Terms of Service

Effective: 6 May 2025 (amended 9 April 2026)

Acceptance of Terms; Modifications.

1. These Terms of Service (the “Terms”) are a binding legal agreement between you and handipaws (“we,” “us” and “our”). The Terms govern your use of our software applications, resources and services for dog owners (”Owner/Owners”) and dog care providers (“Helper/Helpers”) to find each other, communicate with each other, and arrange for the provision of pet care services and/or specialised support. Such tools, resources and services, together with this website, are collectively referred to as the “Handipaws Service”.

You understand and agree that we may change the Terms from time to time, and that any such changes will be effective when we post the modified Terms on the Handipaws Service, unless otherwise required by applicable law. Your continued access and use of the Handipaws Service after we post the modified Terms will constitute your consent to be bound by the modified Terms.

2. Handipaws Service.

2.1 Nature of the Handipaws Service.

The Handipaws Service consists of a desktop Web application, mobile applications, and other related tools, support and services that Owners and Helpers can use to find, communicate with and interact with each other. The Handipaws Service includes or will include emergency support services, educational materials for Owners, and other services. We reserve the right to charge fees (and amend such fees from time to time) for some aspects of the Handipaws Service.

2.2 Handipaws does not provide Pet Care Services.

Handipaws is a neutral venue for Owners and Helpers. Handipaws is not a Helper and, except for emergency phone support and other resources and support specifically described in the Handipaws Service, does not provide pet care or professional services. We make no representations or warranties about the quality of boarding, pet sitting, dog walking, house sitting, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, or other services provided by Helpers (“Pet Care Services”), or about your interactions and dealings with users. Helpers listed on Handipaws are not under the direction or control of Handipaws, and Helpers determine in their own discretion how to provide Pet Care Services.

Handipaws does not employ, recommend or endorse Helpers or Owners, and, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, we will not be responsible or liable for the performance or conduct of Helpers or Owners, whether online or offline. We do not perform screening of Helpers or Owners beyond the verification requirements.

You should exercise caution and use your independent judgment before engaging a Helper providing Pet Care Services, or otherwise interacting with users via the Handipaws Service. Owners and Helpers are solely responsible for making decisions that are in the best interests of themselves and their pets. For example, each user of the Handipaws Service is responsible for ensuring their pet is up to date with its vetinary and medical requirements (including vaccinations and worming treatment etc.) and we will have no liability for an Owner’s failure to do so. 

2.3 Release.

Subject to Section 8 below, Handipaws has no liability for any claims, injuries, loss, harm and/or damages arising from and/or in any way related to your interactions or dealings with other users and the acts and/or omissions of Helpers and/or Owners, whether online or offline. You acknowledge and agree that, to the maximum extent permitted by the applicable law, you user and/or provision of Pet Care Services is at your sole and exclusive risk. Any financial obligations Handipaws may have to its users in connection with user conduct are limited to the reimbursement obligations set forth in the Handipaws Guarantee.)

2.4 Transactions are between Owners and Helpers.

The Handipaws Service may be used to find and offer Pet Care Services and to facilitate payment, but all transactions conducted via the Handipaws Service are between Owners and Helpers. Except for the limited refunds and “Booking Protection” specified in these Terms and the Handipaws Guarantee, you agree that Handipaws has no liability for damages associated with Pet Care Services (which may include bodily injury to, or death of, a pet) or resulting from any other transactions between users of the Handipaws Service.

2.5 Bookings.

Owners and Helpers transact with each other on the Handipaws Service when they both agree to a “booking” that specifies the fees, time period, cancellation policy, and other terms for provision of Pet Care Services via the booking mechanism provided on the Handipaws Service (a “Booking”). A Booking may be initiated by an Owner by selecting the type(s) of Pet Care Services to be provided and then following the prompts that appear on the Handipaws Service.

2.5.1 Standard Cancellation Policy.

The following standard cancellation policy applies to all Pet Care Services offered through the Handipaws platform*:

• • Cancellations Made 24+ Hours Before Service: 100% refund of the total booking amount.
  • Cancellations Made Within 24 Hours of Service: 50% refund of the total booking amount.
  • No-Shows or No Cancellation: No refund will be provided if the Owner fails to show up or does not cancel the booking.
  • Extenuating Circumstances: Full or partial refunds may be available in cases of emergency or unforeseen circumstances, subject to review and agreement with the Helper. Documentation may be required to support claims of extenuating circumstances.
  • Multi-Day Services: For bookings longer than one day, the cancellation policy applies to the entire booking. For cancellations made 24+ hours before the service start date, a 100% refund will be issued for the entire booking.
  • Recurring Services: For recurring bookings, the cancellation policy applies to each individual service date. Owners may cancel future dates in a recurring series with full refund as long as the cancellation is made at least 24 hours before each respective service date.

