Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to PetsNCompanions.org ("Platform," "we," "us," or "our"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User," "you," or "your") and PetsNCompanions governing your access to and use of our website, mobile application, and related services (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing, registering for, or using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with these Terms, you may not access or use our Services.

2. Definitions

Platform: PetsNCompanions.org website, mobile application, and all related services.
Pet Owner: A User who manages pets and books services through the Platform.
Pet Professional / Service Provider: A User who offers pet care services (vet, groomer, trainer, sitter, etc.) through the Platform.
Affiliate / Marketer: A User who promotes PetsNCompanions and earns commission for successful referrals.
Membership: A one-time, non-recurring fee that grants access to the Platform's features.
Subscription: A paid membership plan (where applicable) that provides access to Platform features.

3. Membership & Payments

✅ Simple & Transparent: PetsNCompanions uses a straightforward membership model. No hidden fees, no surprise auto-renewals.

3.1 Membership Fee

PetsNCompanions charges a one-time, non-recurring membership fee for access to the Platform.
Payments are processed securely via MPESA and Card (Visa, Mastercard).
Your membership grants access for the period stated at the time of purchase (e.g., 1 month, 3 months, or 1 year).
No Auto-Renewal: When your membership expires, you must manually renew. We will never charge you automatically.

3.2 Refund Policy

Due to the digital nature of our services, membership fees are generally non-refundable.
Refund requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis for technical issues (e.g., Platform completely inaccessible).
To request a review, contact us within 7 days of payment.

3.3 Pricing Changes

We reserve the right to change membership prices at any time. Price changes will be clearly displayed before you complete a payment. Existing memberships are not affected until renewal.

4. Pet Owner Terms

As a Pet Owner using PetsNCompanions, you agree to:

Provide accurate and truthful information about your pet(s), including health status, vaccination records, and behavior.
Ensure your pet is appropriately vaccinated and healthy before receiving any services.
Communicate any special needs, allergies, or behavioral concerns to Service Providers.
Respect booking times and cancellation policies set by Service Providers.
Not use the Platform to harass, abuse, or make false claims against Service Providers.

Multiple Pets: You may add and manage multiple pets under a single account. Each pet maintains its own health records, reminders, and booking history.

5. Pet Professional (Service Provider) Terms

As a Pet Professional using PetsNCompanions, you agree to:

Provide accurate, honest, and complete information about your qualifications, services, and pricing.
Maintain all necessary licenses, permits, and insurance required by Kenyan law.
Deliver services with professionalism, care, and respect for animal welfare.
Honor confirmed bookings or provide reasonable notice of cancellation.
Respond to Pet Owner inquiries within 24 hours when possible.
Not solicit clients to pay outside the Platform (if Platform payments are used).

⚠️ Important: PetsNCompanions is a platform connecting you with Pet Owners. You are an independent contractor. We are not responsible for your business operations, taxes, or liabilities.

6. Affiliate & Marketer Program

💰 Earn 10% Commission: Join our Affiliate Program and earn 10% of every successful subscription referral. Terms below protect against fraud and abuse.

6.1 Program Overview

PetsNCompanions offers an affiliate program ("Affiliate Program") that allows registered marketers ("Affiliate," "you") to earn commissions by referring new paying users to the Platform.

6.2 Commission Structure

Commission Rate	10% of the net subscription/membership price paid by the referred user
Eligible Transactions	First-time paid subscriptions/memberships only (renewals not included unless otherwise stated)
Currency	Kenyan Shillings (KES)
Payout Schedule	Monthly, within 15 business days after the month ends
Minimum Payout	KES 1,000 (amounts below this roll over to next month)
Payout Methods	MPESA or Bank Transfer (Affiliate provides accurate details)

6.3 How Commissions Are Earned

A commission is earned only when ALL of the following conditions are met:

The referred user clicks the Affiliate's unique tracking link
The referred user completes registration with a valid email address and phone number
The referred user successfully pays for a membership/subscription via MPESA or card
The referred user's account remains in good standing for at least 14 days
No refund, chargeback, or cancellation is initiated on the referred user's payment

6.4 Commission Hold, Clawback & Forfeiture

Holding Period: All commissions are held for 14 days after the referred user's successful payment. If the user cancels or requests a refund within 14 days, the commission is forfeited.
Clawback: If a refund or chargeback occurs after a commission has been paid, the amount will be deducted from future payouts. If no future payouts exist, the Affiliate must repay the amount within 30 days.
Forfeiture: Any violation of Section 6.5 (Fraud Rules) results in immediate forfeiture of all earned and unpaid commissions.

