General Terms and Conditions Applicable to the Contract

ARTICLE I:
These General Terms and Conditions of Sale (hereinafter “Terms”) set out the rights and obligations between the Service Provider, Mathilde Becker (Petsitting With Mathilde), and any Client requesting pet sitting services, including but not limited to:

  • Home visits,

  • Neighborhood walks,

  • Home sitting (staying at the Client’s residence).

By booking any service, the Client acknowledges and accepts these Terms in full.

ARTICLE II: CONDITIONS FOR TAKING CARE OF THE ANIMAL

Only dogs and cats that are up to date with their required vaccinations will be accepted by Mathilde. A copy of the vaccination record must be provided to Mathilde before the animal is taken into her care.

For dogs, required vaccinations include, in particular, those against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainuenza, leptospirosis, and kennel cough (DHPPi, KC, and Lepto 6 vaccines).

For cats, required vaccinations depend on their lifestyle (indoor cat or cat with outdoor access) and must comply with current veterinary recommendations. Rabies vaccination (Rabisin) is not mandatory, except if the animal lives outside Switzerland or comes from a country other than Switzerland. The same applies to other vaccines not listed above.

Animals under care must also have been recently dewormed and treated for parasites.

ARTICLE III: OBLIGATIONS OF MATHILDE AND DESCRIPTION OF CARE

Mathilde commits to taking care of the entrusted animal, providing it with affection and attention, feeding it, ensuring it has water, maintaining its cleanliness, giving all necessary care for its well-being, keeping the owner informed about the care process, and notifying them if any problems or incidents occur during the care/boarding period. if needed, she will take the animal to one of the veterinarians whose contact details have been provided.

During visits and walks, Mathilde ensures that dogs are supervised in all interactions with other animals to prevent any incidents.

Mathilde also commits to regularly updating owners on the care of their pet(s). She takes all possible measures to minimize stress for the animals and respects their individual needs, temperament, and habits. This includes avoiding forcing contact with a fearful or anxious animal, while giving attention and affection when the animal shows a need for it.

FEEDING
Mathilde requests that the owner provide the animal’s usual food in a sufficient quantity to cover the entire duration of the service, so as not to further disturb the animal or cause digestive issues due to a sudden change in diet without a proper transition.

If the quantity of food provided by the owner is insufficient for the duration of the service, Mathilde agrees to purchase the animal’s usual food (unless it is difficult to obtain, e.g., from abroad or due to long delivery times). The owner agrees to reimburse Mathilde for these expenses upon presentation of the receipt/invoice, no later than the end of the care/boarding period.

OUTDOOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, HYGIENE BREAKS, AND DOG WALKS
Dog walks and outdoor breaks are conducted exclusively outside the owner’s home.

The owner agrees to fully and honestly inform Mathilde, before any care begins, of any particular behaviors of their dog, including (but not limited to): aggressive or reactive behavior, fears, history of biting, leash pulling, escape tendencies, difficulties with other dogs, humans, or other animals.

A preliminary assessment may be required to evaluate the dog’s behavior during walks and in outdoor environments. Based on this assessment, Mathilde reserves the right to accept or refuse care, or to adapt the walking conditions, in the interest of the safety of the dog, third parties, and herself.

Dogs under care will receive hygiene breaks and walks tailored to their needs, age, health condition, and physical abilities, always respecting their well-being.


ILLNESS, ACCIDENT, DEATH, ESCAPE, OR THEFT OF THE ANIMAL AND MATHILDE’S LIABILITY
Mathilde takes all reasonable measures to prevent any incidents during the care of the animal. However, in the event that an incident occurs and it is impossible to reach the owner to discuss the situation, the owner authorizes Mathilde to take any measures she deems necessary for the well-being and health of the animal, including taking the animal to the veterinarian named in this contract or, if the situation is urgent, to the nearest veterinarian as determined by Mathilde.

The owner agrees to reimburse Mathilde for travel, time spent and veterinary expenses upon presentation of the invoice/receipt.

In the case of a minor illness or incident, Mathilde commits to contacting the owner as soon as possible to discuss the situation and, if necessary, decide together on the appropriate measures.

Mathilde takes every precaution to ensure the safety and well-being of the animals in her care; however, she cannot be held responsible for any escape, theft, injury, accident, or death of the animal under her care, except in the case of gross negligence attributable to Mathilde.

