Assistance Dog Member

Contract Of Agreement Between Client and Meerkat Assistance Dog Club

By joining our club you are agreeing to abiding by the following

I AGREE TO

•  To obey all applicable laws and By Laws and lead laws relating to all dogs in the place you are currently living or visiting.

•  Provide a stable and secure living environment for yourself and your dog, that promotes yours and your dogs physical and emotional wellbeing.

•  To ensure your dog wears identification in public with a minimum of your surname, house number/name, postcode and a telephone number on, even if your dog is micro-chipped.

•  To use the agreed upon equipment whilst your dog is both working and off duty, which does not cause harm or discomfort to your dog, such as a well fitted body harness, flat collar, and a flat lead.

•  Ensure your dog’s emotional needs are met in all situations. Through ongoing companionship, mental stimulation, positive handling both physically, verbally, and mentally.

•  Ensure that you will remove your dogs from any situation that causes distress or upset until they are ready.

•  Give your dog the opportunity for daily exercise in various environments including off lead, if safe.

•  Ensure your dog is fed a good nutritional diet and is fed at least once daily plus treats for training and will seek advice from an appropriate pet professional if you’re unsure about the nutritional value of any diet.

•  Ensure your dog has constant access to water, and take a bowl with you when out.

•  Ensure your dog is always kept in an environment with a suitable temperature; neither too hot or too cold, and not to work my dog in extreme heat conditions.

•   Ensure your dog has regular opportunities to toilet throughout the day in an appropriate place.

•   Ensure that your dog is at an ideal weight for a healthy dog and that you will maintain this weight as per your vet’s guidance.

•  Ensure your dog is adequately groomed and regularly washed, including ears, eyes, nails skin and coat for their breed.

•  Ensure you will carry out regular checks on eyes, nails, ears and exposed skin; a minimum of once a week if your dog is a short coated breed & daily if a longer coated breed.

•  Vaccinate your dog annually or titre test as per your vet’s guidance.

•  Practice preventative health care for your dog, in particular to prevent flea, worm, and bacteriological infestation as per your vets guidance, and to seek treatment immediately such occurs as per your vet’s guidance.

•  Ensure your dog visits the vet at minimum of once a year for a health check, and in any case of illness or injury; to report any veterinary treatment of my dog to the Meerkat Office on [email protected].

•  Give your dog regular rest periods from training and/or working throughout the day;

•  Give your dog the opportunity to just be a dog each day, keeping a balance between this and your dog working. Our dogs need down time too.

•   Transport your dog safely when using a car, by using a special dog guard, dog cage or dog harness & seatbelt restraint.

•  To arrange for the prompt clean-up of your dog’s waste after toileting.

HANDLERS – We do also expect our handlers to also;

• Conduct yourselves professionally, and in a manner that does not bring the Meerkat Assistance Dog Club or the assistance dog training discipline and profession into disrepute.

• Act responsibly, and demonstrate integrity, respect and impartiality to their

trainer, assessor, the public, veterinary personnel, and other canine professionals.

• Refrain from giving advice and acting in a way that would knowingly cause harm,

psychological and/or physical distress, damage, or injury.

• Comply with their legal obligations as a dog owner and the interest, welfare, and

safety of their dog(s), will be always paramount.

• Not conduct their behaviour in any way likely to negatively affect, harm or discredit

the reputation of the Meerkat Assistance Dog Club.

• Comply with the findings and suggestions of the Meerkat Assistance Dog Club following a risk assessment before the public access assessment.

• Follow the Meerkat Assistance Dog Club ethics and equipment guidelines which prohibits the use of: Prong Collars, Half Checks, Choke Chains, E Collars, and aversive techniques and will only use science-based training methods.

• Ensure that you have a person/s who will take care of your dog should you be unable to do so for any reason.

By Ticking the Terms and Conditions box below I have read and agree to abide by the aforementioned and understand that if I fail to keep to any part of this agreement, it will break the contract between myself and Meerkat Assistance Dog Club and will result in the termination of my membership with Meerkat Assistance Dog Club.