These terms apply when you create a Nearpaw account or use our website and app. By using Nearpaw you agree to them. Please also read our privacy policy.

1. The service

Nearpaw is a marketplace that connects pet owners with independent sitters in their local area. Sitters are not employed by Nearpaw and Nearpaw does not itself provide pet care. When an owner accepts a sitter’s bid, the care contract is between the owner and the sitter; Nearpaw provides the platform, payment handling, verification tools and support.

2. Who can use Nearpaw

You must be 18 or over, provide accurate information and keep your account details secure. One person, one account. We may suspend or close accounts that breach these terms or put pets or people at risk.

3. Fees and payment

Owners pay exactly the price agreed in the accepted bid; there is no owner service fee. Sitters pay a platform fee of 10% of that price on completed bookings, deducted before payout. Payments are processed by Stripe; funds are held until the booking is completed. Pet swaps between neighbours carry no fee and no payment.

4. Verification and meet & greet

Sitters must complete identity verification before accepting a paid booking and may add a DBS certificate for a DBS badge. Every paid booking starts with a free meet & greet, which either party may use to walk away without charge. Owners must disclose known medical, behavioural and legal matters (for example, breed restrictions) in the pet profile.

5. Care standards

Sitters must follow the care plan, keep the care feed updated honestly, and contact the owner and, if needed, a vet immediately in an emergency. Owners must provide food, medication, equipment and emergency contact details. Sitters who board animals in their own home for payment may need a licence from their local council; it is the sitter’s responsibility to hold any licence required.

6. Insurance

Paid bookings arranged through Nearpaw include third-party liability and vet-fee cover under Nearpaw’s policy, subject to the policy terms, excesses and exclusions shown before booking. Pet swaps are not insured. Cover does not replace an owner’s own pet insurance.

7. Cancellations, refunds and disputes

Either party may cancel free of charge before the meet & greet. Later cancellations are handled under the cancellation terms shown when the booking is confirmed; a sitter who cancels late may lose standing on the platform. If something goes wrong, contact support as soon as possible after the booking; we will review the care-feed record and messages and may refund the owner or release payment to the sitter.

8. Content and conduct

You keep ownership of the photos, videos and text you post, and grant Nearpaw a licence to store and display them to the people involved in the booking. Do not post anything unlawful, abusive or misleading, and do not use Nearpaw to arrange bookings off-platform to avoid fees.

8a. Keeping bookings on Nearpaw

Paying a sitter you met on Nearpaw outside the app means losing insurance, the care feed and dispute protection, and leads to account removal. To protect both sides, phone numbers, email addresses, social-media handles and links cannot be included in bids or profiles before a booking is paid; they may be shared in the booking chat afterwards. Repeat bookings between the same owner and sitter carry a reduced 7% platform fee, so there is no saving in going around the app. You may not bid on or book your own jobs, and new accounts are limited to a small number of open bids and bookings until a first booking completes.

9. Liability

Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law, including for death or personal injury caused by negligence. Otherwise, Nearpaw’s total liability to you in connection with a booking is limited to the fees you paid for that booking. We are not liable for the acts or omissions of sitters or owners, who are independent of us.

10. Changes and ending these terms

We may update these terms; material changes will be announced in the app before they take effect. You can close your account at any time from Settings. Sections that by their nature should survive (fees owed, liability, disputes) continue to apply.

11. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction, without affecting any rights you have as a consumer.

Contact

Nearpaw, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom · support@nearpaw.co.uk · Support & reporting