Effective Date: April 30, 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Pawlee AI platform and related services operated by Pawatics ("we," "us," or "our"). By accessing or using our services — whether as an adoption applicant, animal shelter staff member, or any other user — you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy.
If you do not agree to these Terms, do not access or use our services.
If you are accepting these Terms on behalf of a company, organization, or other legal entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms. In that case, "you" and "your" will refer to that entity. If you do not have such authority, you must not accept these Terms or use our Services on behalf of that entity.
Pawlee AI provides an automated adoption application pre-screening platform for animal shelters. Our services include:
You must be at least 18 years of age to submit an adoption application or otherwise use our services. By using our services, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms.
Animal shelter staff accounts are available only to authorized representatives of animal shelters that have a current service agreement with Pawatics.
Pawlee AI pre-screening is an assistive technology tool only. It does not make adoption decisions. All adoption approvals and denials are made exclusively by the shelter or rescue organization. Applicants who believe they have been unlawfully discriminated against should contact the shelter directly and consult qualified legal counsel.
Pawatics, Inc. and Pawlee AI do not make adoption decisions. All adoption decisions are made solely by the animal shelter or rescue organization in their absolute discretion. Pawlee AI provides pre-screening assistance only. No output from Pawlee AI constitutes an approval or denial of an adoption application. Shelters retain full authority and responsibility for all adoption outcomes.
Pawatics, Inc. may offer optional background check services through integration with third-party consumer reporting agencies as a feature within the Pawlee AI pre-screening workflow. When background check services are enabled by a Shelter Partner, such services are provided by a third-party consumer reporting agency and are subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq., and all applicable federal and state laws governing consumer reports.
Where background check services are offered, Pawatics acts solely as a technology intermediary facilitating the connection between the Shelter Partner and the third-party consumer reporting agency. Pawatics is not itself a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA. Background check results are provided by the third-party agency directly, and Pawatics makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of any background check report.
Shelter Partners who enable background check services are solely responsible for:
Where background check services are not enabled by a Shelter Partner, Pawlee AI pre-screening outputs are not consumer reports and Pawatics does not provide credit reports, background checks, or tenant screening reports in that context.
Pawlee AI is designed to evaluate adoption applications based solely on factors relevant to animal welfare and care capacity. Pawatics expressly excludes from its scoring algorithm factors including but not limited to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, familial status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income, and employment status. However, Pawatics makes no warranty that its outputs will be free from unintended bias. Shelters are solely responsible for ensuring their adoption practices comply with all applicable anti-discrimination laws.
Shelters using Pawlee AI are solely responsible for complying with all applicable laws governing adverse action notices, applicant rights, and anti-discrimination requirements. Pawatics provides no legal advice regarding shelter obligations to applicants. Shelters should consult qualified legal counsel regarding their specific obligations under federal and state law when using AI-assisted screening tools.
Shelters using Pawlee AI agree to disclose to adoption applicants that AI-assisted screening technology is used in their application process. This disclosure is the sole responsibility of the shelter. Pawatics provides standard AI disclosure language within the Pawlee AI interview flow but makes no warranty that such disclosure satisfies all applicable legal requirements in every jurisdiction.
Pawlee AI relies on information provided by applicants and third parties including landlords and veterinarians. Pawatics makes no warranty regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of information collected during the pre-screening process. Shelters are responsible for independently verifying any information material to their adoption decisions.
Pawlee AI pre-screening services are currently designed for use within the United States. Shelters operating in jurisdictions with specific AI regulation, consumer protection requirements, or anti-discrimination laws beyond federal standards are solely responsible for ensuring their use of Pawlee AI complies with all applicable local requirements.
Shelter staff must register for an account using a valid email address and password. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You agree to:
Adoption applicants do not need to create an account to submit an application.
The Services are intended solely for users who are 18 years of age or older, or the age of majority in their jurisdiction. By creating an account or submitting an adoption application, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement.
If Pawatics discovers or reasonably suspects that a user is under the required age, we will immediately suspend the account and take reasonable steps to delete any personal information collected from that user. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your minor child has created an account or submitted an application, please contact us immediately at admin@pawatics.com.
