Sniffany's Of York Policies

When you visit Sniffany's of York, our policies are based on a combination of legal requirements, and best practices based on our years of extensive experience. Our policies are non-negotiable, but we do accept suggestions! If you have ideas or needs, we would love to consider them and sometimes we can accommodate as we grow. All clients are expected to abide by our policies. Failure to read policies does not invalidate them, and they are in full effect at each appointment. By booking your appointment over the phone or on our online scheduler or text message, you agree to abide by these policies.

Safety And Liability Release:

Sniffany's of York, may provide transport and representation of my pet in the event of an emergency and seek medical attention for my pet. I, the pet parent, may be responsible for any charges related to such medical care. Sniffany's of York, is not responsible for any pre-existing conditions that my pet might have, known or unknown.

Scheduling And Cancellations:

Sniffany's of York, operates by appointment only.
Clients must book online and are reminded that receptionist availability may be limited.
You may schedule an appointment online up to 1 hour in advance.
Sniffany's of York does not do a walk-in service.
A minimum of 24-hour notice is required to cancel an appointment.
For your convenience Sniffany's of York, has provided our clients with the ability to cancel, their appointment(s) via text by replying with an "X" to your appointment reminder that goes out 72 hours before your appointment.
A current credit card MUST BE kept on file.

*******NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT******

Your pet's spa treatments are reserved especially for them. We value your business and ask that you respect the spa's scheduling policies.

We recognize the time of our clients and staff is very valuable and have implemented this policy for this reason. When you miss an appointment with us, we not only lose your business, but also the potential business of other clients who could have scheduled an appointment for the same time because we only schedule one dog or cat at a time. If you don't show for your scheduled appointment the business is idle until the next scheduled appointment. When you schedule your appointment with us, you are agreeing to this policy.

All services require a credit card to guarantee a reservation including services intended to be paid with cash or a gift card. Please have your credit card ready when booking. You will receive an email and text from us, we have an automated appointment reminder that goes out 72 hours before your scheduled appointment so that you can confirm you will be arriving or you can cancel at that time. You will receive a second text with a link asking you to fill out a form. This is not spam, this form must be completed before your appointment and is only required once a year unless you have multiple pets.

A Non-Refundable Deposit is charged for each service when you book your appointment and will be applied to your appointment at checkout.

**For those that booked their appointments ahead, this charge will take place 48-hours prior to your appointment. If your payment is declined for whatever reason, all future appointments will be placed on hold until it is resolved. You will be contacted via text to call us and resolve.

***If you do not update your credit card by the time you are given via text, the system WILL cancel your appointment and all future appointments. When this happens, you will not be allowed to book another appointment unless you pay in full in advance for any future grooming appointments going forward.

**If you have multiple cards on file please let us know which card you would like us to use otherwise we will use the last card on file.

*** If you cancel with less than a 24-hour notice, 15 minutes late to your appointment or are a no call/no show to your appointment you forfeit those funds to pay for the groomer's or bather's lost time. No Exceptions!

With more than a 24-hour notice of cancellation or a rescheduling of your appointment, that money is applied to your NEXT scheduled appointment.

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Dog Deposits are:

Puppy Treatment $30
Bath & Blowout $40
Mini Groom $50
Full Haircut $65

Cat Deposits are:

Bath & Blowout $40
Full Haircut $65

Thank you for your understanding and support!
~Sabrina @ Sniffany's of York

Winter Adverse Weather Policy- Important - If you have an appointment during the winter months and we experience heavy snow, you may be contacted by phone or text and rescheduled for a safer time or day. We appreciate your cooperation as we work to accommodate severe weather conditions.

The week before Thanksgiving and Christmas, Sniffany's of York excepts new clients at our discretion. New clients are defined as clients who have never visited our salon or who have lapsed more than six months since their last appointment. Demand for holiday appointments are high and in order to provide continued quality of care to our loyal clients, we have chosen not to accept new clients these weeks. New clients are more than welcome to schedule on the days and weeks following the holidays or leading up to the holidays!

