Owner Terms of Service

Welcome to CritterTrust

These Owner Terms of Service ("Terms") form a binding contract between you ("you" or "Owner") and CritterTrust, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company ("CritterTrust", "we", "us", or "our"). By creating an Owner account, booking a Sitter, or otherwise using CritterTrust as a pet owner, you agree to these Terms.

CritterTrust is a marketplace platform that helps you find, communicate with, and pay independent pet sitters ("Sitters"). We are not a pet sitting service. Sitters are independent businesses, not CritterTrust employees. When you book a Sitter, the agreement to provide pet sitting services is between you and that Sitter — not between you and CritterTrust.

If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use CritterTrust.

These Terms include a binding arbitration clause and a class action waiver in Section 14. By agreeing to these Terms, you waive your right to a jury trial and your right to participate in class actions against CritterTrust, except as specifically provided. Please read Section 14 carefully.

1. Eligibility

To use CritterTrust as an Owner, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract
• Reside in the United States
• Provide accurate and truthful information in your account and bookings

If you are a parent or legal guardian booking on behalf of a minor's pet, you accept these Terms on the minor's behalf and remain responsible for all activity on the account.

2. The CritterTrust Platform

CritterTrust provides software that helps you:

• Find pet sitters who serve your area
• View Sitter profiles, services, pricing, and reviews
• Communicate with Sitters
• Book and schedule visits
• Receive visit updates, photos, and report cards
• Pay Sitters directly through Stripe
• Maintain a record of your sitter relationships and pet care history

CritterTrust is free for Owners. You do not pay CritterTrust any subscription fees, service fees, or commission to use the platform. Sitters pay CritterTrust subscription fees, which is how CritterTrust funds the platform.

You may pay tips to Sitters at your discretion through the platform. Tips go entirely to the Sitter; CritterTrust takes no portion.

3. Your Account

When you create an Owner account, you agree that:

• All information you provide is accurate, current, and complete
• You will keep your account information up to date
• You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password (if applicable; some accounts use magic-link sign-in)
• You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account
• You will notify CritterTrust immediately at support@crittertrust.com if you suspect unauthorized access to your account

You may have only one active Owner account. CritterTrust may, at our sole discretion, refuse to maintain or terminate Owner accounts where we reasonably believe these requirements are not met.

4. Booking Sitters

Direct contracting with Sitters. When you book a Sitter through CritterTrust, the agreement to provide pet sitting services is between you and the Sitter directly. CritterTrust is not a party to that agreement. CritterTrust does not employ Sitters, supervise visits, or guarantee any outcome.

You and the Sitter are responsible for:

• Agreeing on the dates, times, services, and pricing for visits
• Communicating about pet care instructions, access to your home, and any special requirements
• Resolving any disagreements about the service performed

Booking confirmation. A booking is confirmed only when the Sitter accepts the booking request. Until the Sitter accepts, the booking is a request, not a contract. The Sitter has the right to decline any booking request for any lawful reason.

Cancellations. Cancellation policies vary by Sitter. The Sitter's cancellation policy will be visible at the time of booking. Honor your bookings whenever possible, and cancel as early as possible if your plans change. CritterTrust does not directly enforce cancellation fees, but Sitters may charge them under their stated policies.

Your responsibilities to Sitters. When booking a Sitter, you agree to:

• Provide accurate information about your pets, including health, behavior, medications, and any safety considerations the Sitter needs to know
• Provide reliable access to your home and pet (keys, codes, gate access, etc.)
• Provide all supplies necessary for the visit (food, medications, leashes, waste bags, etc.) unless the Sitter has explicitly agreed to provide them
• Pay the Sitter promptly and in accordance with the agreed terms
• Treat the Sitter respectfully and not require them to perform unreasonable, unsafe, or unagreed-to tasks
• Maintain a reasonably safe environment for the Sitter at your property

5. Payments

How payments work. When you pay a Sitter through CritterTrust, payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. through Stripe Connect. The funds flow from your payment method directly to the Sitter's Stripe Connect account. CritterTrust does not custody, hold, or control these funds at any time.

