Provider Agreement - HeyDog

This Provider Agreement ("Agreement") governs your use of HeyDog as a service provider. By creating a provider profile, you agree to the terms below in addition to our Terms of Service.

IMPORTANT NOTICE — PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

HeyDog is a SaaS-enabled software venue operated by Hanlon Digital LLC. HeyDog provides technology tools that allow independent pet care providers to market their services to pet owners. HeyDog qualifies as an "interactive computer service" under 47 U.S.C. Section 230.

HeyDog is strictly a technology platform. It does NOT verify, screen, endorse, recommend, or control providers in any way. HeyDog offers two provider tiers: Unlisted Providers who use platform tools without appearing in the public search directory, and Listed Providers who have completed directory verification (background check and commercial liability insurance) and appear in HeyDog's public search directory. Neither tier constitutes HeyDog's verification, endorsement, or guarantee of any provider's safety, competence, or reliability.

By subscribing and creating a provider profile, you acknowledge that you are an independent business operator using HeyDog's software tools. You are not an employee, contractor, agent, or franchisee of HeyDog or Hanlon Digital LLC. Your subscription fee purchases access to platform features only.

1. User-Generated Content

CONTENT RESPONSIBILITY:

HeyDog is a passive online directory where users post their own content. By creating a provider profile, you understand that:

You are a USER of this website, not an employee, contractor, or agent of HeyDog
Your profile is user-generated content that you create and control
HeyDog has no relationship with you beyond hosting your content
HeyDog does not verify, screen, or endorse any provider profiles
Any services you offer are between you and your clients - HeyDog is not involved
You are solely responsible for the accuracy of your profile information
You are solely responsible for your interactions with other users

This is similar to posting on any social media platform or classified ads website. HeyDog simply provides a space for users to post information - we do not control, verify, or take responsibility for that content.

2. Platform Access vs. Directory Listing

HeyDog offers two tiers of provider participation:

(a) Platform Access (Free)

All registered Providers receive access to HeyDog's software tools, including a branded profile page, booking system, messaging, and dashboard. Platform Access does not require verification. Providers with Platform Access are Unlisted Providersand do not appear in HeyDog's public search directory.

(b) Directory Listing (Requires Verification)

Providers who complete both a Checkr background check and upload proof of commercial general liability insurance with minimum $100,000 coverage may apply to be listed in HeyDog's public search directory. Providers who meet these requirements and are approved become Listed Providers.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:

Neither Platform Access nor Directory Listing constitutes HeyDog's endorsement, verification, or guarantee of any provider's qualifications, safety, or quality of service. HeyDog does not independently investigate, screen, or vouch for any provider, whether Listed or Unlisted.

3. Service Standards

While HeyDog does not control how you provide services, you agree to:

Provide accurate and truthful information in your profile
Treat all pets humanely and with proper care
Respond to booking requests and messages in a timely manner
Honor confirmed bookings unless emergency circumstances prevent you
Communicate promptly with pet owners about any issues or concerns
Follow all applicable local laws and regulations for pet care services
Exercise reasonable care for the well-being of pets entrusted to you
Report any incidents, injuries, or emergencies to pet owners immediately

Prohibited Activities

Providing services while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Using physical punishment or abusive treatment of animals
Leaving pets unattended for extended periods without owner consent
Transporting pets in an unsafe manner
Sharing pet owner personal information without consent
Misrepresenting your qualifications, experience, or services

4. Background Checks (Required for Directory Listing — Provider-Paid)

DIRECTORY LISTING REQUIREMENT:

Providers who wish to be listed in HeyDog's public search directory must complete an FCRA-compliant criminal background check through Checkr, Inc. This is a mandatory condition of directory listing, not of basic platform access. Unlisted Providers are not required to complete a background check but may choose to do so voluntarily. The full cost of the background check (currently $29.99 + applicable state/county passthrough fees) is paid entirely by the provider.

CRITICAL DISCLAIMER — BACKGROUND CHECKS:

A "Checkr-Screened" badge on a provider's profile means only that Checkr, a third-party consumer reporting agency, has processed a background check for that provider. It does NOT mean:

HeyDog or Hanlon Digital LLC has independently verified, investigated, or validated the background check results
The provider is safe, trustworthy, competent, or fit to provide pet care services
HeyDog recommends, endorses, or vouches for this provider
The background check is comprehensive — it may not capture all jurisdictions, pending cases, or non-criminal conduct
The provider has no criminal history — background check adjudication criteria are set by Checkr under FCRA guidelines, not by HeyDog

HeyDog utilizes Checkr as a third-party service and passes through the results without independent verification. Pet owners must exercise their own judgment and independently verify all provider information. HeyDog disclaims all liability for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any background check results.

