Wet Whiskers Grooming Policies
CONTACTING US
We are located at 17321 Vashon Hwy SW, Vashon, WA 98070 in the big red barn that houses Pandora’s Box Pet Products. Appointments can be made during our open hours of: Tuesday – Saturday from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm, by calling (206) 463-2200, which is the phone number for Pandora’s Box Pet Products. The front desk will transfer your call when you ask for Wet Whiskers Grooming Salon. We can also be reached through the Contact form on this website.
COVID POLICY
If you are experiencing symptoms of or have been exposed to Covid 19, please arrange for someone other to deliver and pick up your pet for the grooming appointment. Your health and the health of our staff matters to us.
VACCINES
King County requires all dogs and cats to be current on their rabies vaccines and provide paper proof of said vaccines, before entering the grooming salon. Also, please schedule your appointment for at least 48 hours after vaccines are given. This allows the pet time to recover from any vaccine side effects that may be stressful and for injection site healing. Puppies and kittens are welcome in the salon at 16 weeks of age with full vaccine regimens completed.
SICK ANIMALS AND/OR RECENT SURGERIES
All pets should be in good health prior to receiving any grooming services. Please allow two weeks after surgery before scheduling a grooming appointment. If you suspect your pet is unwell, please call to reschedule your appointment. If your pet has diarrhea, or vomits excessively while at the salon, we will call you to pick your pet and reschedule the appointment.
ALLERGIES AND SENSITIVITIES
Please advise us of any allergies, sensitivities, or pre-existing medical conditions so we can avoid aggravating the health issue. Please let us know of any prior grooming history you or your pet may not have found satisfactory. We want to avoid the repetition of poor or unpleasant experiences.
SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS
The grooming process takes 2-4 hours on most pets, but situations like matting or other circumstances may cause your groom to take longer. Prices quoted over the phone or sight-un-seen are a base price estimate only. Actual price may be different based on the pet’s breed, weight, temperament, coat condition and length.
APPOINTMENT ARRIVAL TIMES
Please attempt to arrive promptly for your appointment. Late arrival for appointments also throws off a groomer’s schedule and this is why we book your pet at a specific time. If you are going to be late, please notify us as soon as possible. If you are 10 minutes late, we will give you a call to confirm you are on your way.
A late fee may be applied for pet arriving more than 10 minutes late and will be added for each additional 10 minutes. Late fees are $5 for 10-15 min late, $10 for 15-20 min late. After more than 20 minutes we may cancel the appointment at our discretion. If you are late, you should also expect that it will take longer to finish than usual. It is unfair to expect other customer’s pets to be delayed to accommodate for your tardiness.
CANCELLATION AND NO SHOW POLICY
If it is necessary to cancel or skip your grooming appointment, we do ask for a 24 hour notice when possible. Early notification allows us to fill empty appointments from our wait list. No notification causes us to miss out on appointments we could have otherwise filled. We do understand that unexpected issues can occur without much notice; please notify us as soon as possible in those cases. We understand emergencies happen.
Last minute cancellations, except for unavoidable pet or personal emergencies, will result in having to pay a $25 scheduling fee for your next appointment. The $25 will apply towards the appointment. However, if you cancel again within 24 hours, the deposit is lost.
If you do not show for your appointment without notification, we will charge a $50 missed appointment fee before allowing for rescheduling. Continued missed appointments will result in us not taking future appointments for your pet or requiring that you pre-pay for your appointments.
PAYMENT
Payment for grooming services is due at the time the services are rendered unless prior arrangements have been made. There is a $35 non sufficient funds/returned check charge.
ENTERING AND EXITING THE SALON, DROP OFF, PICK UP AND PARKING
We ask that you please have all dogs on a leash when entering and exiting the salon. This is to ensure the safety of your pet and others. Cats need to be in a carrier for safe transport to and from the salon. For returning clients, we do offer curb side drop off and pickup, but please make sure to ask about this when scheduling your appointment.
Please walk your pet to potty before you bring them for grooming. Eliminations in the salon may result in a hazard clean up fee of $5 for every elimination after 1. If your pet eliminates on himself and we need to re-wash, it will result in a $10 fee.
Please pick up your pet as soon as possible after we have notified you that your pet is done. If you arrive more than 30 minutes after notification or after hours, this will result in a $20 after hours pickup fee. After 30 minutes we will add an additional $10 for every additional 15 minutes. These fees will be waived if other arrangements have been made before hand.
NOTE:
Pets generally do better if their owners are not present during the groom. Please don’t come in to pick up your pet before we call you. If you come in early and your pet becomes excited, we may not be able to complete the groom and will have to stop.
