Frequently Asked Questions

We advise that your puppy comes in as soon as it has competed its vaccinations.

For more information on puppy grooming, click here.

Pup still a bit young for professional grooming? We recommend you start the process at home! Light brushing, playing with their toes, and even using the vibrations of an electric toothbrush on their back are ways in which you can help the puppy become accustomed to grooming.

We advise that your kitten comes in after it has competed its vaccines. 

We recommend a kitten groom to introduce your kitten to the experience of grooming. 

Grooming Policy for Senior Pets

We are unable to accept new clients with pets in the following categories:

• Dogs aged 14 years or older
• Cats aged 15 years or older
• Rabbits aged 6 years or older
• Guinea pigs aged 5 years or older

For our regular clients, we will continue to provide grooming services throughout their pet's lifetime. However, in some cases, health issues associated with advanced age (e.g., heart conditions) may make it safer for your pet to be groomed in a veterinary setting. If this applies to your pet, we will discuss it with you personally.

Handling Fee for Senior Pets

For dogs aged 13 years or older and cats aged 14 years or older, a small Handling Fee will apply. This covers the extra time, care, and precautions required to ensure your senior pet’s comfort and safety.

Focus on Comfort and Safety for Senior Pets

As pets age, our primary focus shifts to their health, comfort, practicality, and safety during grooming. Senior pets are groomed with these priorities in mind:

• Simplified grooming: We avoid fancy, traditional styles, de-matting, or hair colouring.
• Minimizing stress: We aim to complete the grooming process as quickly and calmly as possible.
• Specialised care: We use aids to support sore joints and employ Fear-Free handling practices.
• Gentle drying: For older pets, we avoid high-velocity dryers, which can cause stress due to hearing loss. Instead, we use towel and hand drying, which takes extra time—please plan for this when booking.

Thank you for your understanding and for trusting us with your beloved senior pets. If you have any questions or need further information, don’t hesitate to reach out at bookings@uncannyanimals.com.au

DO:

• Bring your dog on a secure harness/collar and leash.
• Bring your cat in a carrier
• Toilet your dog before grooming
• Bring in your own treats if your dog has dietary requirements 
• Walk your dog before the groom. This helps the dog get out energy and settle them for the groom. 

DON'T:

• Bring any toys or bedding (these can cause arguments).
• Hang around for long unless otherwise advised. Your pet loves you and will be distracted for the groom. We need their full attention and cooperation but if you're around they will try to get to you. Simply, can't compete with their love for you. Just like dropping human kids off at daycare, rip the bandaid off as fast as possible!

No. 

We understand you might be curious, love spending time with your pet or worry for them but generally, animals remain calmer and more cooperative for the groomer when their human isn't present. We use sharp equipment on the animals and require their full attention for their safety. When you're present, the animal will understandably want to be with you, taking focus off the groomer and making it hard for them to sit still and cooperate. 

Additionally, our insurance does not cover the public entering the grooming area. 

Nevertheless, if you would like to see your pet during their grooming appointment, you are welcome to ask us to take a video during the groom. If time permits, we will happily do our best to capture one for you!

Our salon is by appointment only for full grooming services. This helps us provide a quieter and more predictable environment for our animal clients.

However, you are always welcome to "try your luck" for walk-in face trims, nail clipping, and smaller services. Ringing ahead also helps.

We have a 48-hour cancellation policy. Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours notice will incur a cancellation fee equal to 50% of the scheduled grooming service.

If two appointments are missed without sufficient notice, future bookings will require full pre-payment at the time of scheduling. Please note that prepaid appointment fees are non-refundable if another appointment is missed or cancelled outside the required notice period.

Many grooming appointments can take several hours to complete, and late cancellations often leave us with insufficient time to fill those appointments. This impacts not only our groomers’ time, but also other clients waiting for availability.

Of course, if you provide more than 48 hours notice that you are unable to attend your appointment, no cancellation fee will apply.

Before your pet’s first appointment, you will be required to complete our Client Consent & Release Form (standard industry practice). This form allows us to collect important releavent information about your pet, your contact details, and ensures you are informed about our policies, procedures, and grooming processes. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept pets for grooming unless this form has been completed and signed. The form will be sent to you via SMS and/or email after your first booking is made, so please check your junk or spam folder if you have not received it.