Providers seeking directory listing must complete and pay for a background check before their profile appears in the public search directory. Background checks may need to be renewed periodically as required by applicable law or HeyDog policy.

5. Commercial Liability Insurance (Required for Directory Listing — Provider-Paid)

DIRECTORY LISTING REQUIREMENT:

Providers who wish to be listed in HeyDog's public search directory must obtain and maintain, at their own expense, active commercial pet sitting liability insurance. This is a mandatory condition of directory listing, not of basic platform access. Unlisted Providers are not required to carry insurance but are strongly encouraged to do so. Specifically, providers seeking directory listing must:

Obtain and pay for commercial general liability insurance with a minimum of $100,000 per occurrence that specifically covers professional pet care services (sitting, walking, boarding, grooming, training, or daycare as applicable)
Upload a valid certificate of insurance (COI) or declarations page to the platform
Provide the insurance carrier name, policy number, and expiration date
Attest under penalty of account termination that coverage is current and active
Promptly notify HeyDog of any lapse, cancellation, or material change to coverage
Renew coverage before the policy expiration date and upload updated documentation

Failure to maintain valid insurance at all times will result in immediate removal from the public search directory. Your profile will revert to Unlisted status until valid insurance documentation is provided.

CRITICAL DISCLAIMER — INSURANCE:

An "Insurance on File" badge on a provider's profile indicates only that the provider has submitted insurance documentation to HeyDog. It does NOT mean:

HeyDog has independently verified that the insurance policy is valid, active, or in good standing with the carrier
The provider's insurance will cover any specific claim, incident, injury, or property damage
HeyDog provides, underwrites, sponsors, or guarantees any insurance coverage
HeyDog is a party to, beneficiary of, or in any way connected to any provider's insurance policy
The insurance has not lapsed, been cancelled, or been modified since the documentation was submitted

HeyDog is NOT an insurance company, broker, or agent. HeyDog provides no insurance coverage of any kind to any party. Providers are solely responsible for obtaining, maintaining, and paying for adequate insurance. Pet owners should request current proof of insurance directly from providers before engaging their services.

6. Payment and Fees

Provider Accounts (Free & Pro)

All providers may create a profile, list services, accept bookings, and message pet owners on HeyDog at no cost. An optional Pro subscription is available at $19.99/month (or the applicable discounted annual rate) for additional features including:

Featured placement in search results
Unlimited gallery photos and profile boosts
Analytics dashboard and manual calendar entries
Priority support on platform-related issues

Subscription pricing is subject to change with 30 days' notice. You may cancel at any time through the Manage Billing page; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period and your profile reverts to the free tier.

Provider-Paid Costs

As an independent business operator, you are responsible for the following costs:

Subscription fee: $19.99/month (or applicable annual rate)
Checkr background check: Currently $29.99 + applicable state/county passthrough fees (one-time, plus any required renewals)
Commercial liability insurance: Obtained and maintained at your own expense from the insurer of your choice
Credit card processing fees: Standard Stripe processing fees (currently approximately 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) on all online booking payments are your sole responsibility

Client Payments

You may accept payments from pet owners via:

Online payments via Stripe Connect: Connect your Stripe account to accept card payments. Funds are deposited directly into your connected Stripe account per Stripe's payout schedule. HeyDog charges zero platform fees or commissions on booking payments. All Stripe processing fees are absorbed by you.
Direct payment: You may also arrange payment directly with pet owners using cash, Venmo, or any other agreed method. HeyDog has no involvement in direct payments.

You are solely responsible for: setting your own rates, collecting payment, handling chargebacks and refund disputes, and reporting and paying all applicable taxes on your earnings.

7. Profile and Reviews

Profile Accuracy

You agree to maintain accurate, current, and complete information in your profile, including:

Services offered and pricing
Availability and response time
Experience and qualifications
Photos that accurately represent you and your services

Reviews

Pet owners may leave reviews about your services. All reviews are public. You may respond to reviews but may not:

Offer payment or incentives for positive reviews
Threaten or harass users who leave negative reviews
Create fake reviews for yourself or others

8. Termination

Voluntary Termination

You may close your provider profile at any time through your account settings or by contacting heydog@hanlon.digital. Upon closure:

Your profile will be removed from search results
Active messaging threads will be preserved for 30 days
Reviews you received will remain visible unless you delete your entire account
Any prepaid subscription fees are non-refundable after the 30-day trial period

Termination by HeyDog

We may suspend or terminate your provider profile if you:

Violate this Agreement or our Terms of Service
Receive multiple reports or complaints from pet owners
Engage in abusive, unsafe, or illegal conduct
Misrepresent your qualifications or services
Attempt to circumvent platform features or fees

Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to use HeyDog as a provider ceases immediately. Provisions regarding liability, arbitration, and intellectual property survive termination.

9. Liability, Indemnification, and Hold Harmless

PROVIDER INDEMNIFICATION AND HOLD HARMLESS:

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, YOU (THE PROVIDER) AGREE TO INDEMNIFY, DEFEND, AND HOLD COMPLETELY HARMLESS HANLON DIGITAL LLC, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, MEMBERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, SUCCESSORS, AND ASSIGNS (THE "INDEMNIFIED PARTIES") FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, DEMANDS, ACTIONS, SUITS, PROCEEDINGS, JUDGMENTS, LOSSES, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES, PENALTIES, FINES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING REASONABLE ATTORNEYS' FEES, EXPERT WITNESS FEES, AND COURT COSTS) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATED TO:

ANY PET CARE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE, OFFER, OR FAIL TO PROVIDE
ANY INJURY, ILLNESS, ESCAPE, OR DEATH OF ANY ANIMAL IN YOUR CARE OR CUSTODY
ANY BODILY INJURY OR DEATH OF ANY PERSON ARISING FROM YOUR SERVICES OR THE ANIMALS IN YOUR CARE
ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE TO ANY PET OWNER'S HOME, VEHICLE, PERSONAL PROPERTY, OR ANY THIRD-PARTY PROPERTY
ANY DISPUTE, CLAIM, OR COMPLAINT FROM ANY PET OWNER, THIRD PARTY, OR GOVERNMENT ENTITY
YOUR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN REQUIRED COMMERCIAL LIABILITY INSURANCE
YOUR FAILURE TO ACCURATELY REPRESENT YOUR BACKGROUND CHECK STATUS, INSURANCE COVERAGE, OR QUALIFICATIONS
YOUR VIOLATION OF ANY APPLICABLE LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL LAW OR REGULATION
YOUR BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TERMS OF SERVICE
ANY TAX LIABILITY, PENALTY, OR REGULATORY FINE RESULTING FROM YOUR ACTIVITIES

THIS INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATION IS UNCONDITIONAL AND SURVIVES THE TERMINATION OF YOUR ACCOUNT AND THIS AGREEMENT. YOU SHALL NOT SETTLE ANY CLAIM WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF HANLON DIGITAL LLC. THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES MAY, AT THEIR OPTION, ASSUME EXCLUSIVE CONTROL OF ANY DEFENSE AT YOUR EXPENSE.

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR COMMERCIAL LIABILITY INSURANCE IS YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE FOR ANY CLAIMS ARISING FROM YOUR SERVICES. HEYDOG DOES NOT PROVIDE, SUPPLEMENT, OR BACKSTOP ANY INSURANCE COVERAGE.

Additional Acknowledgment for Unlisted Providers

Unlisted Providers additionally acknowledge that they have chosen not to complete HeyDog's directory verification and accept sole responsibility for all interactions, services, and transactions conducted through their profile. Unlisted Providers may not represent or imply that they have been screened, verified, or endorsed by HeyDog in any way.

HeyDog is not liable for any disputes between you and pet owners, including non-payment, property damage, service quality issues, or injuries. Any claims against HeyDog are subject to the Limitation of Liability in the Terms of Service.

10. Modification of Agreement

We may modify this Agreement at any time. For material changes, we will provide 30 days' advance notice via email. Continued use of HeyDog as a provider after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the modified Agreement.

11. Subscription Terms

All providers may use HeyDog for free, including creating a profile, listing services, accepting bookings, and messaging pet owners.
An optional Pro subscription ($19.99/month or applicable annual rate) provides additional features such as featured search placement, unlimited gallery photos, analytics, and priority support.
Neither a free account nor a paid Pro subscription indicates verification, screening, endorsement, or approval by HeyDog.
Pro subscription payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. HeyDog does not store card details.
You may cancel your Pro subscription at any time through the Manage Billing page. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period; your profile reverts to the free tier.
Support is provided on a reasonable-efforts basis. Response times are not guaranteed.
HeyDog reserves the right to modify subscription pricing with 30 days' notice.

