Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

Welcome to AdoptMe. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the AdoptMe website, mobile applications, and services (collectively, the "Services"). By accessing or using our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use our Services. Please read these Terms carefully before using AdoptMe.

2. Eligibility

To use our Services, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old or the age of majority in your jurisdiction
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement
• Not be prohibited from using the Services under applicable law
• Provide accurate and complete registration information

If you are using the Services on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have the authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

3. Account Registration and Verification

To access certain features of our Services, you must create an account. When you create an account, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and promptly update your account information
• Keep your password secure and confidential
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account
• Verify your email address and/or phone number when required

Account verification (email and phone) may be required to access certain features such as creating adoption or missing pet posts. Verification helps ensure the safety and authenticity of our community. We use third-party services (such as Twilio for SMS) to deliver verification codes.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or for any other reason at our sole discretion.

4. Description of Services

AdoptMe is a platform that connects people looking to adopt pets with individuals and organizations offering pets for adoption. Our Services include:

• Browsing pet listings
• Creating and managing pet adoption listings
• Communicating with other users about pet adoptions
• Managing your profile and favorites

AdoptMe is a platform that facilitates connections. We do not own, breed, sell, or guarantee any pets listed on our platform.

5. User Content

You may submit content to our Services, including pet listings, photos, descriptions, and messages ("User Content"). By submitting User Content, you:

• Represent that you own or have the right to use and share the content
• Grant AdoptMe a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute your User Content in connection with our Services
• Accept responsibility for the accuracy and legality of your content
• Understand that your content may be viewed by other users

We reserve the right to remove any User Content that violates these Terms or is otherwise objectionable at our sole discretion.

6. Prohibited Conduct

When using our Services, you agree NOT to:

• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information
• List pets you do not own or have authority to place for adoption
• Engage in pet sales for commercial profit (breeding operations)
• Post content promoting animal cruelty or illegal activities
• Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users
• Use the Services for any unlawful purpose
• Impersonate another person or entity
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
• Interfere with or disrupt the Services
• Scrape, harvest, or collect user information without consent
• Use automated systems (bots) to access the Services
• Circumvent any security measures

7. Pet Adoption Disclaimer

By using our Services, you acknowledge and agree that:

• AdoptMe does not verify the health, temperament, or history of listed pets
• AdoptMe does not guarantee the accuracy of any listing information
• You are responsible for conducting your own due diligence before any adoption
• AdoptMe is not a party to any adoption agreement between users
• You should verify the identity and legitimacy of other users before meeting
• You assume all risks associated with pet adoptions

We strongly recommend meeting in safe, public locations and bringing a companion when meeting other users. Consider having pets examined by a veterinarian before finalizing any adoption.

8. Advertisements

Our Services may display advertisements provided by third parties, including Google AdSense. These advertisements may be targeted based on content, queries, or other information. We are not responsible for the content of third-party advertisements or any products or services advertised.

Advertising revenue helps us maintain and improve our free services. By using AdoptMe, you consent to the display of advertisements. You may opt out of personalized advertising through your browser settings or Google's Ad Settings.

9. Donations and Support

AdoptMe is a free platform maintained through advertising revenue and voluntary donations. Donations help us:

• Maintain and improve the platform
• Cover server and infrastructure costs
• Keep the service free for all users
• Develop new features to help pet adoption

Donations are voluntary and do not provide any additional features or privileges on the platform. All donations are non-refundable unless required by law. We may use third-party payment processors (such as Ko-fi or similar services) to handle donations.

10. Intellectual Property

The Services and all content, features, and functionality (excluding User Content) are owned by AdoptMe and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or lease any part of our Services without our prior written consent.

11. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
• Warranties that the Services will be uninterrupted or error-free
• Warranties regarding the accuracy or reliability of any information obtained through the Services
• Warranties regarding the quality of any pets, information, or other material obtained through the Services

12. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ADOPTME AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Any loss of profits, data, use, or goodwill
• Any damages resulting from pet adoptions arranged through the Services
• Any damages resulting from unauthorized access to your account
• Any damages resulting from User Content posted by third parties

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or limitations on liability. In such cases, our liability will be limited to the greatest extent permitted by law.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AdoptMe and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including attorneys' fees) arising from your use of the Services, your User Content, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of another person or entity.

14. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable laws, without regard to conflict of law principles.

For users in Mexico, these Terms are also subject to the provisions of the Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor. For users in Canada, provincial consumer protection legislation may apply. For users in other LATAM countries, local consumer protection laws may also apply.

17. Dispute Resolution

Before initiating any legal proceeding, you agree to first contact us to attempt to resolve any dispute informally. Most disputes can be resolved through open communication.

If we cannot resolve a dispute informally, any legal proceedings will be conducted in accordance with the applicable laws of your jurisdiction.

15. Enforcement and Strike System

To maintain a safe and trustworthy community, AdoptMe enforces a strike system for policy violations:

• First Strike: Warning notification explaining the violation
• Second Strike: Temporary suspension of posting privileges (up to 7 days)
• Third Strike: Permanent account suspension

Violations that may result in strikes include:

• Posting false or misleading information about pets
• Harassment or abusive behavior toward other users
• Fraudulent listings or scam attempts
• Violations of our prohibited conduct policies

In severe cases (fraud, illegal activity, animal cruelty), we reserve the right to immediately and permanently ban accounts without prior warnings. Strike decisions may be appealed by contacting our support team.

16. Account Deletion and Termination

You may delete your account at any time through your profile settings. When you delete your account:

• Your profile information will be permanently deleted
• Your pet listings will be removed from the platform
• Your posts and comments will be anonymized or deleted
• Some data may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Services at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice. Upon termination, your right to use the Services will immediately cease.

18. Changes to These Terms

We may modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Terms on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Services after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

19. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

20. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and AdoptMe regarding your use of the Services and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.