SERVICE SCHEDULE
The Pet Sitter schedules services at their own discretion, taking into account other services and appointments in their calendar. When the service includes the administration of medication, the petsitter will organize their schedule to ensure consistent and appropriate care.

 

ARTICLE IV: OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ANIMAL OWNER

1. Prior information on behavior and health
Each animal owner agrees to inform Mathilde, before any care begins, of any behavior or health issue that could endanger:

  • Their own animal (e.g., ingestion of non-edible or dangerous objects, coprophagy, excessive water consumption, aggressive behavior, escape tendencies, etc.);
  • Other animals or people who may come into contact with the animal during visits or walks.
  • In the event of a later diagnosis of a contagious disease after a visit, the owner agrees to inform Mathilde so that preventive measures can be taken with other owners and the health and safety of animals can be ensured.

2. Post-visit reporting

To ensure the well-being of all animals in care and to improve the quality of services, the owner agrees to report as soon as possible (ideally within 2–5 days) any problems that occurred after a visit or walk (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, unusual fatigue, sudden behavioral changes), so that necessary measures can be considered in the future.

3. Preventive and hygiene measures
Mathilde applies regular cleaning and disinfection of premises, toys, and equipment used, with animal-safe products. She cannot be held responsible for health issues that occur after a visit, provided that the animal was not known to carry a contagious disease or did not show visible signs of illness at the time of care.

4. Owner’s responsibility
The care of an animal by Mathilde does not transfer ownership or liability. 

The owner is obliged to maintain liability insurance covering any damage caused by their animal, both to Mathilde and to third parties. The owner remains fully responsible for:

4.1 Damage caused by animals
The Client is solely responsible for any damage caused by their animal to property, including but not limited to furniture, toys, equipment, or to third parties and/or Mathilde.

4.2 Injuries and incidents

The Client remains fully responsible for any injuries, bites, or accidents caused by their animal to other animals or persons, including in the event of escape or incidents occurring during visits, walks, or supervision.

4.3 Health and behavior

Mathilde shall not be held liable for illness, injury, or death of the animal during the service period, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

4.4 Plants

Plant care is carried out according to Mathilde’s expertise or in accordance with the Client’s instructions. As plants are living organisms sensitive to environmental factors, Mathilde declines all liability in the event of deterioration or death of the plants.

It is the Client’s responsibility to ensure the availability of all necessary care products.

4.5 Floors and Property (Water Damage)

By placing an order, the Client expressly accepts the following risks:

Mathilde declines all liability for damage to floors (including but not limited to parquet, laminate, or wooden floors) or other surfaces caused by leaking flower pots, overflowing watering cans, or animal water bowls/feeders.

It is the Client’s responsibility to ensure that flower pots are watertight and that water bowls/feeders are placed on waterproof surfaces.

Any claim relating to damage caused by swollen floors or water stains shall be rejected.

4.6 Alarm Systems and Theft

Mathilde declines all liability for false alarms triggered by alarm systems and for any resulting costs (police intervention, etc.), unless the alarm was intentionally triggered by Mathilde.

ARTICLE V: CANCELLATION POLICY

Cancellation by the Client

    • Cancellation more than 30 days before the start of the service: no charge.
    • Cancellation between 30 and 14 days before the start of the service: 50% of the total billed amount.
    • Cancellation less than 14 days before the start of the service: 90% of the total billed amount.

Partial cancellation or modification

    • Any reduction in the number of visits, walks, or originally scheduled duration is considered a partial cancellation and will be billed under the same conditions.
    • Requests for modifications or cancellations must be submitted in writing.

Cancellation by the Pet Sitter

  • In the event that the Pet Sitter cancels the service, the deposit and any sums already paid will be fully refunded.
    If the Pet Sitter cancels during the course of the service, only the portion of the service already performed will be invoiced (except in specific cases mentioned in the section “interruption of the service due to difficulties inherent to the care”).
  • The Pet Sitter reserves the right to cancel or interrupt a service in the event of serious illness, an accident, or any other circumstance that makes them unable to carry it out. In the event of cancellation or interruption of the service, the Pet Sitter will inform the Client as soon as possible. The Client then undertakes to promptly arrange for the continuation of the service, either by returning themselves, by involving the emergency contact listed in the client file, or by any other person.
    The Pet Sitter may, where possible, assist the Client in finding a replacement, without this constituting an obligation to achieve a result.


