Safety & Trust

Our Commitment to Safety

At PawSafe, we understand that your pet is family. Finding someone you trust to care for them is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. This page explains how we approach safety, what we do to maintain quality on the platform, and what you should do to protect yourself and your pet.

How We Vet Providers

Every provider listed on PawSafe goes through a baseline review process before their listing is approved. This includes:

• Application review: We manually review every provider application. We check for completeness, plausibility, and any obvious red flags in the information provided.
• Profile quality check: Listings must meet a minimum standard of quality. Incomplete, vague, or suspicious listings are declined or held for follow-up.
• Ongoing review: Providers who receive complaints or whose listing information appears to change significantly may be flagged for re-review or removed from the platform.

Before You Contact a Provider

Here is what we recommend before reaching out to or engaging any pet care provider:

Read the profile carefully

• Check their listed services match what you need
• Review their experience level and years in pet care
• Look at the pets they accept — not all providers care for all animal types
• Note whether they have a fenced yard if your dog needs it

Ask the right questions

• How many animals do they care for at one time?
• What is their plan if your pet becomes ill or injured?
• Do they carry liability insurance?
• Can they provide references from past clients?
• What is their cancellation policy?

Always do a meet-and-greet first

We strongly recommend scheduling a free meet-and-greet before your first booking. This lets your pet interact with the provider in a low-stakes environment, and lets you see their home or setup in person. Most PawSafe providers are happy to do this.

Trust your instincts

If something feels off during the enquiry process or the meet-and-greet, trust your gut. You are under no obligation to proceed with any provider.

During a Care Period

Once you have engaged a provider:

• Share emergency information: Provide the provider with your vet’s name and number, your pet’s medical history, medications, allergies, and any behavioural notes.
• Set expectations upfront: Agree on how often you’ll receive updates (photos, messages), and what the provider should do in an emergency.
• Stay reachable: Ensure the provider can reach you or an emergency contact throughout the care period.
• Check in: Don’t hesitate to send a message if you haven’t heard from the provider in a while.

Reporting a Concern

If you have a concern about a provider’s conduct, the welfare of your pet, or any information in a listing:

• In an emergency: If your pet’s life is in danger, contact a veterinarian immediately. Do not wait.
• Provider concerns: Contact the provider directly first to resolve the issue. Most concerns can be resolved through direct communication.
• Report to PawSafe: If you believe a provider has acted dishonestly, unprofessionally, or in a way that endangered an animal, please report it to us at safety@pawsafe.com. We take all reports seriously and will review them promptly.
• Emergency animal welfare: If you have reason to believe an animal is being abused or neglected, contact your local animal control or law enforcement agency.

For Providers: Safety Standards

If you are a provider listed on PawSafe, we expect you to maintain the following standards:

• Never leave animals unattended in unsafe conditions
• Immediately contact the pet owner if their animal shows signs of illness, injury, or distress
• Seek veterinary care without delay if an animal in your care needs it — do not wait for owner authorisation in a genuine emergency
• Keep your listing information current and accurate
• Disclose to pet owners any information that could affect their decision to book you (e.g. other animals in your home, upcoming renovations, etc.)

Failure to maintain these standards may result in removal from the PawSafe platform. Please review the full Provider Agreement for details.

Safety Disclaimer

PawSafe provides a platform for pet owners and providers to connect. We are not responsible for the actions of any provider, the outcome of any care arrangement, or the wellbeing of any animal while in a provider’s care. Pet owners engage providers entirely at their own risk.

For full details of our liability limitations, please read our Terms of Service.

Contact Safety Team