Legal
Disclaimer
This page states plainly what the Big Happy directory does and does not promise. It is short because the point is simple: use the directory to plan, then confirm with the venue and use your own judgement on the day.
Domain ownership and independence
The domain bighappy.com was first registered in October 1998 and has been held continuously by its current owner since 2009. This website is an independent, non-commercial information project: it carries no advertising and no sponsorship, uses no affiliate links, and takes no commission or payment of any kind. We are not owned by, operated by, affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any other company, brand or trademark holder, and we have no connection with any other business that uses a similar or identical name.
We do not sell the goods and services described on this site, we do not take bookings or payments on behalf of any venue, and no venue can pay to be listed or to rank higher.
Information only, no professional advice
Everything on this site is general information about places that may welcome pets. It is not veterinary, medical, behavioural, nutritional, legal, insurance, safety, accessibility or travel advice, and it is not a substitute for consulting a qualified professional. Decisions about whether an animal is fit to travel, whether a location is safe for a particular animal, or how to handle an animal's health or behaviour are yours, ideally with input from a veterinarian.
Listing accuracy is not guaranteed
- Pet policies, leash rules, opening hours, fees, weight limits, breed restrictions and off-leash designations are set by individual businesses and public authorities, and they change — often without any public notice.
- Staff discretion varies. A policy that is written down may be applied differently by different people on different days. A venue may refuse entry for reasons we cannot anticipate.
- Seasonal and conditional detail (shade that runs out in the afternoon, a zone that closes for reseeding, a patio that shuts when the river rises) is described as accurately as we can, but it is not a live feed.
- Where we are unsure about a detail, the listing says so. Please read those notes as genuine uncertainty rather than as boilerplate.
Always confirm directly with the venue before travelling. Every listing page includes a one-click correction link for the same reason.
No affiliation with listed venues
We are independent of every place listed. A listing is not a recommendation, endorsement, certification, sponsorship or partnership, and it does not mean that we have inspected a venue, verified its insurance or training, or assessed the safety of any animal at it. Trademarks and business names belonging to venues appear only to identify the place being described, and remain the property of their owners.
Ratings and editor's picks are opinions
Ratings, review counts and editor's picks reflect our editorial judgement and reader reports. They are subjective, they are not statistically controlled, and they should not be read as objective quality or safety assessments. Nothing published here should be treated as a consumer rating with any regulatory status.
Imagery: photographs and placeholders
Listings carry either a real photograph of the venue or its setting, credited on the image and reused under the photographer's open licence, or a plain frosted placeholder that means we do not yet have a photograph we can verify. We do not publish generated or invented images of the places we list. Even a real photograph is a moment in time: it may not reflect how a place looks today, and it must not be relied on to assess current appearance, size, facilities, or the presence or behaviour of animals.
Relying on data on this site is at your own risk
Distances, neighbourhood names and map links are provided for convenience and may be approximate or out of date. We are not responsible for the accuracy of third-party maps, navigation or booking services.
Your responsibility as an owner or handler
- Comply with all leash laws, animal control ordinances, park regulations and public transport rules that apply to where you are.
- Keep your animal under control and supervised at all times, and clean up after it.
- Respect signed off-leash boundaries and posted seasonal closures. A directory listing never overrides an on-site sign.
- Consider whether an environment is appropriate for your particular animal — heat, crowds, water, wildlife and other dogs all matter.
- Do not bring an animal to a place that does not permit it on the basis of something you read here.
External links
This site links to third-party websites, maps and booking or retail platforms. We do not control them, do not endorse their content, and are not responsible for their availability, terms or privacy practices. A link to a third party is not a warranty of anything they offer.
Limitation
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability for loss, injury, illness, damage or expense arising from use of, or reliance on, information on this site — including refusal of entry, cancellation, closure, or anything that happens at a place you found here. The full liability position is set out in the Terms of Service.
Reporting something wrong
If a listing is inaccurate, tell us and we will re-verify it: hello@bighappy.com. Corrections are the single most useful thing readers send us.