Adoption applications submitted by individuals under 18 years of age are automatically flagged for manual shelter review and will not be processed through automated pre-screening.
When you submit an adoption application through our platform, you understand and agree that:
You agree to provide truthful, accurate, and complete information in your adoption application and in all related communications with our platform and shelter partners. This includes, without limitation, accurate representations regarding:
Providing false or materially misleading information may result in immediate disqualification of your application. We reserve the right to report suspected fraud to the relevant animal shelter and, where appropriate, to law enforcement.
Our platform uses artificial intelligence to analyze and score adoption applications. This automated screening is designed to help shelter staff efficiently identify relevant information and generate a preliminary assessment of each application.
Advisory only: Automated screening scores are not final decisions. All adoption determinations are made by shelter staff who review the full application and screening results. You have the right to request manual review by a shelter staff member at any time by contacting the shelter directly.
Our automated screening does not use protected characteristics — including race, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or familial status — as factors in generating screening scores.
Submission of an adoption application and completion of the screening process does not guarantee approval for adoption. All final decisions rest with the individual animal shelter. Factors including animal availability, shelter capacity, match suitability, and staff judgment all influence adoption outcomes.
Pawatics makes no representations or warranties regarding the likelihood of any adoption application being approved, and is not responsible for any adoption decisions made by shelter partners.
Pawatics provides technology and screening services to animal shelters. Each shelter operates as an independent organization and is solely responsible for:
Pawatics is not a party to any adoption agreement between an applicant and a shelter, and has no liability for the conduct of shelter partners.
Animal shelters and rescue organizations using Pawlee AI ("Shelter Partners") agree to the following obligations:
By submitting an adoption application, you expressly consent to receive automated SMS text messages from Pawlee AI at the mobile phone number you provide. These messages may include:
Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies based on your application status. Reply STOP to unsubscribe at any time. Reply HELP for assistance. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Opting out of SMS will not cancel your application, but may delay communications and processing.
By submitting an adoption application, you consent to receive transactional emails from Pawlee AI at the email address you provide. These emails relate directly to your application and the adoption process. You may opt out of non-essential email communications by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email. Transactional emails related to active applications may continue regardless of opt-out status.
As part of the Pawlee AI pre-screening process, Pawatics facilitates outreach to landlords and veterinarians listed by adoption applicants to assist shelters in verifying application information. All outreach is conducted on behalf of and at the direction of the Shelter Partner. Pawatics acts solely as a technology facilitator and has no independent obligation to any landlord, veterinarian, or third party contacted through this process.
Before Pawlee AI initiates any contact with a landlord or veterinarian listed on an adoption application, the applicant must provide explicit authorization for such outreach.
For applications submitted through Pawatics-hosted forms, authorization is collected via a required consent checkbox on the application form which the applicant must check before submitting. Unchecking or omitting this consent prevents application submission.
For applications submitted through third-party shelter management platforms — including but not limited to Shelterluv — where Pawatics does not control the application form, Pawlee AI will send an automated consent request to the applicant via SMS immediately upon receipt of the application. The applicant must reply YES to authorize outreach or NO to decline. If the applicant replies NO or does not respond within 48 hours, the application is flagged for manual staff review and no automated outreach is initiated. A single follow-up consent request may be sent after 24 hours if no reply is received.
In all cases, Pawlee AI will not initiate contact with any landlord or veterinarian until applicant authorization has been received and recorded. Applicant authorization is logged with a timestamp and method of consent and is available for review in the Pawlee AI dashboard.
Shelter Partners using third-party application platforms are encouraged to notify applicants in their application materials that Pawlee AI may send a consent request via SMS following application submission. Pawatics provides standard notification language for this purpose upon request but makes no warranty that such language satisfies all applicable legal requirements in every jurisdiction.
Once applicant authorization is confirmed, Pawlee AI may contact landlords and veterinarians using one or more of the following methods at its discretion based on response rates, availability, and system conditions:
Pawatics reserves the right to modify the outreach sequence, timing, and methods at any time without notice based on technical, operational, or legal considerations.