    Interruption of the service due to difficulties inherent to the service
    The Pet Sitter reserves the right to stop the service in progress in the following cases:

    • their own safety is no longer ensured, or the safety of the animal, or the safety of a third party;
    • the service is not suitable for the animal;
    • the service is too difficult to carry out for any other reason inherent to the pet sitting, preventing the petsitter from properly performing their duties.

    In the event that the service is stopped, the Pet Sitter will ask the Client to return, or request that the emergency contact listed in the client file take over without delay for the remainder of the service. Only the portion of the service already performed will be invoiced.

    If the Client refuses to return, or if the emergency contact refuses to take over, the Pet Sitter may call upon any external person able to assist, at the Client’s expense.

    If the service is stopped by the Pet Sitter for one of these reasons and it appears that the Client was not transparent in the information provided prior to the service, full payment for the entire service will be required from the Client.

    Force majeure
    Neither party shall be held responsible for cancellations due to force majeure (serious illness, accident, death, natural disaster, official decisions, etc.).

    ARTICLE VI: ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY AND KEYS

    The Client provides the petsitter with the keys necessary to access the property.

    The petsitter undertakes to use them solely for the purposes of the service and to return them at the end of the assignment (except in specific cases where keys are made available to the petsitter on a long-term basis).

    The petsitter cannot be held liable in the event of:

    • lock failure,
    • loss of a duplicate key by the Client,
    • or inability to access the property not attributable to the petsitter (e.g., a malfunctioning key box, breakdown, etc.).

    Return of keys: At the end of the service, the keys may be returned in person (if travel is required on the part of the petsitter, this will be charged), left inside the property, or placed in the mailbox. If the keys are left in the property or placed in the mailbox, the petsitter cannot be held responsible for any issues arising from these methods of return (e.g., theft of keys from the mailbox).

    ARTICLE VII: SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

    The Client must inform the Pet Sitter of the presence of any cameras in the property.

    It is reminded that under the Swiss Criminal Code (Art. 179quater), the recording, capturing, or transmission of images of a person in a private place without their consent is prohibited. The Pet Sitter accepts the presence of cameras in the Client’s home but does not consent to the recording of images in which they appear, nor to any audio recording.

    For home sitting services, no cameras may be active in living areas during the Pet Sitter’s presence. At the Client’s request, the Pet Sitter may activate a camera when leaving the property.

    ARTICLE VIII: PHOTOGRAPHS AND PUBLICATIONS

    The Pet Sitter is authorized to take photos or videos of the animal during the service and to publish them and the animal name on their communication platforms (website, social media, etc.), unless the Client has provided prior written refusal.

    No photographs or videos will include identifiable elements of the Client’s home, unless expressly agreed otherwise.

    ARTICLE IX: GROUNDS FOR IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF THE CONTRACT
    Mathilde reserves the right to terminate this contract immediately and without notice, thereby releasing both parties from their obligations, in the event of the owner concealing important information about the animal in her care. Important information includes past incidents involving the animal or behavioral issues that could endanger the well-being of other animals in care or the safety of these animals or people, whether inside or outside the business.

     ARTICLE X: FINAL PROVISION AND APPLICABLE LAW

    Mathilde serves the right to amend these General Terms and Conditions as well as any information relating to prices and services at any time.

    Any dispute arising out of or in connection with the present contractual relationship shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Zurich (8005).

    Swiss law shall apply.

    ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENTS

    This contract cancels and replaces all prior agreements, written or oral, between the parties and contains the entire agreement between them. Any other document concerning the subject and obligations of this contract that is not annexed does not bind the parties. No modification, termination, or notice relating to this contract shall be valid unless made in writing and confirmed in writing (letter, email, SMS, or WhatsApp) by both parties.

    ARTICLE XII: SEVERABILITY

    If any clause of this contract is or becomes invalid under applicable law, that clause shall be considered null and void, while the remaining clauses shall remain in effect.

    ARTICLE XIII: DISPUTE RESOLUTION
    Both parties agree to attempt to resolve any dispute relating to this contract amicably, including disputes concerning its signing, interpretation, execution, termination, and post-contractual obligations. If an amicable resolution cannot be reached, the dispute shall be brought before the competent court.

    ARTICLE XIV: DOMICILE SELECTION
    For the execution of this contract, the parties elect domicile at 8038 Zürich.