Effective Date: October 15, 2026 Version: 1.0 Applies to: All Groomers, bathers, and reception staff who handle animals in connection with Services booked through the Platform, at any location or on a mobile basis.
Article 1: Introduction and Scope
1.1 This document states the non-negotiable safety rules for handling animals in the Platform's care. The order of priorities is fixed and does not change: the safety of the animal first, then the safety of persons, then everything else. Schedule, revenue, and a Customer's preference for how an animal is handled rank below safety. A Groomer who yields on safety to please a Customer violates this document even if no harm results; the outcome does not retroactively justify the risk taken.
1.2 This document applies to a Groomer in every participation mode: Marketplace Groomer acting as an independent contractor, Salon Groomer acting as a salon service provider under the salon program terms, and Company salon employee, as defined in the Groomer Terms of Service. The safety duties are identical in every mode and at every place of work, salon, mobile, or Customer premises. No program term, location practice, or Customer instruction derogates from this document.
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 another document of Groomers of this library on a matter of animal safety, this document controls. 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 Handling Profile: the record maintained for each pet, stating temperament; handling tolerances for nails, face, feet, ears, dryer, and clippers; handling notes and grooming notes; the coat record (type, texture, length, condition, and shedding level); and the current cut.
2.3 Medical Distress: signs including difficulty breathing (open-mouth gasping, blue or grey gums, exaggerated abdominal effort), collapse, seizure, uncontrolled bleeding, and extreme lethargy or unresponsiveness.
2.4 Red Flag: a notation in the Handling Profile recording a bite history, severe anxiety, a seizure disorder, brachycephalic breathing risk, or senior or fragile condition.
Article 3: Know the Animal Before Handling It
3.1 The Groomer shall read the pet's Handling Profile before touching the pet. Reading the profile is the first step of the Appointment, not an administrative preliminary. A handling tolerance recorded in the profile governs the Service: a pet whose dryer-handling note records panic and towel-drying only shall not be dried with a high-velocity dryer, and a pet with a bite history in the handling notes shall not be assigned to a Groomer without the experience the profile requires.
3.2 Intake updates the profile. New information from the Customer and anything observed during the Appointment shall be recorded in the Handling Profile the same day. A profile entry that contradicts the pet's observed behavior shall be corrected the same day. Handling information known to be out of date is worse than none, because it creates false confidence in the next Groomer.
3.3 A Red Flag shall be recorded in the handling notes and surfaced at booking. A pet carrying a Red Flag shall be assigned only to a Groomer whose recorded specialties include special handling. A manager may override the assignment restriction only for a recorded reason stated on the Appointment.
Article 4: Restraint and Equipment
4.1 Restraint shall be the minimum necessary for the safety of the pet and the Groomer, and no more. Grooming loops and nooses are used only while the pet is attended at all times. A pet shall never be left tethered and unattended, for any interval.
4.2 Heated dryers. A heated dryer is the most dangerous ordinary tool in a salon, and the rules are absolute. The Groomer shall remain in the room while a heated dryer runs. Cage dryers run on timers and are checked at every interval. A heated cage dryer shall not be used on a brachycephalic breed, a senior pet with a cardiac history, or a pet carrying a Red Flag, without express manager approval recorded on the Appointment. An unattended heated dryer is a violation under Article 6, not a mistake.
4.3 The Groomer shall check blade and shear temperature against the Groomer's own skin before every use on the pet. Clipper burn from an unchecked blade is a skipped check and a safety violation, not an accident.
4.4 The following are prohibited absolutely: stacking pets in kennels; leaving a pet on a high table unattended; and leaving a pet in a vehicle, for any interval and in any weather.
Article 5: The Duty of Care for Animals in Custody
5.1 The bailee's duty, stated plainly. From the moment an animal is accepted into the Groomer's custody until the animal is returned to the Customer, the Groomer holds the animal as a bailee and owes the Customer and the animal the duty of reasonable care: the care a competent groomer exercises for a living animal entrusted to the groomer's keeping. That duty includes safe restraint under Article 4, continuous supervision where this document requires it, protection from other animals and from equipment hazards, secure containment against escape, and prompt action in Medical Distress under Article 7.
5.2 The duty applies in full to a Marketplace Groomer working at the Customer's premises or on a mobile basis, and to a Salon Groomer working at a salon location. The place of work does not dilute the duty; the Groomer who holds the animal bears it.
5.3 Incident duties. Where an animal in custody is injured, escapes, bites or is bitten, or suffers Medical Distress, the Groomer shall stop work, secure the animal, notify the manager or the Company at once, inform the Customer as the Incident and Injury Reporting policy requires, and file the incident report before the end of the shift. Concealment of an injury to a pet is a separate violation under Article 6.
5.4 Cost of veterinary care. (a) Where veterinary care is made necessary by the Groomer's negligence: including a breach of this document: the cost of reasonable emergency veterinary care is borne as the Incident and Injury Reporting policy provides and is not borne by the Customer. (b) Where veterinary care is made necessary by a pre-existing condition of the animal, disclosed or not, and not by the Groomer's conduct: the seizure disorder that presents on the table, the cardiac event with no service cause: the cost is the Customer's, under the emergency authorization in the Service Liability and Waiver Policy. (c) In either case the animal is treated first: where delay would endanger the animal, the care is authorized and, where the policy so provides, advanced, and cost is allocated afterward.