Your payment relationship in this case is with Stripe and the Sitter, governed by Stripe's separate terms (https://stripe.com/legal/end-users) and your agreement with the Sitter.

Saved payment methods. If you save a payment method to your account, you authorize CritterTrust and Stripe to charge that payment method for invoices you approve. You may remove a saved payment method at any time through your account settings.

Off-platform payments. Sitters may, at their discretion, accept payments outside CritterTrust (cash, Venmo, Zelle, check, etc.). When you pay a Sitter outside the platform, CritterTrust does not facilitate, process, track, or guarantee the payment, and our platform protections (such as receipt records or dispute logging) do not apply.

Refunds. Refunds for Sitter services, if any, are between you and the Sitter directly. CritterTrust does not issue refunds for Sitter services. If you have a payment dispute, you may:

1. Address it directly with the Sitter
2. If unresolved, dispute the charge through your card issuer (a "chargeback")
3. Disputes between you and a Sitter are governed by Stripe's chargeback process and the Sitter's records

Tips. Tips you choose to add to a payment are paid in full to the Sitter. CritterTrust takes no portion of tips.

Authorization. By providing a payment method, you authorize CritterTrust and Stripe to charge that payment method for amounts you approve through the platform (including invoices you pay and tips you select).

6. Trust, Verification, and Sitter Independence

Background checks. CritterTrust requires Sitters to complete a background check before their public profile becomes visible to Owners. The background check is performed by an independent third-party consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. CritterTrust receives only the pass/fail status and does not have access to underlying records.

A passed background check is a baseline screening, not a comprehensive endorsement. It does not mean that CritterTrust has personally vetted, supervised, trained, or endorsed any Sitter. You are responsible for evaluating Sitters and making your own informed decisions. We encourage you to:

• Read Sitter profiles, reviews, and stats carefully
• Communicate with Sitters before booking, especially for the first visit
• Trust your own judgment

Sitter independence. Sitters are independent businesses, not CritterTrust employees. Each Sitter sets their own prices, schedule, services, and policies. CritterTrust does not direct, control, or supervise the manner in which Sitters perform services. Sitters are solely responsible for their own conduct and the services they provide.

No guarantee. CritterTrust does not guarantee the conduct, performance, qualifications, or character of any Sitter. Background checks, identity verification, and the platform's other features are tools that help you make informed decisions; they do not substitute for your own judgment.

7. Reviews

After a completed booking, you may leave a review of the Sitter. Reviews help other Owners make informed booking decisions and help Sitters build their professional reputation.

Honest reviews. Reviews must reflect your honest experience with the Sitter. They must not contain:

• Personal attacks, threats, or harassment
• False statements of fact
• Content unrelated to the service provided (e.g., political commentary, references to events the Sitter wasn't involved in)
• Confidential or private information about other people
• Solicitations, advertisements, or links unrelated to the review

CritterTrust may, in our sole discretion, remove reviews that violate these Terms.

Sitter responses. Sitters may publicly respond to reviews. Their responses are subject to the same standards.

No retaliation by Sitters. Sitters are prohibited from retaliating against you for leaving an honest review. If you experience retaliation, please contact support@crittertrust.com.

Reviews are not a substitute for action. If a Sitter's conduct causes you serious concern, please report the incident to CritterTrust at safety@crittertrust.com and, where appropriate, to local authorities. A negative review is not a substitute for reporting serious safety issues.

8. Owner Conduct

You agree to use CritterTrust in good faith and to:

• Communicate honestly and respectfully with Sitters and CritterTrust
• Provide accurate information about your pets and home environment
• Pay Sitters as agreed for services performed
• Not harass, threaten, defame, or discriminate against any Sitter
• Not request services that violate any law or place a Sitter in a knowingly unsafe situation
• Not use the platform to commit fraud, identity theft, or any illegal activity
• Not attempt to circumvent CritterTrust's safety measures (such as falsifying account information to book a Sitter who has previously declined or blocked you)
• Not submit false reviews, manipulate reviews, or pay for reviews
• Not use the platform to violate any Sitter's privacy

CritterTrust may suspend or terminate Owner accounts for violations of these conduct standards.

9. Pet Information and Photos

Information you provide. When you provide pet information (name, species, breed, photo, behavioral notes, medical information, etc.), you authorize CritterTrust to share that information with Sitters you book to enable them to provide care. Pet information is not made public on the platform.

Photos in report cards. Sitters take photos of your pet during visits and share them with you through the report card feature. The photos in your report cards are yours. You may save, print, share, and use them as you wish. The Sitter does not have the right to use those photos for marketing or any other purpose without your express written permission.

Owner content license. You retain ownership of content you provide to CritterTrust (pet profiles, messages, etc.). You grant CritterTrust a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use that content for the purposes of operating, promoting, and improving the platform. This license ends when you delete the content or your account, except for content already shared with Sitters (which they retain for their service records) and aggregate, non-identifying analytics.

10. Privacy

CritterTrust's collection and use of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the platform, you agree to the data practices described in the Privacy Policy.

You agree to comply with all applicable privacy laws when handling Sitter information you receive through the platform. You will not use Sitter contact information for any purpose other than communicating about pet care.

11. CritterTrust's Role and Disclaimers

CritterTrust is a platform, not a pet care provider.

CritterTrust does not employ, supervise, train, certify, or guarantee the performance of any Sitter. We provide background checks, identity verification, and a venue for Owners and Sitters to find each other. We do not:

• Direct, control, or oversee the manner in which Sitters perform services
• Inspect Sitters' qualifications beyond the background check
• Witness or supervise any visit
• Guarantee any outcome, level of service, satisfaction, or pet safety

Sitter conduct. Sitters are solely responsible for their own conduct and the services they provide. CritterTrust is not responsible for any act, omission, error, negligence, or misconduct of any Sitter.

Owner contracts directly with Sitters. When you book a Sitter, the resulting agreement is between you and the Sitter. CritterTrust is not a party to this agreement.

Platform availability. CritterTrust will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the platform operational but does not guarantee uninterrupted, error-free, or perpetually available service. Scheduled maintenance, outages, third-party failures, and force majeure events may interrupt service.

THE PLATFORM AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, AND THE WARRANTY ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. CRITTERTRUST DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR FREE FROM HARMFUL COMPONENTS.

12. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless CritterTrust, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates 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 CritterTrust platform
• Your interactions with Sitters
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any law, regulation, or third-party right
• Any content you submit to the platform
• Any contract, dispute, or interaction between you and a Sitter (where the dispute is not the direct fault of CritterTrust)

CritterTrust reserves the right to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, in which case you agree to cooperate with CritterTrust's defense.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

CritterTrust shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to lost profits, lost data, loss of goodwill, business interruption, personal injury, property damage, or pet injury or death, arising out of or related to your use of the platform — even if CritterTrust has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

CritterTrust's total cumulative liability to you for any claim arising out of or related to these Terms or the platform shall not exceed one hundred U.S. dollars ($100). Because Owners do not pay CritterTrust subscription fees, this fixed amount represents the agreed-upon outer limit of CritterTrust's liability to Owners.

This limitation applies regardless of the legal theory (contract, tort, strict liability, or otherwise) and whether or not CritterTrust has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, in which case the foregoing limitations apply to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Important: This limit does not apply to claims you may have against a Sitter directly. CritterTrust's liability cap does not limit your separate ability to pursue claims against a Sitter for harm caused by the Sitter.

14. Dispute Resolution — Binding Arbitration and Class Action Waiver

Please read this section carefully. It limits your legal rights.

14.1 Informal resolution first. Before initiating any formal dispute against CritterTrust, you agree to first contact CritterTrust at legal@crittertrust.com with a written description of the dispute and requested resolution. CritterTrust will respond within 30 days. The parties will attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute informally for a period of at least 60 days before initiating arbitration. The statute of limitations and any filing fee deadlines will be tolled during the informal-resolution period.

14.2 Binding arbitration. Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or related to these Terms or the platform that is not resolved through informal resolution shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

The arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator. The arbitrator will be empowered to award any relief that would be available in a court of law, but only on an individual basis.

