This Return, Cancellation, Exchange, and Refund Policy ("Policy") applies to all Products purchased through the Cuddle Paws Co website at www.cuddle-paws.in or through our physical store at West Side Shopping Mall, Indira Nagar, Gachibowli, Hyderabad.

This Policy forms part of and should be read together with our Terms of Service. By placing an order with us, you confirm that you have read and agree to this Policy.

To be eligible for a return, all of the following conditions must be met:

• The return request is raised within 7 (seven) calendar days of the date of delivery of the item to you. Requests raised after this window will not be accepted.
• The item is in its original, unused, and unopened condition — unworn, untampered with, with all original tags, labels, and seals intact.
• The item is returned in its original packaging, including all accessories, manuals, inserts, or bundled components that were included at the time of delivery.
• You provide valid proof of purchase, such as your order confirmation email, invoice, or order number.
• The item is not listed under any of the non-returnable categories set out in Section 3 below.
• The item was not purchased as a sale item, as part of a final sale promotion, or as a gift card.

Cuddle Paws reserves the right to assess the condition of returned items upon receipt and to reject a return if the item does not meet the above conditions. Return requests that do not satisfy all eligibility criteria will be declined and the item will be sent back to you at your cost.

The following product categories are strictly non-returnable and non-exchangeable, except where the item was received in a damaged, defective, or spoilt condition through our fault (see Section 6):

Partial use of multi-unit or combo products

Where a product is sold as a multi-unit pack or combo (for example, a pack of 12 pouches), and one or more units within the pack have been opened or consumed, no return, exchange, or refund will be accepted for the remaining unopened units. The return eligibility of a multi-unit product is assessed on the condition of the entire pack as originally delivered, not on the basis of individual units within it.

To initiate a return, please follow the steps below. Returns initiated outside of this process will not be accepted.

Returns sent to us without prior approval, or returns that do not follow the process above, will be refused and returned to the sender at their cost.

Cancellations by you

You may cancel an order at any time before it has been dispatched by contacting us at info@cuddle-paws.com. Once an order has been dispatched — i.e. handed over to our logistics partner — it can no longer be cancelled. In such cases, you may initiate a return after delivery, subject to the eligibility criteria in Section 2.

Cancellations for prescription medicine orders may not be possible once the prescription has been verified and the order has been processed by our pharmacist, even before dispatch. We are not obligated to accept a cancellation in such cases.

Cancellations by Cuddle Paws

We reserve the right to cancel any order at our sole discretion, including but not limited to the following circumstances:

• The product is out of stock or unavailable at the time of processing.
• A pricing or product description error has occurred on the Platform.
• The order quantities exceed what we consider reasonable for personal consumption, or we have reason to believe the order is not for personal use.
• The delivery address is in an area we are unable to service.
• Payment verification fails or is flagged as potentially fraudulent.
• A valid prescription is not provided or is rejected by our pharmacist for a prescription medicine order.

Where we cancel an order, you will be notified by email or SMS and a full refund of any amount paid will be processed to your original payment method. We are not liable for any consequential loss, inconvenience, or damages arising from our cancellation of an order.

We take quality and accuracy seriously. If your order arrives in any of the following conditions, please contact us as a matter of priority:

• The item is visibly damaged or broken upon delivery.
• The item is defective, spoilt, or has expired.
• You have received a wrong item — i.e. an item different from what you ordered.
• An item is missing from your order.

What you must provide

When raising a damage or defect claim, you must provide all of the following:

• Your order number and the name of the affected item.
• Clear photographs or a short video of the damaged or defective item, showing the issue and the condition of the outer packaging at the time of delivery.
• Confirmation of whether the outer packaging showed signs of damage at the time of delivery.

Without the above information, we may be unable to process your claim. We reserve the right to assess evidence and, at our discretion, offer a replacement, store credit, or refund. We are not obligated to accept a damage claim where the evidence provided is insufficient or where the damage is consistent with mishandling after delivery.

Perishable and consumable items

For perishable items such as wet food, fresh treats, or time-sensitive products, all damage and quality complaints must be raised within 24 hours of delivery, together with photographic evidence. No claim for perishable items will be considered after 24 hours of delivery.

We facilitate exchanges for eligible items on a case-by-case basis, subject to product availability. Exchanges are only available where the item meets all of the return eligibility conditions set out in Section 2, and is not listed under the non-returnable categories in Section 3.

To request an exchange, follow the same process as a return (Section 4) and specify in your initial request that you would like an exchange, along with the details of the replacement item you require. We will confirm whether the exchange can be accommodated before you return the original item.

Where the replacement item you request is of higher value than the original item, you will be required to pay the price difference before the replacement is dispatched. Where the replacement is of lower value, the difference will be refunded to your original payment method.

We are not obligated to facilitate an exchange if the requested replacement item is out of stock, discontinued, or unavailable at the time of the request.

How refunds are processed

Once we have received and inspected a returned item, we will notify you by email of the outcome of the inspection. If the return is approved, your refund will be credited to your original payment method. We do not issue refunds via any method other than the original payment method used at the time of purchase.

Refunds will cover the cost of the item only. Original shipping charges, if any, are non-refundable, unless the return arises from our error (damaged, defective, or incorrect item dispatched by us).

Refunds for cancelled orders

Where an order is cancelled before dispatch — whether by you or by us — any amount paid will be refunded in full to the original payment method within 5–7 business days of the cancellation being confirmed.

Non-refundable situations

No refund will be issued in the following circumstances:

• The return request is raised after the 7-day return window has expired.
• The returned item is not in its original, unused condition.
• The item falls within a non-returnable category listed in Section 3.
• The item was purchased during a final sale or discount promotion marked non-returnable.
• The damage or defect claim is raised after the 48-hour (or 24-hour for perishables) reporting window.
• Evidence submitted in support of a damage claim is insufficient or inconsistent.
• The returned item is lost in transit during the return journey.

Cuddle Paws reserves the right to refuse a return, exchange, or refund request at its sole discretion in the following circumstances:

• We have reason to believe the return request is fraudulent, abusive, or made in bad faith.
• The customer has a history of excessive or repeated return requests that suggest misuse of this Policy.
• The item returned is not the same item that was originally dispatched to the customer (i.e. a different product has been substituted in the return).
• The item shows signs of use, tampering, or damage inconsistent with what is described in the return request.
• The return was not pre-approved by us in writing before the item was shipped back.

In any of the above circumstances, the item will be returned to you and no refund or exchange will be processed. We reserve the right to suspend or permanently restrict your access to the Platform if we identify return misuse or fraud.

This Policy is governed by the laws of India and forms an integral part of our Terms of Service. In the event of any conflict between this Policy and our Terms of Service, the Terms of Service shall prevail. Any disputes relating to this Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at Hyderabad, Telangana.

We reserve the right to update or amend this Policy at any time. Changes will be effective from the date of publication on the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform following any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.

For all return, cancellation, exchange, or refund enquiries, please contact our customer support team. We aim to respond to all queries within 1–2 business days.