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🐾 Aries Pet Paradise — Matting & Safety Guidelines

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Your pet’s comfort and safety are my top priority. These guidelines help protect your pet, prevent injuries, and ensure the grooming process is as safe and stress-free as possible.

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✨ Matting Policy

Matted fur is more than just tangled hair — it is painful, restricts circulation, traps moisture, and can hide serious skin conditions. When a coat becomes severely matted, the safest option is often shaving under the mats.

By booking a matted pet, you understand and agree that:

✔ Mats may require shaving close to the skin

This increases the risk of:

  • Nicks or cuts

  • Irritation or redness

  • Uneven coat

  • Exposed pre-existing issues under the coat

  • Skin sensitivity after grooming

✔ Mats can hide medical issues

These may include:

  • Hotspots

  • Rashes

  • Bruising

  • Yeast or bacterial infections

  • Fleas/ticks

  • Wounds or sores

  • Skin tears caused by movement inside tight mats

These conditions are not caused by grooming but can be revealed during shaving.

✔ Matted pets are considered high-risk

They may:

  • Flinch or jerk suddenly

  • Be sensitive to touch

  • Panic or fight the grooming process

  • Become stressed or vocal

✔ Dematting is painful and can cause injury

For this reason:

  • Severe matting will NOT be brushed out

  • Shave-down is the safest and most humane option

  • I will ALWAYS choose safety over style

✔ Extra matting fees apply

Dematting or shave-down pricing depends on:

  • Severity

  • Time

  • Coat condition

  • Behavior

  • Safety requirements

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⚠️ Matting Liability

To protect both your pet and my business, the following rules apply:

If an injury occurs due to matting (not groomer error):

  • The owner is responsible for all veterinary costs

  • Aries Pet Paradise is not liable for issues caused by:

    • Neglected coat care

    • Tight mats pulling skin

    • Hidden wounds

    • Sensitive skin under mats

    • Sudden movement during shaving

If an injury occurs due to groomer error:

  • I will take responsibility

  • I will pay the vet bill (or reimburse you for that injury specifically)

This ensures fairness while protecting you legally.

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🛑 Safety Guidelines

Your pet’s safety comes before the haircut.
Certain behaviors, coat conditions, or health concerns can affect what services can be completed.

A pet may be stopped or the groom may be modified if they:

  • Show aggression

  • Attempt to bite

  • Spin, jerk, jump, or pull

  • Show extreme anxiety

  • Cannot tolerate brushing, drying, or handling

  • Have severe matting

  • Have medical conditions that make grooming risky

  • Are elderly and fatigue easily

Possible modifications include:

  • Shorter haircut

  • Skipping certain parts of the groom

  • Hand-dry only

  • No face trim

  • Removing uncomfortable accessories

  • Ending the groom early

These decisions are made for your pet’s safety, not appearance.

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🐶 Behavior & Handling Safety

Your pet’s behavior directly impacts the safety of grooming tools and techniques.

If your pet:

  • Snaps, bites, or attempts to bite

  • Won’t stand still

  • Spins quickly

  • Screams, panics, or thrashes

  • Becomes dangerous to themselves or me

I may:

  • Use safety restraints

  • Use a muzzle with your consent

  • Stop or refuse the groom

  • Charge a handling fee

  • Require future appointments to be shorter or more frequent

If an injury happens because of YOUR pet’s behavior:

The owner is responsible for vet bills.

If an injury happens because of MY mistake:

I cover the vet bill.

This is the cleanest, fairest, most professional liability split.

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❤️ Senior, Special-Needs & High-Risk Pets

Some pets require extra caution, including:

  • Seniors

  • Puppies

  • Short-nosed breeds (brachycephalic)

  • Pets with epilepsy

  • Pets with heart or breathing issues

  • Anxiety-prone pets

  • Pets with skin conditions or allergies

For these pets:

  • Grooming may take longer

  • Grooming may need to be shortened

  • Breaks may be required

  • I may stop the groom early if needed

Your pet’s health and stress level always come first.

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📣 Owner Agreement

By booking, you agree that:

  • You understand the risks associated with matting, behavior, age, and health

  • You understand that safety overrides style

  • You accept financial responsibility for injuries caused by matting or your pet’s behavior

  • You understand Aries Pet Paradise is only responsible for injuries caused by groomer error

  • You acknowledge these policies protect your pet’s well-being

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