Recipient Consent via Email Link. Consent from landlords and veterinarians is collected through a secure link included in the initial outreach email. Recipients click their preferred option, which directs them to a Pawatics-hosted page to confirm their selection. Each consent link is unique to the specific verification request and expires after seven days. Consent selections are logged with timestamp and IP address and are available for review in the Pawlee AI dashboard. Pawatics never places an automated AI call to any recipient who has not clicked the consent link confirming their agreement to receive such a call.
If verification cannot be completed through automated outreach within the timeframe configured by the Shelter Partner, the verification is flagged for manual staff follow-up in the Pawlee AI dashboard. Pawatics notifies the Shelter Partner of the escalation through the dashboard. All follow-up contact with landlords, veterinarians, or other third parties following escalation is the sole responsibility of the Shelter Partner. Pawatics makes no representations or warranties regarding the timeliness of Shelter Partner follow-up and has no liability for any delay in human callback or follow-up by shelter staff.
If a landlord or veterinarian requests to speak with a human rather than an AI system, Pawlee AI will cease automated outreach to that contact and flag the verification for Shelter Partner follow-up. The Shelter Partner is solely responsible for conducting any follow-up contact with recipients who have requested human callbacks. Pawatics does not guarantee any specific response time for human callbacks and has no liability for delays in Shelter Partner follow-up.
All automated AI verification calls placed by Pawlee AI include at minimum the following before any verification questions are asked:
Shelter Partners are responsible for ensuring that automated calling practices comply with all applicable federal and state laws in their jurisdiction, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and any applicable state telemarketing or automated calling regulations. Pawatics builds AI disclosure and consent capture into every call but makes no warranty that its call script satisfies all legal requirements in every jurisdiction.
Certain states require the consent of all parties to a conversation before it may be recorded, including but not limited to California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Shelter Partners operating in or contacting recipients located in these states are solely responsible for ensuring that call recording practices comply with applicable state law. Pawatics builds consent capture into every AI call but makes no warranty that its consent mechanism satisfies the specific requirements of every two-party consent state. Shelter Partners should consult qualified legal counsel regarding recording compliance in their jurisdiction before activating call recording features. Pawatics reserves the right to disable call recording for specific states pending legal review.
Verification calls may be recorded subject to applicable law and recipient consent. Recordings are stored securely and made available to authorized Shelter Partner staff through the Pawlee AI dashboard. Recordings are retained in accordance with our data retention policy. Pawatics is not responsible for ensuring call recording complies with state-specific wiretapping or recording consent laws in the recipient's jurisdiction. Shelter Partners are responsible for ensuring their use of call recordings complies with all applicable law.
Digital verification form links sent to landlords and veterinarians are valid for a period of seven days from the date of issuance unless otherwise configured by the Shelter Partner. Expired links will no longer accept responses. Pawatics may issue a new verification link at the Shelter Partner's request or automatically as part of the escalation sequence. Pawatics is not responsible for responses submitted after a link has expired or for any delays caused by link expiration.
When Pawlee AI initiates contact with a landlord or veterinarian listed on an adoption application, Pawatics will use reasonable efforts to notify the applicant via SMS or email that outreach has been initiated on their behalf. This notification is provided as a courtesy only. Pawatics does not guarantee delivery of applicant notifications and has no liability for any harm arising from failure to deliver or delays in delivering outreach notifications. Applicants who do not wish to receive outreach notifications may opt out by contacting admin@pawatics.com.
If verification outreach produces information that is inconsistent with the applicant's stated representations — including but not limited to a landlord confirming that pets are not permitted or a veterinarian expressing concerns about an applicant's history of pet care — Pawlee AI will flag the application accordingly and present the information to Shelter Partner staff for review.
Pawatics makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, truthfulness, or completeness of information provided by landlords, veterinarians, or other third parties contacted during verification. Adverse verification results are presented to shelter staff as information only and do not constitute a recommendation to deny an adoption application. All decisions based on adverse verification results are the sole responsibility of the Shelter Partner.
