Terms and Conditions

Welcome to The Paws Society. These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the website at www.thepawssociety.com and all related services (the “Platform”).

The Platform is owned and operated by FLOWEDGE AI LTD (“we”, “us”, or “our”), a company registered in England and Wales with its registered office at 193 Cambridge Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, HP20 1BQ.

By accessing or using the Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform. These Terms should be read alongside our Privacy Policy.

1. Definitions

• “Owner” means a registered user who uses the Platform to find and book grooming services for their dog(s).
• “Groomer” means a registered user who lists and provides professional dog grooming services through the Platform.
• “Booking” means a request or confirmed appointment for grooming services made through the Platform.
• “Secure Booking” means a booking that requires an upfront booking fee (deposit) to confirm the appointment.
• “Booking Fee” or “Deposit” means the upfront payment collected from the Owner to confirm a Secure Booking.
• “Subscription” means a Groomer's recurring payment plan that determines their commission rate and access to premium features.
• “Content” means any text, images, reviews, photographs, or other material uploaded to or submitted through the Platform.

2. Nature of the Platform

2.1 Marketplace Facilitator

The Paws Society is a marketplace platform that connects Owners with Groomers. We act solely as a facilitator for bookings and payments. We do not provide grooming services ourselves. The contract for grooming services is formed directly between the Owner and the Groomer.

2.2 No Employment Relationship

Groomers are independent professionals, not employees, contractors, or agents of FLOWEDGE AI LTD. We do not supervise, direct, or control the manner in which Groomers perform their services.

2.3 Service Availability

The Platform is available to users in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, European Union (including Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands), and Australia. We reserve the right to restrict access from other jurisdictions.

3. User Accounts

3.1 Registration

To use certain features of the Platform, you must register for an account using a valid email address and password, or by signing in via Google. You must be at least 16 years old (or 13 where permitted by local law) to create an account.

3.2 Account Accuracy

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to keep your information up to date. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that contain false or misleading information.

3.3 Account Security

You are responsible for safeguarding your password and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must notify us immediately at support@flowedgeai.com if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.

3.4 One Account Per Person

Each individual may only maintain one Owner account and one Groomer account. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions (including no-show restrictions) is prohibited and grounds for immediate termination.

4. Groomer Obligations

4.1 Onboarding

Groomers must complete our onboarding process, which includes providing a professional biography, listing services and pricing, uploading credentials (insurance and/or qualifications), setting a business location, and selecting a subscription plan.

4.2 Credentials & Insurance

Groomers are strongly encouraged to upload valid liability insurance and professional qualification documents. Uploaded credentials may be verified using AI-powered document analysis. Groomers with verified credentials receive a trust badge on their profile. Uploading fraudulent, expired, or another person's credentials is grounds for immediate account termination.

4.3 Service Accuracy

Groomers must ensure that their listed services, pricing, availability, and business address are accurate and up to date. Deliberately misleading pricing or service descriptions will result in account suspension.

4.4 Booking Management

Groomers agree to:

• Respond to booking requests promptly (approve or decline).
• Honour confirmed appointments or cancel with reasonable notice.
• Treat all Owners and their pets with professionalism and care.
• Report no-shows accurately and in good faith (see Section 7).

4.5 Professional Standards

Groomers are solely responsible for the quality, safety, and legality of the grooming services they provide. Groomers must comply with all applicable local laws, regulations, and licensing requirements in their jurisdiction, including animal welfare legislation.

5. Subscriptions & Commission

5.1 Subscription Tiers

Groomers may choose from the following subscription tiers, each with different commission rates:

5.2 Commission Model (“Exact Match”)

Our commission is collected through the Secure Booking system. The booking fee (deposit) percentage equals the commission rate for the Groomer's tier. The Platform retains the entire booking fee as its commission. Groomers collect the remaining balance directly from the Owner at the time of the appointment. There are no manual payouts from the Platform to the Groomer.

5.3 Direct-Link Bookings

When Owners book through a Groomer's personal booking link (shared via social media, messaging, or email), the commission rate is reduced to 5% regardless of the Groomer's subscription tier. This rewards Groomers for sourcing their own clients.

5.4 Subscription Billing

• Paid subscriptions are billed monthly or annually via Stripe.
• Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled before the next billing period.
• You can manage your subscription (upgrade, downgrade, or cancel) at any time via the Billing Portal in your dashboard.
• Downgrades take effect at the end of the current billing period.
• No refunds are issued for partial billing periods upon cancellation.

