Dog walking contract template UK: free to copy, plus the clauses that matter

Most dog walking contracts floating around the internet are either American, written for kennels, or so long that no client reads them. This one is different: it is a plain English agreement for a UK dog walker or pet sitter, it fits on two sides of A4, and it is built around the handful of clauses that actually decide who pays when something goes wrong.

Copy it, put your business name on it, and send it to every client before the first walk. The rest of this guide explains which parts you must not delete, which clauses are unenforceable, and how to handle the parts clients push back on.

This is general information for pet professionals, not legal advice. For anything high value or unusual, have a solicitor review your agreement.

The template

Replace everything in [square brackets]. Delete the sections you do not offer. The clauses in capitals are the ones to keep.

DOG WALKING AND PET CARE SERVICE AGREEMENT

This agreement is between:
Walker: [Your business name], [address], [phone], [email]
Client: [Name], [address], [phone], [email]

1. THE DOG

Name:                       Breed:
Age:                        Weight:
Microchip number:           Neutered: yes / no
Vet practice:               Vet phone:
Out-of-hours vet:           Vet phone:
Vaccinations up to date:    yes / no
Flea and worming up to date: yes / no
Known medical conditions or allergies:
Medication (name, dose, time):
Diet or feeding instructions:
Behaviour notes (reactivity, fears, escape attempts, guarding):
Allowed off lead: yes / no        If yes, recall reliability:
Good with other dogs: yes / no    Good with children: yes / no
Can be walked with other dogs: yes / no

2. SERVICES AND SCHEDULE

Service booked: [solo walk / group walk / drop-in visit / overnight sitting]
Days and times: [e.g. Monday to Friday, between 11:00 and 13:00]
Length of each visit: [30 / 60 minutes]
Maximum dogs walked together: [number]
Start date: [date]

The times above are a window, not a fixed appointment, unless we agree a
fixed slot in writing.

3. FEES AND PAYMENT

Fee per walk or visit: £[amount]
Overnight sitting: £[amount] per night
Bank holidays: £[amount or surcharge]
Payment terms: invoice [weekly / monthly], due within [7] days
Payment method: [bank transfer details]
Late payment: [state any fee here, keep it modest]

Fees may change with [30] days written notice. Bookings already confirmed
at the old rate are honoured.

4. CANCELLATION AND ACCESS

Client cancellation with more than [24] hours notice: no charge.
Client cancellation with less than [24] hours notice: [50]% of the fee.
No access to the dog at the agreed time: full fee is payable.
Cancellation by the walker: no charge, and I will give as much notice as
possible. CANCELLATION TERMS APPLY TO REGULAR BOOKINGS AND TO ONE-OFF
VISITS ALIKE.

5. KEYS AND ACCESS

Keys, key safe codes, and alarm codes are held only for the purpose of
providing the service. They are stored securely, not labelled with the
client's address, and returned or destroyed when this agreement ends.
THE CLIENT CONFIRMS THEY ARE AUTHORISED TO GIVE ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY.

6. HEALTH, BEHAVIOUR AND DISCLOSURE

THE CLIENT CONFIRMS THAT ALL INFORMATION GIVEN ABOUT THE DOG IS
ACCURATE AND COMPLETE, INCLUDING ANY HISTORY OF AGGRESSION, BITING,
ESCAPING, OR PROTECTIVE BEHAVIOUR, AND WILL TELL THE WALKER PROMPTLY IF
THIS CHANGES.

If the dog becomes unwell or injured, I will contact the client and the
vet. If I cannot reach the client and the dog needs urgent treatment, I
am authorised to take the dog to the vet named above and to approve
treatment up to £[amount]. THE CLIENT AGREES TO REIMBURSE VET COSTS
WITHIN [7] DAYS OF INVOICE.

7. OFF-LEAD AND TRANSPORT

Off-lead exercise is only given where the client has confirmed in writing
that it is allowed, as recorded in section 1.
THE WALKER MAY USE THEIR DISCRETION TO KEEP THE DOG ON LEAD AT ANY
TIME FOR SAFETY REASONS.
Transport by vehicle: yes / no. If yes, the client confirms the dog
travels safely and the walker's motor insurance covers business use.

8. INSURANCE AND LIABILITY

The walker holds public liability insurance with [insurer], policy
number [number], limit £[amount], including care, custody and control
cover.
NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT EXCLUDES LIABILITY FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL
INJURY CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE, OR FOR ANYTHING ELSE THAT CANNOT LAWFULLY
BE EXCLUDED.

9. PHOTOS AND MARKETING

I may take photos of the dog during walks. Tick one:
[ ] I may use photos on my website and social media without identifying
    the client's address.
[ ] Photos are for the client's private updates only.

10. DATA

The walker holds the client's contact details, the dog's records, and
access codes to provide the service. This information is kept securely,
shared only with the vet in an emergency, and deleted [x months] after
the service ends. The client can ask to see or correct their data at any
time by emailing [email].

11. TERMINATION

Either party may end this agreement with [14] days written notice.
Either party may end it immediately if the other seriously breaches it,
if the dog becomes dangerous, or if the client fails to pay.
Fees for services already provided remain payable.

12. COMPLAINTS AND LAW

If something goes wrong, contact [email] first and we will try to
resolve it within [14] days. This agreement is governed by the law of
[England and Wales / Scotland / Northern Ireland].

Signed: ______________________  (Walker)   Date: __________
Signed: ______________________  (Client)   Date: __________

The five clauses that actually protect you

A contract is not a magic shield. It is evidence of what both sides agreed, and it only helps if the important parts are specific.

1. The disclosure clause. Most disputes after an incident are not about the walk itself, they are about what the owner did not tell you. If the agreement records that the owner confirmed the dog has no history of biting, and the dog then bites someone, the owner cannot claim you should have known.

2. The vet authorisation and reimbursement clause. Without it, a vet may refuse to treat without the owner's consent, and you are standing in a waiting room with an injured dog trying to reach someone who is in a meeting. A spend cap plus a promise to reimburse gives the vet something to act on.

3. The off-lead clause. Off-lead is where the expensive incidents happen: road traffic, livestock, a fight in the park. Get written consent per dog, record recall reliability, and keep your discretion to put the lead back on.

4. The cancellation and no-access clause. This is the clause that protects your income. Without a stated policy, a client who cancels an hour before, or leaves the house empty, has a reasonable argument that nothing is owed.

5. The access clause. You are holding keys, codes, and alarm details for someone else's home. Confirm in writing that the client is allowed to give you access, and state how you store and return keys.

What the law says about your terms

You cannot write whatever you like and expect a court to enforce it. Consumer contracts in the UK are regulated, and pet owners are consumers.

You must perform the service with reasonable care and skill. The Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49, treats this term as included in every contract for a service, whether you write it down or not. Your contract sits on top of that, it does not replace it.

You cannot exclude liability for injury or death caused by negligence. Section 65 of the same Act makes a term like "the client walks at their own risk" or "we accept no liability for any injury" unenforceable. This is why the template says the opposite: it states that nothing excludes liability for negligence.

Unfair terms are not binding. Under section 62, a term is unfair if it causes a significant imbalance in the parties' rights to the client's detriment. A blanket "no refunds under any circumstances" clause, or an unlimited indemnity where the owner pays for every possible loss, is the kind of term a court can simply ignore.

Clients who book at a distance get 14 days to change their mind. If a client books by email, text, or a website form rather than in person, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give them 14 days from the date of the contract to cancel, and regulation 36 means you can only charge for the work already done if you started early at their request. In practice: ask them to confirm in writing that they want walks to start straight away and that they understand the cancellation right ends once the service is fully performed. A one-line confirmation in your booking flow is enough.

You have a welfare duty while the dog is in your care. Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes the person responsible for an animal criminally liable if they fail to meet its needs. Your contract should back that up with clear instructions on medication, feeding, and emergencies.

Access codes and vet details are personal data. Under the UK GDPR you need a reason to hold them, you should keep only what you need, and you should tell the client what you hold. Section 10 of the template covers the basics. Do not keep alarm codes in a shared notes app forever.

Clauses to leave out

These appear in a lot of online templates and do more harm than good:

• "The client accepts all risk of injury to the dog." Directly contrary to section 65 and section 49, and it signals to a client that you expect things to go wrong.
• "The walker is not responsible for the dog once off lead." You are responsible. Say instead that off-lead happens only with written consent and at your discretion.
• "No refunds under any circumstances." Likely unfair, and unnecessary if your cancellation policy is clear.
• "The client indemnifies the walker against all claims." Unlimited indemnities in consumer contracts are prime candidates for being struck out. Ask for what you actually need: accurate disclosure and vet cost reimbursement.
• Penalty-style charges. A £50 admin fee for a late cancellation on a £15 walk is disproportionate. Charge the fee, not a punishment.

How to use it without friction

Clients who have never hired a walker can find a contract alarming. A few things make it normal rather than awkward:

• Send it before the meet and greet, not after the first walk. Frame it as "this is how I keep every dog safe and every owner clear on what happens".
• Fill in the dog's section with them. Most of the value is in the health and behaviour questions, and owners often remember things while answering them.
• Keep it to two pages. Long agreements get skimmed and signed without reading.
• Store the signed copy with the dog's record. When a client asks what they agreed to about off-lead, you want it in the same place as the walk history, not in an email from eight months ago.
• Review it once a year. Rates change, and so do dogs.

If a client refuses to sign, ask what specifically worries them. It is usually one clause, and it is usually about liability for the dog's health. Explain that the agreement protects them too: it records what they told you about their dog, and it sets out what you will do in an emergency.

Cancellation policy benchmarks

There is no legal standard for dog walking cancellation, so pick a policy you can actually enforce and put it in the contract:

Notice given	Common policy	Why
More than 24 hours	No charge	You can usually fill the slot
Less than 24 hours	50% of the fee	You have lost the slot and the income
No access on arrival	Full fee	You turned up and the time is gone
Client cancels a holiday sitting within 7 days	50% to 100%	Multi-day bookings cannot be refilled at short notice
Walker cancels	No charge, plus help finding cover	Protects your reputation

Whatever you choose, apply it consistently. A policy you waive for the clients you like is not a policy.

FAQ

Is a dog walking contract legally binding in the UK?

Yes. A written agreement signed by both parties is a contract, and it can be relied on in a dispute. It does not need to be witnessed, notarised, or prepared by a solicitor. What matters is that both sides understand and agree to the terms.

Do I legally need a contract to walk dogs?

No law requires one. In practice you should have one anyway: it records what the owner told you about their dog, sets payment and cancellation terms, and gives you authority to get vet treatment in an emergency.

Can I write my own dog walking contract?

Yes, and most sole traders do. Use a template as a starting point, keep the language plain, make sure the important clauses are specific to your service, and have a solicitor check it if you are scaling up or taking on higher-risk work such as group walks or boarding.

What should a dog walking contract include?

The parties, the dog's details and vet, the services and time windows, fees and payment terms, cancellation and no-access terms, key handling, health and behaviour disclosures, off-lead consent, vet authorisation, insurance details, photo and data permissions, notice periods, and signatures.

Are "walk at your own risk" clauses enforceable?

No. Under section 65 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you cannot exclude or restrict liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence. A clause like that does not protect you and can make clients distrust you.

How much notice should I require for cancellations?

24 hours is the most common standard for regular walks, with a 50% charge for less notice and the full fee for no access. Holiday and overnight bookings usually need 7 days.

Do I need a separate consent form as well as a contract?

Not if the contract covers it. Health disclosures, off-lead permission, vet treatment authorisation, and photo consent can all live in one document. Splitting them into three forms mostly guarantees one goes unsigned.

Should I use a digital signature?

An email or booking form acceptance with a timestamp is generally fine, and easier for clients than printing and scanning. Keep the signed version with the dog's record either way, and make sure the client can download a copy.

Get the admin working with the walks

A good agreement is only useful if you can find it, and the same is true of everything else you hold for a client: vet details, key codes, medication, off-lead permissions, and the note from last Tuesday's walk.

The Pet Sitter App keeps client and pet records, signed agreements, booking requests, and walk notes in one place, so the information you need is attached to the dog rather than scattered across email and WhatsApp. Start a free 14-day trial and stop hunting for the paperwork.

If you are still setting up, read how to become a dog walker in the UK first, then check you have the right dog walker insurance and pricing in place.