General terms and conditions of business
Article 1 Definitions
“Registration form” is a form physically or electronically completed by the customer containing the required data and the choice of service.
“Services” – all courses or training, events, publications or subscriptions offered at a given time by a company within the doc4pets group;
“doc4pets” – doc4pets GmbH, located at Lange Str. 19, 76307 Karlsbad, and VAT ID DE259583733, is the provider of the services within the framework of these General Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy;
“doc4pets Group” – Includes the company doc4pets GmbH and all its subsidiaries and affiliated companies.
“Customer“ – any legal or natural person who meets the required conditions to register their employees and/or staff or to register and/or use one or more of the services provided by Doc4pets at a given time;
“Invoice“ – the tax-relevant document issued by Doc4pets, confirming the customer’s acquisition of the services and specifying the amount and payment terms for the provision of these services, and which is part of the financial documentation.
“Participant“ refers to the individual who is to receive the service and who may or may not be the customer. If the participant is not the customer, they must also accept the General Terms and Conditions in their entirety, which apply to participants.
Article 2 Structure and formation of the contract
2.1 The contract consists of the following documents, which together regulate the relationship between the parties:
a) These General Terms and Conditions;
b) The registration form;
c) The content mentioned during the training;
d) Financial documents relating to the service (including the invoice).
2.2 The customer agrees that by creating or confirming a personal account and the registration form, as well as by partially or fully paying for the service (installment payment or one-time payment), they are bound by this contract.
When the service(s) are ordered by telephone, the contract is considered concluded when Doc4pets receives the customer's email confirming their details, the service(s), the terms and conditions, and partial or full payment thereof.
Doc4pets reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to waive the obligation to make partial or full payment upon receipt of a binding order from customers for the services offered.
Article 3 Subject matter of the contract
The subject of this contract is the provision of services when requested by a specific customer by registering for them and paying for them (in full or in installments).
Article 4 Provision of personal data
4.1 The provision of the customer's personal data is mandatory for the conclusion of the contract in accordance with section 2.2.
4.2 When registering for a service, the customer is obligated to provide all information requested in the registration form, as well as any additional information Doc4pets deems necessary. Doc4pets is entitled to request proof of the customer's qualifications for registration, such as membership in a professional organization, a registration number, or proof of training. Should it transpire that a customer or participant is not qualified, Doc4pets will fully refund the amount paid for the service. 4.3 The information provided by the customer must be truthful, accurate, current, and complete, including, but not limited to, information relating to the requirements for participation in a service to which the customer subscribes.
4.4 The customer is obliged to update the information provided immediately in the event of any changes.
4.5 In accordance with the preceding paragraphs of this Article 4, Doc4pets may rely on the information provided by the customer without having to verify its truthfulness, timeliness, accuracy or completeness.
4.6 Doc4pets processes the personal data and information referred to in this Article 4 in accordance with its privacy policy.
Article 5 Contract duration
5.1 The contract defines the duration for which the requested service is to be provided.
5.2 Doc4pets makes every effort to deliver the services at the agreed time and under the agreed conditions. However, the stated dates for the start or completion of the services are only guidelines and may deviate from the initial schedule.
5.3 Doc4pets accepts no responsibility and is not liable for delays in the delivery of the service, changes to the schedule or the place of performance, or for any resulting damages.
Article 6 Price, Payment and Invoicing
6.1 The costs for each service are set by Doc4pets and are shown on the respective invoice. Customers are obligated to pay these costs in accordance with the specified payment terms and deadlines, which are detailed for each service and noted in the corresponding invoice documents.
6.2 Customers may cancel a service booking within 14 days without incurring additional costs, provided this is in accordance with consumer protection law. The right of cancellation expires if the service has commenced within this period with the customer's consent.
6.3 Customers must pay the amount stipulated by Doc4pets for the service within the period specified in the invoice. If payment is not received on time, Doc4pets has the right to withhold or discontinue the service until payment is received.
6.3.1 A late partial payment will result in the remaining installments becoming due immediately, interest accruing, and access to the service being denied until the situation is resolved.
6.3.2 In the event of chargebacks to installment payments without prior notification to Doc4pets, the customer will be charged an additional fee for the administrative costs incurred.