5.5 Price Changes

We reserve the right to change subscription prices and commission rates with 30 days' prior notice. Existing subscribers will be notified by email. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

6. Bookings, Payments & Cancellations

6.1 How Bookings Work

1. An Owner selects a Groomer, service, date, and time slot, and submits a booking request.
2. The Groomer reviews and either approves or declines the request.
3. If the Groomer uses Secure Booking, the Owner is prompted to pay the booking fee via Stripe to confirm the appointment.
4. Once payment is received, the appointment is confirmed and both parties are notified by email.
5. The Owner pays the remaining balance directly to the Groomer at the time of the appointment.

6.2 Booking Fee (Deposit)

The booking fee is a percentage of the total service price, determined by the Groomer's subscription tier. It is displayed clearly before payment. The booking fee is processed securely by Stripe. We do not store your full card details.

6.3 Minimum Booking Notice

Each Groomer sets their own minimum booking notice period (ranging from same-day to 7 days in advance). Owners cannot book appointments that fall within the Groomer's minimum notice window.

6.4 Cancellation Policy

• Each Groomer sets a free cancellation window (typically 24 or 48 hours before the appointment).
• If an Owner cancels before the cancellation window closes, the booking fee is refunded in full.
• If an Owner cancels after the cancellation window has passed, the booking fee is non-refundable.
• Refunds for eligible cancellations are processed within 5–10 business days to the original payment method.

6.5 Groomer Cancellations

If a Groomer cancels a confirmed booking, the Owner receives a full refund of the booking fee. Repeated cancellations by a Groomer may result in account review or suspension.

6.6 Currency

Prices are displayed in the local currency set by the Groomer (USD, GBP, CAD, EUR, or AUD). All payments are processed in the currency displayed at the time of booking.

7. No-Show Policy

7.1 Marking a No-Show

If an Owner fails to attend a confirmed appointment without cancelling in advance, the Groomer may mark the appointment as a “no-show” through the Platform. This action is recorded on the Owner's account.

7.2 Booking Fee on No-Shows

When an Owner no-shows, the booking fee is non-refundable. The booking fee is retained by the Platform as its service commission.

7.3 Account Restriction

If an Owner accumulates 3 or more no-shows, their account is automatically restricted from making new bookings. This restriction is in place to protect Groomers from repeated no-shows and lost income.

7.4 Appealing a Restriction

If you believe your account has been restricted in error (e.g., due to an emergency, miscommunication, or false reporting), you may appeal by contacting support@flowedgeai.com. We will review the circumstances and may lift the restriction at our discretion.

7.5 Fraudulent No-Show Reports

Groomers must report no-shows accurately and in good faith. Deliberately marking an Owner as a no-show when they attended, or using no-show reports as retaliation, is a violation of these Terms and may result in account suspension or termination.

8. Reviews & Ratings

8.1 Leaving Reviews

After a completed appointment, Owners may leave a star rating (1–5) and written review for the Groomer. Reviews should be honest, fair, and based on the actual grooming experience.

8.2 Review Guidelines

Reviews must not contain:

• False, defamatory, or misleading statements.
• Hate speech, discrimination, threats, or harassment.
• Personal information (home addresses, phone numbers) of any party.
• Spam, advertising, or promotional content.
• Content unrelated to the grooming service received.

8.3 Review Responses

Groomers may post a public response to any review on their profile. Responses must be professional and must not contain personal attacks or threats.

8.4 Review Removal

We reserve the right to remove reviews that violate these guidelines. If you believe a review violates our policies, report it to support@flowedgeai.com with the review details and reason for your report.

9. AI-Powered Features

9.1 Coat Analysis

The Platform offers an AI coat analysis feature powered by Google Gemini. By uploading a photograph of your dog, you consent to that image being sent to Google's AI service for analysis. The analysis provides breed identification, coat type assessment, and grooming recommendations. This is an advisory tool only and does not constitute veterinary or professional grooming advice.

9.2 Bio Generation

Groomers may use our AI-powered bio generator during onboarding. By submitting notes, you consent to that text being sent to Google's AI service for processing. The generated biography is a suggestion; Groomers are responsible for reviewing and editing the final text.

9.3 Document Validation

Uploaded credential documents (insurance certificates, qualification diplomas) may be analysed by AI to extract key information (issuer, expiry date, holder name) and assess authenticity. This automated check is supplementary; we reserve the right to conduct manual verification.