Pawatics has no liability for any harm arising from adverse verification results, including harm to applicants resulting from adoption denials based on third party verification responses. Applicants who believe a verification response was inaccurate should contact the shelter directly and may request that the shelter conduct independent verification.
Verification outreach is provided as an assistive service only. Pawatics makes no warranty that outreach will reach the intended recipient, that responses received are accurate or truthful, or that verification results are complete or reliable. Shelters are solely responsible for independently evaluating all verification results and for all adoption decisions made in reliance on verification outputs. Pawatics has no liability for any harm arising from incomplete, inaccurate, or unverified reference information.
By using Pawlee AI pre-screening services, Shelter Partners expressly authorize Pawatics to send platform invitation messages to Approved Adopters as described in this section.
Following adoption approval, Pawatics may send periodic invitation messages via SMS and/or email to Approved Adopters for the sole purpose of inviting them to create a free Pawatics account. Messages are sent at reasonable intervals and only for as long as the Approved Adopter has not yet created a Pawatics account or opted out. All invitation messages cease automatically and immediately upon account creation or opt-out. Approved Adopters may opt out at any time by replying STOP to any SMS message or by following the unsubscribe link in any email. Pawatics will honor all opt-out requests promptly and in compliance with applicable law including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
You agree not to use our services to:
Violation of these prohibitions may result in immediate termination of your access to our services and, where appropriate, referral to law enforcement.
The Pawlee AI platform — including all software, user interfaces, content, trademarks, trade names, logos, AI models, and documentation — is owned by Pawatics and protected by applicable intellectual property laws. Nothing in these Terms grants you any ownership interest in our platform or content.
You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use our services for their intended purposes only. This license does not permit you to sublicense, sell, resell, copy, modify, or create derivative works of any part of our platform.
If you provide Pawatics with any feedback, suggestions, ideas, improvements, or other input regarding the Services ("Feedback"), you hereby assign to Pawatics all right, title, and interest in and to such Feedback. Pawatics may use Feedback for any purpose without restriction, compensation, or attribution to you. You represent that any Feedback you provide does not contain confidential or proprietary information of any third party.
Your use of our services is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using our services, you agree to our collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described in the Privacy Policy.
Our platform may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, security, or availability of any third-party service. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Pawatics. Your use of third-party services is at your own risk and subject to their respective terms and policies.
Security and Malware Disclaimer. Pawatics does not scan, screen, or monitor third-party websites for viruses, malware, ransomware, phishing content, or other malicious or harmful code. Pawatics makes no representations or warranties that any third-party website linked through our platform is free from viruses, malware, or other harmful components.
You are solely responsible for implementing appropriate security measures on your devices, including up-to-date antivirus software, firewalls, and browser security settings before accessing any external website. Pawatics disclaims all liability for any damage to your computer systems, data, or other property resulting from your access to any third-party website or from any viruses, malware, or other technologically harmful material encountered through links on our platform.
If you believe a linked website contains malicious content, please report it immediately to admin@pawatics.com with the subject line “Malicious Link Report” and we will remove it promptly.
OUR SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, PAWATICS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE.
We do not warrant that our services will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free, or that any defects will be corrected. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content or information provided through our services.
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, PAWATICS AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND LICENSORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF OUR SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
OUR TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR OUR SERVICES SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00), REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION OR THE BASIS OF THE CLAIM.
Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you.
Pawatics, Inc. is a technology platform that facilitates connections between adoption applicants and animal shelters or rescue organizations. Pawatics is not an animal shelter, rescue organization, veterinary practice, or animal welfare organization. Pawatics has no custody, control, or responsibility for any animal listed on the platform or facilitated through the Services.
Pawatics makes no representations or warranties regarding the health, temperament, condition, or suitability of any animal. All representations regarding animals are made solely by the shelter or rescue organization listing the animal. Pawatics is not responsible for any harm, injury, loss, or damage arising from the adoption, fostering, or care of any animal facilitated through the platform.