6.4 Payment is made via the payment methods provided by Doc4pets.
6.5 A customer secures a place in a requested service only if they register for it in advance and Doc4pets receives either an initial deposit or the full amount for the service, depending on the agreed payment method.
6.6 The accounting documents relating to payments will be sent by email to the customer's email address provided during registration, including the electronic invoice. Requests to change the email address or to receive documents by other means must be submitted to Doc4pets in writing.
For changes to the payment method, payment plan, or for the postal delivery of documents, as well as for changes to the invoice after it has been issued, an additional administrative fee will be added to the total service amount. Information regarding these administrative fees is available upon request via email to info@tierarzt-fortbildungen.de.
Article 7 Preferred Communication
Doc4pets prefers using email for communication with customers and sending documents, especially when it comes to financial information. We regularly scan our computer systems for viruses. Despite taking all reasonable precautions against the spread of known viruses, we recommend that customers also carefully check all incoming emails for viruses and use appropriate antivirus software to protect their data, emails, and other digital content.
Article 8 Customer Obligations
8.1 This agreement obligates customers to always provide truthful, accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information, particularly regarding their education and the necessary qualifications for registration and participation in the services. Corporate customers must ensure that they are authorized to provide information on behalf of their employees.
a) In the event of any changes to this information, the customer is obligated to inform Doc4pets immediately and to ensure that the information is constantly updated. Doc4pets relies on the information provided at the time and assumes no responsibility for its inaccuracy.
b) Customers must also inform Doc4pets of any changes to the provided contact details. Doc4pets accepts no responsibility for services that cannot be provided due to outdated contact information.
c) Customers are also encouraged to inform Doc4pets of any special dietary requirements or important health information that may be relevant to the normal operation and provision of the services.
8.2 Customers are obliged to pay the costs for the service in full within the deadlines set by Doc4pets and in the accepted payment method.
8.3 Customers are aware that collecting, copying or sending images or sound recordings of the courses without the express permission of Doc4pets is not permitted.
8.4 For services provided in person, customers are required to present their identity card in order to participate in the services.
Article 9: Obligations of Doc4pets
Under this contract, Doc4pets undertakes to:
a) to perform the service with due care and attention;
b) to ensure that the teachers have sufficient knowledge in the subjects they teach. The teachers are responsible for the correctness and accuracy of the information they provide. Doc4pets is not liable for inaccuracies or errors in oral or written communication.
c) to ensure the confidentiality of all confidential information provided by customers and expressly classified as confidential;
d) to guarantee an appropriate level of security in accordance with national laws and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR);
e) to comply with the privacy and cookie policy, which governs the handling of personal data provided by customers with regard to collection and processing.
Article 10 Cancellation or modification of the service
10.1 From the customer's perspective:
a) Customers have the right to transfer their reserved place for a service or specific service modules to another person at their own discretion. However, the identity of the new participant must be communicated to Doc4pets in advance so that the participant list can be updated accordingly. The transfer will only become effective after Doc4pets has given its approval.
b) If a participant misses one or more modules, a written request must be submitted to participate in a comparable module offered by Doc4pets at the next available service. Doc4pets will decide at its sole discretion whether to grant this request. For registrations made less than two weeks in advance, an additional administrative fee will apply.
c) If a customer wishes to cancel a service for which they have registered and which has not yet taken place, this is possible as long as the cancellation is made in writing by email to the address info@tierarzt-fortbildungen.de.
d) If the customer cancels the service 30 days or more before the scheduled start date, a fee equal to the deposit paid or an equivalent amount will be charged, unless otherwise stipulated in section 6.2 of the Terms and Conditions.
e) If the cancellation is made within 30 days of the scheduled start date, no refund will usually be given unless there is an exception as described in section 6.2 of the terms and conditions.
10.2 From Doc4pets:
a) Should a service be cancelled for a specific reason (e.g., insufficient registrations), the customer will be informed and will receive a full refund of any fees already paid for the service. Other costs incurred by the customer, such as those for reservations, travel purchases, transportation, or accommodation, will not be refunded.
b) Doc4pets reserves the right to make changes to the announced service locations, dates, or trainers in special cases. Customers will be informed of such changes in advance whenever possible. Doc4pets accepts no liability for reimbursement or the incurrence of costs resulting from such changes, including costs for reservations, travel purchases, transportation, or accommodation.