9.4 AI Limitations

AI features are provided “as is” and may produce inaccurate results. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any AI-generated content or analysis. You should not rely solely on AI outputs for important decisions regarding your pet's health or grooming needs.

10. User Content & Intellectual Property

10.1 Your Content

By uploading Content to the Platform (including reviews, pet photos, portfolio images, and profile information), you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable licence to use, reproduce, modify, display, and distribute that Content in connection with providing and promoting the Platform. You retain ownership of your Content.

10.2 Content Warranties

You represent and warrant that:

• You own or have the necessary rights to all Content you upload.
• Your Content does not infringe any third party's intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other legal rights.
• Your Content is not illegal, obscene, threatening, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable.

10.3 Our Intellectual Property

The Platform, including its design, logo, brand name (“The Paws Society”), software, and all proprietary technology, is the intellectual property of FLOWEDGE AI LTD. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or lease any part of the Platform without our written permission.

11. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• Use the Platform for any illegal purpose or in violation of any applicable law.
• Harass, threaten, abuse, or discriminate against other users.
• Post false, misleading, or defamatory Content.
• Upload fraudulent credentials, fake reviews, or spam.
• Create multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions (including no-show bans).
• Attempt to bypass the Platform to avoid commission payments (e.g., redirecting bookings off-platform after initial contact).
• Scrape, crawl, or harvest data from the Platform without written permission.
• Interfere with, disrupt, or attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Platform's infrastructure.
• Upload malware, viruses, or any harmful code.
• Impersonate another person or misrepresent your affiliation with any entity.

12. Limitation of Liability

12.1 Platform Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, FLOWEDGE AI LTD shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, revenue, data, business opportunities, goodwill, or anticipated savings.

12.2 Maximum Liability

Our total aggregate liability for any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim, or (b) £100.

12.3 Grooming Services

We are not responsible for the quality, safety, legality, or outcome of grooming services provided by Groomers. This includes, without limitation, any injury to pets, property damage, allergic reactions, or dissatisfaction with the grooming result. Any disputes regarding the grooming service itself are between the Owner and the Groomer.

12.4 Third-Party Services

We are not liable for any issues arising from third-party services integrated into the Platform (Stripe, Google Maps, Google Gemini, Cloudflare), including payment processing errors, map inaccuracies, or AI misidentifications.

12.5 Consumer Rights

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law. Your statutory consumer rights remain unaffected.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless FLOWEDGE AI LTD, its directors, officers, employees, and agents from and against any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with:

• Your use of the Platform or violation of these Terms.
• Content you submit or upload to the Platform.
• Your breach of any applicable law or third-party rights.
• Grooming services you provide or receive through the Platform.

14. Termination

14.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by deleting it from your account Settings, or by emailing support@flowedgeai.com. Upon deletion, all your data will be removed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

14.2 Termination by Us

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately, without prior notice, if:

• You breach these Terms.
• You engage in fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity.
• You upload false credentials or fake reviews.
• You repeatedly no-show (3 or more times) and fail to resolve the issue.
• Your account has been inactive for more than 12 months.

14.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately. Any outstanding booking fees that have already been charged are non-refundable. Active subscriptions are cancelled effective immediately, with no refund for the remaining billing period. Sections of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination (including Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, and Governing Law) shall survive.

15. Dispute Resolution

15.1 Between Users

Disputes between Owners and Groomers regarding grooming services should be resolved directly between the parties. We may, at our discretion, mediate disputes or provide relevant booking records, but we are under no obligation to do so.

15.2 Payment Disputes

If you believe a booking fee was charged in error, contact us at support@flowedgeai.com before initiating a chargeback with your bank. We will investigate and, where appropriate, issue a refund. Filing a fraudulent chargeback is a violation of these Terms.

15.3 Complaints

For complaints about the Platform or another user, contact support@flowedgeai.com. We aim to acknowledge complaints within 2 business days and resolve them within 14 business days.

16. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting a prominent notice on the Platform or sending you an email at least 14 days before the changes take effect.

Continued use of the Platform after the updated Terms take effect constitutes your acceptance. If you do not agree with the changes, you should stop using the Platform and delete your account before the changes take effect.

17. General Provisions

17.1 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, except where mandatory consumer protection laws in your jurisdiction require otherwise.

17.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

17.3 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and FLOWEDGE AI LTD regarding your use of the Platform and supersede all prior agreements.

17.4 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

17.5 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.

17.6 Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance resulting from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, power failures, internet outages, or third-party service disruptions.

18. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us: