Purchasing Guidance

Town Gardens & City Pets – Pets & Aquatics

At Town Gardens & City Pets, the health and welfare of our animals and fish are our priority.

We operate a responsible purchasing policy to ensure that every animal is going to a suitable, knowledgeable and properly prepared home.

Please read the following information carefully before visiting our store to purchase any live animal or fish.

1. Purchasing Animals in Store

All live animals and fish must be purchased in person at our physical retail store.

• In-person purchases only. We do not sell live animals or fish online, by telephone or through our website.
• Intended keeper only. The person purchasing the animal must be its intended owner or primary keeper.
• No animals sold as gifts. We do not sell animals or fish for the purpose of gifting them to another person.
• All Animals and Fish are sold as pets only. We do not do not guarantee breeding ability or fertility among the animals or fish.
• Over 18s only. All purchasers must be aged 18 or over. Proof of age may be requested.
• Staff approval required. All purchases are subject to our animal welfare assessment and approval by an authorised member of staff.

Viewing an animal on our website does not guarantee its availability or establish any entitlement to purchase it.

2. Enclosure, Housing and Setup Requirements

Before purchasing an animal or fish, customers must have suitable accommodation and equipment prepared for the species they intend to keep.

Customers must be prepared to provide details and, where appropriate, photographs or other evidence of their intended enclosure, cage, vivarium, aquarium or other housing arrangement.

Our staff may ask about:

• Enclosure dimensions and available space.
• Heating, lighting, ventilation and environmental conditions.
• Substrate, furnishings, shelter and enrichment.
• Filtration, water quality and aquarium maturity.
• Existing animals, stocking levels and compatibility.
• Any other equipment or arrangements necessary for the species.

The animal’s accommodation must be suitable and ready before the animal is taken home.

For fish, aquariums must be appropriately established, with suitable water conditions for the species being purchased.

We may refuse or postpone a sale if we are not satisfied that the intended accommodation meets the animal’s welfare requirements.

3. Customer Suitability Assessment

All customers must meet our suitability requirements before purchasing a live animal or fish.

Our staff will ask relevant questions to establish whether the customer is adequately prepared to care for the animal.

These may include questions about:

• Previous experience of keeping animals or fish.
• Knowledge of the chosen species.
• Housing, equipment and environmental requirements.
• Feeding, maintenance and cleaning routines.
• Behaviour, social requirements and compatibility.
• Long-term care, veterinary needs and expected lifespan.
• Arrangements for ongoing care and welfare.

Customers must be willing to answer reasonable questions and discuss their intended care arrangements with staff.

We reserve the right to refuse or postpone any sale where we reasonably believe that the animal’s welfare requirements may not be met.

4. Existing Animals and Compatibility

Customers purchasing an animal or fish to join existing animals must provide relevant information about their current pets or aquarium inhabitants.

This may include species, numbers, ages, sexes, enclosure sizes and existing environmental conditions.

Our staff will consider compatibility, stocking levels, social requirements and potential welfare concerns.

We may decline a sale where introducing an additional animal could create unsuitable living conditions or compromise animal welfare.

5. Animal Availability and Readiness

Not all animals displayed in our store or on our website will necessarily be available for immediate purchase.

Some animals may require an appropriate settling-in period, observation, additional welfare assessments or treatment before becoming available.

Any estimated availability dates are subject to change.

We reserve the right to withhold an animal from sale where necessary to protect its health or welfare.

Animals cannot be purchased, reserved or paid for through our Pets & Aquatics website.

6. Animal Information, Age, Sex and Identification

We make reasonable efforts to provide accurate information about the animals we sell.

However, some information may be based on estimates, observations, supplier records or other information available to us.

This may include:

• Age or estimated date of birth.
• Sex or gender.
• Breed, variety, colour or morph.
• Breeding history or origin.
• Other identifying characteristics.

Where information cannot be definitively established, we will explain any known uncertainty.

Information displayed on our website is provided for general viewing purposes and must not be treated as documentary proof or certification of an animal’s age, sex, breeding history, origin or other characteristics.

Where supporting documentation is available, this may be discussed or provided separately.

Nothing in this guidance affects customers’ statutory rights regarding the description or sale of animals.

7. Animal Care Information

Before completing a purchase, customers must be prepared to receive and understand the relevant care information for their chosen species.

Our staff may provide or direct customers towards suitable care guidance covering:

• Appropriate housing and environmental conditions.
• Feeding and nutritional requirements.
• Cleaning, maintenance and hygiene.
• Behavioural and social needs.
• Handling and general welfare.
• Common health concerns and veterinary care.

Customers are encouraged to ask questions before purchasing.

Purchasers are responsible for making appropriate arrangements for the animal’s ongoing care and welfare.

8. Safe Transportation

Customers must have a suitable and safe means of transporting their purchased animal or fish home.

Appropriate transport containers, ventilation, temperature protection and journey arrangements may be required depending on the species.

Our staff may refuse or postpone a sale where safe transportation cannot be arranged.

9. Customer Details and Sales Records

Personal details are collected at the time of sale for live animals and fish.

This information is used to maintain appropriate sales and animal records, support our animal welfare procedures and comply with applicable local authority licensing and legal requirements.

Customers must provide the information reasonably required to complete these records.

Personal information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable UK data protection legislation.

10. Our Right to Refuse or Postpone a Sale

Town Gardens & City Pets reserves the right to refuse or postpone the sale of any live animal or fish where there are reasonable concerns about animal welfare, suitability or compliance with our purchasing policies.

This may include circumstances where:

• The customer does not meet our minimum age requirement.
• The purchaser is not the intended owner or primary keeper.
• The animal is intended as a gift.
• Suitable accommodation has not been prepared.
• The customer cannot demonstrate sufficient understanding of the species.
• Existing animals or environmental conditions present welfare concerns.
• Suitable transportation arrangements are unavailable.
• The animal is not ready or suitable for sale.
• Relevant legal or licensing requirements have not been met.

Decisions will be made on reasonable, welfare-related grounds and in accordance with applicable law.

11. Licensing, Legislation and Store Policies

Town Gardens & City Pets operates subject to its applicable local authority animal activity licence conditions, animal welfare legislation, relevant DEFRA guidance and our own in-store operating procedures.

All live animal and fish purchases are subject to these requirements, together with our applicable in-store animal sale terms and conditions.

Our store policies may impose additional purchasing requirements where appropriate to protect animal welfare.

12. Website Information and In-Store Purchases

Our Pets & Aquatics website is provided as an informational service, allowing customers to preview animals and fish held at our store.

It is not an online animal sales platform.

Animal profiles, photographs, descriptions and availability information are intended for general information and viewing purposes.

They do not constitute documentary proof, certification, a guarantee of availability or a contractual offer to sell.

All purchasing decisions, suitability assessments and sales must be completed in person at our physical retail store.

Important Purchasing Notice

All animals and fish must be purchased in person at Town Gardens & City Pets.

Purchasers must be aged 18 or over, must be the intended owner or primary keeper and must meet our animal welfare and suitability requirements.

We do not sell animals as gifts, and we reserve the right to refuse or postpone a sale where appropriate.

The welfare of our animals will always take priority over completing a sale.

Nothing in this Purchasing Guidance excludes or restricts your statutory consumer rights.