6.5 Strict Fraud Prevention Rules

❌ The following activities are strictly prohibited:

Self-referrals: Referring yourself, your own family members (spouse, parents, children, siblings), or any account you control.
Fake or synthetic identities: Using虚假 names, temporary emails, disposable phone numbers, or fabricated identity documents.
Incentivized sign-ups: Paying others to sign up, offering cash rewards, or creating "referral rings" where users refer each other.
Spam or unsolicited messages: Promoting affiliate links via spam email, robocalls, unsolicited WhatsApp messages, or unauthorized social media posts.
Misrepresentation: Claiming to be employed by, officially representing, or endorsed by PetsNCompanions without written authorization.
Click or traffic fraud: Using bots, automated scripts, click farms, or fake traffic to generate referrals.
Same device/IP abuse: Creating multiple sign-ups from the same device, IP address, browser fingerprint, or SIM card.
Fake or stolen payment methods: Using stolen cards, fake MPESA transactions, or any form of payment fraud.

6.6 Affiliate Account Verification

Before receiving any payout, Affiliates must complete identity verification (KYC) by providing a valid Kenyan ID or Passport.
The phone number used for MPESA payouts must match the name on the ID.
Bank transfer payouts require a statement or letter from the bank confirming account ownership.

6.7 Termination of Affiliate Account

PetsNCompanions reserves the right to suspend or terminate any Affiliate account immediately, without prior notice, for any violation of these Terms. Upon termination:

All unpaid commissions are forfeited
The Affiliate may not re-join the program
We reserve the right to report fraudulent activity to relevant authorities

6.8 Independent Contractor & Taxes

Affiliates are independent contractors. Nothing in these terms creates an employment, agency, partnership, or joint venture relationship. Affiliates are solely responsible for reporting and paying any taxes applicable to commissions earned in Kenya.

7. Bookings & Cancellations

When you book a service through PetsNCompanions, the following applies:

Bookings are confirmed only after both parties have agreed via the Platform.
Each Service Provider may set their own cancellation policy, which must be clearly displayed on their profile.
Disputes regarding bookings should first be attempted directly between Pet Owner and Service Provider.
If unresolved, contact our support team for mediation assistance.

💡 Tip: Always review a Service Provider's cancellation policy before booking to avoid misunderstandings.

8. User Conduct & Prohibited Activities

You agree NOT to engage in any of the following:

Using the Platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of Kenyan laws
Harassing, abusing, threatening, or harming another person or animal
Uploading false, misleading, or malicious content
Impersonating any person or entity, or falsifying your identity
Attempting to hack, disrupt, or damage the Platform or its users
Collecting user data without permission (scraping, harvesting)

9. Limitation of Liability

⚠️ Important Disclaimer: PetsNCompanions is a technology platform that connects Pet Owners with independent Service Providers. We do not employ Service Providers nor directly provide pet care services.

To the maximum extent permitted by Kenyan law, PetsNCompanions shall not be liable for:

Any injury, loss, or damage to pets arising from services provided by independent Service Providers
Any dispute between Pet Owners and Service Providers
Any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from these Terms shall not exceed the amount you paid us for membership in the past 6 months, or KES 1,000 (whichever is greater).

10. Privacy & Data Protection (Kenya DPA)

We are committed to protecting your personal data in compliance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 (DPA).

We collect only the information necessary to provide our Services (name, email, phone, pet records, payment info).
Your data is never sold to third parties. It is shared only with Service Providers to facilitate bookings.
You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data. Contact us at pets@petsncompanions.org.
For full details, please review our Privacy Policy.

11. Termination

You may delete your account at any time through your account settings. Upon deletion, your personal data will be removed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately if you violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or harm other users.

Sections that naturally survive termination (Liability, Privacy, Affiliate forfeiture) remain in effect.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If changes are significant, we will notify you via email or by posting a notice on the Platform at least 14 days in advance.

Your continued use of the Platform after the changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

13. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Kenya. Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Kenya.