Terms, Privacy & Cookies

1. Service Description

HK Pet Taxi is a trading name of Hythe Kent Taxis Ltd and provides private, door-to-door international pet transport between the UK and Europe via Folkestone LeShuttle. The vehicle cabin is reserved for the booking party and its pets; no unfamiliar passengers or other customers' animals are carried in a shared cabin. Journey details, vehicle capacity and any applicable third-party arrangements are confirmed in writing.

2. Six-stage assisted booking & payment

1. Enquiry: you provide the proposed international route, dates, party, pet and luggage details.
2. Route and capacity review: we review the itinerary, vehicle seating and payload, crate/luggage dimensions, crossing arrangements and the travel information supplied.
3. Written quote: we send a route-specific quote separating the fixed vehicle-and-driver fare from known pass-through costs and identifying the cancellation terms.
4. Acceptance and payment: you accept the written quote and pay the stated deposit or other amount by its deadline. Any third-party ticket purchase is subject to the supplier's terms.
5. Booking confirmation: we send a separate written confirmation identifying the agreed journey and payment status. A website acknowledgement, enquiry reference, quote request or quote alone is not a confirmed booking.
6. Pre-travel checks and dispatch: we reconfirm practical journey details and review requested travel documents before dispatch. Border authorities retain responsibility for admission and document decisions.

Payment deadlines, deposit amount and any applicable taxes are set out in the written quote. Prices are quoted in GBP. Card and bank-transfer surcharges are not added by us.

3. Cancellation & refunds

Cancellation charges apply to the agreed vehicle-and-driver transport fee. LeShuttle, toll, parking or other third-party tickets and charges are separate disbursements and are refundable only to the extent the supplier refunds them. Any refundable balance is returned after applying the relevant transport cancellation charge and non-refundable third-party costs:

• More than 7 days before pickup: the transport deposit is refunded in full, less any non-refundable third-party LeShuttle tickets.
• 72 hours to 7 days before pickup: 50% of the vehicle-and-driver fee is retained; any remaining payment is refunded after non-refundable third-party costs.
• Less than 72 hours before pickup: 100% of the vehicle-and-driver fee is payable, together with any non-refundable third-party costs.

The written quote/confirmation will state the applicable deadlines and any ticket-specific supplier terms. These terms do not limit any rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

4. Client Responsibilities

The client is responsible for ensuring their pet has all required documentation for travel, including but not limited to: valid microchip, rabies vaccination certificate, Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for EU travel, and tapeworm treatment for dogs returning to the UK (administered 24–120 hours before entry). The client must provide accurate collection and delivery addresses.

5. Animal Welfare

Animal Fitness-to-Travel Warranty: you confirm that, to the best of your knowledge, your pet is fit for the proposed journey and you will tell us before travel about relevant illness, injury, behaviour, mobility or handling needs. Seek veterinary advice where appropriate. Our staff receive animal-welfare training but are not veterinary professionals and do not diagnose, treat or certify medical fitness. We may pause or refuse transport where we reasonably consider it necessary for welfare or safety. Pets must use suitable, safely secured restraints or carriers as applicable, and must be accompanied by the travelling party.

6. Liability

We will use reasonable care in providing the agreed service. Border decisions, supplier disruption, traffic and events outside our reasonable control may affect timing or the ability to complete an itinerary; we will communicate material issues and discuss practical options. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where the law does not allow it to do so, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or your statutory consumer rights.

7. Subcontracting

If we propose using another operator for an agreed journey, we will tell you and obtain your agreement before the booking is confirmed. Any agreed operator must respect the private-cabin commitment for your booking party and pets.

Data We Collect

We collect the following personal data when you request a quote or make a booking: your name, phone number, email address, collection and delivery addresses, pet details (species, breed, number), and travel dates. We collect this data directly from you via our website form, phone, email, or WhatsApp.

How We Use Your Data

Hythe Kent Taxis Ltd, trading as HK Pet Taxi, is responsible for personal data processed for enquiries and journeys. We use relevant information to respond to enquiries, provide quotes, administer bookings, assess practical travel arrangements, deliver journeys, meet legal obligations and handle complaints. We do not use your details for marketing unless you have chosen to receive it. We process personal data only where a lawful basis applies, such as taking steps at your request, performing a contract, complying with a legal obligation or pursuing a legitimate business interest.

Data Sharing

We share only information needed to arrange or operate the journey with relevant dispatch/driver personnel, service providers and authorities where required. Website quote form submissions are securely transmitted via our form delivery processor, Web3Forms (web3forms.com), solely to deliver enquiry details to HK Pet Taxi management. We do not sell or rent personal data for marketing.

Pet travel documents and retention

Pet health documents, Animal Health Certificates (AHCs), pet passport scans and related travel documents supplied for pre-travel checks are accessible strictly to dispatch management (Abdul Wafa). They are stored in encrypted storage, used only for the required journey checks, and permanently deleted within 14 days after journey completion. If a journey is cancelled or does not take place, the documents are deleted when no longer needed for the enquiry/booking or a legal claim.

Standard financial invoices and accounting records are retained for 6 years to meet applicable HMRC record-keeping requirements. Other enquiry and booking information is kept only for as long as needed for its stated purpose, legal obligations or the establishment/defence of claims, then securely deleted or anonymised.

Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you may request access to, correction or deletion of your personal data, object to or restrict certain processing, and raise a concern with the UK Information Commissioner's Office. Contact info@hkpettaxi.co.uk, Attn: Abdul Wafa, Director. We will respond within the timescales required by data-protection law and may need to verify your identity.

Complaints procedure

Send your complaint to info@hkpettaxi.co.uk, marked “Attn: Abdul Wafa, Director”, with your name, journey or enquiry reference, and the outcome you are seeking. We aim to acknowledge complaints within 2 working days and provide a substantive resolution within 10 working days. If a matter needs longer investigation, we will explain why and give you an update and expected response date.