Terms of Service

ASH & HOUND (ABN 18 456 316 527) · Brisbane, QLD
Last updated: 10 September 2026

1. Services

We provide in-home pet sitting, boarding (Private Boarding and Social Boarding), and Pop In & Play visits in Brisbane. Service inclusions, carer availability, and supervision level vary by tier and are confirmed in your booking quote.

We may use vetted subcontractors to deliver services. All subcontractors meet the same standards and confidentiality requirements. We remain responsible for the service.

Backup Carers

If your assigned carer cannot continue a booking due to illness, injury, or emergency, we may assign a backup carer to ensure your pet's welfare. We will notify you as soon as practicable. A backup carer is not grounds for a refund provided the same standard of care is maintained. If no backup is available, we will contact you to discuss alternatives, and we will refund undelivered services as required by law.

If you refuse a qualified backup carer and cancel, the standard cancellation terms below apply.

2. Booking and Payment

Terms version AH-TERMS-2.2.0. Applies to new bookings accepted under this version. Existing accepted bookings retain their agreed price, scope and terms, subject to your statutory rights.

Estimates are valid for 48 hours and remain subject to onboarding and carer matching. We confirm the exact care times, total and payment schedule before you book. A higher care tier or extra work may change an estimate.

After care and matching are agreed, a 50% advance part-payment is due. The balance is due 7 days before ordinary stays and 21 days before any holiday-loaded overnight stay. Bookings made on or after that deadline require full payment. Visits and walks are paid before the agreed appointments, with recurring appointments billed by the agreed week.

Advance payments form part of the total. They are not automatically forfeited. Ordinary stays: at least 14 days notice, no unused-care charge; 7 to under 14 days, maximum 50%; under 7 days, maximum 100%. Holiday-loaded overnight stays: at least 30 days, no unused-care charge; 14 to under 30 days, maximum 50%; under 14 days, maximum 100%. Visits and walks: at least 48 hours, no unused-care charge; 24 to under 48 hours, maximum 50%; under 24 hours, maximum 100%.

In every case, the cancellation charge is the lesser of that percentage of cancelled unused care and our reasonable documented loss, after saved costs and replacement income. Completed services, including an attended introduction, are charged separately. Early returns, date reductions, no-shows and failed access use the same calculation; they do not automatically forfeit the booking total.

If we cannot provide the agreed service, we will discuss suitable alternatives and refund undelivered services as required. Nothing here limits your Australian Consumer Law rights.

Stays use full 24-hour blocks from the agreed arrival time. A partial extension needs agreement and is charged proportionally, with a minimum two billed hours plus disclosed additional costs. Timed visits and walks are counted by actual appointment and are booked in blocks of at least 3 appointments. Peak charges use the block start date or appointment date, with only the highest applicable band. Local holidays follow the care location.

Care is delivered by a carer we match to your pets. If your matched carer cannot attend, we may offer another carer of ours matched to the same needs, and we confirm who before they attend. Where you have not agreed to a substitute at onboarding, or you decline the individual offered, we treat the booking as cancelled by us: no unused-care charge applies and undelivered services are refunded.

Introductions, extra pets and additional travel are itemised before acceptance. No routine long-stay discount, automatic late-payment penalty or per-night distance fee applies.

Peak Periods and Surcharges

Peak season covers Easter, Christmas, New Year and the main holiday breaks. We set the exact dates ourselves and publish them below. They will not always match a school calendar.

Peak season dates for 2026: 3 to 19 April, 27 June to 12 July, 19 September to 5 October, and 12 December to 26 January 2027. For 2027: 26 March to 11 April, 26 June to 11 July, 18 September to 4 October, and 11 to 31 December 2027. Dates from 1 January 2028 require a verified calendar update before quoting.

A surcharge applies to the nightly rate, including the additional-pet charge where a second pet is booked, on:

• Nights during peak season. This one applies to overnight stays and boarding only. Pop-in visits and walks carry no peak-season surcharge.
• Nights falling on a public holiday.
• Nights from 20 to 23 December and 28 to 29 December.
• Nights from 24 to 27 December, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and Good Friday through Easter Monday, which carry our highest surcharge.

Where more than one surcharge could apply to the same night, only the highest is charged. Every surcharge is itemised in your booking quote before you pay, so you see the full amount and what it applies to before anything is due.

Pop-in visits and walks on a public holiday, or on the dates carrying our highest surcharge, are loaded on the same basis as a night.

3. Cancellation Policy

The notice windows and reasonable-loss calculation above apply to cancellations, early returns, no-shows and failed access. Please let us know as soon as plans change. Any additional care after the agreed finish time needs an assessed extension and will be itemised.

4. Your Responsibilities

You confirm you are the legal owner of the pet(s) listed, or have authority from the owner.

You must provide complete and accurate information about your pet: medical history, current medications, vaccination records (must be current), behavioural issues, dietary needs, and emergency vet contacts. You indemnify us against costs arising from false or incomplete information, including undisclosed medical conditions or behavioural issues.

For in-home care: provide safe access, adequate food and supplies for the full duration plus a buffer, and clear written care instructions. Ensure fencing, gates, doors, and screens are secure.

Unless you communicate specific restrictions in writing before service begins, our carers may reasonably use general household items typically available to house guests.

Inform us before service if any third party will access your home during our care period. We accept no responsibility for incidents caused by third-party access.

If supplies run out, we will attempt to contact you. If urgent, we may purchase supplies on your behalf. You agree to reimburse what we spend, plus a service fee covering the time and any delivery or freight involved. What this costs depends on your dog’s dietary requirements and how the supplies have to be obtained, so we tell you the amount before we buy wherever we are able to reach you, and itemise it on your invoice either way.

Surveillance Devices (In-Home Sitting)

Before any in-home sit commences, you must disclose in writing:

• The presence, location, and type of any recording devices on the property (for example, security cameras, doorbell cams, pet cams, baby monitors, or smart speakers with recording functions).
• Whether any of these devices capture audio.

Our carers do not consent to recording in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping quarters. Discovery of any undisclosed recording device, regardless of location, will result in safe termination of care and assessment of any charge under the cancellation policy and your statutory rights. This applies to all devices including but not limited to security cameras, pet cams, baby monitors, doorbell cameras, and smart speakers with recording capability. Recording a person's private conversation without consent may also breach Queensland law.

5. Pet Behaviour and Liability

You must disclose any history of aggression, biting, or resource guarding. Failure to disclose may result in safe termination and assessment under the cancellation policy and your statutory rights.

If your pet displays aggressive behaviour posing a safety risk, we may refuse or terminate services, confine your pet safely, and require you to collect them immediately. Unused services are assessed under the cancellation policy and your statutory rights.

You are liable for any injury, damage, or harm your pet causes to our carers, other animals, third parties, or property. You indemnify us against resulting claims, except where caused by our negligence.

6. Pet Health and Emergency Care

Despite reasonable care, pets may become ill or injured from pre-existing conditions, age-related events, allergic reactions, or accidental injury. We are not liable for illness, injury, or death that occurs despite reasonable care and is not caused by our negligence.

You authorise us to seek veterinary care in an emergency. You agree to reimburse all reasonable veterinary costs. For expenses exceeding $2,000, we will attempt to contact you first, except where immediate treatment is needed to save your pet's life.

We will administer medications as directed. We are not liable for adverse reactions where medication was administered correctly per your instructions.

7. Escaped Pets

We take reasonable precautions to secure your pet. We are not liable for escapes resulting from faulty fencing, your pet's known escape behaviours that were not disclosed, or circumstances beyond our control. If your pet escapes, we will search immediately, contact you and your emergency contacts, and notify local council and shelters.

8. Right to Refuse Service

We may refuse or terminate services if: your pet poses a safety risk, you provided false information, payment terms are not met, home conditions are unsafe, your pet's needs exceed our capability, or undisclosed surveillance devices are found. Refunds at our discretion. Service refusal will never be based on protected characteristics under anti-discrimination law.

9. Liability and Insurance

We maintain public liability insurance. Certificate of currency available on request.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, our liability is limited for: undisclosed pre-existing conditions or behavioural issues; circumstances beyond our reasonable control; false or incomplete information you provided; escapes despite reasonable precautions; and property damage caused by your pet.

Nothing in these terms excludes rights or remedies under the Australian Consumer Law that cannot be excluded by agreement.

10. General

Excessive cleaning: If cleaning beyond normal pet care is required, a fee may apply. What it costs depends on the type of cleaning and whether it can be done by hand or needs a professional, so we tell you the amount and what it covers before we charge it.

Photos: We take photos to provide you with updates. Use for marketing requires your separate consent.

Outstanding amounts: Amounts unpaid after 14 days may incur a late fee, which we will tell you before it is charged. Interest may be charged at the prescribed rate under Queensland law. If we engage debt recovery, you agree to pay reasonable recovery costs.

Complaints: Contact us at hello@ashandhound.com or 0401 606 603. We will acknowledge complaints within 2 business days and respond within 7. If unresolved, both parties agree to attempt mediation before legal action.

Changes to terms: Existing bookings keep the terms in effect when confirmed. Updated terms apply to new bookings only.

Governing law: Queensland, Australia. If any provision is held invalid, the remainder continues in force. These terms constitute the entire agreement.

By booking our services, you confirm you have read, understood, and agree to these terms.