Terms of Service
1. The Platform
PetHour ("PetHour", "we", "us") operates a pet care marketplace at pethour.app that enables pet owners ("Owners") to discover and book independent pet care providers ("Sitters"). PetHour is a booking platform — not an employer, staffing agency, insurer, or guarantor. Every user is an independent adult responsible for their own decisions.
By creating an account you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.
2. Accounts
2.1 One Account, Both Roles
A single PetHour account may be configured as an Owner, a Sitter, or both simultaneously. Role selection is not required at signup — you activate the sides of the marketplace you want to use from your account settings.
2.2 Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old to create an account and accept bookings as a Sitter. Owners must be at least 13 years old.
2.3 Accurate Information
You are responsible for keeping your account information accurate. Providing false information — including fake reviews, fabricated pet profiles, or misrepresented qualifications — is grounds for immediate account suspension.
2.4 Account Security
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials. Notify us immediately at support@pethour.app if you suspect unauthorised access.
3. Bookings
3.1 How Bookings Work
All bookings — whether first-time or repeat — must be made through PetHour. The platform holds payment at booking confirmation and releases it to the Sitter upon completion. This escrow structure is what makes reliability scores trustworthy and enables backup protection.
3.2 Off-Platform Arrangements
PetHour does not prohibit off-platform contact or payment. We compete on value, not gatekeeping. However, off-platform bookings are not covered by any platform guarantee, dispute resolution, GPS tracking, AI reports, or backup protection.
3.3 Backup Sitter Network
Owners may optionally designate up to 3 backup Sitters at booking ($4.00 per backup slot, non-refundable). If the primary Sitter cancels, all backups are notified simultaneously. The first to accept within 15 minutes secures the booking. Backups who register but are never triggered receive $2.50. Backups who decline a triggered request forfeit the availability fee.
4. Fees & Billing
4.1 Owner Service Fee
Owners pay a 10% service fee on every booking, added transparently on top of the Sitter's listed rate. This fee is shown at checkout before confirmation. The Sitter receives their listed rate in full.
4.2 Sitter Subscriptions
Sitters choose a subscription tier: Explorer (free), Pro ($29/month), Growth ($59/month), or Elite ($99/month). The Explorer tier is free until the Sitter's first booking is confirmed.
4.3 First Booking Activation — Non-Refundable
The moment a Sitter's first booking is confirmed, one full month of Pro subscription is charged automatically. This charge is non-cancellable and non-refundable. This policy is disclosed during onboarding and must be acknowledged before a Sitter profile goes live.
4.4 Auto-Upgrades
If a Sitter's 3-month average GMV exceeds a tier threshold ($650 for Growth, $1,300 for Elite), an automatic upgrade is triggered at the next billing cycle start. Sitters receive 7 days advance notice showing the new tier, cost, and triggering average.
4.5 Downgrades
PetHour never automatically downgrades a Sitter. When the 3-month average falls below the current tier threshold, a downgrade option is surfaced to the Sitter. A Sitter may not downgrade during their first mandatory month.
4.6 Cancellation & Search Suppression
Subscription cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing cycle. After cancellation, the Sitter's search placement drops to free-tier rank for 30 days. A Sitter may not cancel if they have confirmed bookings beyond the current billing cycle end date.
4.7 Vacation Mode
Sitters may pause their profile for up to 60 consecutive days per calendar year. Subscription billing continues during vacation. Any booking confirmed during vacation mode immediately ends vacation mode.
5. Cancellation & Refunds
| Event | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Sitter cancels booking | Full refund to Owner including service fee |
| Owner cancels more than 48 hours before service | Full refund including service fee |
| Owner cancels less than 48 hours before service | Listed price retained by Sitter; service fee refunded to Owner |
| Owner no-show | Full listed price retained by Sitter; service fee non-refundable |
6. Reliability Scores
Each account carries a Reliability Score calculated from verified platform activity: cancellation rate, response time, repeat-client percentage, and review average. Scores are visible to the other party before any booking is confirmed.
Scores are economically gated — they cannot be inflated without incurring real costs. GPS completion is structurally required for walk services. Reviews are escrow-gated — neither party can review until payment clears and the booking is marked complete.
Attempting to manipulate scores through collusive fake bookings, multi-account activity, or device/IP spoofing is grounds for permanent ban and potential legal action.
7. Identity Verification & Background Checks
Background checks ($29 one-time) and government ID verification ($9 one-time) are optional add-ons for Sitters, performed by our third-party partner Checkr. These checks award verified badges that are displayed on the Sitter's public profile.
Badges indicate that a check was performed and passed at a point in time. PetHour does not continuously monitor individuals and makes no guarantee as to future conduct.
8. Insurance & Liability
PetHour does not provide insurance. The platform is a facilitator, not an insurer or guarantor. All liability for pet care services rests with the Owner and Sitter involved in the booking.
Optional per-booking coverage products may be offered at checkout. These are purchased by the respective party and are contractual arrangements between that party and the coverage provider. PetHour is not a party to those arrangements.
When a party declines coverage, explicit acknowledgment is required:
- Owner: "Without protection, PetHour cannot compensate for pet loss or injury on this booking."
- Sitter: "Without cover, you are personally liable for claims on this booking."
PetHour's aggregate liability to any user for any claim is limited to the service fees paid by that user in the 12 months preceding the claim.
9. Sitter Services & Qualifications
Sitters are solely responsible for accurately representing their qualifications, experience, and any declarations required for Specialist or Professional Services. Misrepresenting qualifications is grounds for immediate account termination.
Specialist Services require a written declaration visible on the Sitter's public profile. Professional Services require credential upload reviewed by PetHour admin within 24 hours before the service becomes bookable.
10. GPS Tracking & AI Features
GPS walk tracking, AI visit reports, and AI pet memory videos are platform-provided tools for transparency and communication — they are not guarantees of service quality or safety. GPS data is used to calculate walk metrics and feed AI journal generation. AI-generated content may contain errors and should not be relied upon for medical or safety decisions.
11. Prohibited Conduct
- Creating fake bookings to manipulate reliability scores
- Operating multiple accounts to circumvent subscription or scoring rules
- Misrepresenting qualifications, certifications, or background check status
- Harassing, threatening, or discriminating against any other user
- Sharing another user's personal data outside the context of an active booking
- Attempting to circumvent payment processing or subscription billing
- Using the platform's AI or data outputs to build competing products
Violation of these rules may result in immediate suspension, permanent ban, forfeiture of any pending payouts, and referral to law enforcement where applicable.
12. Dispute Resolution
In the event of a dispute between an Owner and a Sitter, either party may open a dispute within 72 hours of the booking end time by contacting support@pethour.app. PetHour will review available evidence (GPS data, visit media, messaging history, booking records) and issue a decision within 5 business days. PetHour's decision is final for amounts within our platform guarantee limits.
13. Termination
Either party may close their account at any time. PetHour reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account that violates these Terms, with or without notice. Upon termination, pending payouts for completed bookings will be released according to the standard payout schedule. Subscription fees are not refunded upon termination for cause.
14. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms as the platform evolves. Material changes will be communicated by email at least 14 days before they take effect. Continued use of PetHour after that date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
15. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. Any disputes not resolved through our internal process shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Fairfax County, Virginia.
16. Contact
Questions about these Terms: support@pethour.app