Terms of Service

1. What WhiskerAlert Is — and Is Not

WhiskerAlert is a community-driven information platform that allows people to post and discover lost and found pet notices. We are not a veterinary service, animal control authority, animal rescue organisation, law enforcement body, or professional reunification service.

Facilitator clause: WhiskerAlert is a technology provider. We do not verify the identity of users, the accuracy of information submitted, or the validity of any claim made on or through the platform. All information published on WhiskerAlert is submitted by members of the public and is presented as-is.

WhiskerAlert does not take custody of animals, does not dispatch personnel, and does not act as an agent of any user.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age to use WhiskerAlert. By using the service you represent that you are 18 or older, or that you are using the service under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to these Terms on your behalf.

3. No Guarantee of Results

WhiskerAlert does not guarantee that a lost pet will be found, that a found pet will be reunited with its owner, or that any information provided by other users is accurate, current, or complete. Recovery outcomes depend entirely on circumstances outside our control, including community participation, the quality of the report, and the actions of third parties.

The platform is provided as a discovery and communication tool only.

4. Your Content — Ownership and Licence

You retain ownership of any photos, descriptions, and other content you submit (“Your Content”). By submitting content, you grant WhiskerAlert a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to store, display, and distribute Your Content on the platform and, where applicable, via social broadcast channels, for the purpose of facilitating pet recovery.

You represent and warrant that:

• You own or have the right to use and share all content you submit, including photographs.
• Your content does not infringe the copyright, trademark, or privacy rights of any third party.
• Any images of animals you submit are of animals in your care or that you have personally observed.

When a case is closed or deleted, Your Content will be removed from public display. Copies may remain in backups for the retention period described in our Privacy Policy.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree to use WhiskerAlert only for its intended purpose. You must not:

• Submit false, misleading, or fabricated reports (“hoax” alerts).
• Use the platform for content unrelated to lost or found animals.
• Impersonate any person, pet owner, veterinarian, or animal authority.
• Use automated tools, bots, or scripts to scrape, flood, or interfere with the service.
• Attempt to circumvent access controls, honeypot fields, or CAPTCHA mechanisms.
• Submit multiple duplicate cases for the same animal to manipulate visibility.
• Use the platform to harass, threaten, or intimidate any user or member of the public.

6. Forbidden Content

The following content is strictly prohibited:

• Animal cruelty imagery — any images or descriptions depicting abuse, neglect, or harm to animals.
• Doxxing — publishing personal information (name, address, phone, workplace) of individuals suspected of theft or misconduct without verified evidence.
• Commercial advertising — advertising pet products, services, breeding operations, or for-profit rehoming without our written permission.
• Scam solicitations — requesting payment, gift cards, or wire transfers as a condition of returning or sharing information about a pet.
• Illegal content — any content that violates applicable laws, including those relating to animal welfare, privacy, or defamation.

7. Safety Warning

• Never pay “recovery fees.” Legitimate finders do not charge money to return a pet. Anyone requesting payment before a reunion is attempting to scam you.
• Never meet a stranger alone. If a physical handoff is necessary, meet in a public place during daylight hours and bring another person with you.
• Do not share your home address. Use the platform’s secure relay to communicate until identity is verified.
• Verify before closing. Request a real-time photo or video call before agreeing to a handoff.
• Contact your local animal authority if you believe an animal is in danger or a crime has occurred. WhiskerAlert cannot dispatch help.

See our full Safety Guide for detailed guidance.

8. Content Removal and Access Termination

WhiskerAlert reserves the right to remove any content and restrict or terminate access to the service at any time, without prior notice, if we determine in our sole discretion that:

• Content violates these Terms or applicable law.
• A user is engaging in harassment, spam, or abuse of the platform or other users.
• A case appears to be fraudulent or poses a safety risk to the community.
• Continued access may compromise the integrity or security of the platform.

We may, but are not obligated to, provide a warning or explanation before removal. Decisions to remove content or restrict access are final.

9. Copyright — Notice and Notice

WhiskerAlert complies with the Canadian Copyright Act Notice and Notice regime. If you believe content posted on WhiskerAlert infringes your copyright, please send a written notice to legal@whiskeralert.com including:

• A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed.
• The URL or location of the allegedly infringing content on WhiskerAlert.
• Your name, address, and contact information.
• A statement that you have a good faith belief the use is not authorised.
• A statement that the information in your notice is accurate.

Upon receipt of a valid notice we will forward it to the relevant user and take appropriate action, which may include removal. For users in the United States, WhiskerAlert follows DMCA safe harbour provisions. Counter-notices may be submitted to the same address.

10. Limitation of Liability

WhiskerAlert is provided “as is” and “as available” without any warranty of any kind, express or implied. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, WhiskerAlert, its operators, employees, contractors, and agents shall not be liable for any:

• Emotional distress arising from a failure to recover a pet or from interactions with other users.
• Physical harm resulting from meetings or encounters arranged through the platform.
• Financial loss resulting from scams, fraudulent sightings, or payment of recovery fees to third parties.
• Data loss caused by user-side token mismanagement or device failure.
• Inaccurate information submitted by other users and published in good faith by the platform.
• Service interruptions caused by infrastructure, scheduled maintenance, or events beyond our reasonable control.

In jurisdictions where limitation of liability for personal injury or death is not permitted, WhiskerAlert’s liability is limited to the maximum extent allowed by law.

11. Voluntary Contributions — Refund Policy

WhiskerAlert does not charge fees for any pet recovery services. The platform is funded solely by voluntary, one-time contributions made through the Support Us page. These contributions are charitable in nature and support platform infrastructure costs.

All voluntary contributions are final and non-refundable, except in the case of a verifiable processing error or accidental duplicate charge. If you believe a charge was made in error, contact us at support@whiskeralert.com within 7 days of the transaction date, including your email address and the last four digits of the payment method used. We will review the request and, where an error is confirmed, issue a full refund through the original payment method.

WhiskerAlert does not sell goods, subscriptions, or paid memberships. There is no service to cancel. If a contribution was not intended, please reach out and we will do our best to assist.

12. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of British Columbia, Canada, unless prohibited by the laws of your local jurisdiction.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Continued use of WhiskerAlert after a change constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. For material changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify users via the platform or by email where an address has been provided.

14. Contact

Questions about these Terms or copyright notices: legal@whiskeralert.com
General support: whiskeralert.com/support