* Individual Helpers may have their own bespoke cancellation policies which will take precedence over the standard Handipaws cancellation policy in this Section 2.5.1.  Owners should carefully review a Helper’s cancellation policy before confirming a booking.

Helper Cancellations: When a Helper cancels a booking, the Owner receives a full refund regardless of when the cancellation occurs. 

Service Modifications: Changes to the time, date, or duration of a booked service are subject to Helper availability and approval. Modifications requested less than 24 hours before the service may be treated as a cancellation and new booking, subject to the standard cancellation policy.

2.6 Owners are Solely Responsible for Evaluating Helpers.

Owners are solely responsible for evaluating the suitability of Helpers for the services they offer to provide. Please visit the Help Centre for guidance about making informed decisions about engaging Helpers. Owners should carefully review Helpers profiles and communicate directly with potential Helpers before booking any services.

2.7 Abandoned Pets; Re-homing.

Owners who arrange for Pet Care Services and fail to retrieve their pet after the service period identified in a Booking agree that the Helpers may, in his or her sole discretion, place the pet in foster care, transfer care to animal control or other law enforcement authorities, or find other alternate care. Owner agrees to reimburse the Helpers for all costs and expenses associated with such alternate care, and agrees that neither Handipaws nor the Helpers shall bear any ongoing responsibility for such alternate care, including foster or permanent placement.

2.8 Emergencies.

We recommend that Owners give their Helpers contact information where they can be reached in the event medical care for a pet becomes necessary, and to provide an emergency contact in the Owner profile, who has consented to the disclosure of their information. Helpers agree to immediately contact Owners in the event such care becomes necessary or, if the Owner is not available, to contact Handipaws at the applicable telephone number listed on the Handipaws Service for emergency support.

2.9 Consultation Services.

Handipaws may offer Owners and Helpers phone, chat, or email veterinary consultation services from a third party to provide an educational resource for decisions you make about your own pets or pets in your care. These consultation services are provided by a third party, and are not a part of the Handipaws Service. If you use these third party consultation services, you should use them only in conjunction with, and not as a substitute for, professional veterinary care. Handipaws does not review the advice provided by these third party consultation services and is not responsible for their content or the qualifications of those who provide it.

2.10 Google Maps.

Use of the Handipaws Service requires use of Google Maps features and content, which are subject to the current (1) Google Maps/Google Earth Additional Terms of Service at https://maps.google.com/help/terms_maps.html (including the Acceptable Use Policy at https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms/aup/); and (2) Google Privacy Policy at https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/ (collectively, the “Google Terms”). By using the Handipaws Service, you acknowledge and agree that Google (and not Handipaws) is responsible for providing the Google Maps features and content, that the Google Terms may change from time to time (which changes will be binding on you unless you discontinue using the Google Maps features and content), and that Handipaws may discontinue enabling the Google Maps features and content if Google’s provision of, or Handipaws‘s right to use, the Google Maps features and content is discontinued or terminated.

3. Certification of Compliance with Applicable Law.

By accessing and using the Handipaws Service, you certify that you: (1) are at least 18 years of age or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is higher, and (2) will comply with all laws and regulations applicable to your activities conducted through, or related to, the Handipaws Service.

For Owners, this means, among other things, that you will ensure that your pets are vaccinated, licensed, identification-tagged and/or microchipped as required by local laws or regulations; that you have obtained and will maintain any mandatory insurance policies concerning the pets whose care you entrust to Helpers (and that such policies will benefit third parties, including Helpers, to the same extent they benefit you).

For Helpers, this means, among other things, that you certify that you are legally eligible to provide Pet Care Services in the jurisdiction where you provide Pet Care Services; that you have complied and will comply with all laws and regulations that are applicable to you; that you have obtained all business licenses, business tax registrations, trade licenses, and permits necessary to provide Pet Care Services legally; and that, when providing Pet Care Services, you will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

In the United Kingdom, you may be required to obtain a licence to board pets in your home depending on certain factors such as your location and earnings. You should include your licence number, if applicable, in your handler and/or professional profile. For additional information, please visit your local council’s website.

You acknowledge that Handipaws is entitled to rely on these certifications from you, is not responsible to ensure that all users have complied with applicable laws and regulations, and will not be liable for a user’s failure to do so.

4. Use of the Handipaws Service; Suspension.

4.1 Your Conduct on the Handipaws Service.

When you use the Handipaws Service, you agree:

• To use the Handipaws Service only in a lawful manner and only for its intended purposes.
• Not to use the Handipaws Service to arrange for the care of: (a) exotic or inherently dangerous pets such as venomous snakes or constrictors, primates, wolves or wolf hybrids, non-domesticated cats, alligators, horses or other livestock; (b) any animal whose ownership or third-party care is prohibited under applicable law; or (c) any animal that has a history of, or which has been trained for, attacks on pets or people.
• Not to submit viruses or other malicious code to or through the Handipaws Service.
• Not to use the Handipaws Service, or engage with other users of the Handipaws Service, for purposes that violate the law.
• Not to use the Handipaws Service to arrange for the provision and purchase of services with another user, then complete transactions for those services outside of the Handipaws Service.
• Not to use the Handipaws Service for purposes of competing with Handipaws or to promote other products or services.
• Not to post reviews that aren’t based on your personal experience, that are intentionally inaccurate or misleading, or that violate these Terms.
• Not to post content or materials that are pornographic, threatening, harassing, abusive, or defamatory, or that contain nudity or graphic violence, incite violence, violate intellectual property rights, or violate the law or the legal rights (for example, privacy rights) of others.
• Not to post “spam” or other unauthorized commercial communications.
• To use the Handipaws Service only for your own purposes, and not to impersonate any other person.
• Not to transfer or authorize the use of your account for the Handipaws Service by any other person, or to engage in fraudulent transactions.
• Not to use any promotional credits or rewards in a manner inconsistent with the spirit and purpose of the program including, without limitation, using promotional credits or rewards to create Bookings within the same household or with someone with whom you share a pet.
• Not to provide false information in your profile on, or registration for, the Handipaws Service, or to create multiple or duplicate accounts.
• Not to interfere with our provision of, or any other user’s use of, the Handipaws Service.
• Not to solicit another user’s username or password for the Handipaws Service or any other sensitive personal information, including bank details.

4.2 Suspension and Termination.

You understand and agree that we have no obligation to provide the Handipaws Service in any specific location or territory, nor to continue providing it once we have begun. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Handipaws Service: (1) if in our discretion your conduct on the Site or Handipaws Service is inappropriate, unsafe, dishonest, or in breach of these Terms; or (2) if necessary in our discretion to protect Handipaws, its users, pets, or the public, even where we may not have specific evidence of a violation, but have a good faith reason to believe that our users, pets, the public, and/or the integrity of the Handipaws Service may be harmed.

4.3 Protection from Illegal Content.

Handipaws takes measures to promote a safe online environment. These measures include, but are not limited to, protecting users from illegal content by (a) prohibiting the use of the Handipaws Service to post or send illegal content in these Terms of Service (see Section 4.1); (b) providing a feature that allows users to block or report profiles and conversations with other users, which we will review; (c) prohibiting and removing, if reported to us, reviews that violate the law or which we believe to have been faked or manipulated; and (d) providing a mechanism for users to report and for Handipaws to investigate and (if appropriate) remove content that is illegal or that violates our Terms of Use.

5. Registration; Account Security.

In order to use some aspects of the Handipaws Service, you will be required to create a username, password, and user profile. If you elect to use the Handipaws Service, you agree to provide accurate information about yourself and keep this information up-to-date. You agree not to impersonate anyone else and not to maintain more than one account (or, if Handipaws suspends or terminates your account, not to create additional accounts). You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and account. You agree not to disclose your password to any third party, and to immediately notify Handipaws if your password is lost, stolen, disclosed, or compromised. You agree that you are personally responsible for all activities that occur under your account. Handipaws will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to protect your password or account information.

6. Privacy.

Our collection and use of your personal information on the Handipaws Service is described in our Privacy Statement. By accessing or using the Handipaws Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the Privacy Statement.

7. Fees and Payments.

7.1 Fee Structure.

Handipaws charges fees for the use of the Handipaws Service. All fees are in Great British Pounds (GBP).

7.2 Helpers Fees.

Helpers take home 90% of their earnings from each booking. Handipaws retains 10% of the booking amount as a service fee from Helpers. This fee helps support the Handipaws platform’s operating costs, including customer service, emergency support, and technical maintenance.

7.3 Owners Fees.

Owners will incur a service fee listed separately at checkout when you pay for the booking. 

This fee helps support Handipaws‘s operating costs, and it’s refundable should the booking be cancelled by either the Helpers or the Owners, following the Helper’s cancellation policy. If the booking dates change, the fee will be updated accordingly.

Please note that when you make a booking, the list price shown on a Helpers profile represents the amount the Helper has set for their services, before the addition of the service fee paid by you.

