VettedTails Terms of Service

DRAFT — PENDING COUNSEL REVIEW. This document was prepared with best reasonable marketplace assumptions and has not been reviewed by an attorney. It must not be presented as final legal terms. Bracketed items are open counsel decisions.

Version: DRAFT-2026-07-11 · Effective date: [TBD — set at counsel signoff] · Sync: rendered verbatim by `vettedtails-frontend` at `/terms` (ADR-030 versioning applies).

Last updated: [DRAFT — 2026-07-11]

Welcome to VettedTails. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the VettedTails website, mobile applications, and services (together, the "Platform"), operated by [LEGAL ENTITY NAME — LLC in formation] ("VettedTails," "we," "us"). By creating an account or using the Platform you agree to these Terms.

1. What VettedTails is — and is not

VettedTails is an online marketplace that connects pet owners ("Owners") with independent pet-care providers ("Sitters") in and around Orlando, Florida. VettedTails:

• does not provide pet-care services. Services are provided solely by Sitters.
• does not employ Sitters. Sitters are independent contractors, not employees, agents, joint venturers, partners, or franchisees of VettedTails. Sitters set their own rates, hours, service offerings, and methods of work. Nothing in these Terms creates an employment relationship.
• does not supervise, direct, or control a Sitter's work, and does not guarantee the quality, safety, or legality of services.
• does not provide, arrange, endorse, or broker insurance of any kind (see Section 8).

VettedTails' role is limited to providing the Platform, facilitating discovery and booking, and processing payments as described in Section 5.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and able to form a binding contract to use the Platform. By using the Platform you represent that this is true. Accounts are for one person; you are responsible for activity under your account and for keeping your credentials secure.

3. Sitter obligations

Sitters represent and agree that they:

• will provide services personally, competently, and in compliance with all applicable laws (including any local licensing requirements for pet care or boarding);
• must maintain an active liability insurance policy covering their pet-care services and provide VettedTails a current Certificate of Insurance for verification. Verification status is displayed to Owners and expires automatically when the policy expires (Section 8);
• must complete a background check through our third-party provider before appearing in search results or accepting bookings, and consent to that process under a separate, standalone disclosure and authorization (Section 9);
• must complete payout onboarding with our payment processor (Stripe) before accepting bookings;
• are solely responsible for their own taxes. VettedTails (through Stripe) will issue tax forms (e.g., Form 1099-K) where required by law, and Sitters must provide accurate taxpayer information (e.g., Form W-9) when requested. Tax forms reflect only payments processed through the Platform; off-app records (Section 10a) are never included in, and never trigger, any tax reporting by VettedTails.

4. Bookings

• An Owner requests a booking; a Sitter may accept or decline. Payment is collected from the Owner only after the Sitter accepts. A booking whose payment is not completed within 24 hours of acceptance expires automatically.
• The total price, the platform fee, and the Sitter's payout are computed by the Platform and itemized before payment. Owners pay no booking fee; the platform fee is deducted from the Sitter's payout at the rate disclosed at booking time. The applicable fee rate for a given Owner–Sitter pair decreases with that pair's completed booking history, per the schedule shown in the app; the rate applied to a booking is fixed when the booking is created.
• Bookings exist between the Owner and the Sitter. VettedTails is not a party to the service agreement between them.
• Meet & greets. A meet & greet is a free introductory booking: no service charge applies. To confirm one, both the Owner and the Sitter must have a valid payment method on file, and each authorizes a $1 match fee charged only as follows: (i) if you fail to attend a confirmed meet & greet, or cancel less than 24 hours before its scheduled start, your $1 is charged; (ii) if the meet & greet is completed and the Owner books no service through the Platform within 14 days, the Owner's $1 is charged. If the Owner books the same Sitter within 14 days, the Owner's $1 is never charged and VettedTails applies a $1 credit to that booking. Cancelling at least 24 hours before the scheduled start incurs no charge for either party. Repeated no-show charges may restrict meet-&-greet access or trigger account review (Section 15). Match fees are Platform fees; they are not paid to the other party. Booking protection (Section 7) and any guarantee do not apply to meet & greets. [COUNSEL: review fee-authorization language, off-session charge consent, and FL enforceability; ADR-042.]

5. Payments

• Payments are processed by Stripe. VettedTails charges the Owner's payment card as merchant of record and transfers the Sitter's payout to the Sitter's Stripe connected account, less the platform fee. By using the Platform, Sitters also agree to the [Stripe Connected Account Agreement].
• VettedTails never stores card numbers; card data is handled by Stripe.
• All amounts are in U.S. dollars.

