Terms of Service

These Terms of Service (the “Terms”) constitute a legally binding contract between you (“you,” “User,” “Client,” “Pet Owner,” or, when acting in a professional capacity, “Specialist” or “Provider”) and PawPinion, Inc. (“PawPinion,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), a corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona. These Terms govern your access to, registration on, and all use of the Platform (pawpinion.app and all associated services, features, content, and applications).

By accessing, creating an account, uploading any content, submitting payment, communicating with Specialists, or otherwise using any part of the Platform, you represent that you have read, fully understood, and expressly agree to be bound by these Terms in their entirety, as well as our Privacy Policy and any other incorporated policies. If you do not agree with any provision, you must immediately cease all use of the Platform, delete your account, and refrain from any further access.

By clicking “I Agree,” creating an account, or otherwise using the Platform after registration, you expressly acknowledge and agree to the following key points (which are material terms of these Terms):

• (i) PawPinion does not establish any veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR);
• (ii) the Platform must never be used for emergencies or time-sensitive conditions;
• (iii) you assume all risk for any decisions or actions taken based on Specialist opinions; and
• (iv) you are solely responsible for complying with all applicable veterinary laws in your jurisdiction.
• (v) The Platform and Specialist services are only available in jurisdictions where such tele-veterinary second opinions are legally permitted under applicable law.

1. Definitions

Key terms used throughout these Terms include:

• “Platform” means all PawPinion websites, apps, and services;
• “Case Materials” means any information or files you upload;
• “Opinion” means the written second-opinion review provided by a Specialist;
• “VCPR” means veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

2. Platform Description and Limited Role

Availability: PawPinion services may not be available or compliant in all U.S. states or international jurisdictions. We make no representation that the Platform is appropriate or available for use in any particular location.

PawPinion operates solely as a technology marketplace and intermediary platform. It connects pet owners with independent, licensed veterinary Specialists for paid second-opinion consultations based on uploaded Case Materials. PawPinion does not practice veterinary medicine, establish any VCPR, provide diagnoses, prognoses, treatments, prescriptions, surgical recommendations, emergency advice, or any professional veterinary services. All clinical judgment, professional responsibility, and liability rest exclusively with the individual Specialist.

3. Critical Disclaimers and Zero Liability for Veterinary Matters

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Platform, all Specialist Opinions, and any AI-assisted tools (if offered) are provided strictly for informational and educational purposes only and are expressly not a substitute for in-person veterinary examination, primary veterinary care, diagnostic testing, treatment, or emergency services. You must always consult your primary licensed veterinarian or proceed immediately to an emergency veterinary clinic for any pet health concern. Any reliance on the Platform or any Opinion is entirely at your own risk. PawPinion bears no responsibility or liability whatsoever for: (i) the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, relevance, or usefulness of any Opinion; (ii) any diagnosis, recommendation, treatment decision, or action (or inaction) taken by you, your primary veterinarian, or anyone else; (iii) any pet injury, illness, deterioration, suffering, death, veterinary costs, emotional distress, or any other damages or consequences of any kind; (iv) any delay, technical failure, miscommunication, or other issue affecting case review or Opinion delivery. These disclaimers apply regardless of whether PawPinion had notice of potential harm.

By using the Platform, you explicitly acknowledge and agree that:

