Policies

Last updated: July 2026

Booking or paying an invoice indicates acceptance of the applicable terms.

General

Meet & Greets

Meet and greets are free and available to all new dog walking and pet sitting clients if desired prior to a service commencing. If our staff arrives to a scheduled meet & greet but is unable to complete the introduction for any reason, a $30 inconvenience fee will be charged.

Booking Confirmations

Booking deposits are non-refundable, subject to Australian Consumer Law. The required deposit is 25% for pet sitting and wedding services and 50% for other services, unless otherwise stated on the invoice. If Sit Stay Play cancels a service and a suitable alternative cannot be agreed upon, any payment relating to the cancelled service will be refunded or credited.

Dog Training Programs- An invoice for the remaining 50% due will be issued 5 days before service and will be due the day before service. Our Cancellation policies still apply. If the remaining amount has not been paid on due date, your service is at risk of cancellation. This is dependent on when program is booked. Our 10 session programs can be paid with a payment plan once discussed with trainer.

Dog Training Consultations - If you are booking in for a 2 hour dog training consultation, full payment is required. You will have 7 days to pay the invoice once sent. However, the booking is not confirmed until payment is made.

Wedding Pet Chaperone Services - A booking is only confirmed when a client has paid 25% of their invoice price or full payment. Invoices will be emailed to your nominated email address. It is your responsibility to ensure the invoice is paid to confirm a booking. Invoices that have not received a deposit payment within 7 days of the invoice being issued will risk cancellation. Full payment is required 14 days before wedding date.

Pet Sitting - A booking is only confirmed when a client has paid 25% of their invoice price or full payment. Invoices will be emailed to your nominated email address. It is your responsibility to ensure the invoice is paid to confirm a booking. Invoices that have not received a deposit payment within 7 days of the invoice being issued will risk cancellation. Full payment is required 14 days before pet sitting date.

Short Notice Bookings

Any bookings made within 14 days of the scheduled visit must be paid in full with a receipt/confirmation of payment sent to Sit Stay Play before the booking is confirmed. If full payment or receipt/confirmation of the full payment is not received before the service commences, the booking may be cancelled.

Invoices & Payment

Once an invoice has been sent, you will have two days to complete payment (this is for our weekly clients). Sit Stay Play will contact the client regarding any unpaid invoices and send daily invoice reminders via email. After a reminder is provided, Sit Stay Play may charge late fees for any unpaid invoices. Unless a date has been communicated and agreed upon between the client and Sit Stay Play, late fees for unpaid invoices will be charged as below:

• Weekly service invoices must be paid within two days of issue. Payments more than three days overdue may incur a 5% late fee. Services may be suspended until outstanding invoices are paid.

• Payments more than seven days overdue may incur a 10% late fee. The fees do not accumulate beyond 10%. Future services may be suspended until the outstanding balance is paid.

Cancellations

Our cancellation policy refers to cancellation of a recurring or individual service. Cancellation time periods are:

• Standard services
  Less than 24 hours’ notice: 100% of the service price
  24–48 hours’ notice: 75% of the service price
  More than 48 hours’ notice: no cancellation fee, excluding non-refundable booking deposits

• Private dog-training consultations
  Less than five days’ notice: 50% of the consultation price
  Less than 24 hours’ notice: 100% of the consultation price

• Peak periods
  Less than 72 hours’ notice: 100% of the service price

Peak Periods

Are considered as the NSW public holidays here and the long weekends associated with them.

Outside these time frames clients will not be charged for the cancelled appointments, or they will be credited for the full amount already paid . This does not include any non-refundable booking deposit paid to secure the booking. 50% Booking Deposits are non-refundable even if notice is provided outside of our cancellation periods.

Weather

We do our best to monitor the weather forecast and notify clients of extreme weather which may affect an upcoming walk, it is ultimately the client's responsibility to cancel or reschedule if weather is going to affect their pet’s service from proceeding.

​In extreme weather events we may shorten your pet’s walk, carry out the service in an alternate suitable location that can circumvent the extreme weather, or attempt to reschedule the walk to a more suitable day or time. We reserve the right to cancel any walks that are unable to be rescheduled that same week.

If you wish to cancel due to extreme weather our cancellation policy may apply. We will determine the applicability of the cancellation policy depending on the immediacy of the extreme weather.

Dangerous Behaviour & Emergency Events

The client will be liable for any medical/veterinarian expenses and damages resulting from injury to a member of our team, other persons, or other entities. The client agrees to indemnify Sit Stay Play in the event of a claim by any person injured or claiming injury or damages to their animal by the pet. The client must disclose any past aggressive actions by their pet. If any unwelcome behaviour is exhibited we may refuse or terminate the service. We require that all pets are up to date with their vaccinations so as not to pose a danger to other animals.

Pets which display extreme aggressive behaviour during a service may be returned home, or the service ended immediately at the discretion of the Sit Stay Play staff of which the dog is in the care of. The client will still be charged the service fee in any dangerous behaviour event.

If the client's pet experiences an emergency event whilst under our care (e.g. pet bites us or harms another, the pet requires immediate medical attention, escapes our care etc.) an Emergency Event fee may be charged. This will be charged at $50/hr for the duration of emergency service that is provided by our staff outside of the normal scheduled service.

Nothing in these policies excludes liability that cannot legally be excluded, including liability arising from Sit Stay Play’s negligence or breach of Australian Consumer Law.