Terms & Conditions of Veterinary Home Visit Services

These Terms & Conditions apply to veterinary consultations and services provided during home visits. By booking and proceeding with a consultation, the owner or authorised representative agrees to the following terms.

1. Consultation Fee and Payment

1.1. The consultation fee must be paid in full before the scheduled home visit.

1.2. The consultation fee covers the home visit, travel to the nominated location and veterinary examination only, unless otherwise specified at the time of booking.

1.3. Any additional services, treatments, procedures, diagnostic testing, nail clipping, medications or other veterinary products provided during or following the consultation will incur additional charges. The price of additional services and products will vary depending on the service, treatment, test or medication required.

2. Cancellation and Non-Attendance

2.1. The consultation fee is non-refundable for cancellations made within 24 hours of the scheduled consultation.

2.2. If the owner or animal is not available at the scheduled appointment time and the veterinarian is unable to contact the owner, the appointment will be considered a no-show and the consultation fee will not be refunded.

2.3. The owner is responsible for ensuring that the animal is available and ready for examination at the scheduled consultation time.

3. Animal Availability and Containment

3.1. The owner must ensure that the animal can be safely located, captured and contained when the veterinarian arrives.

3.2. The owner is responsible for providing appropriate assistance with the capture or restraint of the animal where required.

3.3. Excessive time spent locating, capturing or attempting to restrain an animal may limit the time available for examination and treatment and may result in the consultation being unable to proceed.

4. Animal Behaviour and Safety

4.1. The owner must inform the veterinarian before the consultation of any known history of aggressive, fearful, anxious or unpredictable behaviour, including any previous incidents involving biting, scratching or other behaviour that may present a safety risk.

4.2. The owner is responsible for taking reasonable steps to ensure that the animal does not pose an unreasonable danger to the veterinarian during the home visit.

4.3. If, in the veterinarian's professional judgement, the animal becomes aggressive, excessively distressed or otherwise dangerous to handle, the consultation or any further examination or procedure may be terminated immediately.

4.4. Where a consultation is terminated because the animal cannot be safely examined or handled, the consultation fee will not be refunded.

4.5. The veterinarian may decline to perform any examination, procedure or treatment where it is considered unsafe for the animal, the owner or the veterinarian.

5. Limitations of Examination

5.1. The extent and detail of the physical examination is dependent on the animal's behaviour, temperament, level of stress and ability to be safely handled.

5.2. If an animal becomes aggressive, excessively distressed or demonstrates significant signs of stress, no further examination, procedure or treatment will be undertaken where the veterinarian considers it unsafe or inappropriate to continue.

5.3. In such circumstances, the veterinarian may recommend that further assessment be undertaken at a veterinary clinic or other appropriate facility where additional staff, equipment, sedation or other resources may be available.

6. Clinical Assessment and Treatment

6.1. Clinical assessments are based on the history and information provided by the owner or authorised representative, together with the animal's physical appearance and clinical findings at the time of the consultation.

6.2. Veterinary assessment and treatment are necessarily based on the information and clinical findings available at the time of the consultation. A home-visit consultation does not guarantee a particular diagnosis, treatment outcome or response to treatment.

6.3. The veterinarian is responsible for providing appropriate examination, clinical assessment and, where agreed, treatment and dispensing or administration of medications at the time of the consultation, in accordance with professional veterinary standards.

6.4. Changes in the animal's condition after the consultation are outside the veterinarian's control and may occur despite appropriate examination and treatment.

6.5. The owner remains responsible for following the recommended treatment and management plan, administering medications as directed and arranging further veterinary assessment when recommended or when the animal's condition changes or fails to improve.

7. Treatment Risks and Adverse Reactions

7.1. Veterinary treatments and medications may carry risks, including adverse reactions or unexpected responses, even when appropriately prescribed and administered.

7.2. Where appropriate, the veterinarian will discuss known or reasonably foreseeable risks, potential adverse reactions and relevant precautions with the owner and provide appropriate instructions as part of the treatment plan. By agreeing to any treatment, the owner understands and accepts that the veterinarian cannot be held responsible for any unavoidable or known risk associated with treatment.

7.3. The owner agrees to follow the treatment instructions provided and to seek veterinary assistance if an adverse reaction or unexpected change in the animal's condition occurs.

8. Follow-Up and Changes in Condition

8.1. The consultation provides an assessment of the animal's condition at the time of the visit and does not constitute an ongoing guarantee of the animal's condition or treatment outcome.

8.2. If the animal's condition changes, deteriorates, fails to improve or develops new symptoms following the consultation, the owner is responsible for contacting the veterinarian or arranging appropriate further veterinary care.

8.3. Additional consultations, follow-up examinations, diagnostic testing, treatments, medications or other veterinary services required after the initial consultation may incur additional charges.

9. Owner Consent

9.1. The owner or authorised representative confirms that they have provided accurate and relevant information regarding the animal's medical history, behaviour, medications and current condition to the best of their knowledge.

9.2. By booking and proceeding with the consultation, the owner confirms that they have read, understood and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

9.3. The owner acknowledges that veterinary examination and treatment may be limited by the animal's behaviour, stress level, safety considerations and the limitations of providing veterinary services in a home environment.

Client Agreement

By accepting this appointment, I confirm that I have read, understood and agree to the Terms & Conditions of Veterinary Home Visit Services.