2026 Customer Agreement

2026 CUSTOMER AGREEMENT 1575 25th Ave NE Hickory, NC 28601 Hello Friends, The signing of this agreement is required annually. This agreement shall remain in effect from the date of signing through December 31, 2026, with its terms and conditions applicable each time we provide services for you. We apologize, but if you have multiple animals, one of these forms must be completed for each animal. As always, if you have any questions, let us know. Thank you for your love and support of our business. The undersigned Owner hereby represents and agrees as follows: Hung nails on cages Nicks, cuts, and scrapes that occur during pet grooming are based on temperament. 1) Ownership. Owner specifically represents that Owner is the legal Owner of Pet and has the full and absolute right to consent to Paw Tales providing services for the Pet. 2) Vaccinations. Owner certifies that the Pet has been vaccinated fully for Distemper, Parvo, Bordetella, and Rabies, in accordance with the recommendation of the pet’s veterinarian, and in accordance with North Carolina State laws. a) Paw Tales requires copies of the pet’s vaccination records prior to providing services. If the Owner does not have records available prior to or at the time of the Pet's visit, then Paw Tales has the right to refuse service until said records are provided. 3) Communicable Diseases. Paw Tales strives to maintain one of the most sanitary facilities in North Carolina and takes precautions to prevent the spread of communicable diseases in accordance with North Carolina state law. That being said, when large numbers of animals congregate together, the risk of increased disease spread exists. a) Owner acknowledges that pet vaccinations do not fully guarantee that while at Paw Tales LLC’s facility, the pet will not contract a disease that they have been vaccinated against. Owner agrees to hold Paw Tales harmless if Pet becomes sick after receiving services from Paw Tales, regardless of any ordinary negligence on the part of Paw Tales LLC, its owners, or its staff. b) Owner understands that certain communicable diseases, especially, but not limited to, upper respiratory illnesses, may be unavoidable in any multiple animal facility. For boarding clients, veterinary care, the costs for which Owner shall be responsible, will be sought in the event Pet contracts such illness. For grooming and daycare clients, proof of treatment will be required before the pet is allowed to return to Paw Tales’ facility. c) Owner acknowledges and agrees that if Pet is showing symptoms of respiratory illnesses (including canine cough) or has been diagnosed with upper respiratory disease while in the care of Paw Tales, Paw Tales shall not be responsible for any veterinary care that your Pet receives. Any pet showing symptoms of a communicable illness will be immediately moved to our designated isolation area for their safety and the safety of our other guests until they can be picked up. 4) Effect of Placing a Pet In a Group Environment Owner acknowledges that when your Pet is at our facility, its excitement or anxiety may be heightened, leading to excessive barking and potentially causing your Pet to become hoarse or to leave with an irritated throat. The pet may refuse to eat, exhibit abnormal behavior, or appear excessively tired/sore upon arrival home due to constant activity. a) Surface Sensitivity: Pet may receive blisters, "raw paw," or abrasions on their paw pads due to play on concrete and artificial turf surfaces. The owner acknowledges that these surfaces can be abrasive, and pets not regularly exposed to them may require time to build a physical tolerance. The owner assumes all risks associated with these inherent surface conditions. b) High-Intensity Play & Delayed Discovery: Owner acknowledges that certain dogs possess a high-intensity play style and may continue to engage in activity even after sustaining minor abrasions or blisters. Due to "play-induced adrenaline," symptoms of paw pad sensitivity, soreness, or minor nicks may not be visible to staff or evident in the pet’s behavior until after the pet has calmed down or returned home. Owner agrees that the delayed discovery of such minor injuries is an inherent risk of group play and does not constitute a lack of supervision by Paw Tales LLC staff. 5) Pet Age. Paw Tales' daycare department has a strict requirement that all pets over the age of twelve (12) months must be spayed or neutered. If Pet is older than twelve (12) months and not spayed or neutered, then Pet will not be eligible to play with the other pets and will be placed in individual care. Such placement will result in additional costs, which the Owner agrees to be responsible for. 6) Arrival Flea Check. Owner acknowledges that Pet will be checked for fleas upon arrival. If fleas are found, Paw Tales will notify the Owner, and the Pet will receive an immediate flea treatment bath. The owner agrees to pay all costs associated with said treatment. 