Pets presenting with matting, advanced age, medical conditions, disabilities, or other higher-risk factors may also require an additional relevant Consent Form at the time of their appointment. While the general terms and conditions of these forms are already covered within your original Client Consent & Release Form, we ask clients to complete these additional forms each time a relevant issue is present to ensure the associated risks, welfare considerations, and grooming procedures are clearly understood and acknowledged for that specific appointment.

Once your pet's groom has been completed, a collection text message will be sent to the primary contact number on your account, unless an alternative contact number has been provided at drop-off.

DOGS

As Uncanny Animals is not licensed as a daycare facility, dogs must be collected within 30 minutes of the collection text being sent.

A Late Collection Fee of $1 per minute will apply after the initial 30-minute collection period. This fee contributes towards the additional staff time required to supervise your dog, provide fresh water, allow toilet breaks, and ensure their continued comfort and welfare.

Once your dog's groom has been completed, your groomer will begin working with their next appointment. Many dogs become unsettled once they no longer have that one-on-one attention, so prompt collection is an important part of maintaining their wellbeing and reducing unnecessary stress.

CATS, RABBITS & GUINEA PIGS

We also ask that cats, rabbits and guinea pigs are collected within 30 minutes of receiving their collection message. However, we are generally more flexible with these species, as they are usually happy to relax quietly in the safety of their carrier. But please note, once your collection message has been sent, your groomer will have moved on to their next appointment and your pet will no longer be under continuous observation. If they require toileting or begin showing signs of discomfort, this may not be noticed immediately. For this reason, prompt collection is still appreciated for your pet’s comfort.

CLOSING TIME & AFTER HOURS

Our salon closes at 4:00 pm.

If your pet has not been collected by 4:00 pm, one of our team members will remain at the salon until 5:00 pm to continue caring for your pet. An After-Hours Supervision Fee will apply to cover the additional staffing costs.

If your pet has not been collected by 5:00 pm, and we have been unable to make suitable alternative arrangements with you, your pet will be taken home by one of our team members to ensure their ongoing safety and welfare. An Overnight Pet Sitting Fee will apply in addition to any applicable Late Collection and After-Hours Supervision Fees.

Where possible, we ask that you contact us as soon as possible if you know you are going to be delayed. We understand that unexpected situations can arise, and early communication allows us to make appropriate arrangements while ensuring your pet continues to receive the highest standard of care.

The most important thing you can do is let us know this when booking your appointment. Being upfront and honest helps us avoid unpleasant surprises, allows us to schedule additional time where needed, and helps our team better prepare for your pet’s individual needs. The more information we have, the better we can tailor the experience to help your pet feel safe and supported.

Secondly, try not to panic or feel embarrassed. Animals are extremely perceptive and can often pick up on their owner’s anxiety. Remaining calm and positive helps prevent us from unintentionally reinforcing your pet’s fear or stress surrounding grooming.

For dogs, the two most common sensitivities we see are fear of drying and fear of nail clipping. In some cases, despite our best efforts, we may decide it is kinder for a dog to go home towel dried or to skip nail trimming for that appointment. We will always do everything reasonably possible before reaching this point, however our priority is achieving the safest, most humane outcome for both the animal and the groomer.

For cats, many owners believe their cat “hates grooming”, when often the biggest stressor is actually the car ride or transport process itself. We strongly recommend carrier desensitisation and positive carrier experiences before appointments. For cats that genuinely dislike handling or grooming, our team has extensive feline-specific training and works quickly, calmly, and methodically to make the process as low-stress as possible.

One of the best long-term solutions for anxious pets is actually more frequent grooming, not less. Regular exposure helps pets become familiar with the environment, handling, sounds, and routines. More frequent appointments also generally mean shorter, easier, and more comfortable sessions because the coat is easier to maintain and requires less intensive work.

Please note that we do not push animals beyond what we believe is humane or safe. Our philosophy will always be “Humanity Over Vanity.” We also do not personally sedate animals within this salon. If we believe a pet is experiencing excessive distress, we will discuss this with you and may recommend support from a veterinarian and/or qualified trainer or behaviour professional.

The first step is to let us know so we can best accomodate your pet. For example, if your dog is anxious around other dogs we can schedule an early or late appointment to avoid contact with other dogs. 

