Policies

The Whole Kitten Capoodle’s Policies

Updated June 2025

Our Rights

We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.

Pets are accepted for grooming only under the following circumstances….

• The pet is fit and healthy, Grooming which takes place on an elderly or infirm pet will be at the owner’s risk. Grooming may expose pre-existing health\skin conditions for which Kitten Capoodle cannot be held liable.
• The pet’s rabies vaccine is up to date (as required by law for pet salons) unless otherwise discussed & a note is provided from the vet.
• In the event of an emergency, in your absence, you authorize Kitten Capoodle to contact the nearest Veterinarian and authorize the Vet to treat the pet as necessary at your expense. 
• Payment is to be made at the time of service. Payment can be cash, check, credit card, Paypal (Paypal.me/kittencapoodle), or Zelle using our email (info@kittencapoodle.com). Returned checks will incur a $35 charge. Our rates are based on size, coat, condition, haircut, and behavior. Prices are subject to change based on these factors.  Nail cutting and ear cleaning and external anal gland expression are part of the service unless the process is too stressful for the pet or too dangerous for the groomer. 
• We do not offer internal anal gland expression, as this should be performed by a licensed veterinarian. 
• “De-matting” or complete coat removal will dramatically alter your pet’s appearance. This procedure may expose pre-existing health\skin problems for which Kitten Capoodle cannot be held liable. 
• If your pet is in heat or has had diarrhea within 24 hours of the appointment we must reschedule.

Liability Waiver for Grooming

Your pet is important to us. Because we care, we want to assure you that every effort will be made to make your pet’s visit as pleasant as possible.

Occasionally, grooming can expose a hidden medical problem or aggravate a current one. This can occur during or after grooming. Understand if your pet is severely tangled or matted, there is a greater risk of injury, stress and trauma. All precautions will be taken. However, problems occasionally arise, during or after grooming, such as nicks, clipper irritation and mental or physical stress. Also senior pets have a greater chance of injury or seizures during grooming. We take every precaution to prevent injury, but there are also just inherent risks with pet grooming since they tend to be moving targets.

You agree to pay the agreed upon price at the time of pick up, the groomer will notify any changes found during the grooming process.

You agree to notify the groomer of any illness, medical condition and/or behaviors prior to your pet’s groom. This also included specifications for haircuts. You certify that your pet is in good medical health, is up to date on all required vaccinations (Rabies, DHPP, Bordetella). Is illness free and has no signs of vomiting, diarrhea, open wounds, runny eyes, nasal discharge, fever or cough for the last 14 days.

For pets that have never been groomed before:

We do everything in our power to not cause stress or trauma. Our preference for the first groom is to introduce the grooming process to your pet. We will do as much as we can the first time without stressing your pet. We recommend starting with just a bath & face, feet, and sanitary trim for their first experience so as not to overwhelm them.

Senior Pets and Pets With Health Problems

Grooming procedures can sometimes be stressful, especially to a senior pet or a pet with a health condition. Grooming can expose hidden medical conditions or aggravate existing ones. Because these pets have a greater chance of injury, they will be groomed for cleanliness and comfort, in styles that will not add stress. The Whole Kitten Capoodle will not be held responsible for any injury sustained during the grooming process of an elderly or health compromised pet.

Fleas/Ticks

We recommend that your pet be on some sort of flea preventative. We are not responsible for any fleas acquired.

Pets In Heat

If your pet is in heat please call to reschedule your appointment for a few weeks in the future. If we notice Aunt Flo is visiting your pet during their appointment we will quarantine them (for sanitation and their safety) and ask that you pick them up immediately and reschedule your appointment for a few weeks in the future.

Sedation

We do not allow pets in our salon under sedation for their safety, however natural calming aids are allowed.

Pregnancy

We do not groom pregnant pets for safety reasons.

Shave down/Matted Hair Removal

Removing heavily matted fur includes risks of nicks, cuts, or abrasions due to warts, moles, or skin trapped in the mats. Matting can also trap moisture near the skin allowing bacteria to grow causing skin irritations that exist before the grooming process, effects of mat removal can include itchiness, skin redness and irritation, abrasions, and in some cases failure of hair to re-grow as originally. Shaved pets are also extremely sensitive to the sun for long periods of time until their hair can re-grow and provide protection from the sun. While we take every precaution to insure your pets safety & comfort, The Whole Kitten Capoodle is not responsible for any adverse reaction as a result of mat removal and/or shave downs.

If your pet is matted your options are:

•         Brush & COMB the matted coat out at home and schedule another grooming for when your pet is mat free.
•         If the coat is in good enough condition to be de-matted without being unfair to your pet or putting us behind schedule we can de-mat it for an extra fee.
•         If the mats are small we may be able to spot shave the mats out.
•         If the pet is too matted we can give them a shave down for a fresh start.

Cats

We do not offer styled cuts for cats. We only do mat removal haircuts for cats because cats need their coat for protection and cats have very thin, stretchy skin which greatly increases their risk of injury during shaving. Also we feel the grooming process is already a stressful one for cats & it is unfair to put them through anything more than is necessary. Cats can be very unpredictable when it comes to stressful situations such as grooming which can be dangerous if they become very aggressive which is why in these cases we must send them home  without finishing their service (we will only charge for the services we were able to do) & recommend they see a vet for their services where they can be sedated & monitored for safety. Cats must be picked up within 1 hour of being finished to minimize stress & because should they potty on themselves we may not be able to rebathe.

Emergency Care

Your pets comfort and safety are our first priories. We make every effort to ensure that your pets grooming is pleasant and safe, however, if your pet becomes ill or hurt and the services of a veterinarian are required, you hereby give The Whole Kitten Capoodle permission to obtain medical treatment for your pet if you are not available to do so and you agree to pay all veterinary expenses that are not covered by The Whole Kitten Capoodle’s insurance policy such as pre-existing conditions.

Vaccinations

We require proof of current rabies vaccination to be on file with us before your pet can be groomed as required by California state law. Exceptions will only be considered with a signed note from your pet’s veterinarian stating the reason why your pet is not being vaccinated, even with a signed note we retain the right to refuse grooming services at our discretion. When your pet gets their rabies vaccination updated please bring their new proof of vaccination with you to their next appointment. If we do not have current rabies vaccination on file at the time of your appointment and we are unable to get confirmation from your vet that they are up to date we will have to reschedule for another day after your pet’s vaccination is updated. We only require rabies, but we recommend that your pet be fully vaccinated for their safety. The Whole Kitten Capoodle takes every precaution to ensure the health & safety of your pet but is not responsible for any illness they may acquire from being around other pets due to not being fully vaccinated.

Drop Off & Pick Up

• Please park in front of the building at 1720 Commercial way, Santa Cruz
• Please arrive with enough time to take your dog potty before their appointment time.
• When ready for drop off you can text or call us at 831-454-8311, or you can ring the doorbell. We will come out to greet you. We started this method at the beginning of the pandemic for health safety, but we’ve kept this method because we’ve also found the pets stay calmer when other people are not coming in & out of the building.
• If there are any concerns about being able to pick up within 30 minutes of your pet’s finish time please discuss with your groomer with as much notice as possible. We are happy to let them hang out with us while we are working, but once we are done for the day we charge by the hour to wait for pickups.
• We are a mostly cage-free salon (for the dogs), so please let us know if your dog has any issues or needs to be kept seperate. 

Early drop offs

You are welcome to drop off early, but we may not be able to start your pet until their appointment time. 

Late Arrivals

We schedule our appointments to fit in as many pets as we can while giving enough time to give them the love & care they need. Late arrivals take away from the time we can give your pet & can cut into later appointments & leave our hourly paid bathers waiting which is why there is a 5$ fee for arriving more than 5 minutes after your appointment time.

Late Pickup

We are open by appointment only and close after the last pet is finished. If you need to leave your pet longer than their latest estimated groom time please ask your groomer so we can make arrangements for you if possible. If someone must wait for you to pick up your pet there will be an added fee.

Cancelations/No Shows

Groomers wages are commission based. If you do not show up for your appointment, or cancel last minute, not only do we lose out on fitting in another customer, but the groomer loses income.

Late Drop Off or Pick Up

• There is 5$ fee for being 5 or more minutes late for drop off (10$ in November & December)
• If you are 15 or more minutes late for drop off you are considered a no show & must pay for your missed appointment before rescheduling.

Cancellations

We follow the Santa Cruz county public school closures as they pertain to inclimate weather. We try to work as long as conditions are not dangerous. If you are unsure, please call us to confirm.

• Cancellation and rescheduling of an appointment, by the client, requires 48 hours notice to waive the FULL appointment fee.
• In the event of inclimate weather, a family emergency or any other uncontrollable circumstance, the groomer has the discretion to waive the fee in part or in full within the 48 hour period.
• We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule a groom if we feel the need to do so. Every effort will be made to reschedule at a time convenient for both the client and the groomer.    

No-Shows

It is considered a “no-show” when the client has not arrived within the 15 minute grace period and does not contact the groomer to cancel or reschedule before the appointment time.

• We reserve the right to charge the FULL grooming fee due to the loss of revenue caused by a “no-show”. Please make every effort to call and cancel or reschedule when possible to avoid such situations.
• We reserve the right to refuse service to any pet or client for any reason.

Payment

All grooming fees must be paid in full at the time of pickup. Fees may vary each visit depending on services, changes to hairstyle, pet’s condition & behavior. We accept cash & checks & all major credit cards. Checks returned due to insufficient funds will be charged a $30 service fee.

Photographs

By signing The Whole Kitten Capoodle’s client form you authorize The Whole Kitten Capoodle to take photos of your pet while in our care to use for social media. All photos taken are property of The Whole Kitten Capoodle.

Satisfaction

Your satisfaction is important to us. Please let us know when you pick up your pet if there are any adjustments you would like made to your pets groom & we’ll be happy to fix it then. We understand that sometimes it’s easier to notice things at home than during the excitement of reuniting with your pet and if you call us within 48 hours of your appointment we will fit you in for a fix up asap free of charge (more than 48 hours after your appointment we will need to redo the bath & do the fixup at full charge).