Effective Date: October 15, 2026 Version: 1.0 Applies to: All Groomers and salon locations that take, hold, or account for Customer deposits or prepayments for Services booked through the Platform, and all Customers who pay them.
Article 1: Introduction and Scope
1.1 This document governs deposits and prepayments for Appointments booked through the Platform: when a deposit may be required, how the amount is determined, how the money is held and applied, how it moves on rescheduling, and when it is refunded or forfeited. A deposit is the Customer's money held against the Customer's Appointment. A deposit is not a fee and is not revenue; it becomes one or the other only as this document and the Booking, Cancellation and No-Show policy provide.
1.2 This document applies in every participation mode: Marketplace Groomer, Salon Groomer, and Company salon employee, as defined in the Groomer Terms of Service. The deposit rule stated in Article 3 is set by the operator of the booking location or program, and the duties of custody and accounting in this document fall on the Groomer or location that holds the money. The individual Groomer's relationship to the Customer is unchanged by a deposit: the Groomer holds the animal as a bailee during the Service and holds the deposit as the Customer's money before it, and neither holding makes the Groomer the Customer's agent for any other purpose.
1.3 If a provision of this document conflicts with the Terms of Use, this document controls for the subject it governs. If a provision of this document conflicts with the terms of a program in which the Groomer participates, the program terms control for that program. Policies and help pages explain this document; they do not amend it, and in any conflict this document prevails.
Article 2: Definitions
2.1 The definitions in the Terms of Use and in the Groomer Terms of Service are incorporated into this document by reference and apply to this document. This article defines only the additional terms used in this document, in alphabetical order.
2.2 Booking Rule: the deposit rule recorded for a location or program, stating whether a deposit is required, and whether the amount is a flat amount or a percentage of the booking total.
2.3 Cancellation Cutoff: the time before an Appointment's start by which cancellation or rescheduling is timely, as stated in the Booking, Cancellation and No-Show policy.
2.4 Deposit: money collected from a Customer at booking and held against the Customer's Appointment, to be applied to the Appointment total or refunded or forfeited under this document.
2.5 Prepayment: payment of the full Appointment total at booking, at the Customer's election under clause 3.4.
Article 3: The Deposit Rule
3.1 The deposit is the location's recorded rule, never a fixed constant. The deposit charged for an Appointment is computed from the Booking Rule the location or program operator has recorded. Where the Booking Rule states a flat amount, the flat amount governs. Where it states a percentage, the percentage applies to the booking total. In either case the deposit shall not exceed the booking total.
3.2 Where no Booking Rule is recorded, where the recorded rule is switched off, or where the rule states no amount, no deposit is charged. Display figures shown in a settings form do not create a deposit; only a recorded rule does.
3.3 The Service Catalog states a deposit marker of $25.00 on the standard Services. The marker states the service-level deposit requirement flag. Where the Booking Rule and the catalog marker disagree, the Booking Rule governs the amount actually charged and the marker governs the requirement flag only.
3.4 The booking process shall disclose the deposit: that a deposit is required and its amount: before the Customer confirms the booking. A deposit collected without that prior disclosure shall be refunded in full on the Customer's request. At checkout the Customer may elect to pay the deposit only, leaving the balance for the salon, or to prepay the full total; full Prepayment is always an available election.
Article 4: Collection and Custody
4.1 A booking made online is created awaiting payment, with the full priced total recorded. Payment of the deposit or of the full total confirms the booking; until payment, the booking is a request and not a reservation. Where payment processing is not available for a location, the booking stands in a pending state and the location confirms it with the Customer directly; no record shall represent a payment as made when none was received.
4.2 A collected deposit is recorded on the Appointment as the deposit amount and the amount paid, against the Appointment total; the remainder is the outstanding balance, collected at pickup. Held deposits are also recorded in the deposit ledger of the location or program.
4.3 A deposit is specific to its Appointment. A deposit shall not be moved to a different Customer, a different pet, or a different Appointment, except on rescheduling under Article 5, which carries the same deposit to the rescheduled Appointment.
4.4 A deposit shall not be collected in cash without a record made the same day. Cash held without a record breaches this document.
4.5 A discount under the Service Pricing and Surcharge policy does not reduce a deposit already collected; the discount reduces the outstanding balance only.
Article 5: Rescheduling
5.1 Where the Customer reschedules at or before the Cancellation Cutoff, the deposit carries automatically to the rescheduled Appointment. The Customer complied with the rule; the money follows the Appointment.
5.2 Where the Customer reschedules after the Cancellation Cutoff, the deposit is forfeited under Article 6 unless a manager grants an exception. An exception shall be recorded in the Appointment's internal notes with its reason. An unrecorded exception is not authorized.
Article 6: Cancellation, No-Show, Refund, and Forfeiture
6.1 Timely cancellation. Where the Customer cancels at or before the Cancellation Cutoff, the deposit shall be refunded in full to the original payment method within five (5) business days.
6.2 Late cancellation. Where the Customer cancels after the Cancellation Cutoff, the deposit is forfeited, except where an exception in the Booking, Cancellation and No-Show policy applies: a pet's medical emergency documented as that policy requires, a cancellation or rescheduling by the Platform, or severe weather or a declared emergency preventing travel. In an excepted case the deposit is refunded under clause 6.1.
6.3 Cancellation by the Platform. Where the Platform cancels an Appointment: the Groomer unavailable, a location closure, or a blackout date: the deposit shall be refunded in full within five (5) business days and the Customer shall be offered priority rebooking. The Customer does not bear the cost of a cancellation the Customer did not cause.
6.4 No-show. Where an Appointment is a no-show under the Booking, Cancellation and No-Show policy, the deposit is forfeited. Where a no-show or late-cancellation fee is raised as an invoice under that policy, a held deposit for the Appointment applies against the fee first and is recorded as applied, linked to the invoice. A held deposit larger than the fee is not split: the excess remains held, and the invoice records that staff shall apply it manually. A fee under this clause is an open invoice visible to the Customer; it is never collected as an undisclosed charge to the Customer's payment method.
6.5 Forfeiture is disclosed twice: at collection, in the booking disclosure under clause 3.4, and in the cancellation confirmation. A forfeiture not so disclosed is not enforceable, and the deposit shall be refunded.
Article 7: Forfeiture Accounting
7.1 A forfeited deposit is recorded separately in the ledger. It is not service revenue.
7.2 A forfeited deposit is excluded from the basis of the Groomer's commission under the Groomer Compensation and Commission Terms unless the commission plan expressly includes forfeited deposits. A Groomer does not earn commission on an Appointment that did not occur, except as that document's no-show provision states.
Article 8: Liability
8.1 To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither party is liable to the other for indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages, or for lost profits, lost revenue, or loss of goodwill, arising out of or relating to this document, even if the party has been advised of the possibility of those damages.
8.2 To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company's total liability arising out of or relating to this document shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amounts the Groomer paid to the Company under this document in the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred dollars ($100).
8.3 This article does not limit (a) a party's indemnification obligations under this document; (b) liability for fraud or willful misconduct; (c) amounts owed for deposits, refunds, or fees under this document; or (d) liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.
8.4 Nothing in this article limits liability for personal injury or injury to an animal caused by negligence, where applicable law does not permit the limitation. A deposit dispute does not alter the cost allocation for veterinary care in the Incident and Injury Reporting policy: care made necessary by negligence in the Service is not charged against a Customer's deposit, and care made necessary by a pre-existing condition remains the Customer's cost as that policy states.
8.5 The parties agree that this article allocates risk between them, that it is an essential part of the basis of their bargain, and that it applies even if a limited remedy fails of its essential purpose.
Article 9: Indemnification
9.1 The Groomer shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company and its members, managers, employees, and agents from and against every claim, demand, action, loss, liability, judgment, settlement, cost, and expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) the Groomer's breach of this document, including collecting, holding, or accounting for a deposit otherwise than as this document provides; (b) the Groomer's Services, listings, or User Content; (c) the Groomer's violation of any law or of the rights of any person; and (d) taxes for which the Groomer is responsible under this document.
9.2 The Company shall give prompt written notice of a claim under this article. The Groomer shall control the defense with counsel reasonably acceptable to the Company. The Company may participate in the defense at its own expense. The Groomer shall not settle a claim in a manner that imposes any obligation or restriction on the Company, or that does not release the Company fully, without the Company's prior written consent.
9.3 This article survives the termination of this document.
Article 10: Enforcement and Appeals
10.1 The Company may investigate any suspected violation of this document. The Groomer shall cooperate with an investigation and shall produce the records this document requires the Groomer to keep.
10.2 If the Company determines that the Groomer has violated this document, the Company shall give written notice stating the provision violated and the facts relied on, except where notice would compromise an investigation of fraud, a safety risk, or a legal obligation.