We definitely recommend that your anxious pet expends as much energy as possible before the appointment. Getting out energy lowers nervous energy and helps us in calming, comforting and communicating with the pet during its groom.

If your animal is on medication, please make sure they have not missed any doses in the week leading up to the groom. 

When dropping off your pet, please try to stay calm. Having an air of confidence will show your animal that grooming is nothing to be feared and they are in safe hands. 

In extreme cases, we might discuss further interventions like consulting vets and trainers.

Again, the most important thing is to let us know in advance. Being upfront about any aggressive, reactive, fearful, or handling-sensitive behaviour is vital for achieving the safest and most positive outcome for your pet, our groomers, and any other animals within the salon. Unfortuntely if we "find out the hard way" then trust between groomer and client has been broken, and we may ask you to find an alternative groomer. 

That said, most pets with behavioural concerns can still be groomed successfully with the right handling approach, environment, timing, and safety measures in place.

DOGS

If your dog can be safely handled with a muzzle, we are generally happy to accommodate them. In some situations, dogs requiring additional handling support or multiple groomers for safety may incur an additional handling fee.

For particularly challenging cases, highly reactive dogs, or dogs requiring a quieter environment or private room setup, we may recommend a specialised Behavioural Grooming Appointment, which involves additional time, management, and handling considerations. You can learn more about this service here.

In some cases, behavioural training or desensitisation work outside of the salon may significantly improve your dog’s comfort and long-term grooming success. We are happy to discuss this with you and can also refer you to trainers we trust and recommend.

CATS

For cats, attempted scratching, biting, vocalising, or resistance to handling is not uncommon, and our team has extensive feline-specific training to manage these situations as calmly, compassionately, and safely as possible. In many cases, a cat may only become reactive during a particular part of the grooming process, for example clipping sensitive areas, drying, or handling around the lower body. While scratches and bites are a safety consideration, our primary concern is the cat’s overall stress levels and welfare, as excessive stress can impact both their physical and emotional wellbeing. If we feel a cat is becoming too distressed and is unable to settle appropriately, we will contact you to arrange collection and discuss alternative options moving forward.

NOTE

Please understand that while we will always do our best to work compassionately and safely with behavioural pets, there are limits to what can be managed humanely within a grooming environment. If we believe a pet's aggression presents an unsafe risk to themselves, our staff, or others, we may recommend seeking further assistance from your veterinarian or a qualified behaviour professional before proceeding with grooming.

Our clients’ health, safety and wellbeing are of the utmost importance to us, which is why we go above and beyond standard industry hygiene practices.

While we aim to keep our salon environment as gentle and chemical-free as reasonably possible, we also have a responsibility to minimise the risk of cross contamination and maintain a safe, sanitary environment for every pet in our care.

All grooming tools are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between every client using H-42 Virucidal Anti-Bacterial Cleaner. This professional-grade disinfectant is designed to deactivate and destroy a wide range of viruses, bacteria and pathogens, including FIV (“Feline AIDS Virus”), Covid-19 and other contagious illnesses. It also helps protect and lubricate our metal grooming equipment to maintain hygiene and tool integrity.

We additionally use F10 SC Veterinary Disinfectant throughout the salon on surfaces such as grooming tables, tubs, crates, carriers and workstations between clients. F10 is a veterinary-grade, pet-safe disinfectant widely used in veterinary and animal care environments.

We operate under a strict one towel to one animal policy. Although this significantly increases our daily washing load, towels are never reused between pets to reduce the risk of contamination and maintain cleanliness standards.

At the end of every day, the salon undergoes a comprehensive clean-down and sanitation process. This includes disinfecting floors, tubs, tools, benches, cages, drying equipment and high-contact surfaces throughout the salon.

We also have additional hygiene and isolation protocols in place for parasites and contagious conditions.These situations require extra time, specialised cleaning procedures and isolation measures to protect other pets and maintain salon safety standards. As such, pets presenting with parasites or contagious conditions  incur a $25 clean-down fee.

For the safety and wellbeing of all pets, animals are also kept separate. Not only is this for the safety of the animals and to minimise stress, but also significantly  reduced the risk of any transmissions.

As part of our commitment to animal welfare, we continually review and improve our hygiene and handling procedures to ensure we are providing the safest possible experience for both pets and people.

If you are aware that your pet has fleas, we ask that you keep the animal away from the salon until it has undergone flea treatment. This will help stop the spread of fleas in our salon. 

If you are unaware your animal has fleas and we discover this during the appointment, we will still carry out the groom but will charge extra for the clean down. Just like vomiting in a taxi, we have to make sure we disinfect everything to protect other customers! 

We do not provide flea treatments at our salon as it is a medication and we believe it is best for you to talk to a qualified vet or veterinary nurse about what options are best for your animal.  

Bordetella (bacterial kennel cough) and Parainfluenza (viral kennel cough) are extremely contagious and we cannot risk any of our clients becoming infected and getting sick. 

Please contact us immediately to reschedule your appointment and we hope your pup feels better soon. 

Yes, we can. However, even though we have experience in Animal First Aid, we want to ensure we take every precaution possible for your pet’s safety and wellbeing.

Please ensure that:

• Your emergency veterinary contact details are up-to-date
• You provide us with any relevant medical history and seizure management instructions
• You advise us of any known seizure triggers or warning signs
• You provide a veterinary certificate confirming your pet is fit to be groomed, along with any restrictions or recommendations from your veterinarian

Depending on your pet’s medical history and condition, you may also be asked to complete an additional Health Consent Form so that any associated risks, procedures, and emergency protocols are clearly understood and documented prior to grooming.

No. 

Not only is it uncomfortable and risky for your dog, it is also unpleasant for the groomer and will send the other dogs in the salon bonkers.

If you've ever experienced period pain, you'll understand that you have extra physical sensitivity, mood swings and sometimes pain. This is the same for your dog, and makes it very uncomfortable for her to stand and move as required to be able to be groomed.

Dogs on-heat will also spread pheromones throughout the shop, sending the dogs into a frenzy particularly entire males — making the environment more difficult and potentially unsafe for both pets and groomers (even long after a female on heat has gone from the salon!) 

What's more, it also isn't very nice for our groomers to have to deal with being bled on. 

No. 

We can’t knowingly accept any client with stitches or an open wound. There is a risk of infection and we recommend you talk to your vet if there is an immediate grooming requirement. 

Yes, absolutely!

We regularly groom pets with allergies, sensitive skin and other skin-related conditions, and we stock a range of very gentle, hypoallergenic grooming products specifically designed for sensitive pets.

These upgraded products are available as an optional add-on and generally cost an additional $5–10 depending on the pet and products required. We have used these products extensively and have had excellent results without issue.

If your pet has known allergies, sensitivities or specific veterinary recommendations, please let our team know prior to the appointment so we can tailor the grooming process accordingly.

Owners are also more than welcome to bring their own shampoo, conditioner or veterinary-prescribed products if there is a particular product their pet responds well to or requires for medical management.

Please note that while we take every reasonable precaution and use gentle handling and products, we cannot guarantee that pets with pre-existing skin conditions will not experience irritation, flare-ups or reactions, particularly where underlying allergies, infections or medical conditions are involved.

That's because there are many differences from dog to dog, or cat to cat. Pricing is subject to the following variables:

COAT - Breed type, such as smooth coat, wire coat, curly coat, double coat etc. Also coat condition, is the coat in good condition, or is it heavily matted?

SIZE - The size of the breed - is it a large or small or toy size breed? 

TEMPERAMENT - Does the animal stand on the table and cooperate easily or is the animal fearful, aggressive or tired. Can the dog stand for long, and is it easy to manoeuvre? 

AGE - Puppies/kittens vs adults vs senior all range in pricing. 

STYLE - Is the style relatively easy for us to do or does it require lots of detail and time.  

With that said, the overwhelming majority of clients are charged the price stated in our price guide, and if we believe there will be extra charges we will inform you of this on drop off or call you during the groom to consent.

Grooming prices are subject to variables. For example, the coat condition may not be as good as it was described over the phone. Or maybe the dog is having a bad day and its temperament makes it hard to groom, or maybe the dog has grown from being a puppy and now takes longer to groom.

If asked before the groom, we will always provide you with a quote. If something arises as we are doing the groom (such as the dog has fleas or the dog isn't coping as well as usual) we will contact you via phone to inform you of the price change and have your consent to continue the groom. 

We have a 48-hour cancellation policy. If the groom is cancelled less than 48-hours before the appointment time, you will incur a cancellation fee of 50% of the cost of the groom. 

If two appointments are missed without giving notice, we then require you to pre-pay prior to scheduling any future appointments, and appointment fees will not be refunded if the appointment is missed again.

Some grooms can take over three hours, and that is precious time we would love to fill and is made more difficult with little notice.

Of course, if you let us know you're unable to make your appointment with more than 48-hours notice, then there's no fee.

No.

Traditionally, many groomers performed external anal gland expression during grooming appointments. However, current veterinary advice recommends that anal glands, when medically necessary, be expressed internally by a qualified veterinary professional to ensure they are emptied properly and safely.

Incorrect or unnecessary expression can cause pain, inflammation, trauma, infection, or even rupture of the anal glands, which can become a serious medical issue for the animal.

Additionally, recurring anal gland problems are often a symptom of an underlying health concern. These conditions should be properly assessed and managed by a veterinarian rather than treated as a routine grooming procedure.

For these reasons, we believe it is safest and most appropriate for anal gland care to be handled within a veterinary setting where the pet can receive proper medical assessment and treatment if required.

No.

Taking our lead from vets, veterinary professionals have moved away from recommending routine ear plucking, as it can cause unnecessary irritation and may contribute to further ear issues in some pets.

Removing hair from the ear canal can be uncomfortable and, in some cases, painful. As a grooming salon, we do not have the ability to provide appropriate pain relief or medical treatment should complications occur.

Ear plucking can also create micro-trauma and inflammation within the delicate ear canal. This irritation may increase the risk of infection, particularly as hair follicles become opened and exposed during the process.

Additionally, excessive wax, odour, discharge, redness or impacted ear hair are often signs of an underlying medical issue such as allergies, ear infections, skin disease or chronic inflammation, which should be properly assessed and treated by a veterinarian rather than managed cosmetically.

In some cases, irritation following ear plucking may also cause pets to excessively shake or flap their ears, which can contribute to painful ear hematomas.

For these reasons, we focus on gentle external ear cleaning and hygiene during grooming appointments, and we recommend veterinary assessment for pets experiencing ongoing ear concerns or requiring significant hair removal from inside the ear canal.

No.

While tooth brushing can play an important role in maintaining dental health, effective dental care goes far beyond a quick surface clean during a grooming appointment. Dental hygiene is most beneficial when performed consistently at home using proper training techniques, pet-safe products, and a regular routine.

In a salon environment, there is also an increased risk of spreading bacteria if dental hygiene procedures are not performed under sterile or veterinary conditions.

Additionally, many pets already have some degree of underlying dental disease, tartar build-up, gum inflammation or infection that may not be immediately visible. In these cases, brushing can cause discomfort, pain, bleeding, or potentially worsen existing oral issues.

Professional veterinary dental care allows for a full oral examination, dental scaling both above and below the gumline, appropriate pain management if required, and identification of underlying dental disease that cannot be addressed cosmetically.

For these reasons, we believe dental care is best managed through regular at-home maintenance combined with routine veterinary dental assessments and treatment where needed.

Yes, absolutely!

We understand that some people and pets are sensitive to smells, and we are happy to accommodate fragrance-free grooming requests.

We stock several low-tox, fragrance-free grooming products made with gentle, naturally derived ingredients and without unnecessary additives or perfumes. These products are specifically chosen to be as mild as possible.

These products are not always our groomers’ default choice, as different shampoos and conditioners are often selected based on the pet’s individual coat needs - for example hydration, deep cleansing, de-shedding, whitening etc. 

However, if you let us know in advance that you would prefer fragrance-free products, we can absolutely tailor the groom accordingly.

Please note that even fragrance-free and low-tox products may still have a very mild natural scent from their ingredients, such as aloe vera, jojoba, shea butter or botanical extracts. These are not added perfumes, but naturally occurring ingredient scents.

Clients are also more than welcome to bring their own shampoo or grooming products if there is a particular product they prefer or know works best for them or their pet.

It’s difficult to know in advance how long a grooming session will take. Again, it depends on variables like the style of groom you want, the condition of the coat, and how cooperative the animal is feeling on the day.

Neverthless, we can give you an estimate when you book or when you come in. We will also call to notify you when the groom is completed so you don't have the hang around. 

For all cats, please allow a minimum of three hours when booking. 

For detailed grooming frequency recommendations and maintenance schedules, click here.