Article 11 Termination of the Contract
11.1 Doc4pets reserves the right to terminate the contract under the following circumstances:
a) If the customer fails to fulfill his contractual obligations;
b) If the customer fails to pay fees due or makes payments for the services in accordance with the previously agreed payment plan;
c) If Doc4pets becomes aware that the customer: (i) is subject to insolvency proceedings, (ii) has become insolvent or has entered into a corresponding agreement or measure with regard to his insolvency, (iii) has entered into arrangements for the benefit of his creditors, (iv) or if his assets have been seized.
d) If the customer is a legal entity, Doc4pets is entitled to terminate the contract if the company becomes insolvent, is in financial difficulty, goes bankrupt, or if an administrator or manager is appointed to run the company.
11.2 The failure to exercise or delay in asserting rights by Doc4pets under the contract shall not constitute a waiver of such rights and shall not limit the right to exercise them subsequently.
Article 12: Responsibilities
12.1 Doc4pets accepts responsibility for the failure of services, provided that this can be clearly attributed to gross negligence on the part of the company.
12.2 However, Doc4pets' liability is limited to the scope set out in this provision.
12.3 This agreement shall not be interpreted as limiting or excluding Doc4pets' liability for death or personal injury resulting from gross negligence or willful misconduct, to the extent that such claims cannot be limited by law, particularly with regard to the customers' status as consumers.
12.4 Doc4pets is not implicitly bound to any obligation, duty or liability arising from the contract or from torts (including negligence), unless expressly stated in this agreement.
Article 13: Data Protection Policy
13.1 Doc4pets' data protection practices are published on the website https://tierarzt-fortbildungen.de/datenschutzerklaerung/. By registering for and subscribing to Doc4pets' services, the customer agrees that their data may be processed and shared with the relevant parties in order to fulfill the contractually agreed services. The involvement of third parties in the provision of services must be clearly indicated when the service is presented. These parties may contact the customer in accordance with their own terms and conditions, privacy policies, and other regulations.
Should Doc4pets register a customer for programs recognized and evaluated by the German Federal Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons (ATF) or reviewed by other cooperation partners, Doc4pets will forward the information necessary for accreditation and certification to these institutions. Appropriate security measures will be taken to protect personal data when it is shared with third parties.
13.2 Personal data will only be disclosed to entities other than those mentioned above if this is legally permitted or necessary.
Article 14: Complaints procedure
Should a customer experience dissatisfaction with any part of the service offered, they have the right to submit their complaint in writing via email to Doc4pets. Doc4pets will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within three business days and keep the customer continuously informed about the progress and processing of their complaint in order to work together to find a suitable solution.
Article 15: Force Majeure
Neither party shall be liable for delays or failure to perform its contractual obligations if these are caused by force majeure. For the purposes of this agreement, force majeure shall be defined as any unforeseeable event beyond the control of the parties. This includes, but is not limited to, natural disasters such as fire, floods, major explosions, civil unrest, states of war (whether officially declared or not), hurricanes, acts of terrorism, serious accidents, epidemics, government restrictions or measures, as well as acts or omissions by civil or military authorities, strikes, and labor disputes involving employees of the Doc4pets Group or others, which may impede the performance of this agreement.
Article 16: General Provisions
16.1 Under this agreement, all required, necessary or permitted communications must be made in writing to the email address provided to the other party at the time of communication.
16.2 Doc4pets may amend the General Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy at any time.
16.3 Doc4pets is entitled to make changes to the courses offered without prior notification to the customers, provided that these changes are necessary to comply with existing safety regulations or legal requirements, and provided that these changes do not significantly alter the nature or quality of the courses.
16.4 This contract shall be interpreted as meaning that all its clauses are legally valid and enforceable. However, should any part of this contract be declared invalid, void, or unenforceable by a competent authority, the validity of the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected.
16.5 The provisions of this contract shall take precedence over any other written or oral agreements between the contracting parties regarding the provision of the services.
Article 17: Applicable Law and Jurisdiction
The provisions of this contract are formulated in accordance with and subject to applicable German law.
In the event of legal disputes arising from this contract, the agreed place of jurisdiction is Karlsruhe.