10.3 Where a violation is capable of cure, the Groomer has ten (10) business days from notice to cure it and to confirm the cure in writing. No cure period applies to fraud, a risk to the safety of a person or an animal, unlawful conduct, or a violation that by its nature cannot be cured.
10.4 If a violation is established and is not cured within the period allowed, the Company may, proportionate to the violation: (a) issue a written warning; (b) suspend the Groomer's assignments; (c) cancel an Appointment or a booking; (d) suspend the Account or a program participation, in whole or in part; (e) terminate this document and the Account; and (f) exercise any other right or remedy available under this document or at law.
10.5 The Company may hold disbursements to the Groomer while an investigation under this article is pending, and shall release amounts not required to satisfy the Groomer's obligations when the investigation closes.
10.6 The Groomer may appeal a measure under this article by written notice to legal@aapawz.com within thirty (30) days of the measure, stating the grounds and attaching the records relied on. The appeal is decided by a person who did not make the original decision. The Company's decision on appeal is final. A measure remains in effect during an appeal unless the Company directs otherwise in writing.
10.7 The Company's delay in acting on a violation is not a waiver of the violation or of any later violation of the same kind.
Article 11: Term and Termination
11.1 This document takes effect when the Groomer is activated under the Groomer Onboarding and Qualification policy and continues until terminated under this article. Deposits held at termination shall be applied, refunded, or forfeited under this document as if termination had not occurred.
11.2 The Company may terminate this document and the Account on thirty (30) days' written notice for any reason, and immediately on written notice if the Groomer materially breaches this document, engages in fraud, or becomes ineligible to participate.
11.3 The Groomer may terminate this document on thirty (30) days' written notice to support@aapawz.com, provided the Groomer has no Appointment, booking, or investigation outstanding.
11.4 On termination: (a) the rights granted under this document end; (b) obligations that arose before termination: including deposit, refund, record-keeping, and indemnification obligations: survive until satisfied; and (c) the Company shall disburse amounts owed, less amounts the Company may set off under this document, within thirty (30) days, except amounts held in connection with an open investigation or dispute.
11.5 The Definitions, Liability, Indemnification, Enforcement and Appeals (for measures taken before termination), Dispute Resolution, and General Provisions articles survive termination.
Article 12: Dispute Resolution
12.1 Any dispute arising out of or relating to this document, or to the relationship it governs, is governed by the Dispute Resolution Policy, which is incorporated into this document by reference.
Article 13: General Provisions
13.1 The Company may amend this document by posting the amended document in the Document Center and giving notice to the Groomer at the email address in the Account. An amendment that materially increases the Groomer's fees or obligations takes effect thirty (30) days after notice; other amendments take effect on posting. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date of an amendment is acceptance of it. If the Groomer does not accept an amendment, the Groomer's remedy is to terminate under the Term and Termination article before the amendment takes effect.
13.2 Legal notices under this document shall be sent to legal@aapawz.com. Operational notices and all other communications shall be sent to support@aapawz.com. A notice to the Company is effective when the Company acknowledges receipt or, for email, one business day after sending, whichever is earlier. Notices to the Groomer are effective when sent to the email address in the Account or posted to the Account's notice facility in the portal, whichever occurs first. The Groomer shall keep the email address in the Account current. Notices under the DMCA and Copyright Policy are given as provided in that policy, to the designated agent at legal@aapawz.com.
13.3 This document is governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Subject to the Dispute Resolution Policy, any proceeding arising out of this document shall be brought in the state or federal courts located in Shelby County, Tennessee, and the parties consent to personal jurisdiction there.
13.4 If any provision of this document is held unenforceable, the provision shall be enforced to the fullest extent permitted, and the remaining provisions continue in full effect.
13.5 This document, together with the documents it incorporates by reference, is the entire agreement between the Company and the Groomer for the subject it governs and supersedes every prior or contemporaneous statement, communication, or agreement on that subject, whether written or oral.
13.6 The Groomer shall not assign this document or any right or obligation under it without the Company's prior written consent, and an assignment without consent is void. The Company may assign this document to an affiliate or in connection with a sale of all or part of its business, on notice to the Groomer.
13.7 A waiver of any provision of this document is effective only in writing and only for the instance stated. No waiver is a waiver of any other provision or instance.
13.8 Headings are for convenience only. "Including" means "including without limitation." This document shall not be construed against a party as its drafter. The English-language text controls over any translation.
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