AGGRESSIVE PETS
Please inform us if your pet has ever been turned away from another groomer due to excessive aggression. If your pet is biting and cannot be calmed or safely groomed you will be called to pick up your pet and the full grooming bill will be charged. If you know your pet becomes upset or is sensitive about a part of the grooming process, for the safety of your pet and us, please inform us when you drop off your pet. Pets who struggle with aspects of grooming are at greater risk for nicks, quicked nails, or a haircut that isn’t quite perfect looking. We always take care to ensure your pet is not injured during grooming. Pets who are biting or struggling put themselves at greater risk for injuries. Wet Whiskers will not be held liable for these types of injuries or for grooms that are less than satisfactory.
ELDERLY PETS
We will use extra care and patience for older pets. Elderly pets may require extra time. Grooming elderly pets can cause mental or physical stress due to grooming being much more tiring for them. Due to this, we will at times have to do a much simpler cut for your pet’s health and safety or stop the grooming process. Pets who can no longer stand for long periods or require lots of breaks during the grooming process may have an extra charge added to their bill. Please be sure to notify us of any health conditions that might make your pet uncomfortable during the bathing, drying, or clipping phases. Any grooming which takes place on an elderly or frail pet is conducted at your risk and Wet Whiskers will not be held liable for mental or physical stress the grooming process may cause.
BATHING REQUIREMENTS
All pets are required to be bathed as part of the grooming process. This is not only for the benefit of your pet, but also minimizes damage to the groomer’s equipment. Each pet is bathed with a high quality shampoo which, in most cases, is followed up with a conditioner. For pets with allergies, skin issues, or other sensitivities, clients are welcome to provide any vet prescribed medicated shampoos as needed.
EAR CARE AND EAR HAIR REMOVAL
All pets will have their ears cleaned with a mild ear cleaner. If we find that your pet may have an ear infection we will let you know so you may consult your veterinarian. Ear hair will be removed/not removed based on your preference and your vet’s advice. Ear hair removal is typically a standard part of the grooming process, if you choose to not have your pet’s ear hair removed please let us know.
TOE NAIL TRIMMING
Most nails will be trimmed by nail clipper and/or dremel during each grooming appointment. We always do our best to trim the nails as short as possible, without hurting your pet. Should your pet show any signs of aggression during the nail trimming process, we may muzzle your pet for the safety of the groomer and the pet during the nail trimming only. We prefer not to use muzzles and will try other solutions to avoid muzzling your pet.
GROOMING PROCESS
There are several things to keep in mind when your dog or cat is being groomed. Pets are washed before the groom. A clean pet is easier to groom than a dirty one. Depending on how well you pet handles the dryers, it is difficult to know how long your pet will take to be dried. We aim to have all pets done within a 2-4 hour window, but this is not always possible. After your pet dries, the groomer will clip and/or dremel nails, clean the ears, and then begin the grooming process. Some pets may or may not like being brushed, and if they have mats it can be a time consuming process. Mats that are too close to the skin may need to be cut out for the comfort of your pet. You will always have the opportunity to speak with your groomer when you drop off, but keep in mind there is only so much we can do when a dog or cat has severe matting. If we cannot do what you ask, we will notify you of other options. In some cases it is best to just start over and put your pet on a good maintenance program. The groomer can speak with you after the groom to give you advice on how often you should bring them in, brushes, and other things to help maintain your pet’s coat.
SATISFACTION
Our groomers will always work to give your pet the cut that you want. Please keep in mind that your pet’s comfort and health are our number one priority. We prefer not to send a dog or cat home in an unhealthy state. We try to keep notes on what was done for the groom. If you are unsatisfied with the groom, please let us know before you leave the shop so that the groomer can make any necessary corrections and we can take notes for the next groom. If changes are requested more than two business days after the grooming appointment, there will be an additional charge which may include a re-bathing fee.
INJURIES
There is always the possibility of cuts, nicks, or burns during the grooming process. Some pets are harder to handle and accidents can occur. There are also times when mat burns show after they are shaved or brushed out. This is not caused by the groomer being careless, but by the severity of the mats. Should any cuts occur during the grooming process, we will notify you.
CUSTOMER RELEASE
Customer releases Wet Whiskers Grooming Salon, and its employees from any and all liabilities, financial, and otherwise, for injuries to Customer, Customer’s pet(s), or any other property of Customer, which arise in any way from services and/or products provided by or as a consequence of Customer’s association with Wet Whiskers Grooming Salon including, but not limited to, veterinarian bills.