7) Pet Temperament. a) Owner agrees to inform Paw Tales if Pet bites, has bitten, or is aggressive towards people or other animals. Muzzles may be used on the Pet if Paw Tales deems it necessary. b) In releasing Pet to the care of the Paw Tales, Owner affirms that the Pet is in a good state of health and agrees that Pet will not prove dangerous or damaging to other pets, has not shown aggressive or otherwise threatening behavior to humans or other animals, and is of such a temperament that it does not pose a hazard to itself, other animals, Paw Tales staff, and or the boarding, grooming, or daycare facility. c) All pets participating in boarding and daycare must satisfactorily pass a temperament evaluation to be administered by Paw Tales staff. The evaluation and passage thereof shall be solely at the discretion of Paw Tales staff is committed to providing for the safety of the pets, the safety of other animals at our facility, and the safety of the Paw Tales staff. Paw Tales reserves the right, at its sole and absolute discretion, to refuse service to Pet. If Pet is deemed not to possess a proper temperament, then Owner agrees to immediately remove Pet from Paw Tales facility and pay any costs incurred. Paw Tales staff will retest the pet at the Owner’s request, once in the presence of the Owner. d) Paw Tales is not a training ground for pets with difficult issues, nor is it the responsibility of Paw Tales attendants to devote extensive attention to a single pet's problem issues. While all pets must pass the preliminary temperament test to be eligible for the daycare program, some behaviors may be revealed only after a pet has attended daycare for a number of days. If conduct deemed unacceptable or dangerous occurs, and after our staff has taken measures to correct and re-teach the behaviors in question, Paw Tales reserves the right to immediately deny any pet's eligibility at any time in the event that the pet shows the potential to cause severe injury or is unwilling to adjust to the daycare program. e) For grooming clients, at any time before or during the grooming process, Paw Tales has the right to refuse or stop service for the Pet. Typically, this only occurs if a pet shows itself to be aggressive or prone to biting. If a groomer can finish the pet with additional help from staff, an additional handling fee will be added to the normal groom price. If the Pet cannot be finished, Owner will be responsible for paying for the services that were able to be provided, and Owner must pick up the Pet immediately. If a Paw Tales' groomer is bitten, depending on severity, the bite must be reported to local authorities, as required by state law. 8) Grooming Incidents. The owner acknowledges that inherent in the grooming process is the possibility that a pet may accidentally be injured. Specific examples of such injuries (which do not constitute all possible examples) include sudden movements causing groomers to cut or nick a pet, nail injury, or pet aggression/anxiousness causing injury to self or groomer. Owner agrees to indemnify and hold Paw Tales and its staff harmless from any such incidents that may occur to their Pet. 9) “Doggy Play”. The owner acknowledges that, by nature, dogs can be unpredictable and that when dogs play, they are playing with their teeth and their nails. Paw Tales is careful to provide appropriate and adequate supervision for all pets in their care. Dogs in particular are prone to rough play, however, and injuries can occur. The owner acknowledges that certain risks of injury, especially in the daycare and boarding settings, do exist. Owner agrees to hold Paw Tales harmless for all injuries resulting from Pet's activities at the Paw Tales facility. Further, Owner agrees to be responsible for any injuries caused by Pet during their time at Paw Tales. a) If Pet is found to display aggressive action towards another pet or Paw Tales staff, then Owner accepts full responsibility for any veterinary care to other pets and/ or medical care for Paw Tales staff resulting from Pet’s actions. The determination of fault for such actions will be made by Paw Tales staff witnessing the event, and their determination is final. Owner further agrees to accept responsibility for any related costs arising from the incident, including the cost to repair or replace property damage or destruction caused by Pet. Owner agrees that, should a dispute arise from any action involving Pet, Paw Tales may be required by law to, and if not further reserves the right to, release Owner's name, address, phone number, or other pertinent information to legal entities, animal control and / or law enforcement, other owners, and any other person or entity deemed proper by Paw Tales. Video recordings of any incidents will be kept for a period of time that Paw Tales, in its sole and absolute discretion, deems reasonable. Typically, Paw Tales records over previous video recordings on a thirty (30) day loop because any incidents that should be reported will have been. b) Owner authorizes Paw Tales to co-mingle Pet with other pets at the sole discretion of Paw Tales and Paw Tales staff. Owner acknowledges that if Paw Tales determines that Pet cannot be comingled with other pets, then Pet will be placed in individual care. Such placement will result in additional costs, which Owner agrees to be responsible for. c) Should an injury occur to the Pet that requires immediate treatment before the Owner can be contacted, then The owner authorizes Paw Tales to treat the pet as deemed necessary. Following any such injury, Paw Tales will attempt to contact Owner as soon as possible, but regardless, Owner acknowledges and assumes all financial responsibility for treatment provided to Pet. d) Paw Tales reserves the right to immediately deny Pet's eligibility at any time in the event that Pet causes severe injury or displays dangerous aggression. 10) Pet Illness. If a Pet becomes ill, or if the state of the Pet's health otherwise requires professional attention, reasonable attempts will be made to contact the Owner to direct care. If the Owner is unreachable, however, then Paw Tales, at its sole discretion, may provide care or engage the services of a veterinarian, or other related service, of Paw Tales' choice. Owner agrees to be responsible for all associated fees and costs, including but not limited to charges for after-hours care as due from the veterinarian or related service. a) Owner hereby grants Paw Tales and their staff a limited power of attorney to act in Owner’s name for the contracting of any veterinary or related services for Pet that Paw Tales deems necessary. The owner also provides permission to any veterinarian or related service provider to disclose information regarding the pet to Paw Tales. b) Owner agrees that if boarding, then they will proactively contact Pet’s veterinarian and grant permission for Paw Tales to discuss the Pet’s health during the time the pet is being boarded. 11) Pet Pickup. When the pet is dropped off at Paw Tales’ facility, the owner and the Paw Tales staff will communicate When the pet is to be picked up by the owner. a) For grooming and daycare clients, failure to pick up Pet by the end of the business day will result in Pet being boarded at such location as Paw Tales deems best, and Pet shall be considered to have to be picked up the next day. Owner agrees to be fully responsible for any costs incurred for said boarding. b) For boarding clients, or pets that have had to be boarded as discussed above, if the Owner does not pick up Pet after fourteen days have elapsed past the scheduled pickup date, then Pet shall be deemed abandoned, and Owner grants Paw Tales authority to place the Pet in the protective care of a rescue group or other pet shelter entity. Owner acknowledges that, despite Pet being placed, Owner is liable for all costs incurred. 12) Costs For Services. a) Owner agrees to pay the rate for services provided by Paw Tales in effect at the time of service, with such rate varying, as applicable on the date Pet is checked in, with such rate being applicable until Pet is released from the Paw Tales’ care. b) Owner agrees to pay all costs for special services requested and all veterinary costs for Pet during the time Pet is in the care of Paw Tales. c) Owner further agrees that the Pet shall not be allowed to leave the Paw Tales until all fees and costs (as Due are paid to Paw Tales by the Owner. d) Owner agrees that service prepaid packages have varying expiration dates, as applicable to each, from the date of purchase of the prepaid packages. Timely use of prepaid packages is recommended, as no refunds will be provided after the expiration date. 13) Pet Toys and Personal Property. The owner is cautioned to leave Pet's valuables at home. Paw Tales is not responsible for lost or damaged accessories or possessions belonging to the Owner/Pet during the Pet’s time at Paw Tales. It is recommended to write the Pet's name on any belongings brought to Paw Tales. 14) Matting. The owner acknowledges that pets with mats or matted coats require additional care during grooming. Mats can be very difficult and uncomfortable to remove and may require the dog to be shaved. When removing mats, there is the risk of nicks, cuts, and/or abrasions. Owner agrees that if Pet comes in for grooming and is matted, then Paw Tales will not be responsible for any razor burn or nicks due to neglected matted coats. Heavy matting can also trap moisture or urine near the dogs' skin, allowing mold, fungus, or bacteria to grow, causing skin irritations that existed prior to grooming. The after effects of mat removal procedures can include itchiness, skin redness, self-inflicted irritations, or abrasions. Depending on how severe the matting on the pet is, an additional charge may be added to the normal grooming price. 15) Medication Administration. The owner understands that Paw Tales staff are not veterinarians and must follow strict guidelines when administering medication to Pets. Medication will be administered according to the dosage prescribed on the medication bottle, and Paw Tales will not deviate from the prescription. Any medication dispensed by Paw Tales must: a) Be in the original packaging / container; and b) Said package container must have a label with the Owner's and Pet's names, the medication’s name, dosage, prescribing the veterinarian's name and date of issue. 16) Legal Stuff We Don’t Understand. This agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina, without regard to its choice of law provisions, and that venue for any Action shall lie exclusively in Catawba County, North Carolina, and Owner irrevocably consents to jurisdiction in Catawba County, North Carolina. In the event of a disagreement or dispute between Owner and Paw Tales arising out of or connected with this agreement, which cannot be adjusted by and between the parties under The terms and conditions of this agreement, the parties agree to first attempt to privately mediate, through the use of a mediator certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission, a settlement, and in the The event said that mediation is not successful, submit such disagreement or dispute to binding arbitration in accordance with the rules, regulations, and procedures of the North Carolina Revised Uniform Arbitration Act, Article 45C of Chapter 1 of the North Carolina General Statutes. Owner and Paw Tales hereby agree to be bound by the decision of the arbitrator named by the above-described arbitration body. Any such mediation Or arbitration shall be held in Hickory, Catawba County, North Carolina, and the parties hereto consent to such venue for any and all actions which may arise hereunder. In the event of a dispute under this agreement, the The materially prevailing party shall be entitled to recover all costs and expenses of enforcement, including reasonable attorneys’ fees. 17) Term. It is intended that this agreement shall be renewed annually by Owner and Paw Tales. Should Pet receive services after December 31, 2026, and the Owner has not signed a new Customer Agreement for the then current year, then the terms of this agreement shall remain in effect and set forth the agreement of the parties. 18) Social Media Consent & Data Privacy Paw Tales LLC often captures photos or videos of our pet guests for social media, marketing, and client updates. Under the North Carolina Personal Data Privacy Act (GS Chapter 75F), you have the right to control how this data is used. Please select and initial your preference below: