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Practice Terms and Conditions
Last updated: 17 August 2026
These terms explain the basis on which Bowbridge Vets provides veterinary services, treatment, medicines and related products. Please read them carefully. They are intended to be clear and fair and do not affect your statutory consumer rights.
1. About us
Bowbridge Vets is the trading name of Bowbridge Stroud Limited, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 09572325.
Registered office and Stroud surgery: Bowbridge Surgery, Butterow Hill, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2LA
Stonehouse surgery: 17 Gloucester Road, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, GL10 2NZ
Telephone: 01453 762350
Email: info@bowbridgevets.co.uk
In these terms, “Bowbridge Vets”, “we”, “us” and “our” mean Bowbridge Stroud Limited and its staff. “You” and “your” mean the person asking us to provide services. “Pet” means the animal for whom our services are requested.
These terms apply when you register with us, book an appointment, ask us to provide veterinary services, authorise treatment, request medicines or purchase products from us. Any separate written agreement or specific terms we give you for a particular service, referral or Pet Care Plan will also apply. If there is an inconsistency, the specific terms will take priority for that service.
2. Registering with the practice
You must provide accurate, complete and current contact details and relevant information about your pet. Please tell us promptly if your details change.
By asking us to treat a pet, you confirm that you are its owner or that you have the owner’s authority to make decisions and accept responsibility for the fees. If ownership or authority is disputed, we may ask for evidence and may limit non-urgent services until the position is resolved. We will continue to act in accordance with our professional and animal-welfare obligations.
Registering with the practice does not oblige us to provide a particular treatment and does not guarantee the availability of a specific veterinary surgeon, nurse, appointment or service.
3. Appointments
Routine consultations and treatment are provided by appointment during our published opening hours. Appointment availability may vary between our Stroud and Stonehouse surgeries.
Please arrive on time. If you expect to be late, contact us as soon as possible. If you arrive more than 10 minutes after the appointment time, we may be unable to see you and may treat the appointment as a late cancellation.
You may cancel or rearrange an appointment without charge by giving us at least 60 minutes’ notice. If you give less than 60 minutes’ notice or do not attend, we may charge an amount reflecting the loss caused by the cancellation, up to the full appointment fee. We will consider exceptional circumstances and may waive the charge at our discretion.
We may need to delay, rearrange or cancel an appointment because of an emergency, staff absence, equipment failure or another circumstance outside our reasonable control. We will try to give you as much notice as reasonably possible and will refund any advance payment for services we cannot provide. We will not be responsible for losses that could not reasonably have been anticipated, but nothing in these terms affects rights that cannot legally be excluded.
Where we agree to provide a home visit, additional call-out and travel charges may apply. We will explain these before the visit where reasonably possible. If your pet needs facilities or treatment available only at a surgery or hospital, you may be responsible for arranging and paying for suitable transport.
4. Emergencies and out-of-hours care
If you believe your pet needs urgent treatment, telephone us immediately on 01453 762350. Do not rely on email, a website form or an online booking request in an emergency.
During our opening hours, we will assess urgent cases and advise you what to do. Depending on the circumstances, emergencies may take priority over booked appointments.
Outside our normal opening hours, calls to our main number are automatically diverted to the Emergency Veterinary Service at Wood Veterinary Hospital in Quedgeley. Out-of-hours care is provided by that service and may be subject to its own terms, fees and payment arrangements. Out-of-hours treatment normally costs more than a standard appointment.
Where necessary for continuity of care, relevant clinical information may be made available to the out-of-hours provider in accordance with our Privacy Policy and professional duties.
5. Veterinary care and consent
Our veterinary surgeons and nurses provide care in accordance with applicable law and the standards of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The health and welfare of your pet will be our first consideration.
We will explain the treatment options we consider reasonable, including material benefits, risks, likely outcomes and costs, so that you can make an informed decision. You are free to ask questions, request further explanation, decline a proposed option or ask about a referral or second opinion.
By giving verbal, written or electronic consent, you authorise us to carry out the agreed examination, investigation or treatment. You may withdraw consent before treatment is carried out, although you will remain responsible for services and costs already properly incurred.
Clinical outcomes cannot be guaranteed. Animals respond differently to illness, medication, anaesthesia and treatment, and complications can occur even where appropriate care has been provided.
During an investigation or procedure, circumstances may arise that could not reasonably have been predicted. We will make reasonable efforts to contact you before materially changing the agreed treatment or significantly exceeding an estimate. If we cannot reach you and delay would create a significant risk to your pet’s health or welfare, the veterinary surgeon will act in accordance with their professional judgement and legal duties. We will explain what was done and any additional charges as soon as reasonably possible.
We may recommend referral to another practice, hospital or specialist where this is in your pet’s interests or where the required service falls outside our facilities or expertise.
6. Fees, prices and payment
Our website displays prices for a selection of common services. Unless stated otherwise, published prices include VAT where applicable and are correct at the time of publication. They may change from time to time.