7.4 Payment Processing.

All payments are processed securely through our payment processor. When you provide your payment information, you represent and warrant that you are authorized to use the designated payment method. You agree to pay Handipaws for all bookings made by you or someone using your account, in the amounts and currencies specified when you or someone using your account agrees to a booking.

7.5 Booking Modifications and Cancellations.

If you need to modify or cancel a booking for Pet Care Services, you must do so through the Handipaws Service. Arrangements made outside the platform are not recognized by Handipaws and may result in loss of the Handipaws Guarantee protection. Refunds for cancellations of Pet Care Services will be processed according to the cancellation policy selected by the Helpers and agreed to by you at the time of booking.

7.6 No Communication Outside the Platform.

To ensure the safety and security of all users, all communications regarding bookings, payments, and services should remain within the Handipaws platform. Users should not arrange for services or payments outside of the Handipaws Service. Doing so violates these Terms and may result in suspension or termination of your account.

8. Intellectual Property and Copyright.

8.1 Website Content Ownership.

All content on the Handipaws Service, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, audio clips, video clips, data compilations, software, and the Handipaws name and logo, is the property of Handipaws or its content suppliers and is protected by United Kingdom copyright laws. The compilation of all content on this site is the exclusive property of Handipaws and protected by UK copyright laws.

8.2 Trademark Protection.

The Handipaws name, logo, and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans are trademarks of Handipaws or its affiliates or licensors. You must not use such marks without our prior written permission. All other names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans on this Handipaws Service are the trademarks of their respective owners.

8.3 User-Generated Content License.

By uploading, posting, or submitting any content to the Handipaws Service (including but not limited to profile photos, dog photos, reviews, messages, or verification documents), you grant Handipaws a non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform such content in connection with the Handipaws Service and Handipaws‘s business operations. This license includes the right to make your content available to other users of the Handipaws Service and to use your content for promotional and marketing purposes.

8.4 Verification Document Rights.

By submitting identity verification documents (including but not limited to driving licences, passports, and selfie photographs), you grant Handipaws the right to process, analyse, and store such documents using automated systems including artificial intelligence for the purposes of identity verification, safety, and security. You confirm that you have the legal right to provide such documents and consent to their processing for these purposes.

8.5 Content Restrictions.

You may not use, copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit, distribute, or modify Handipaws content in any way, including in advertising or other promotional materials, without our prior written consent. You may not add, delete, distort, or otherwise modify the content. Any unauthorised use is prohibited and may violate UK copyright, trademark, and other laws.

8.6 User Content Responsibility.

You are solely responsible for the content you upload, post, or submit to the Handipaws Service. You represent and warrant that: (a) you own the content or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents, and permissions to grant the rights granted herein; (b) your content does not and will not infringe, violate, or misappropriate the rights of any third party; and (c) your content complies with these Terms and all applicable UK laws.

8.7 Copyright Infringement Claims.

If you believe that your copyright has been infringed on the Handipaws Service, please notify us immediately by sending a written notice to help@handipaws.com with the following information: (a) identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed; (b) identification of the allegedly infringing material; (c) your contact information; (d) a statement of good faith belief that the use is not authorised; and (e) a statement that the information is accurate and that you are authorised to act on behalf of the copyright owner.

9. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution.

For users in the United Kingdom, the laws of England shall govern these Terms, except that certain mandatory applicable laws of your country will apply for your benefit and protection in addition to or instead of certain provisions of English law. Any dispute arising in connection with these Terms or the Handipaws Service must be resolved by the English courts or the courts in your country if you live in a different part of the UK.

In the event that there is a dispute that cannot be resolved regarding the Handipaws Service, you may use the European Online Dispute Resolution platform available at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr

10. Force Majeure.

The Handipaws Service may experience delays or failures to perform due to causes beyond reasonable control, including, but not limited to, acts of God, natural disasters, earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, war, terrorism, riots, embargoes, fires, accidents, pandemics, disease, strikes, or other similar disasters. In such events, the cancellation policies described in 2.5.1 may not apply, and refunds may be issued under terms that vary from a Helper’s selected cancellation policy.

11. Miscellaneous.

Nothing in these Terms should be construed as creating a partnership, joint venture, agency, or employer-employee relationship between users of the Handipaws Service. These Terms are non-exclusive and do not prohibit Helpers from offering Pet Care Services via other means or third parties. The invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any term or provision of these Terms will in no way affect the validity, legality or enforceability of any other term or provision of these Terms. In the event a term or provision is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, it shall be replaced with a term or provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the original intention, and these Terms will be enforceable as so modified. To the maximum extent possible under applicable law, this Agreement will be binding on users of the Handipaws Service. These Terms will continue to apply even after you stop using the Handipaws Service.