14.3 Location and procedure. The arbitration will be conducted by telephone, video, or written submissions where possible. If an in-person hearing is required, it will be held in Montgomery County, Ohio, or another location mutually agreed by the parties.

14.4 Costs. AAA's filing fees and arbitrator fees will be allocated according to AAA's Consumer Arbitration Rules. CritterTrust will pay any portion of those fees that exceeds what you would have paid to file in court, where required by law. Each party is responsible for its own attorneys' fees, except where applicable law or these Terms provide otherwise.

14.5 CLASS ACTION WAIVER. You and CritterTrust agree that any dispute will be resolved on an individual basis. Neither you nor CritterTrust may bring a claim as a plaintiff or class member in any class, collective, or representative action. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding.

If a court determines that this class-action waiver is unenforceable as to a particular claim or remedy, that claim or remedy (and only that claim or remedy) shall be severed from arbitration and may proceed in a court of competent jurisdiction; all other claims will proceed in arbitration.

14.6 Exceptions. Notwithstanding the above, either party may bring a claim in small claims court for a dispute within that court's jurisdiction, and either party may seek injunctive or equitable relief in court for intellectual property, confidentiality, or unauthorized access claims.

This Section 14 does not apply to claims you may have against Sitters directly. Disputes between you and a Sitter are between you and the Sitter and are governed by your separate agreement with that Sitter. This Section 14 applies only to disputes between you and CritterTrust.

14.7 Right to opt out. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to legal@crittertrust.com within 30 days of first agreeing to these Terms. The notice must include your full name, the email address associated with your account, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration. Opting out does not affect any other provision of these Terms.

14.8 Survival. This Section 14 survives termination of these Terms and your account.

15. Suspension and Termination

Your right to terminate. You may terminate your Owner account at any time through your account settings or by emailing support@crittertrust.com. Your existing booking commitments to Sitters survive termination — termination does not relieve you of obligations to pay Sitters for services already rendered or to honor existing booking agreements.

CritterTrust's right to suspend or terminate. CritterTrust may suspend or terminate your account, with or without notice, if we reasonably believe that:

• You have violated these Terms
• You have submitted fraudulent or misleading information
• You have harassed, threatened, or harmed any Sitter
• Your use of the platform poses a risk to Sitters, pets, or others
• Required by law, court order, or regulatory action
• The account has been inactive for an extended period

Effect of termination. Upon termination:

• You will lose access to your CritterTrust account and any saved data
• You may export pet information and report cards before termination if you request a reasonable export
• Your obligations under these Terms that by their nature should survive (including Sections 12, 13, 14, and 16) will survive termination

16. Changes to These Terms

CritterTrust may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of the document
• Notify you by email and/or through the platform
• For material changes, give you at least 30 days' notice before the new Terms take effect

If you do not agree to updated Terms, you may terminate your account before the new Terms take effect. Continuing to use the platform after the new Terms take effect constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

17. Veteran-Owned Status

CritterTrust, LLC is a veteran-owned business. This designation appears on the platform and on our marketing materials. It is not a representation about any Sitter's veteran status, military service, or background.

18. General Provisions

Governing law. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. The Federal Arbitration Act governs the arbitration provisions in Section 14.

Venue. Subject to Section 14, any dispute that proceeds in court (e.g., the small claims or injunctive-relief exceptions) shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Montgomery County, Ohio, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force.

No waiver. A failure or delay by CritterTrust in enforcing any provision is not a waiver.

Assignment. You may not assign these Terms without CritterTrust's written consent. CritterTrust may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale, or other corporate transaction.

Entire agreement. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other policies referenced, constitute the entire agreement between you and CritterTrust and supersede all prior agreements.

Force majeure. Neither party will be liable for any failure to perform due to events beyond reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, pandemics, government actions, and infrastructure outages.

Notices. CritterTrust may provide notices to you by email at the address associated with your account, by posting on the platform, or by any other reasonable means. You may provide notices to CritterTrust at legal@crittertrust.com.

Contact. CritterTrust, LLC [Street Address] [City], Ohio [ZIP] legal@crittertrust.com support@crittertrust.com (general support) safety@crittertrust.com (safety concerns)

End of Owner Terms of Service v1.0-draft