Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of these terms

These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of the HerdVerified website, marketplace, verification workflows, inquiry system, and related services (the "Platform"). By creating an account or using the Platform, you agree to these terms and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.

If you do not agree, do not create an account or use the Platform.

2. Eligibility

Account holders must be at least 18 years old and able to form a binding agreement. Minors may browse public pages but may not create an account, submit verification information, send inquiries, or enter into transactions.

You may not use the Platform if a prior HerdVerified account of yours was terminated for a policy violation.

3. Accounts and registration

HerdVerified supports buyer accounts and provider accounts (breeders, sellers, rescues, and shelters). Internal staff access is separate and is never granted through public signup.

• Buyer accounts: save listings, complete buyer verification, and contact providers through protected inquiries.
• Provider accounts: complete provider verification, publish animal listings, and manage inquiries.
• You are responsible for the accuracy of the information on your account and for keeping it current.
• You are responsible for safeguarding your credentials and for activity that occurs under your account.
• One person or organization may not operate duplicate or impersonating accounts.

4. Marketplace use

HerdVerified provides a platform for discovery and for displaying verification status. HerdVerified does not own listed animals and is not automatically the seller, breeder, rescue, or shelter for any listing.

Transactions, agreements, transport, payment, and placement arrangements are between the buyer and the provider.

5. Animal listings

Providers are solely responsible for the content, accuracy, and legality of their listings. Listings move through defined states — Draft, Submitted for Review, In Review, Action Required, Approved, Published, Paused, Placed, Sold, Adopted, and Archived.

HerdVerified may pause, unpublish, or archive a listing that appears to violate these terms or the Prohibited Listings & Content policy. Paused and archived listings may remain in internal history.

6. Verification

Verification means that certain information or documentation was reviewed or provided in a specific category. It is not a guarantee of truthfulness, legality, health, temperament, pedigree, suitability, or outcome.

"Not Provided" and "Not Applicable" do not mean an item failed verification. Verification status may change if information expires, changes, or is later questioned. See the Verification Disclaimer for full detail.

7. Inquiries, communication, and contact release

Buyer and provider communication takes place through the HerdVerified inquiry system. Contact release means HerdVerified has permitted provider contact details to be shown for that specific inquiry under the Platform's approved rules.

Contact release is not an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee. Buyers should continue their own due diligence. Attempting to manipulate, circumvent, or automate contact release is prohibited.

8. Reports, moderation, and account review

Users may report buyers, providers, listings, or inquiries. Reports are reviewed internally and a report does not automatically establish wrongdoing.

Accounts or listings may be placed Under Review, listings may be paused, and accounts may be suspended while a review is open. Staff may request additional information, and actions may later be reversed.

9. Account standing

Account standing is separate from verification status. An account may be In Good Standing, Under Review, or Suspended, and a user may remain Verified while their account is Suspended.

10. Prohibited conduct

• Harassment, threats, or abusive messaging
• Spam, impersonation, fake accounts, or fake listings
• Fraud or misrepresentation of any kind
• Circumventing verification or attempting to manipulate contact release
• Attempting to access another user's private data or internal staff tools
• Abuse of the reporting system
• Scraping, bulk copying, or automated collection of Platform content without permission

11. Prohibited listings and content

Fake, duplicated, misrepresented, illegal, or deceptive listings are prohibited, as is content promoting cruelty. See the Prohibited Listings & Content policy for the full list.

12. Intellectual property

The HerdVerified name, logo, product design, and platform content are owned by HerdVerified. You retain ownership of content you submit, and you grant HerdVerified a limited, non-exclusive license to host, display, and use that content to operate the marketplace and verification services.

Unauthorized copying, redistribution, or scraping of Platform content is prohibited.

13. Platform availability

The Platform is provided on an "as available" basis. Features may change, be limited, or be suspended for maintenance, security, or operational reasons.

14. Payments, subscriptions, and billing

Buyer accounts, buyer verification, and buyer communication with providers are free. Provider membership is $25 per month or $240 per year and auto-renews until canceled. Verification is included with membership and can never be purchased.

HerdVerified charges no commission, no per-listing fee, and no fee on an animal sale, and does not process, hold, or escrow payment for an animal. Subscription payments are generally non-refundable except in the case of platform error or exceptional circumstances determined by HerdVerified.

15. Disclaimers

HerdVerified does not guarantee any animal, provider, buyer, health outcome, temperament, pedigree, legal compliance, transaction outcome, or placement result.

HerdVerified is not a veterinarian and does not diagnose animals or provide veterinary or legal advice. Documents may reflect information supplied by users or third parties. The Platform and all content are provided without warranties of any kind to the fullest extent permitted by law.

16. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, HerdVerified is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for losses arising from transactions, communications, or relationships between users.

17. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold HerdVerified harmless from claims, damages, and expenses arising out of your use of the Platform, your listings or content, your transactions, or your violation of these terms or applicable law.

18. Termination and account closure

You may request account closure at any time. HerdVerified may restrict, suspend, or terminate an account for policy violations or safety reasons.

Certain records may be retained where needed for safety, legal, fraud-prevention, or operational history purposes.

19. Changes to these terms

These terms may change as the Platform develops. Significant changes will be communicated where appropriate, and the effective date above will be updated.

20. Contact

Questions about these terms can be sent to hello@herdverified.com.