A note from us

At Sidekick, we understand that sometimes a product is not the right fit for you or your furry friend. We have written this policy to make the return process as smooth, transparent, and human as possible, so you can shop with confidence and peace of mind.

If you are unsure about anything in this policy, send us a message on WhatsApp at +91 9217475141 or write to info@mysidekick.pet, and we will walk you through it in plain language.

Please note: at this time, we offer returns only on orders shipped within India. For international or marketplace orders, please follow the return process of the channel you purchased through.

1. Scope and how to read this policy

This policy applies to direct purchases made from www.mysidekick.pet by individual pet parents in India for personal use. It does not apply to:

• Bulk purchases by veterinary clinics, shelters, rescue organisations, or other institutional buyers. Those are governed by the written terms agreed at the time of order.

• Sales made through third-party marketplaces such as Amazon or Flipkart. Those follow the marketplace's own return framework in addition to ours.

• Teleconsultation services. Those are addressed in Section 10 of this policy and in Section 25 of our Terms of Service.

In this policy:

• "We", "us", and "Sidekick" mean Brunate Private Limited, operating under the brand name Sidekick.

• "You", "buyer", and "customer" mean the person who placed the order.

• "Wheelchair" means our rear-support wheelchair, in any size or configuration.

• "Soft goods" means harnesses, slings, braces, belly belts, leg loops, stirrups, and any other fabric or padded component sold by us, whether standalone or bundled with a wheelchair.

• "Business day" means Monday to Saturday, excluding national and Haryana state public holidays.

2. Before you start a return

Before initiating a return, please reach out to us on WhatsApp first. We have found that most fit and comfort concerns can be resolved by walking you through the existing adjustment range of the wheelchair, or by sending guidance specific to your dog's condition. Many returns are genuinely avoidable, and we would much rather help you make the product work than process a return that leaves your dog without support.

If, after that conversation, a return is still the right call, the sections below explain how it works.

3. Wheelchair returns: window and grading

3.1 Return window

We accept wheelchair returns within seven (7) days from the date of delivery. The window starts on the day your order is marked as delivered by the courier. The courier's tracking record is the binding reference for determining the delivery date and is not subject to dispute. Requests received after the seventh day will not be accepted.

3.2 Condition grading

Every returned wheelchair is inspected and graded based on its condition when it reaches us. The restocking fee, and whether a refund is available at all, depend on the grade.

The grades are:

Grading is Sidekick's determination. Grading is assessed by Sidekick upon physical inspection of the returned item. Our assessment is final. No external assessment, photograph, or third-party opinion will alter the grade assigned.

3.3 Inward shipping

You arrange and pay for the courier that returns the wheelchair to us. We will share the return address by email once your return request is approved.

Please pack the wheelchair securely in its original packaging, with the same internal cushioning that protected it when it arrived. If a return reaches us with frame damage, dents, bent components, or broken wheels caused by inadequate packaging or rough handling in transit, the wheelchair will, depending on the extent of the damage, be reassessed to a lower grade, including Grade C in cases of structural damage.

If a unit reaches us in a condition that puts it firmly in Grade C, a refund is not available.

This clause does not apply where the damage was caused by us, our outbound courier, or a manufacturing defect. Those cases are governed by Section 6 and Section 9. All other transit damage on the return journey, regardless of cause or courier handling, remains the customer's responsibility. Sidekick is not liable for damage incurred during return shipping arranged by the customer.

4. Soft goods returns (standalone purchases)

Soft goods purchased on their own, such as the Rear Lift Harness/Sling, Belly Support Sling, or Knuckling Correction Brace, are non-returnable. Here is why -

These items come into direct contact with your pet's skin and body. Once an item has been near a pet, even briefly, we cannot sanitise it to a standard safe for the next dog. For this reason, all soft goods sales are final. This is standard practice across body-contact pet equipment globally, and it protects the animal that receives the product next.

 

5. Custom-sized units

For dogs whose measurements fall outside our standard Small, Medium, and Large sizing, we customise frame components to fit your dog. Custom units are built to your dog's specific dimensions and cannot be resold to another customer.

Custom-sized units are non-returnable, except where:

• The unit arrives with a verified manufacturing defect or material failure, in which case Section 9 applies.

• The unit was incorrectly built to dimensions other than those confirmed in writing at the time of order, in which case we will rebuild at no cost, or refund in full, at your option.

If a custom unit is the wrong fit despite correct dimensions, we will help through complimentary remote fitting guidance and, where required, by sending replacement soft goods or sub-components at our cost.