Pick Up And Drop Off:

Please arrive on time for your pet’s appointment. We WILL NOT accept your pet if you are more than 15 minutes late.
Please prepare to spend 5 minutes with your pet at check-in. Sometimes multiple pets of the same family are scheduled to arrive at the same time. Simultaneous arrivals enable your stylist to work on your pets in the most time efficient manner. Your understanding of this at check-in is appreciated. Your stylist will discuss your grooming preferences and assist you in selecting any desired services. Please refrain from talking/texting/browsing on a cell phone during the check in process unless you plan to show your stylist example photos of your desired grooming preferences which are always welcome!
Sniffany's of York, does not offer overnight boarding services and pets must be picked up within 30 minutes of phone or text contact unless prior arrangements have been made. Sniffany's of York charges late fees for late pick up (minimum of $15). Pets left for 24 hours without contact from you will be considered abandoned and may be surrendered to a shelter, rescue or private adopter.
Most pets will be completed within 2 hours, although multi-pet appointments and larger breeds MAY take longer. Please plan your schedule accordingly. We require that you or the emergency contact be available by phone or text while your pet is with us.

Summer and seasonal advisories - During our peak seasons, while we do our best to remain within our 2-hour average, there may be days when we need longer. Please, please wait for our call or text. The more interruptions we have during a day, the longer the process takes. We DO utilize kennels for your pet’s safety; however, we are equipped with a small play area and grass so that potty opportunities are available, and each kennel has a clean, comfy pad for naps. If we have a dog with us for an extended period, short kennel free times in the salon may be made available to the pets on an individual basis for safety. Our staff is trained to monitor for signs of stress. If a pet is exhibiting signs of stress, we may advise a straight through appointment (advance notice is REQUIRED).

You may NOT assist with your pet’s grooming due to insurance restrictions. Please do not show up early without calling/texting us first as this is disruptive to the pets being groomed. Often when pets see their family members while being groomed, they become overly excited which may create conditions that make continuing the grooming process too dangerous to complete.

Vaccinations And Health:

Sniffany's of York, follows the laws regarding rabies vaccinations and by law it is required to report any pet bites (this includes bites to the groomer working on the pet). Clients must be able to provide proof of current vaccination if requested. Papers are not necessary if you know where your pet received the vaccination because we have the veterinarian email us the necessary information.

We are required to record the vaccinations expiration date. Rabies vaccines are typically good for 1-3 years.

It is the responsibility of the client to inform the groomer about ANY known aggression. Statements like “my dog does not bite, he just nips” are not acceptable. If your pet is known to bite, just tell us! Sniffany's of York staff is exceptionally good at handling all types of pets without sedation and with minimal restraint (including muzzles, hammock, Elizabethan collars, etc.). But in order to safely handle your pet, we need to know if you know that your pet dislikes any part of the grooming process such as its toenails, rear end etc. or if any groomer has previously mentioned that your pet bites, nips or struggles for any part of the process. This helps us adapt our techniques with sensitivity and avoid injuries to our staff and the pet. Overly aggressive pets will be assessed an appointment fee (minimum $40) based on the amount of work completed and referred to a dog trainer. In some cases, with proof of ongoing training, we are willing to help acclimate sensitive pets to the grooming process when evidence of progress is being made. We have successfully helped hundreds of pets acclimate to grooming over the years. Please just be honest with us.
Sniffany's of York does not require proof of other vaccinations currently; however, we strongly recommend that puppies have 2 sets of puppy shots or be over 6 months with one vaccination if following an amended schedule. Sniffany's of York sanitizes our facility with a broad-spectrum sanitizer. All pets are welcome to bring their own kennel to stay in while visiting our salon.
Kennel Cough is an airborne disease and vaccinations to this disease do not cover all strains of the illness. For this reason, any pet exhibiting symptoms of illness may not be groomed in the facility.
Please inform your stylist if your pet has special conditions or is a senior. We will take extra care with your pet. It is important to remember that some conditions may be aggravated by the stress of the grooming process. Sniffany's of York is not responsible for any conditions including illness, seizures or the death of my pet due to pre-existing conditions whether known or unknown at the time of service. Sniffany's of York welcomes intact animals, however, females in heat may be declined service as this can disrupt the atmosphere in the salon when other pets are present.
Pets must be well and must not be exhibiting symptoms of any communicable diseases, and that if my pet begins exhibiting symptoms of illness, I will be contacted for immediate pick up and may be assessed a salon decontamination fee as deemed appropriate by the company.