• No Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) is established between you and any Specialist through PawPinion or between you and PawPinion.
• Veterinary laws, including VCPR requirements and restrictions on telehealth advice, vary significantly by state and jurisdiction. You are solely responsible for ensuring that your use of the Platform and any actions taken based on Opinions comply with all applicable laws in your jurisdiction. PawPinion does not guarantee compliance with the laws of any specific state or country and makes no representations regarding the legality of the services in your location.
• The Platform and Specialist services are only available and may only be used in jurisdictions where such tele-veterinary second-opinion services are legally permitted under all applicable veterinary telemedicine and practice laws (including VCPR requirements, in-person exam mandates where applicable, and state-specific licensing restrictions). Specialists may only provide services to users located in jurisdictions where such services are legally permitted, and Specialists are solely responsible for determining whether they may legally provide services to a particular user based on the user’s location and for complying with all such laws in both their jurisdiction and the user’s jurisdiction. PawPinion does not and cannot guarantee compliance with the laws of any specific jurisdiction.
• The Platform must never be used in emergency situations or for any time-sensitive pet health concerns. In any emergency, you must immediately contact your local emergency veterinary clinic or your primary veterinarian. Use of the Platform for emergencies is strictly prohibited and may result in immediate account suspension or termination.
• All Opinions are based solely on the information and Case Materials you provide. PawPinion and the Specialists bear no responsibility for any outcome affected by incomplete, inaccurate, misleading, outdated, or insufficient information submitted by you.
• Any AI triage or symptom guidance tools are experimental, may contain errors, inaccuracies, or omissions, and must not be relied upon for any medical, diagnostic, or health decisions. AI output is provided “as is” with no warranties of accuracy or reliability.
• You assume all risk associated with any decisions, actions, or inactions taken based on Specialist Opinions or Platform content. You take full and sole responsibility for all consequences, including any pet injury, illness, deterioration, suffering, death, veterinary costs, emotional distress, or any other damages.

PawPinion performs reasonable baseline verification of Specialist licensing information from public veterinary licensing databases at the time of Specialist onboarding but does not guarantee, warrant, or assume responsibility for the accuracy, currency, validity, good standing, or authenticity of any Specialist’s licenses, credentials, certifications, board status, malpractice insurance, or professional qualifications. Any information about Specialist credentials is provided “as is” and any reliance on it is at your sole risk.

4. Eligibility, Account Registration, and Security

You must be at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction), legally own or act as guardian for the pet(s) described, and have full legal capacity to enter into these Terms. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information, maintain confidentiality of your login credentials, and notify us immediately of any unauthorized account use. Specialists must hold and maintain valid, active veterinary licenses and comply with all professional regulations.

5. User Conduct, Responsibilities, and Prohibited Activities

You agree to submit only truthful, complete, and current Case Materials; upload files for which you possess all necessary rights and consents; refrain from harassment, abuse, or threats toward Specialists or staff; comply with all applicable laws; and not engage in scraping, reverse-engineering, data mining, or any interference with Platform operation. Violations may result in immediate account suspension or termination.

6. Payments, Fees, Subscriptions, and Billing

Fees are considered earned and non-refundable upon assignment of a Specialist to the case and the Specialist’s access to or commencement of review of the Case Materials, which constitutes full service delivery and completion for purposes of this agreement (in compliance with applicable state consumer protection laws to the extent required). Exceptions may be made solely at PawPinion’s discretion (for example, verifiable Platform technical failure that completely prevented any service delivery). We reserve the right to refuse or limit refunds in any situation to reduce chargeback risk.

7. Specialist Independent Contractor Status

All Specialists are independent contractors and not employees, agents, or representatives of PawPinion. PawPinion does not engage in the corporate practice of veterinary medicine and exercises no control whatsoever over Specialists’ clinical judgment, medical decisions, diagnostic opinions, pricing of their services (which are set independently by Specialists), or professional conduct. PawPinion does not split professional fees in any manner prohibited by veterinary regulations. Specialists must separately enter into and agree to our Specialist Agreement (available upon application), which includes additional indemnification obligations, proof of active malpractice insurance, and compliance requirements. A summary of key points appears below, but the full Specialist Agreement governs. They alone bear full responsibility for the professional quality, accuracy, ethical compliance, licensing, malpractice insurance, and any tax obligations (including 1099-NEC reporting for qualifying U.S. earnings). PawPinion exercises no control over their clinical judgment or professional conduct.

8. Intellectual Property Rights and Licenses

All Platform content, software, design, logos, and trademarks are owned by PawPinion or its licensors. You receive a limited, non-exclusive, revocable license for personal, non-commercial use only. By uploading Case Materials, you grant PawPinion a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to host, transmit, display, and use those materials solely as necessary to provide the requested service.

9. Disclaimers of All Warranties

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Platform is provided strictly on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis. PawPinion expressly disclaims all warranties, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise, including merchantability, fitness for any particular purpose, accuracy, reliability, non-infringement, uninterrupted operation, virus-free operation, or error-free performance.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, PawPinion, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages (including but not limited to loss of profits, data loss, pet health issues, pet death, injury, emotional distress, substitute service costs, or any other losses), even if advised of the possibility. Our total aggregate liability for any claim shall not exceed the total amount actually paid by you to PawPinion for the specific service giving rise to the claim during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the claim (or one hundred U.S. dollars ($100), whichever is greater).

This limitation of liability applies to all claims regardless of the legal theory on which they are based, including but not limited to contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, breach of warranty, or any other legal or equitable theory.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless PawPinion, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, and Specialists from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to: your use of the Platform; your uploaded Case Materials; any reliance on any Opinion; your violation of these Terms; or any allegation that you have infringed third-party rights.

You expressly waive and release any and all rights. By using the Platform, you acknowledge that this waiver is a material part of these Terms.

12. Dispute Resolution

1. Governing Law. These Terms and any claim or dispute arising out of or relating to them shall be governed exclusively by the laws of the State of Arizona, United States, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles.
2. Informal Resolution. You and PawPinion agree to first attempt good-faith informal resolution of any dispute for a period of at least thirty (30) calendar days after written notice is provided.
3. Binding Arbitration. Any unresolved dispute shall be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules then in effect. The arbitration shall take place in Phoenix, Arizona (or another mutually agreed location), conducted in English by a single arbitrator. The arbitrator’s decision shall be final, binding, and enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction. You and PawPinion knowingly and voluntarily waive any right to a jury trial or to participate in any class action, class arbitration, or representative proceeding of any kind.
4. Arbitration Opt-Out. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending a written notice of your decision to opt out to legal@pawpinion.app within thirty (30) days after first accepting these Terms. The notice must include your full name, email address associated with your account, and a clear statement that you are opting out of the arbitration agreement. If you opt out, the remaining provisions of these Terms continue to apply. This opt-out provision is intended to comply with Arizona law and enhance enforceability of the arbitration clause.
5. Class Action Waiver. You may bring claims against PawPinion only in your individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, or representative action.
6. Exceptions and Equitable Relief. The arbitration requirement does not apply to claims seeking injunctive relief for intellectual-property infringement or violations of these Terms. Either party may seek temporary equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction in Phoenix, Arizona.
7. Statute of Limitations. Any claim or cause of action must be commenced within one (1) year after it accrues; otherwise, it is permanently barred.
8. Costs and Fees. Each party shall bear its own costs except as otherwise provided by AAA rules or applicable law. The prevailing party in any arbitration or court action shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms at any time in our sole discretion. Material changes will be posted on this page with a new “Last Updated” date and, where reasonably feasible, notified to you by email or prominent in-app notice. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any revised Terms constitutes your express acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree, you must immediately stop using the Platform and delete your account.

14. Termination and Suspension

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account or access to the Platform at any time, with or without notice, for any reason, including but not limited to safety concerns, suspected violation of law, breach of these Terms, suspected fraud, or to protect the integrity of the Platform or other users.

15. Miscellaneous Provisions

1. Entire Agreement. These Terms (together with the Privacy Policy and any other expressly incorporated documents) constitute the entire agreement between you and PawPinion and supersede all prior or contemporaneous understandings.
2. Severability. If any provision is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
3. No Waiver. Failure by PawPinion to enforce any right or provision shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.
4. Assignment. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights without our prior written consent. We may freely assign in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets.
5. Force Majeure. PawPinion shall not be liable for any delay or failure caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including acts of God, war, terrorism, pandemics, governmental actions, internet failures, or natural disasters.
6. Notices. All legal notices to us must be sent in writing through the contact form on the Platform. Notices to you may be sent electronically to the email address associated with your account and shall be deemed received when sent.
7. Electronic Communications and Signatures. You consent to receive all communications electronically. Electronic signatures and records have the same legal effect as physical ones.
8. Survival. All provisions that by their nature should survive termination (including disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, dispute resolution, and intellectual property) shall survive any termination or expiration.
9. Headings. Section headings are for convenience only and have no substantive legal effect.
10. Contact Information. For any questions concerning these Terms, please contact us through the Platform’s support form.
11. No Fiduciary Relationship. Nothing in these Terms creates any fiduciary, agency, partnership, employment, or special relationship between you and PawPinion. PawPinion is not your veterinarian and provides no professional advice of any kind.