6. Damaged, defective, or incorrect items on arrival

We inspect every product before dispatch, but we know that things can still go wrong in transit. Please inspect your order on the day it arrives. If a wheelchair or any item arrives damaged, defective, or is the wrong item, contact us at info@mysidekick.pet or on WhatsApp within twenty-four (24) hours of delivery with:

• Your order number.

• Clear photos showing the issue, including photos of the outer packaging.

• A short note describing what is wrong.

• An unboxing video recorded continuously from the moment the outer packaging is first opened, showing the item and its condition as received.

Claims submitted without an unboxing video cannot be processed. We recommend recording an unboxing video for every Sidekick order at the time of opening.

In these cases, none of the deductions in Sections 3 to 5 applies. We will, at our cost:

• Arrange the pickup of the damaged or incorrect item.

• Dispatch a correct replacement at no charge to you.

If a replacement is not feasible, for example, because the product has been discontinued, we will refund the full amount paid, including the original shipping charge, to your original payment method.

This protection sits separately from any voluntary return under Sections 3 to 5, and does not affect your statutory rights under the Sale of Goods Act 1930 or the Consumer Protection Act 2019.

7. Donating instead of returning

We have learned, over many conversations with our customers, that wheelchairs often come back to us for the hardest reason of all. A dog who needed the support has passed away, or has recovered enough to no longer need it, or the situation has simply changed. We are sorry, every single time, for the part of that journey that hurts.

If your wheelchair has been well-loved or has seen extensive use, and the grading on a return would either not be eligible or would feel like the wrong way to remember your dog, we would gently invite you to consider giving the wheelchair a second life instead.

Write to us at info@mysidekick.pet with "Donate my wheelchair" in the subject line. We will:

• Coordinate with one of our partner shelters or with an individual whose dog needs a wheelchair in your dog's size range.

• Arrange and pay for the pickup of the unit from your address.

• Send you a photograph and a short note from the new dog or its parents once the unit is in use.

We do not charge any fee for arranging a donation, and there is no time limit on the donation option. A donation is not a return and is not eligible for any refund. It is, however, a way of letting one dog's mobility carry forward into another's, which is a thing we believe in deeply.

8. Exchanges

To keep things simple and to avoid sizing mismatches on a second shipment, we do not offer direct exchanges. If your wheelchair needs a different size, please follow the return process in Section 3, and place a new order for the correct size once the return is initiated.

This exchange path does not apply to custom-sized units. Sizing on custom units is locked at the point of written confirmation.

9. Warranty

All Sidekick wheelchairs carry a limited warranty against manufacturing defects and material failures under normal use, starting from the date of delivery.

9.1 What is covered

• 6 months: aluminium frame components (inner and outer tubes, cross bars, strut tubes), the length adjustment mechanism (sliding tube and V-spring pin locking system), camber connectors, wheel flanges, and axles.

• 3 months: wheels (rubber tyres and rims), against manufacturing defects only. Normal tyre wear from regular use is not covered.

For approved claims, we will, at our option, repair the defective component, replace it, or replace the affected wheelchair, at no cost to you, including return logistics.

9.2 What is not covered

• Soft goods (harness, belly belt, leg loops, straps, stirrups). These are consumable items subject to wear with use.

• Damage from misuse, accidents, falls, collisions, or use on terrain the wheelchair is not designed for (construction sites, deep mud, rocky climbs, water bodies).

• Damage caused by forcing the length adjustment mechanism, or by ingress of dust, grit, or debris into the V-spring pin system.

• Modifications made to the wheelchair after delivery, including drilling, cutting, or third-party part swaps.

• Damage caused by water immersion, chemical contact, or corrosive environments.

• Normal wear of any component over time.

• Damage arising from the use of the wheelchair on a dog where a qualified veterinarian or veterinary physiotherapist has advised against its use, or where pre-purchase consultation was recommended and not undertaken.

9.3 How to raise a warranty claim

Send an email to info@mysidekick.pet with the subject line:

Warranty Claim - [Product Name] - Order #[Order Number]

Include:

• Order number and date of delivery.

• A description of the defect or failure.

• Clear photos or video of the affected component.

We will acknowledge, assess the claim after receiving the affected component (where return is required), and tell you the next steps.

10. Teleconsultation services

Paid teleconsultation sessions are non-refundable once the session is booked and the appointment is confirmed.

You may reschedule a session up to twenty-four (24) hours before the appointment time at no charge. Reschedule requests made within 24 hours of the appointment may, at our discretion, be treated as a cancellation with no refund.

If we cancel a session for any reason, we will reschedule at no cost, or, at your option, refund the full amount paid for that session.

11. How to start a return or warranty claim

All requests must be submitted by email to info@mysidekick.pet. WhatsApp is useful for the initial conversation, but the formal request must come through email so we have a clean written record for both sides.

Use the following subject lines:

• For wheelchair returns: Return Request - Wheelchair - Order #[Order Number]

• For soft goods returns: Return Request - [Product Name] - Order #[Order Number]

• For warranty claims: Warranty Claim - [Product Name] - Order #[Order Number]

Include in your email:

• Your order number and date of delivery.

• The reason for the request.

• Clear photographs of the item in its current condition and packaging.

• For warranty claims, a short description of how the issue arose.

Return requests will not be approved until photographs of the item in its current condition have been received and reviewed. These photographs are retained on file and compared against the condition of the item upon arrival with us.

Please do not dispatch the item back to us before you receive written confirmation, the return address, and the courier instructions. Items dispatched without prior approval cannot be processed and will, at your cost, be returned to you.

12. Refund processing and timelines

Once we receive the returned item and complete inspection:

• We will email you the assessment outcome, the grade assigned (for wheelchairs), the deduction breakdown.

• If the return is approved, the refund will be initiated to your original payment method within fourteen (14) business days of the assessment outcome.

• Bank or wallet processing times are governed by your payment provider, and typically take an additional two to seven business days to reflect in your account.

If your order was paid by cash on delivery, the refund will be processed by NEFT or UPI transfer to a bank account or UPI handle you nominate in writing.

Outbound shipping charges paid on the original order are not refunded, except in cases under Section 6 (damaged, defective, or incorrect items), Section 8 (exchange-path goodwill where the return is Grade A), or Section 9 (warranty), where the relevant amount, including shipping, is refunded.

If fifteen (15) business days have passed since the refund was initiated and the amount has not reached your account, please write to us, and we will trace the payment with our bank.

13. Cancellations before dispatch

You may cancel an order at no cost any time before it is dispatched. Once an order is handed to the courier partner, it is treated as a return under Sections 3 to 5.

For standard wheelchairs and soft goods, dispatch typically happens within 1 to 3 business days of order. For custom-sized units, dispatch happens after fabrication is complete; the fabrication window will be confirmed at the time of order.

To cancel, email info@mysidekick.pet with the subject Cancellation - Order #[Order Number].

14. Items we will not accept returns on

For clarity, the following are not eligible for return:

• Wheelchairs returned after the seven-day window.

• Soft goods returned after the five-day window.

• Wheelchairs graded Grade C.

• Soft goods showing any sign of having been worn or used.

• Items returned without the original packaging or missing components, where the absence cannot be remedied.

• Custom-sized wheelchair units, subject to the Section 5 exceptions.

• Gift cards, e-vouchers, and any digital product.

• Teleconsultation sessions once booked, subject to the reschedule rules in Section 10.

15. Governing law and jurisdiction

This policy is governed by the laws of India. Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or in connection with this policy will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts at Gurugram, Haryana, India. This is without prejudice to any rights that consumers have under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 to approach the consumer dispute redressal commissions of competent jurisdiction at any location permitted by law.

16. Statutory rights preserved

Nothing in this policy limits, restricts, or excludes:

• Your rights as a consumer under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules 2020.

• Your rights under the Sale of Goods Act 1930, including the implied conditions and warranties as to title, merchantable quality, and fitness for purpose, where applicable.

• Any non-excludable rights under the Indian Contract Act 1872.

If any clause in this policy is found to be unfair within the meaning of Section 2(47) of the Consumer Protection Act 2019, or void under the Indian Contract Act 1872, that clause will be read down to the extent necessary, and the remaining clauses will continue to apply.

17. Grievance redressal

If you are dissatisfied with how a return, refund, or warranty claim has been handled, you may raise a formal grievance with our Grievance Officer.

Grievance Officer: Sabhya Arora

Email: info@mysidekick.pet (subject line: Grievance - Order #[Order Number])

Phone: +91 9217475141

Business hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST

We will acknowledge your grievance within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt, and resolve it within one (1) month, in line with the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules 2020.

If your grievance is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may approach the National Consumer Helpline (1915 / consumerhelpline.gov.in) or the appropriate consumer dispute redressal commission under the Consumer Protection Act 2019.

18. Questions

We are here for you Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST.

Brunate Private Limited (operating under the brand name Sidekick)

Email: info@mysidekick.pet

WhatsApp and Phone: +91 9217475141

Response time: 1 to 2 business days

We care deeply about making life a little easier for dogs and their people. Thank you for choosing Sidekick. We are honoured to be a small part of your dog's journey.

This policy supersedes all prior return, refund, and warranty policies posted on www.mysidekick.pet.