Pregnant dogs - please CALL us to schedule. Pregnant dogs have special considerations and may or may not be granted an appointment. We want to keep your pet safe.

Anal Glands - We do not express anal glands. This procedure is best done by a licensed veterinarian and is not usually necessary for regular maintenance of your pet’s grooming.

Ear plucking - We regularly wipe out your pet’s ears when they visit us, however, not all pets need their ear hair plucked. This is a controversial procedure and we have left it up to our groomers to decide whether each pet needs their ears plucked. If you have a specific desire for or against plucking, let your groomer know your preferences when you drop off.

Other health concerns - Sniffany's of York reserves the right to refuse service to pets with health issues until they have been seen by a veterinarian. This includes but is not limited to skin irritations, funky body odor, inflamed eyes, ears, tumors and growths etc. If any of these conditions are discovered by our stylists, we may send you a referral and, in some cases, you may be required to furnish proof of veterinary care for future appointments.

Dematting Policy:

Sniffany's of York abides by a “humanity before vanity” policy and we will shave matted fur.

Removing matted fur sometimes uncovers previously unknown conditions such as scabs, rashes etc. and that the mat removal process may result in minor skin irritations. The pet owner is responsible for treating the skin following matted coat removal. Our salon associates are happy to help you develop a plan to avoid matting in the future. Minor tangling (knots that can be detangled in 15 minutes or less) can be brushed out. If matting is considered moderate, but not severe and you wish for us to attempt to brush out, dematting charges may accrue at the rate of $85/hour with a 1-hour max and a $50 minimum. Most times Sniffany's of York recommends shaving and a fresh start. Dematted hair is damaged and will frequently re-mat after being dematted. If the dematting process is ever painful to the pet, we reserve the right to discontinue service.
If mats are discovered after checking in and during grooming that were not noticed at drop off, our stylists may send you a text to ask how you wish to proceed. If we do not receive a response within 15 minutes, our stylists may remove matting at their discretion.

Noisy Pets:

Due to the size of our facility, dogs who are excessively noisy and disruptive may be asked to change to an early morning appointment and picked up immediately. We have found this to be the best way to reduce noise, stress to them, staff and neighbors. Because we are in a high traffic area, we do have to abide by city noise ordinances. Many dogs bark when they are excited, and this is normal and expected. Stressed out pets that bark in excess of 15 minutes straight may be more comfortable with a different arrangement. We will let you know if your pet needs special scheduling considerations for future appointments.

Photos And Social Media:

Sniffany's of York and its associates may photograph your pet and identify them by their given name on social media, website or in print to advertise, or to show a portfolio. Your name will not be shared, but you are welcome to tag yourself in photos. There is no promised compensation for modeling. If you prefer not to participate, let your stylist know at drop off.

Payment And Pricing:

All our pricing is custom, so if you are a regular client, while it is likely that your price will rarely fluctuate, there may be times that it does. We do not quote exact prices.
Payment is expected in full at the time of pick up.
Our groomers may accept gratuity, but we prefer reviews! You can leave a review on Yelp, Facebook, Google or our website.
We accept cash, credit/debit cards.

Satisfaction:

We want you to be satisfied with your groom. There are a few things that you can do to help us help you get the best service possible:

The person who drops off the pet MAKES ALL THE DECISIONS. If you are the decision-maker, please drop off the pet yourself. 99% of dissatisfaction can be avoided by abiding by this simple step!
Bring pictures of YOUR pet in your favorite clip. We encourage you to take pictures after your visits and save them to show us next time if there is anything you like or wish to change. The internet can be a great resource for ideas, but frequently Google images shows photos of pets that are a different age, hair type, or even breed and we cannot guarantee that we can make your pet look like a photo of another dog.
Look your pet over thoroughly when you pick them up. Our stylist works hard to perfect their art, and your feedback is what helps them do so. We do not get offended, so please feel free to let us know if you want something fixed or noted for future visits. If there are any changes you wish us to make, let us know before leaving the salon. Most requests are reasonable (“I would like a half inch more off the tip of the tail.”) and can be accommodated right then.
If there is anything else, we can assist you with, we require that you let us know within 48 hours of your service.