12. Response Time and Performance Metrics

HeyDog automatically tracks certain metrics about your provider activity, including average response time to messages. These metrics may be displayed publicly on your profile. By using HeyDog as a provider, you consent to the collection and display of these performance metrics.

13. GPS Walk Tracking and Emergency SOS

If you use the GPS Walk Tracking feature, you agree to the following:

Walk tracking is optional. You may start and stop tracking at your discretion.
When you start a walk session, your GPS location is recorded at regular intervals and shared with the pet owner.
Walk events you log (water stops, rest breaks, etc.) are shared with the pet owner.
Walk route data, including GPS coordinates, is stored per our Privacy Policy.
You are responsible for the accuracy of walk event logs. Falsifying walk data may result in account termination.

EMERGENCY SOS DISCLAIMER FOR PROVIDERS:

The SOS button is a convenience tool that sends an in-app notification to the pet owner. It is NOT a replacement for calling 911. If you encounter a genuine emergency during a walk:

CALL 911 FIRST for any life-threatening emergency
Contact the pet owner directly by phone if possible
The SOS feature may be used as a supplementary notification only
HeyDog does NOT monitor SOS alerts and does NOT dispatch any responders

HeyDog is NOT liable for any injury, harm, or damage that occurs during a walk, whether or not the SOS feature is used.

14. Certification Quizzes

HeyDog offers optional knowledge quizzes that award certification badges upon passing. By participating:

Certification badges indicate that you have passed a self-service quiz. They are NOT professional certifications, licenses, or accreditations.
Earning a badge does NOT constitute HeyDog verification, endorsement, or approval of your skills or qualifications.
You must not represent HeyDog certification badges as equivalent to professional certifications or licensing.
HeyDog may revoke certification badges at any time for any reason.
Quiz content is for educational purposes only and does NOT replace professional training.

15. Community Hub Participation

If you participate in the Community Hub as a provider, the same content policies in the Terms of Service apply. Additionally:

You must not use community posts to solicit clients in ways that circumvent the platform.
Advertising your services in community posts is permitted but must be truthful and not misleading.
Community posts do not receive priority placement based on your subscription tier.
HeyDog may remove community posts at any time per the content policies.

16. ASAP Availability

If you enable ASAP availability on your profile:

You indicate that you are generally available for on-demand booking requests. This is self-reported and NOT verified by HeyDog.
You are NOT obligated to accept any ASAP booking request. Requests expire after 15 minutes.
You should disable ASAP availability when you are not actually available to avoid poor user experiences.
Repeatedly enabling ASAP availability while declining requests may result in reduced search visibility.

17. Tax Obligations

As a user of this platform, you are solely responsible for:

Determining and fulfilling all tax obligations arising from any services you provide or payments you receive through or in connection with this website, including income taxes, self-employment taxes, sales taxes, and any other applicable taxes.
Obtaining any required business licenses, permits, or registrations in your jurisdiction.
Maintaining your own records for tax purposes.
Consulting with a qualified tax professional regarding your specific tax obligations.

HeyDog does not provide tax advice and is not responsible for determining whether taxes apply to your transactions or for collecting or remitting any taxes on your behalf. If required by law, HeyDog or Stripe may issue tax reporting forms (e.g., IRS Form 1099-K) based on applicable thresholds.

18. Uploaded Content and Intellectual Property

You retain ownership of photos, text, and other content you upload to your provider profile. By uploading content to HeyDog, you grant HeyDog a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute your content solely for the purpose of operating and promoting this website. This license terminates when you delete your content or your account, except where your content has been shared with other users (e.g., in messages or bookings) and retained per our data retention policy.

You represent and warrant that you own or have the necessary rights to all content you upload, and that your content does not infringe on the intellectual property rights of any third party.

19. Data Handling After Account Closure

Upon closure or termination of your provider account:

Your provider profile will be removed from public search results within 24 hours.
Your profile data, photos, and service listings will be deleted within 30 days.
Reviews you received will be anonymized (reviewer names removed) but the review text and ratings may be retained for platform integrity.
Message history will be retained for 30 days, then deleted.
Booking records may be retained for up to 2 years for legal compliance and dispute resolution purposes.
Payment and transaction records processed through Stripe are retained by Stripe per their data retention policies and applicable financial regulations.
Data required to be retained by law (e.g., tax records, legal holds) will be retained for the legally required period.

You may request a copy of your data before closing your account by contacting heydog@hanlon.digital.

20. Contact Information

For questions about this Agreement:

HeyDog
Operated by Hanlon Digital LLC
Email: heydog@hanlon.digital

Related Policies: