business and last-minute cancellations as well as no-call/no-shows affect us greatly. We understand emergencies arise, but we kindly ask for as much notice as possible, as there are potential clients willing to take the spot reserved for your dog. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please do so 48 hours prior to your appointment to avoid any additional fees.
Cancellation fee: loss of deposit IN FULL.
No Call/No Show
No call/no-shows and cancellations less than 48 hours prior to your appointment are subject to loss of deposit fee IN FULL. (Per pet)
We understand emergencies can arise, and we will try to work with you, but not on a continued basis. Please be respectful of our time as we are a by-appointment-only business. If you provide us with enough notice, we can offer your spot to another client. Text reminders are sent a week before AND two days before your appointment. If you are not here at the time of your appointment, you will need to reschedule.
Late Pick Up & Drop Off
Dogs are given an ESTIMATED time of completion.
Please understand that this is an ESTIMATE and, for reasons beyond our control, circumstances may arise where grooming may be done early or may take longer than initially estimated. You will be called to pick up your pet 20 minutes before they are ready and have an additional 25 minutes to pick them up. Pick-up after 45 mins will result in an additional $15 fee.
If you do not pick up your dog by closing hours, an additional fee of $30 will be charged.
Please make it your priority to arrive on time, as appointment times are NOT flexible. Please note, that any client 15 minutes late or more will be charged $15 for lateness. We try our best to accommodate clients that arrive late. If there is availability, they MAY be serviced. If there is no availability, your appointment will be deemed canceled, you will have to reschedule, and you will be charged as a “no-show”. Pretty Pretty Paws appreciates clients who are late through no fault of their own; however, we also have a duty to our other clients who keep their appointment times. Prepayment for future services will be requested when a client has been late 2 or more times.