Refund & Returns Policy

1. Standard products and change of mind

1.1. For most standard non-perishable products purchased online, you have the right to cancel your purchase within 14 days of receiving the goods without giving a reason.

1.2. Standard products may include reptile equipment, enclosures, heating, lighting, thermostats, accessories, decor, bedding, supplements and other non-perishable reptile supplies.

1.3. After informing West Cork Reptiles that you wish to cancel an eligible purchase, you must return the goods without undue delay and normally within a further 14 days.

1.4. Certain products are excluded from the statutory change-of-mind cancellation right. Relevant exceptions are explained later in this policy.

2. Cancelling an order

2.1. If your order has not yet been dispatched, prepared for collection or scheduled for delivery, please contact West Cork Reptiles as soon as possible if you wish to cancel it.

2.2. For an eligible online purchase, you may exercise your statutory cancellation right by clearly informing us of your decision to cancel before the applicable cancellation period expires.

2.3. You do not need to give a reason for cancelling an eligible standard product within the statutory cancellation period.

2.4. A clear email stating that you wish to cancel the purchase is sufficient for notifying West Cork Reptiles of your decision.

2.5. Orders containing live animals, frozen food or live food require different handling and are covered by the relevant sections of this policy.

3. Returning standard products

3.1. Please contact West Cork Reptiles before sending or bringing any product back so that we can provide the correct return arrangements and return address.

3.2. Where goods need to be returned, we will provide the appropriate return address and any instructions reasonably required for the return.

3.3. Please do not send or bring products to any location without prior arrangement.

3.4. Products returned following a change-of-mind cancellation should be handled with reasonable care and, where reasonably possible, returned:

• complete with all supplied parts and accessories;
• clean and in suitable condition;
• securely packaged for transport;
• with manuals and other supplied materials where applicable;
• in the original packaging where reasonably possible.

3.5. You may inspect a product to establish its nature, characteristics and functioning.

3.6. You may be responsible for any reduction in value caused by handling beyond what is reasonably necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the product.

3.7. Opening ordinary packaging does not automatically remove your statutory cancellation rights unless a specific legal exception applies.

4. Return costs

4.1. For a standard change-of-mind return, the customer is responsible for the direct cost of returning the goods unless West Cork Reptiles agrees otherwise or applicable consumer law requires us to bear the cost.

4.2. We recommend using an appropriate tracked delivery service and securely packaging the product for transport.

4.3. Where goods are faulty, damaged, incorrect or otherwise not in conformity with the sales contract, return costs will be handled in accordance with your statutory consumer rights.

4.4. Please contact us before returning a faulty, damaged or incorrect product so that we can confirm the appropriate return process.

5. Refunds

5.1. Where a valid statutory cancellation applies, West Cork Reptiles will refund the amount due in accordance with applicable Irish consumer law.

5.2. Where applicable, this includes the original delivery charge up to the cost of the least expensive standard delivery method offered for the order.

5.3. If you selected a more expensive or non-standard delivery option, any additional delivery cost above the least expensive standard delivery option does not have to be refunded where permitted by law.

5.4. Refunds will normally be made using the same payment method used for the original transaction unless another method is expressly agreed.

5.5. Refunds will be processed without undue delay and within the time limits required by applicable consumer law.

5.6. For returned goods, unless West Cork Reptiles has agreed to collect them, we may withhold reimbursement until:

• we have received the goods back; or
• you provide evidence that the goods have been sent back,

5.7. whichever occurs first.

6. Faulty, damaged or incorrect products

6.1. Your statutory rights relating to faulty, damaged, incorrect or misdescribed goods are separate from the change-of-mind cancellation right.

6.2. If you receive a product that is faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described, please contact West Cork Reptiles as soon as reasonably possible.

6.3. Please provide:

• your order number;
• a description of the problem;
• photographs or video where helpful;
• photographs of the packaging where delivery damage is involved.

6.4. Depending on the circumstances and your statutory rights, an appropriate remedy may include repair, replacement, price reduction or refund.

6.5. Please keep the affected product and any damaged packaging until we confirm whether they are required for a courier claim, inspection or further assessment.

6.6. Please do not dispose of a damaged or faulty item before contacting us unless keeping the item would be unsafe or unreasonable.

7. Frozen food and live food

7.1. Frozen feeders and other frozen food sold by West Cork Reptiles are perishable, temperature-sensitive products that require controlled storage and handling.

7.2. West Cork Reptiles does not accept voluntary change-of-mind returns or exchanges of frozen food after delivery or collection. Frozen food is liable to deteriorate if the required temperature is not maintained and, once it has left our control, we cannot verify its storage, handling or temperature history.

7.3. Frozen food is supplied in single-use packaging intended for hygienic transport and storage. Once supplied to a customer, that packaging and its contents cannot be safely reused or returned to stock for resale.

7.4. Where the statutory exception for goods liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly applies, frozen food is not covered by the standard 14-day change-of-mind cancellation right.

7.5. The same principle may apply to live feeder insects or other live food that is liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly.

7.6. This policy does not affect your statutory rights where frozen food or live food is faulty, damaged, incorrectly supplied or otherwise not in conformity with the contract.

7.7. Please inspect frozen products as soon as possible after delivery or collection.

7.8. If frozen food arrives in an unacceptable condition, is significantly thawed, damaged or incorrect, please contact West Cork Reptiles as soon as reasonably possible, preferably on the day of delivery or collection.

7.9. Please provide your order number and photographs showing:

• the affected products;
• the condition of the outer packaging;
• the condition of any insulated or temperature-control packaging where applicable;
• any visible damage or other relevant issue.

7.10. Do not send frozen food or live food back unless West Cork Reptiles specifically asks you to do so and provides appropriate return or disposal instructions.

8. Live animals

8.1. West Cork Reptiles does not offer voluntary change-of-mind returns or exchanges for live animals after delivery or collection. This policy is based on animal welfare and biosecurity considerations.

8.2. Once a live animal has left our care, its husbandry conditions, handling, transport conditions and exposure to other animals are outside our control. Accepting an animal back may therefore create health and biosecurity risks for that animal and for other animals in our care, including the potential transmission of disease or parasites.

8.3. Repeated transport, handling and changes of environment may also cause unnecessary stress to a live animal. Customers should therefore carefully consider the commitment involved and ensure that suitable housing, heating, lighting, environmental conditions and care arrangements are in place before purchasing a live animal.

8.4. Live animals must not be returned through An Post, DPD or any ordinary postal or parcel courier service.

8.5. If you wish to cancel a live animal order before delivery or collection, please contact West Cork Reptiles as soon as possible so that the status of the order, payment and any planned livestock transport can be reviewed.

8.6. If you believe that an animal was incorrectly supplied, materially different from its description, or that there was a health or welfare concern at the time of handover, please contact West Cork Reptiles as soon as reasonably possible so that the matter can be assessed appropriately.

8.7. We may reasonably request relevant information such as:

• photographs or video of the animal;
• details of the enclosure and setup;
• temperature and humidity information;
• feeding and husbandry information;
• veterinary information where relevant.

8.8. Where an animal appears seriously unwell, injured or in distress, you should seek appropriate veterinary advice without delaying urgent care while waiting for a response from West Cork Reptiles.

8.9. Where an animal needs to be moved in connection with a statutory consumer remedy or another arrangement expressly agreed with West Cork Reptiles, appropriate welfare, biosecurity, handling and transport arrangements must be made in advance.

8.10. Nothing in this section excludes, restricts or limits any statutory consumer right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

9. Collections and return arrangements

9.1. West Cork Reptiles operates as an online business and does not operate a public walk-in retail shop.

9.2. The business address stated in our Terms & Conditions is provided for legal and correspondence purposes only. It is not a retail shop, public returns desk or customer collection point. Please do not visit that address.

9.3. Customer collections, livestock handovers and product returns are available only where expressly arranged with West Cork Reptiles in advance.

9.4. Where collection, livestock handover or an in-person return is appropriate, the date, time and location will be confirmed separately by West Cork Reptiles.

9.5. Where products need to be returned by post or courier, West Cork Reptiles will provide the appropriate return address and any relevant return instructions.

10. Exceptions to change-of-mind returns

10.1. The statutory right to cancel an online purchase for change of mind does not apply in certain circumstances provided for by law.

10.2. Depending on the product, these may include:

• goods that are liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly;
• goods that are clearly personalised;
• non-prefabricated goods made to an individual customer's choice or specification;
• sealed goods that are not suitable for return for health protection or hygiene reasons once they have been unsealed after delivery;
• goods which, because of their nature, have become inseparably mixed with other items after delivery.

10.3. An exception to the change-of-mind cancellation right does not remove your statutory rights relating to goods that are faulty, damaged, incorrect or otherwise not in conformity with the sales contract.

11. How to cancel an eligible purchase

11.1. To exercise your cancellation right for an eligible purchase, you must clearly inform West Cork Reptiles of your decision to cancel before the cancellation period expires.

11.2. You can do this by emailing: [email protected]

11.3. Please include:

• your name;
• your order number;
• the product or products you wish to cancel;
• the date the order was placed;
• the date the goods were received, where applicable;
• a clear statement that you wish to cancel the purchase.

11.4. You do not need to provide a reason for cancelling an eligible purchase.

11.5. Once we receive your request, we will provide the appropriate return address and return instructions where goods need to be sent back.

12. Statutory rights

12.1. Nothing in this Refund & Returns Policy excludes, restricts or overrides any mandatory rights you have under Irish consumer law.

12.2. This includes rights relating to goods that are faulty, not as described, not fit for their normal or agreed purpose, or otherwise not in conformity with the sales contract.

12.3. The principal legislation governing consumer purchases covered by this policy includes the Consumer Rights Act 2022.

12.4. Where there is any conflict between this policy and a mandatory statutory consumer right, the statutory consumer right will apply.

13. Contact

13.1. If you wish to cancel an eligible order, arrange a return, report a faulty, damaged or incorrect product, or discuss a live animal, frozen food or live food order, please contact West Cork Reptiles.

13.2. Returns: [email protected]

13.3. General enquiries: [email protected]

13.4. Please do not send or bring returns to any address without contacting us first. Where goods need to be returned, we will provide the appropriate return address and any instructions needed to complete the return.