Terms & Conditions

• It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that the correct tests are selected for the sample being
submitted. By submitting a sample, completed submission form (paper or online) and payment, the customer implies an understanding of the purpose and limitation of the testing being requested. If the submission is unclear, we will contact the customer to clarify the request which may result in a delay to
reporting of results.
• Some tests are considered breed specific, please refer to the information available on our website
(catgenetics.co.uk) to guide test selection for your breed(s).
• We will not provide a refund for an inappropriately selected test following the sample being received and payment collected.

• It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that they have the legal right to submit a sample from the cat in question.
• We recommend that customers submitting samples from outside the UK, send two swabs per cat with the initial submission. Failure to do this may result in delays to reporting of results.
• Some registrations require veterinary verification of the cat’s microchip number at the time of sample collection. It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that their submission meets all requirements of their Breed Society or other third-party registration.
• It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that their swab(s) arrive in our laboratory in a suitable state for genetic testing e.g. swabs individually labelled, legible, matched to the submission form and packaged to avoid cross contamination. Depending on the state of the submitted swab(s), testing may be delayed or new swab(s) requested as part of our quality control.
• Any blood sample submitted for genetic testing must be taken by a registered veterinarian, clearly labelled and packaged in absorbent material, double wrapped to minimise damage, leakage and
contamination. Depending on the state of the submitted sample(s), testing may be delayed or new blood sample(s) requested as part of our quality control.
• Any sample (swab or blood) received unlabelled or without the appropriate paperwork (a fully completed submission form or complete GT reference slip) will be disposed of.

• It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure the correct customs and shipping requirements are fulfilled. Please ensure you are aware of any local or national export requirements prior to posting samples. Langford Vets will not be held responsible for samples which do not clear customs or get lost in transit. The customer is responsible for charges relating to transport of samples from outside of the UK e.g. shipping,
handling, packaging, duties and taxes.
• Any fees incurred by Langford Vets relating to sample shipping (including underpaid postage) will be recharged to the customer

• Online - via our online submission process https://www.langfordvets.co.uk/payment/
• Credit/Debit card – we accept payments over the phone 0117 394 0510 - select Option 1
• Cheque (payable to Langford Veterinary Services Ltd) - UK clients only. We regret we cannot accept cheques from clients outside of the UK.
• Bank transfer (Account number 21345554, sort code 56-00-05)
• We reserve the right to review our prices for this service in line with market changes and other factors.

• All testing fees are subject to VAT at the current rate* *Except VAT exempt countries or on provision of a valid VAT exemption code.
• Genetic testing of samples will not proceed until full payment has been received. After this time, any cancellations of tests must be communicated in writing/email and will incur a cancellation fee of £18.00 to cover administration and processing costs.
• Any transaction fees incurred by Langford Vets e.g. cheques returned, or card payments not honoured will be re-charged to the customer.

• We aim to send results by email within 3 working days of the laboratory receiving the samples and full payment. These turnaround times are subject to change e.g. for Bank holidays, adverse weather or
supply chain delays - if we are experiencing delays to usual service these will be notified on our website catgenetics.co.uk

• Results are sent by email, we make every effort to deliver results to the email address provided, but due to factors outside of our control e.g. spam filtering, we cannot guarantee that results will be received.
• Results will not be provided over the telephone, post or fax (except for in exceptional circumstances).
• In non-vet certified submissions, we test the sample provided and submitted by the customer. The information on the certificate such as the name of the animal and microchip number (if provided) is based on the submission and not verified by any third party.
• Langford Vets do not accept any liability for inaccuracies contained in our results obtained from third parties.
• Any concern over a genetic result reported by Langford Vets should be raised with us. To fully investigate we may ask for a repeat sample or samples from the cat’s parents/evidence of genetic testing carried
out. If this cannot be provided, we will resolve the issue to the best of our ability based on the information provided to us.
• Results may be delayed if we receive inadequate quality samples that contain low levels of DNA and require additional testing (see below Genetic Sampling Policy).

• Failure of first swab: where an initial submission does not contain enough DNA to pass our quality control measures, the result will be reported as “New Swab Required”. In the first instance a new swab (please send two swabs if based outside the UK) submitted from the same animal will be retested for the same tests free of charge. You may send a blood sample (collected by a registered veterinarian) rather than a second swab as this will almost guarantee we will be able to get a result on repeat.
• Failure of second swab: If we are unable to obtain a satisfactory result on the repeat swab(s), then the result will be reported as “Blood Sample Required”. This will require the customer to submit an EDTA whole blood sample (collected by a registered veterinarian) from the same animal which will be retested for the same tests free of charge.
• If a customer sends a further swab for testing when we have requested blood or requests different tests to the initial submission at any point during the process outlined above, this will incur the full charge of the tests requested.
• For DNA samples where the yield is intermediate/low, we repeat the genetic testing as part of our quality control and if the duplicate results pass, we will report the result(s) together with a low-level DNA comment on the certificate saying: “Please note: The original sample contained low levels of cat DNA, but by repeating the test and performing extra work we are confident in the reported result(s). Please visit our website or contact us for details of how to take a good quality mouth swab. Extra tests will require another swab submitted”
• Extra test requests will not be accepted on samples which contain a low-level DNA comment above. Please check certificates before submitting extra tests to ensure the sample is suitable. If extra testing is required on a cat which has a low-level DNA comment on the original certificate, please submit a new swab (please send two swabs if based outside the UK) for extra testing.
• Due to the nature of the genetic testing we carry out, occasionally a DNA sample may pass quality control for some tests requested and not others. If this occurs, we will report all results that passed quality
control, and on the same certificate any failed results will be reported as “New Swab Required”. The customer can then submit a new swab (please send two swabs if based outside the UK) from the same
animal, which we will test free of charge and report the outstanding test result(s) on a separate certificate. If the customer requires all genetic results to be reported on the same certificate, they need to notify us of this when sending the new swab(s). This is only applicable to non-vet certified submissions.