The cost of treatment depends on your pet’s individual needs. A displayed price may not include additional consultations, tests, medicines, complications or follow-up care unless expressly stated. We will explain likely costs and additional charges before treatment where reasonably possible.
Payment is normally due:
- at the end of a consultation;
- when your pet is discharged following surgery or a stay with us; or
- when medicines, food or other products are dispensed or collected.
We may ask for a deposit or payment in advance, particularly for planned procedures, hospitalisation, special orders or clients with an outstanding account. We will tell you when a deposit is required and how it will be applied.
You are responsible for all fees incurred for your pet, including where you expect an insurer or another person to reimburse you. If you anticipate difficulty paying, please speak to us before treatment wherever possible so that we can discuss reasonable available options. We are not obliged to offer credit or a payment plan.
If an account remains unpaid, we may pause non-urgent services, recover the debt through a third party and seek reasonable recovery costs where the law permits. This will not prevent us from meeting our professional obligations relating to animal welfare and emergency first aid or pain relief.
7. Estimates
For planned treatment or surgery, we will provide an estimate of the likely cost. An estimate is not a fixed quotation: the final charge may be higher or lower depending on clinical findings, the treatment actually required, your pet’s response and any unforeseen complications.
Unless stated otherwise, an estimate is valid for 30 days. We may provide a revised estimate if the planned treatment changes or the original estimate expires.
We will make reasonable efforts to tell you if costs are likely to materially exceed the estimate and to obtain further consent. In an emergency, or where we cannot reach you and immediate action is reasonably necessary for your pet’s welfare, this may not always be possible.
8. Medicines and repeat prescriptions
Veterinary medicines are prescribed, supplied and dispensed in accordance with applicable veterinary medicines law and professional guidance.
Your pet must be under our care before we can prescribe prescription-only veterinary medicines. The prescribing veterinary surgeon will decide whether a physical examination is necessary and how frequently your pet must be reassessed. For many long-term medicines, we generally need to have examined the pet within the previous six months, but some medicines or conditions require more frequent checks.
Repeat prescription requests must be reviewed and authorised by a veterinary surgeon. Please allow at least two working days and submit a separate request for each pet. Sending a request does not guarantee that a medicine will be prescribed or available. We may contact you to arrange an examination, monitoring test or alternative treatment before authorising it.
You may ask for a written prescription so that you can obtain medicine from another lawful supplier. A prescription fee may apply; the current fee will be displayed or explained before the prescription is issued. We are not responsible for the service, products, delivery times or advice of an independent pharmacy or supplier.
Medicines and specially ordered products cannot always be returned or refunded once supplied, particularly where storage conditions or product integrity cannot be verified. This does not affect your rights where a product is faulty, incorrectly supplied or otherwise does not conform to the contract.
9. Pet insurance
Pet insurance is a contract between you and your insurer. You are responsible for understanding the policy, including its exclusions, excesses, co-payments and claim limits, and for paying all fees due to us whether or not the insurer pays the claim.
We may, at our discretion, assist with a claim or agree to submit a direct claim. We may charge a reasonable administration fee, which will be explained in advance. If we agree to a direct claim, you remain responsible for any amount the insurer does not pay, including the excess, co-payment, excluded treatment or amount above the policy limit.
Our assistance with a claim is not a guarantee that the insurer will accept or pay it. We are not a party to your insurance contract and cannot advise you which policy to purchase.
10. Pet Care Plan
The Bowbridge Vets Pet Care Plan is intended to spread the cost of specified routine and preventative care. It is not pet insurance and does not cover unexpected illness or injury in the way an insurance policy may.
The plan currently runs for a minimum 12-month term, renews automatically for further 12-month periods and includes a one-off £5 set-up fee with the first Direct Debit. If you end the plan early, outstanding amounts may become payable in accordance with the plan terms.
The services, discounts, prices, eligibility rules, cancellation rights and payment arrangements that apply to your membership will be set out in the specific Pet Care Plan terms provided at or before sign-up. Those specific plan terms take priority over this section. Please read them carefully before joining.
11. Referrals, laboratories and other providers
We may recommend or arrange services from an independent provider, such as a referral practice, specialist, diagnostic laboratory, crematorium, pharmacy or out-of-hours hospital.
We will explain the arrangement where reasonably possible. The provider may enter into a separate contract with you and apply its own terms, fees and privacy policy. Unless we expressly agree otherwise, you are responsible for paying that provider directly.
We are responsible for choosing and instructing providers acting directly on our behalf with reasonable care. We are not responsible for the independent clinical decisions or contractual performance of a provider that contracts with you separately, although this does not affect any liability that cannot legally be excluded.
12. Clinical and client records
We keep clinical and client records in accordance with our legal, regulatory and professional obligations. Clinical records are maintained to support safe treatment and continuity of care.
