Please read the following important terms and conditions before you instruct us to provide any services to you.
1.1 This document sets out the terms and conditions that apply when you ask us to provide small animal veterinary services to you. This includes all professional advice in practice services, which may also include us providing you with certain medicines and treatments. We suggest that you keep a copy of these terms and conditions for future reference.
1.2 Any reference to we, us or our in these terms is to CVS Vets (Australia) Proprietary Limited ACN 667 654 686 and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Any reference to you or your is to the person agreeing to these terms and conditions and purchasing any small animal veterinary services from us.
1.3 Any reference to writing includes emails. When we use the words writing or written in these terms, this includes emails.
1.4 In these terms, to make them easier to understand, certain defined terms are used. Whenever you see one of the words or phrases set out below used in the terms, it will have the exact meaning given to it here.
1.5 The following terms also apply and are available on our website and at each Practice:
2.1 We are CVS Vets (Australia) Proprietary Limited ACN 667 654 686 and our registered office is at Level 10, 12 Creek Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000. Our ABN is 35 667 654 686.
2.2 You can contact us by telephoning or emailing the Practice.
2.3 If we have to contact you, we will do so by telephone or by writing to you from the email address or postal address provided, as set out on the Practice website.
3.1 You can request an appointment with a Practice using the contact details on our website.
3.2 Your appointment will be at the Practice or at another location (such as a specialist facility) agreed with you at the time of making the appointment. This is because we may need to ask you to attend specialist facilities or other locations, depending on the animal in question and the nature of the care they may require. We will let you know this at the time you request your appointment, before you decide whether to proceed with the appointment.
Please note that no legally binding contract in relation to the supply of the Services will be formed at the time we agree an appointment with you. A contract will be formed at the point that you are attended by a Practitioner at the Practice. We will not commence the supply of Services until a contract is formed between you and us. Until that contract is formed, you can decide to not proceed with your appointment and we can decide not to proceed with providing the Services. Each party must provide as much notice as possible to the other party where they decide not to proceed.
5.1 We cannot guarantee that appointments or care will always be available to you. This is because there may be times, even where you have an appointment, where we are unable to provide Services (or continue to provide Services) to treat your animal due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control. This may include circumstances such as:
5.1.1 unexpected staff absences (including due to illness) where a replacement Practitioner is unavailable;
5.1.2 where, upon the Practitioner reviewing your animal, it becoming apparent the Practice may not have the relevant experience or expertise to provide the required treatment for the animal’s needs, or because the necessary equipment or medication is unavailable within the timescales applicable to your animal’s needs.
5.2 Where we are unable to treat your animal, we will let you know as soon as possible, and will seek to make alternative arrangements with you where possible (for example, an appointment on another day)
6.1 We take the safety and wellbeing of our staff and all animals in our care extremely seriously. Therefore, in entering into a contract with us, you are agreeing to comply with our Zero Tolerance Policy, which can be found on our website or which you can request a copy from the Practice. We will not tolerate any person engaging in any threatening, abusive or violent behaviour against any of our staff.
6.2 If you do not comply with, or have previously not complied with, our Zero Tolerance Policy, we may refuse to provide you with an appointment and / or refuse to provide Services to you. Where this is the case, we will let you know as soon as possible.
7.1 We will carry out the Services:
7.1.1 using suitably qualified and trained staff with reasonable care and skill taking into account the nature of the care and/or treatment needed in the circumstances (and you understand that in some cases, we will use staff who are undertaking learning and development activities, but these individuals will always be suitably supervised);
7.1.2 in accordance with the requirements of the relevant legislation and regulation governing the practice of veterinary medicine in the State or Territory in which the Practice is situated (the Legislation); and
7.1.3 at the time and location as agreed when you booked your appointment.
7.2 If any part of these Terms and Conditions is inconsistent with the Legislation as amended from time to time, the relevant part the Legislation will prevail over that inconsistency.
7.3 You agree that we have the legal right to provide your animal without your consent, where your consent cannot be easily obtained, emergency treatment which is essential for its welfare.
7.4 We can accept instructions from third parties who bring your animal into our Practice on your behalf (such as family members, pet kennel owners or pet sitters), although we may refuse to accept instructions if they are under the age of 18 or we believe (acting reasonably) that they are not authorised to represent you or otherwise seek services for your animal on your behalf. You can contact the Practice to let us know who is authorised or not authorised to represent you and seek services in respect of your animal at our Practice at any time.
8.1 Sometimes the supply of the Services may be delayed by an event outside our reasonable control, such as:
8.1.1 you change the Services requested and this means we have to do extra work or wait for extra veterinary medicines, resources, materials and/or consumables used to provide relevant Services;
8.1.2 veterinary medicines, resources, materials and/or consumables are not delivered at the time agreed with the supplier of the veterinary medicines, resources, materials and/or consumables required to provide the agreed Services (and we cannot obtain a replacement within a reasonable time or the price charged by a supplier is much higher than the original charge);
8.1.3 we cannot access the premises where your animal is at the times we agreed with you;
8.1.4 unexpected staff absences where a replacement Practitioner is unavailable; and
8.1.5 adverse weather conditions preventing us from providing the Services.
Where this occurs, we will contact you as soon as possible to let you know and do what we can reasonably do to reduce the delay, or seek to agree alternative arrangements with you (for example, an appointment on a different day or time or at a different Practice). Except in relation to any Non-Excludable Obligations (as defined below), we won’t compensate you for such a delay, but if the delay is likely to be substantial or if you need Services on an urgent basis, you can decide to end the contract. Where this occurs, we will provide you with a refund for any Services you have paid for in advance, but not received, less reasonable costs (if any) we have already incurred in respect of the Services provided up to that point.
9.1 We may (acting reasonably) end your contract (and cease providing Services) at any time. We will write to you to let you know that we are going to stop providing all or any part of our Services. We will let you know as soon as reasonably possible and will refund any fees you have paid in advance for Services which will not be provided. Some circumstances in which we may end your contract immediately include:
9.1.1 if the information that you provided to us on registration of your animal with the Practice is inaccurate, incomplete or misleading;
9.1.2 if you do not comply with our Zero Tolerance Policy;
9.1.3 if we consider (acting reasonably) that you have engaged in fraudulent, unlawful or unethical behaviour in connection with the Practice or our supply of Services or products to you;
9.1.4 if you do not make any payment to us when it is due and you still do not make payment within 7 days of us reminding you that payment is due;
9.1.5 if you sell veterinary medicines which have been dispensed to you for your animal; or
9.1.6 you do not, within a reasonable time of us asking for it, provide us with information that is reasonably necessary for us to provide the Services.
9.2 Subject to clause 9.1, we may end our contract with you (and cease providing Services) if you breach any of the material terms contained within these terms and conditions and fail to remedy the breach within 7 days of us notifying you of the breach.
9.3 You may end the contract with us if we breach any of the material terms contained within these terms and conditions and fail to remedy the breach within 7 days of you notifying us of the breach.
9.4 If this contract is ended it will not affect either party’s right to receive any money which they owe to the other party under this contract.
To ensure the best experience for you and your pet, we have a few simple policies in place. To help us provide the best care possible, please review our Service Terms & Conditions and Clinic Policies before your visit.
These outline important information about appointments, payments, cancellations, and pet care requirements.
Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and smooth experience for all our clients and their pets.