Adopters are solely responsible for conducting their own due diligence regarding any animal before completing an adoption. Pawatics strongly recommends that all adopters have any adopted animal examined by a licensed veterinarian within 48 hours of adoption.
Pawatics shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under these Terms arising from causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, pandemic, epidemic, fire, flood, earthquake, war, terrorism, civil unrest, government action, internet or telecommunications failures, third-party service provider outages, or any other cause beyond Pawatics' reasonable control ("Force Majeure Event").
In the event of a Force Majeure Event, Pawatics will use commercially reasonable efforts to resume normal operations as quickly as practicable and will notify affected users of the disruption and expected resolution timeline where reasonably possible.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Pawatics, Inc. and its officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, successors, and assigns from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of or in connection with:
This indemnification obligation survives termination of these Terms and your use of the Services.
Either party may terminate these Terms at any time. Shelter Partners may terminate their account by contacting admin@pawatics.com. Pawatics reserves the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Services immediately and without notice if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms or any applicable law.
Upon termination:
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of law principles. You agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of our services shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New Castle County, Delaware.
You hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts and waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action in New Castle County, Delaware.
Arbitration. Before initiating any legal proceeding, the parties agree to attempt to resolve any dispute through good faith negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days following written notice of the dispute. If the dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation, the parties agree to submit the dispute to binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall take place in Wilmington, Delaware. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party shall bear its own costs and attorneys' fees unless the arbitrator determines otherwise.
Class Action Waiver. You agree to bring any claim against Pawatics solely in your individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class action, collective action, or representative proceeding. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of class or representative proceeding.
Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking emergency injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm pending arbitration.
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Terms on this page and updating the Effective Date. For shelter staff accounts, we may also provide direct notice by email.
Your continued use of our services after any changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must discontinue use of our services.
Pawatics is committed to making its platform accessible to users with disabilities in accordance with applicable law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. We strive to ensure our Services are usable by everyone regardless of ability.
If you experience any accessibility barriers while using our Services, please contact us at admin@pawatics.com and we will work to provide you with the information or functionality you need through an alternative means.
You agree to comply with all applicable United States export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the sanctions programs administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control. You represent that you are not located in a country subject to a U.S. government embargo and that you are not listed on any U.S. government list of prohibited or restricted parties.
These Terms together with our Privacy Policy constitute the entire agreement between you and Pawatics regarding the Services and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and communications whether written or oral.
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable. The remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of Pawatics to be effective.
These Terms do not create any third-party beneficiary rights. No person or entity other than you and Pawatics has any rights under these Terms.
You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights or obligations under them without our prior written consent. Pawatics may assign these Terms freely, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
All legal notices to Pawatics must be sent in writing to 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, DE 19808, with a copy by email to admin@pawatics.com. We may provide notices to you via email to your registered email address or by posting to the platform.
For questions about these Terms, please contact us:
Pawatics, Inc.
251 Little Falls Drive
Wilmington, DE 19808
Email: admin@pawatics.com
For general inquiries and support:
Raleigh-Durham, NC
By connecting your shelter management system to Pawatics you appoint Pawatics as a data processor for the personal data of adoption applicants processed through the Pawlee AI platform. Pawatics will process applicant data solely for the purpose of providing adoption screening services on your behalf. Pawatics implements industry standard security measures to protect applicant data. You as the shelter remain the data controller and are responsible for ensuring you have appropriate legal basis to share applicant data with Pawatics.
Pawlee AI provides adoption screening recommendations based on the criteria you configure. Final adoption decisions remain solely with your shelter staff. Pawatics is not liable for adoption outcomes including animal returns, behavioral incidents, or any harm resulting from an adoption facilitated through the platform. You agree to maintain appropriate insurance coverage for your shelter operations.
By providing your shelter management system API credentials you authorize Pawatics to access your shelter data solely for the purpose of providing the Pawlee AI screening service. API credentials are encrypted using AES-256 before storage. Pawatics staff cannot view your API credentials in plaintext. You may revoke API access at any time through the Settings page. Upon revocation Pawatics will cease accessing your shelter management system within 24 hours.