6. Cancellations and refunds

Current policy: if a paid booking is cancelled by either party before completion, the Owner receives a full refund of the amount paid. The Sitter receives no payout for a cancelled booking. VettedTails retains no fee on cancelled bookings and absorbs payment-processing costs.

• Cancelling an accepted booking before payment simply cancels it; no money has moved.
• Refunds are issued automatically to the original payment method; card networks typically post them within 5–10 business days.
• [COUNSEL / OWNER DECISION: time-based cancellation windows (e.g., partial refund inside 24 hours) and sitter no-show compensation are under consideration and are not part of these Terms today. If adopted, they will be a material change requiring re-acceptance. Note: the meet-&-greet $1 match fee (Section 4) is a Platform fee, distinct from — and no precedent for — paid-booking cancellation windows or party-to-party compensation.]

7. Booking protection and the VettedTails Guarantee

"Booking protection" refers to, and only to, the following Platform features:

1. your payment is held until the Sitter accepts; 2. a full automatic refund if a paid booking is cancelled (Section 6); 3. itemized, platform-computed pricing — no hidden fees; 4. reviews can only be written by parties to a completed booking.

The VettedTails Guarantee is a discretionary reimbursement program funded and administered by VettedTails. It applies only to bookings paid through the Platform and never to meet & greets or to services arranged or paid off-platform. It has two tiers, determined by the Sitter's number of completed Platform-paid bookings at the time your booking is paid:

• Before a Sitter's fifth completed Platform-paid booking: if the service was not delivered as agreed, VettedTails may refund up to 100% of the booking value.
• From a Sitter's fifth completed Platform-paid booking: in addition to the refund remedy above, VettedTails may reimburse veterinary bills or property damage arising from an incident during the booking, up to $100 per incident, subject to reserve availability and program discretion.

Claim windows: a Guarantee claim must be reported within 7 days of the booking's end, and supporting documentation completed within 30 days of the report. Claims outside these windows are ineligible. Reporting a general (non-Guarantee) problem remains available as described in our support process.

Discretion. Every Guarantee decision is made by VettedTails in its sole discretion. The Guarantee is not a contract of insurance, creates no entitlement to payment, and may be modified or discontinued prospectively (a material change will be presented for re-acceptance under Section 20). Aggregate program payments are limited by the program's reserve. Where a loss is or may be payable under a Sitter's own liability policy (Section 8), that policy is the primary path and any Guarantee payment may be reduced or recovered accordingly.

The Guarantee is not insurance. VettedTails does not insure bookings, pets, people, or property. [COUNSEL: review this section with legal-questions Q21–Q25 before any user-facing Guarantee copy ships; this rewrite is a material change requiring re-acceptance under ADR-030.]

8. Insurance

VettedTails requires Sitters to carry their own liability insurance and verifies the Certificate of Insurance a Sitter submits. The "insurance verified" badge means only that a Sitter presented a certificate that appeared valid at verification time and has not yet reached its stated expiry; the badge is removed automatically at policy expiry. VettedTails is not an insurer, insurance producer, agent, or broker; it does not sell, arrange, endorse, or advise on insurance; it is not a party to any Sitter's policy and makes no representation about whether a given loss would be covered. Any claim under a Sitter's policy is between the claimant, the Sitter, and the Sitter's insurer — see our support process for how we assist with information. [COUNSEL: review this section together with legal-questions Q13–Q15.]

9. Background checks

Sitters must pass a background check performed by a third-party consumer reporting agency (Checkr) before becoming visible in search or accepting bookings. This process is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act and a separate, standalone disclosure and authorization presented to the Sitter before any check is ordered. Owners understand that a background check is a point-in-time screen and not a guarantee of a Sitter's conduct.

10. Communication and off-platform payments

Bookings paid through the Platform get its benefits: the VettedTails Guarantee and payment protection (Section 7), the reporting window, verified reviews, and — where available — GPS walk records. Bookings arranged or paid off-platform get none of these. We may inform you when a message appears to move a transaction off-platform; these notices are informational. You remain free to communicate as you wish; we do not read your messages for any other purpose and do not block them.

10a. Off-app recording subscription

Sitters may purchase an optional monthly subscription to record pet-care transactions that occur outside the Platform ("off-app records"). Off-app records are a bookkeeping tool only:

• No Platform benefits attach to an off-app record. Off-app records are not bookings; they carry no booking protection or Guarantee (Section 7), no reporting window, no reviews, no dispute assistance, and no effect on any Platform ranking, fee tier, or eligibility threshold. Section 10's statement that off-platform transactions receive none of the Platform's benefits applies in full to recorded ones.
• VettedTails is not a party to, and does not process, verify, or observe, any off-app transaction. Payment-method labels (e.g., Zelle, PayPal, cash) are descriptive text you enter; VettedTails has no integration with, and takes no responsibility for, any such payment.
• Records are yours. Off-app records are your data: they are never used against your account, are included in your data export, remain readable and exportable after your subscription ends, and are deleted when your account is deleted.
• Tax summaries are informal. Each off-app record includes the option "Exclude from tax documents: transacted and recorded elsewhere, to prevent duplicative reporting." The year-end earnings summary is an informal summary, not a tax form, and is provided in two versions (including and excluding the transactions you marked excluded). Excluded transactions are never included in any generated tax document in any form. VettedTails reports nothing to any tax authority in respect of off-app records; tax forms (Section 3) reflect only payments processed through the Platform. VettedTails does not provide tax advice; you are responsible for your own tax reporting.
• Billing. The subscription is billed monthly to your saved payment method until you cancel; you may cancel at any time, effective at the end of the current billing period. Fees paid are non-refundable for partial periods. Subscription tiers and prices are shown at purchase; the subscription is governed by these Terms and the subscription terms presented and accepted at purchase (versioned per Section 20). [COUNSEL: review this section together with legal-questions §J, Q27–Q28 — exclusion-checkbox wording and informal-summary disclaimers in particular.]

11. GPS walk records

Where the Sitter uses the VettedTails mobile app, walk bookings may include a GPS record collected from the Sitter's device. Location is never shared live: during a walk, the Owner's view is delayed by at least [15] minutes, and the complete route becomes available only after the walk is completed. GPS records are best-effort — device permissions, signal coverage, and battery may cause gaps — and no compensation or remedy attaches to an incomplete record. Collection and retention of location data are described in the Privacy Policy.

12. Reviews

Reviews may be written only by parties to a completed booking, one per party per booking. Reviews must be honest and lawful. We do not edit reviews to change their substance; we may remove content violating Section 13.

12a. Sitter referral program

VettedTails may offer Sitters a referral program. Where offered:

• A referral qualifies when the referred Sitter signs up with your referral code, activates their account within 30 days of signup, and completes a paid booking. Meet & greets do not qualify.
• Upon qualification you may choose one reward per referral from those then offered — currently either (a) a 1-percentage-point reduction of your platform fee rate for 30 days, applied to bookings created during that period and never reducing your rate below 5%; or (b) a payment equal to 1% of the referred Sitter's post-fee earnings on bookings completed during a 30-day period, paid by VettedTails from its own fees and never deducted from the referred Sitter's payouts. Rewards are never combined.
• If you do not choose a reward within 90 days of qualification, the reward is forfeited. The 30-day reward period begins when you choose.
• If the qualifying booking is refunded, the qualification is reversed; reward amounts attributable to refunded bookings may be reversed or recovered from your future referral rewards.
• Self-referral and referral fraud are prohibited and void the associated rewards. Referrals earn one level only: you receive nothing for referrals made by Sitters you referred.
• Referral payments are reportable income; you must provide accurate taxpayer information and VettedTails will issue tax forms where required by law. A fee-rate reduction is a discount, not a payment.
• VettedTails may modify, suspend, or terminate the referral program at any time. Changes apply prospectively and do not revoke a reward you have already chosen, for its remaining reward period.

[COUNSEL: characterization of referral payments and the 90-day forfeiture (legal-questions §J, Q26); whether program changes are material for Section 20 re-acceptance.]

12b. Promoted placement ("Sponsored" listings)

Sitters may purchase promoted placement: for $1.00 per day (runs of 1–7 consecutive days, prepaid), a Sitter's card appears in a clearly labeled "Sponsored" section at the top of relevant search results. Promoted placement: (a) is limited to three Sitters at a time within a given area, allocated first-come-first-served with a waitlist, and followed by a mandatory 3-day pause before the same Sitter may promote again; (b) never changes the order of ordinary (non-sponsored) search results; (c) is available only to Sitters who meet the Platform's trust requirements (Sections 3, 8, 9) — it never substitutes for them; and (d) does not constitute an endorsement, ranking, or quality judgment by VettedTails. If a Sitter cancels a run early, unused whole days are credited toward a future run (not refunded); if VettedTails ends a run for a violation of these Terms, unused whole days are refunded. Promotion purchases are separate from booking payments and are non-transferable. [COUNSEL: review with legal-questions §J, Q30 — ad-labeling sufficiency.]

13. Prohibited uses

You may not: (a) use the Platform under 18 or after suspension; (b) misrepresent your identity, credentials, insurance, or a pet's health/temperament (Owners must disclose bite history and material medical/behavioral conditions); (c) harass, threaten, or harm any person or animal; (d) violate animal-welfare laws; (e) post false reviews or manipulate ratings; (f) use another's account or scrape/reverse-engineer the Platform; (g) use the Platform for any unlawful purpose; (h) attempt to interfere with the Platform's security or operation. We may suspend or terminate accounts for violations (Section 15).

14. Content

You retain ownership of content you post (photos, bios, reviews, messages) and grant VettedTails a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, display, and use it to operate and promote the Platform. You represent you have the rights to what you post.

14a. Third-party offers and advertisements

The Platform may display an "Offers" feed of promotional cards from third-party businesses (for example, veterinary clinics, groomers, pet stores, and pet-insurance providers). Every such card is labeled "Sponsored." Sponsors pay VettedTails a flat sponsorship fee for placement only; VettedTails receives no commission, referral fee, or other compensation based on any purchase, policy, quote, or sign-up resulting from a card. A sponsor card is an advertisement, not an endorsement: VettedTails does not vet, endorse, or assume responsibility for any sponsor or for the goods or services a sponsor provides, and your dealings with a sponsor are solely between you and that business. For insurance advertisers specifically, Section 8 applies in full: VettedTails does not sell, arrange, endorse, or advise on insurance, and a pet-insurance card is a paid advertisement only. VettedTails never shares your personal information with sponsors. [COUNSEL: review with legal-questions §J, Q29 — whether flat-fee insurance advertising requires additional ToS/disclaimer language (marketing/advertising vs. producing distinction).]

15. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate your access for violation of these Terms, fraud, safety risk, failed or expired trust requirements (background check, insurance), or legal requirement. Where practicable we will tell you why. You may delete your account at any time in account settings; deletion and what we retain are described in the Privacy Policy.

16. Disclaimers

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE." TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, VETTEDTAILS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. VETTEDTAILS DOES NOT WARRANT THE CONDUCT, QUALITY, OR SAFETY OF ANY USER OR SITTER, THAT BACKGROUND CHECKS OR INSURANCE VERIFICATION IDENTIFY ALL RISKS, OR THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE.

17. Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW: (a) VETTEDTAILS IS NOT LIABLE FOR THE ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF ANY OWNER, SITTER, OR PET; (b) VETTEDTAILS IS NOT LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, OR GOODWILL; AND (c) VETTEDTAILS' AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE PLATFORM SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (i) THE PLATFORM FEES VETTEDTAILS EARNED FROM YOUR BOOKINGS IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS BEFORE THE CLAIM AROSE, OR (ii) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100). SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW CERTAIN LIMITATIONS; THESE APPLY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED.

18. Indemnification

You will indemnify and hold harmless VettedTails and its officers, members, and agents from claims arising out of your use of the Platform, your provision or receipt of pet-care services, your content, or your violation of these Terms or of law, except to the extent caused by VettedTails' own gross negligence or willful misconduct.

19. Governing law, venue, and dispute resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Subject to the arbitration provision below, exclusive venue for any dispute is the state or federal courts located in Orange County, Florida, and you consent to their jurisdiction.

[COUNSEL DECISION — ARBITRATION.] [Draft, pending counsel's keep/drop decision: any dispute arising out of these Terms or the Platform shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, in Orange County, Florida or remotely; class actions and class arbitrations are waived; either party may bring qualifying claims in small-claims court instead. A 30-day opt-out window after first acceptance applies.] Counsel to decide whether to keep, modify, or remove this section, and whether it requires separate conspicuous assent.

20. Changes to these Terms

We version these Terms and record your acceptance (version and timestamp). If we make a material change, we will present the new version for your acceptance before you continue using the Platform. Non-material corrections may be published with an updated date.

21. Miscellaneous

Severability; no waiver by non-enforcement; these Terms plus the Privacy Policy are the entire agreement between you and VettedTails regarding the Platform; you may not assign your account; we may assign to a successor entity. Notices go to your account email and to [SUPPORT_EMAIL].

22. Contact

VettedTails — [LEGAL ENTITY NAME, address TBD at LLC formation] Support: [SUPPORT_EMAIL] · https://vettedtails.com/support · the in-app Support Center (documentation, FAQ, AI chat, human escalation). Self-serve help is available 24/7/365; human support replies as soon as available. We do not guarantee any response time. [COUNSEL: sentence added 2026-07-19 per ADR-038 — confirm the no-response-time disclaimer wording.]