• Please inform us of any changes of address, telephone number or other details promptly by email - catgenetics@langfordvets.co.uk
 to enable us to update our database accordingly.

• Any request to run extra testing on an archived sample where the owner has changed must be accompanied by a declaration of change of ownership in writing notified to us by the original owner linked to that sample in our database (email notification is acceptable).
• We will make small changes to certificates e.g. a cat’s name or adding a microchip number where requested. However, we reserve the right to charge an administration fee of £5 per certificate if we receive multiple requests to make changes and re-issue certificates. Please note adding a microchip number after testing has been carried out will not allow registration with governing bodies as the cat’s identity was not verified by a veterinarian at the time of sample collection.

• Once a swab is received and processed by us, the resultant DNA sample becomes property of Langford Vets for the purposes of storage and disposal. We endeavour to store DNA samples for additional tests
for a period of at least 2 years but cannot guarantee the suitability of a sample for any purpose. As such, requests for extra tests may result in a request for a new swab or swabs.                                   • DNA samples accrued as part of our testing services may be anonymously used by Langford Vets to help validate existing or new tests. This is a necessary component of our genetic testing validation and quality control processes and ensures we maintain the highest standard testing service. By submitting a sample to us, the customer consents to that sample being used for the purpose of test validation. We will make every effort not to deplete the sample, so that it remains available to the customer for future testing, but
this cannot be guaranteed. Customer details and animal names will be kept in strict confidence and will never be disseminated publicly as part of this process.
• DNA samples cannot be returned to customers or sent to other testing laboratories.

• If we have sought prior consent for sample inclusion in novel research studies, these samples are used for research purposes consistent with the mission of Langford Vets Cat Genetics Service. Research can identify novel mutations and/or advance animal biology and health. Furthermore, your consent allows Langford Vets to contact you if more information about the animal is needed for the research study. If you consent, and later choose to remove your sample from our research studies, you must do so in writing.
Upon receiving this request, Langford Vets will withdraw the sample from our research collection within 60 days from the date of receipt. Data collected for any study prior to the date of receiving this written
request cannot be withdrawn.

• Please refer to our website catgenetics.co.uk to help interpret cat genetic results reported by us.
• For further support/interpretation please email catgenetics@langfordvets.co.uk and queries will be
passed to our Genetic Advice specialists who will aim to respond within 5 working days. Please provide the certificate numbers of all animals involved and as much detail as possible, to aid us in understanding your query.
• Our Genetic Advice specialists are happy to help interpret any cat genetic results reported by Langford
Vets. However, we are unable to comment on results produced by other testing facilities.
• Please do not telephone to ask for result interpretation.

• Superior customer service is important to us. We hope that you never have recourse to complain about the standards of service received from Langford Vets Cat Genetic Testing Service. However, if you feel there is something you wish to raise as a complaint- please clearly notify us it is a complaint (not a query) and direct your concern in writing to the Cat Genetics Team catgenetics@langfordvets.co.uk in the firstinstance. Alternatively, please use the complaint form on our website Langford Vets - Owner and Client Feedback Langford Vets - Owner and Client Feedback
• Upon the receipt of a complaint, should it require escalation, it will be passed to the Molecular Diagnostic Unit Management Team for review. If appropriate, an investigation will be carried out to identify any action(s) to be taken. If you have provided contact details, we may get in touch for further information and to notify you of any action taken/outcome

• We maintain the right to terminate delivery of our services to you as a customer should the trust between parties have sufficiently broken down that further delivery would be unfeasible e.g. falsification of results. In this unlikely circumstance, we will confirm this to you in writing. Anyone suspected of falsifying results for personal gain may be investigated by an independent regulatory body e.g. Trading Standards.                                                                                    • Anyone abusing members of our staff over the telephone or by email will be advised that this behaviour will not be tolerated. Any future violation of this policy will result in termination of provision of our services to that customer. There will be no appeal process. We feel sure that you will understand that proper behaviour is necessary for our staff and that non-observance will not be tolerated

• Animal genotyping data and associated information collected by Langford Vets is used to advance the knowledge of feline biology and health. The data can be used, for example, to understand the frequency of mutations within populations so that recommendations for testing can be made or to assist in the development or validation of new tests. By testing with Langford Vets, you consent to this and are helping to advance knowledge. Animal names, ID numbers, and customer/owner information will be kept in strict confidence and not disseminated publicly.
• The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) apply to customer records. Your personal data records will be kept confidential to Langford Vets. We may however use your contact details for service updates and marketing purposes if you have given your consent as it applies. You can view the Langford Vets Privacy Policies here:Langford Vets - Privacy Policies

• Langford Vets release cat genetic test results to the customer or organization that paid for the tests. With prior approval from us, the customer may elect to allow us to share results with third parties. This must be notified in writing (email).
• The data collected and results produced by Langford Vets will not otherwise disclosed or additional information disseminated, except if required by law

• Providing the highest quality and most accurate Cat Genetic Testing Service is a priority for Langford Vets. We apply stringent quality control measures with internal checks in place to ensure accurate and timely
reporting of results. Improvements to existing testing programs are carried out as new instrumentation and other tools become available. As part of our mission, we actively work in research and development of
existing assays as well as development of new cat genetic tests.

• Langford Vets may make changes to this policy from time to time to reflect current practices and will update these terms and conditions when changes are made.