If you move to another veterinary practice or request a referral or second opinion, we may send relevant clinical records directly to the receiving veterinary professional with your authority or where otherwise permitted by law and our professional duties.
The practice owns its clinical records and original clinical materials, including diagnostic images, but you may request copies. Your rights in relation to personal information are explained in our Privacy Policy. We may need to retain records even after you leave the practice.
13. Your responsibilities and conduct
To help us provide safe and effective care, you agree to:
- give us accurate information about your pet’s health, medication, behaviour and relevant history;
- tell us promptly about material changes or adverse reactions;
- follow reasonable clinical and safety instructions;
- keep your pet suitably restrained while on our premises, using a secure carrier or lead where appropriate;
- treat our staff, other clients and visitors with courtesy and respect; and
- pay fees when due.
We will not tolerate threatening, abusive, discriminatory or violent behaviour. Where it is reasonable and lawful to do so, we may restrict contact, require particular arrangements or end the client relationship. We will take account of animal welfare, urgent clinical needs and our professional responsibilities before doing so.
14. Website and online services
Information on our website is provided for general guidance and is not a substitute for an examination, diagnosis or advice from a veterinary professional who knows your pet’s circumstances. If you are concerned about your pet, contact us. In an emergency, telephone us immediately.
We try to keep the website accurate and available, but we do not guarantee that every page will always be complete, current or uninterrupted. Prices, opening hours and service information may change; please contact us if information is important to a decision or appears unclear.
You may use the website only for lawful personal purposes. You must not attempt to interfere with its operation, gain unauthorised access, introduce malicious code, scrape it excessively or use its content in a way that infringes our rights or those of another person.
Unless otherwise stated, the text, design, branding, photographs and other content on the website belong to us or are used under licence. You may view and make a reasonable personal copy but must not reproduce or commercially exploit the content without permission.
Our website may link to third-party services, including PetsApp. A third party’s own terms and privacy policy apply when you use its service. A link does not mean that we control or accept responsibility for that service.
Submitting an online form or appointment request does not create an appointment or confirm that a prescription will be issued. A booking is confirmed only when you receive confirmation from us or the relevant booking service.
15. Distance contracts and cancellation rights
If we enter into a contract with you online, by telephone or away from our premises, you may have statutory cancellation rights under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
Where those rights apply, the cancellation period will normally be 14 days from the day the contract is made. If you ask us to begin providing services during that period, you are requesting early performance. If you then cancel after work has begun, you may have to pay a proportionate amount for services already provided. Once a service has been fully performed following your express request and acknowledgement, the statutory right to cancel that service may be lost.
These rights are separate from our appointment cancellation policy in section 3 and do not affect any statutory rights available to you.
16. Our responsibility to you
We are responsible for foreseeable loss or damage caused by our breach of these terms or our failure to use reasonable care and skill. Loss or damage is foreseeable if it was an obvious consequence or was contemplated by you and us when the contract was made.
We provide services to consumers for personal purposes. We are not responsible for business losses such as loss of profit, revenue, opportunity or business interruption where the services were not supplied for business use.
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation. Nothing in these terms excludes or restricts your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other applicable consumer protection law.
17. Personal information
We use personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Our use of cookies and similar technologies is explained in our Cookie Policy and cookie settings.
18. Complaints and feedback
We welcome feedback and want to resolve concerns fairly. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please speak to the veterinary surgeon involved or ask to speak to the Practice Manager. You can also complain:
By email: info@bowbridgevets.co.uk
By post: Practice Manager, Bowbridge Vets, Bowbridge Surgery, Butterow Hill, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2LA
Please explain what happened, when it happened, the people involved and the outcome you are seeking. We will acknowledge and investigate your complaint in line with our complaints procedure.
If we cannot resolve the matter, independent mediation may be available through the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS). The VCMS is a free, voluntary service and both parties must agree to participate. Serious concerns about the professional conduct of a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse may fall within the remit of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The RCVS does not generally determine ordinary fee disputes or award compensation.
Nothing in this section prevents you from seeking independent legal advice or exercising your statutory rights.
19. Changes to these terms
We may update these terms to reflect changes in our services, professional guidance or the law. The current version will be published on our website with its effective date.
Changes will not retrospectively alter an agreed fixed price or remove rights that have already arisen. Where a change materially affects an ongoing contract, we will take reasonable steps to notify you and will apply it only where legally permitted.
20. General terms
If we do not immediately enforce a right under these terms, that does not mean we have waived it.
If a court or relevant authority finds part of these terms unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply.
No person other than you and us has a right to enforce these terms, except where the law provides otherwise.
21. Governing law
These terms and our relationship with you are governed by the law of England and Wales.
If you live in another part of the United Kingdom, you retain the benefit of any mandatory consumer protections that apply where you live. Proceedings may be brought in the courts that have jurisdiction under applicable consumer law.