Terms of Service

1. Who we are

Paws4Purpose (Pty) Ltd (registration 2026/375064/07) runs an owner-trained dog school at Vitozol Dog Park, 362 Valley Road, North Riding, Roodepoort 2169. "We", "us" and "the school" mean Paws4Purpose; "you" means the handler who applies or trains with us. These terms, together with our Refund and Cancellation Policy and Privacy Policy, are the agreement between us. By sending an application or attending training, you accept them.

2. What we offer, and what owner-trained means

We coach you to train your own dog, from puppy socialisation and obedience through the KUSA-aligned Canine Good Citizen ladder to therapy and service dog preparation, in small weekend classes and private sessions. We never take your dog away and hand back a finished one; the training is done by you, with us beside you. Your dog remains in your custody, care and control at all times, including during classes, assessments and outings.

3. Applications and placements

Nothing on our website is a booking. You apply through a form, Diane reads every application herself, and she replies with a class placement, an assessment invitation, or an honest no. Assessments are required for the Therapy and Service programmes, and Diane may require an assessment for any programme where she judges it necessary before placement. Places are limited by class caps and are confirmed only in writing from us.

4. Fees and invoicing

Fees are published on our Pricing page. Training fees are billed monthly by invoice, payable by EFT. An annual registration fee of R500 per handler is invoiced when you join and renews twelve months later, on your own anniversary. Assessments are charged at R350 per hour plus R180 arena rental for the assessment time, invoiced separately and payable before the assessment day. Arena rentals for reactive sessions are paid in advance. We never collect card payments and we never store card details. If an invoice is unpaid, we may pause training until it is settled, and we will always talk to you first.

Fee structures can change as your training changes (for example when a level is passed); we confirm any change to your billing before it takes effect. Published prices may be updated from time to time; changes do not apply retroactively to invoices already issued.

5. Cancellations, missed classes and refunds

Our Refund and Cancellation Policy forms part of these terms. In short: we ask for 15 days' notice when you stop; you are welcome to finish any month you have paid for; monthly fees are not refunded; and missed classes can be made up for the cost of the arena rental only. If a genuinely hard month stops you training at all, tell Diane; she is kind about it. Nothing in these terms takes away rights you have under the Consumer Protection Act, 2008.

6. Entry requirements: vaccinations and health

Every dog must have up-to-date vaccinations, deworming, and tick and flea treatment, with proof provided before starting and re-proved once a year. Puppies join once their vaccinations are up to date and they are two weeks past their second booster, or once your vet confirms your puppy is ready to be out in public. Parvovirus kills, and we will not expose your puppy before it has built up enough antibodies. Dogs that are ill, in season, or recovering from surgery stay home until your vet clears them.

7. Safety rules

These rules protect every handler, dog and visitor, and they are not negotiable:

Vitozol Dog Park's rule is that a dog that has shown aggression toward people cannot come onto the property. We apply that rule personally: if your forms or our conversations tell us this may apply, Diane will phone you to talk it through before anything else happens, and no automated message will ever decline you.

Dogs with any protection or attack training history are not accepted into the Service programme.

Reactive dogs are trained only in controlled sessions arranged personally with Diane, with the arena booked and paid in advance, dogs kept in vehicles until the session starts, and a strict maximum of three dogs.

A dog referred to a behaviourist returns to group classes only when the behaviourist is providing ongoing guidance, consents to the return, and confirms the dog poses no danger.

You must follow Diane's instructions and the park's posted rules during any class, assessment or outing. Dogs are on lead unless Diane says otherwise. We may pause or end a session, or decline further training, where safety requires it; if we end an engagement for reasons other than safety or non-payment, we will not charge you for training not yet delivered.

8. Honesty about outcomes

Training outcomes depend on your dog's aptitude, health and temperament, and on the work you put in between classes. We give you an honest picture at the assessment and along the way, and we promise no particular result, no certificate and no completion date. Passing any KUSA evaluation is decided by KUSA's own evaluators under KUSA's rules, not by us. Therapy dogs and companion dogs do not have the public-access rights that service dogs have, and we will always be straight with you about that difference.

9. Your responsibility for your dog, and risk

Dog training and dog parks carry inherent risk, including the risk of bites, scratches, knocks and falls, and interactions with other dogs. You know your dog best, and your dog remains your responsibility at all times. By attending, you accept these inherent risks so far as the law allows, and you remain responsible for injury, loss or damage caused by your dog to any person, dog or property, including vet and medical costs. We recommend you hold appropriate insurance. You must tell us honestly and fully about your dog's history, including any reactivity or incidents, before and during training; our safety decisions depend on it.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits our liability where the Consumer Protection Act or any other law does not allow it, including liability for gross negligence.

10. Photos and media

We love showing real handlers and dogs at work, and we only do it with permission. We will ask before taking and using photos or video of you or your dog for our website or social media, and you can say no, or change your mind later, without it affecting your training in any way. We never publish handlers' names alongside training details without express consent.

11. The website, chat assistant and communications

The assistant on this website answers questions day and night. It is an automated helper: it can get things wrong, it does not give medical, legal or behavioural advice, and anything important, including pricing for your specific situation and placement decisions, is confirmed by Diane personally. By giving us your contact details you agree that we may contact you about your enquiry and training by email, phone, SMS or WhatsApp; marketing is always opt-in and handled under our Privacy Policy.

The content of this website, including text, photographs and branding, belongs to Paws4Purpose or its licensors and may not be reproduced for commercial use without permission.

12. General

If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the rest stands. These terms are governed by South African law, and South African courts have jurisdiction. We may update these terms; the current version lives on this page with its date at the top, and material changes will be communicated to active clients directly. If anything here worries you, talk to Diane; the terms exist to keep training safe and fair, not to catch anyone out.

Contact

Paws4Purpose (Pty) Ltd, Vitozol Dog Park, 362 Valley Road, North Riding, Roodepoort 2169. Email info@paws4purpose.co.za. Phone or WhatsApp +27 76 525 0886.