Article 6: Conduct That Ends Participation
6.1 The following conduct results in immediate suspension of the Groomer's assignments pending investigation under the Groomer Conduct and Enforcement Policy, the Groomer being off the book while the investigation runs, and the investigation completed within ten (10) business days (a) striking, kicking, or deliberately hurting a pet;
(b) leaving a pet unattended on a table, in a heated dryer, or tethered;
(c) performing a Service while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or any substance that degrades judgment or reaction time; and
(d) concealing an injury to a pet. The concealment is its own violation under this clause, separate from the injury concealed. A Groomer who injures a pet and reports it faces the incident process; a Groomer who injures a pet and conceals it faces suspension under this article.
6.2 Rough-handling complaints. A complaint that a Groomer handled a pet roughly is investigated against the Handling Profile and the Service Record, not against impression. A pattern of complaints inconsistent with the precautions the records show triggers retraining or reassignment before it becomes an enforcement matter; the pattern is addressed early, by design, rather than after a serious injury.
Article 7: Medical Distress
7.1 The Groomer shall know the signs of Medical Distress without reference to any document. Brachycephalic breeds and senior pets deteriorate faster; the Groomer working on such a pet shall have that margin in mind before the Service begins.
7.2 On Medical Distress, the Groomer shall, in order: (a) stop work immediately: tools down, dryer off, the Service is over; (b) secure the pet: off the table where there is any risk of a fall, onto the floor on a mat, clear of equipment; (c) keep the pet calm and cool: a low voice, slow movement, and, where overheating is suspected, cool (not cold) air and damp towels on the paw pads and belly; ice water and a cold bath shall never be applied to a distressed animal; (d) notify the manager at once; (e) ensure the Customer and the Customer's veterinarian are contacted: for high or critical severity, immediately, not at pickup; and (f) administer no medication, including Customer-provided medication, unless a written veterinary directive for that pet is on file, is attached to the Handling Profile, and the Groomer has been trained on it. A Customer's oral instruction to give a medication is not a directive, and acting on it violates this document.
7.3 Where the Customer cannot be reached within thirty (30) minutes and the pet needs emergency veterinary care, the manager authorizes transport to the nearest emergency veterinarian under the standing authorization in the Service Liability and Waiver Policy.
7.4 Every Medical Distress event is recorded in an incident report with its severity stated honestly, and in the Service Record's behavior notes, under the Incident and Injury Reporting policy, before the end of the shift. An unrecorded emergency is concealment within clause 6.1(d).
Article 8: Observation, Not Diagnosis; Parasites
8.1 The Groomer shall record observations and shall not state diagnoses. "Raised pink lump, approximately one centimeter, left flank" is an observation and shall be recorded in those terms in the Service Record and the customer-visible notes, and communicated to the Customer at pickup with a recommendation to consult a veterinarian. A statement of what the condition is: a diagnosis: is outside the Groomer's role and authority, in law and under this document.
8.2 Where parasites are found, the Groomer shall: isolate the pet from other animals immediately; inform the Customer at pickup, or by telephone where the infestation is severe; offer treatment only from the Service Catalog (the Flea Bath add-on): the Groomer shall not prescribe or dispense parasiticides, which are regulated products; ensure the area is sanitized; and record the finding in the Service Record and the Handling Profile.
Article 9: Liability
9.1 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.
9.2 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).
9.3 This article does not limit (a) a party's indemnification obligations under this document; (b) liability for fraud or willful misconduct; (c) amounts the Groomer owes for fees, chargebacks, or refunds under this document; or (d) liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.
9.4 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. The animal-in-care article of this document (Article 5) states the operative allocation: the bailee's duty, the incident duties, and the rule that veterinary costs follow negligence as against a pre-existing condition: and applies in full.
9.5 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 10: Indemnification
10.1 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; (b) the Groomer's Services, listings, or User Content; (c) injury to an animal or a person arising out of the Groomer's handling of an animal, except to the extent caused by the Company's own negligence; and (d) taxes for which the Groomer is responsible under this document.
10.2 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.
10.3 This article survives the termination of this document.
Article 11: Enforcement and Appeals
11.1 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.
11.2 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.
11.3 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, a violation under Article 6, or a violation that by its nature cannot be cured.
11.4 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.
11.5 The Company may suspend the Groomer immediately, without prior notice and without a cure period, where a risk to the safety of a person or an animal arises, or where a qualification or license relied on for activation lapses.
11.6 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.
11.7 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 12: Term and Termination
12.1 This document takes effect when the Groomer is activated under the Groomer Onboarding and Qualification policy and continues until terminated under this article.
12.2 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.
12.3 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.
12.4 On termination: (a) the rights granted under this document end; (b) obligations that arose before termination: including payment, 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.
12.5 The Definitions, Liability, Indemnification, Enforcement and Appeals (for measures taken before termination), Dispute Resolution, and General Provisions articles survive termination.
Article 13: Dispute Resolution
13.1 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 14: General Provisions
14.1 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.
14.2 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.
14.3 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.
14.4 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.
14.5 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.
14.6 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.
14.7 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.
14.8 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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