Terms of Service

1. Who We Are and What You Are Agreeing To

These Terms of Service ("Terms") are a binding agreement between you and NEIGHBARK ("NEIGHBARK", "we", "us"), the operator of the NEIGHBARK mobile application and the NeighBark.com website (together, the "Service"). By creating an account or using the Service you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and able to form a binding contract to use the Service. The app confirms this with an age gate before use. The Service is currently intended for users in the United States; walks are booked and paid in U.S. dollars.

3. The Service Is a Marketplace

NEIGHBARK connects dog owners ("Owners") with independent dog walkers ("Walkers") nearby. Walkers are independent providers, not employees, agents, or contractors of NEIGHBARK. We do not supervise walks, and we do not guarantee the quality, safety, legality, or outcome of any walk. Any agreement to perform a walk is between the Owner and the Walker.

We do not run background checks on Walkers unless expressly stated in the app. Owners are responsible for deciding whether a Walker is suitable for their dog.

4. Accounts and Security

You agree to provide accurate information (including your real name, location area, and — for Owners — truthful pet profiles), to keep it up to date, and to keep your sign-in credentials secure. You are responsible for activity on your account. Sign-in is handled by our authentication provider; see the Privacy Policy for details.

5. Booking, Handoff, and Walk Sessions

Walks are arranged in the app: an Owner and a Walker connect, agree on a session, and the dog is handed off at the start of the session. Handoff is confirmed either automatically when the app detects the Owner and Walker are within close proximity (approximately 6 feet / 2 meters), or manually with a short verification code. The walk session — its start, handoff confirmation, completion, and payment — is recorded in the app ledger.

6. Fees and Payments

Owners are asked to keep a valid payment card on file; the app will prompt for one. Payments are processed by Stripe; NEIGHBARK does not store full card numbers. If a charge cannot be collected (for example, because no card is on file or the card is declined), the amount remains owed and is shown as outstanding in the app ledger, and we may retry the charge and restrict new bookings until it is settled.

Each Walker sets their own per-session rate, shown before booking. When a session completes, the Owner's card is charged the session rate. NEIGHBARK retains a platform commission of 30% of the session rate; the remaining 70% is credited to the Walker.

Late fee: when a session reaches handoff, the app opens a handoff window with a visible countdown (currently 5 minutes). If handoff is not confirmed before the countdown ends, a flat $3.00 inconvenience fee is charged to the Owner and retained by NEIGHBARK. If handoff still does not occur, the session is cancelled automatically shortly after (currently about 10 minutes after the window opens).

All charges are in U.S. dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are approximate estimates for convenience only; the USD amount always governs. Except where required by law, charges are non-refundable, but if something went wrong with a session, contact support@neighbark.com and we will review it.

7. Walker Payouts

Walkers can withdraw their available balance to a payout account through Stripe. Payouts may require identity verification by Stripe, may be subject to minimum amounts shown in the app, and can be delayed or blocked where required for fraud prevention or by law. Walkers are responsible for their own taxes on amounts earned through the Service.

8. Cancellations

Sessions may be cancelled in the app before handoff. Sessions that miss the handoff window are cancelled automatically and the late fee in Section 6 applies. Repeated no-shows or late arrivals (by Owners or Walkers) may lead to account suspension.

9. Location Tracking

GPS tracking is a core part of the Service. By starting or performing a walk session, Walkers consent to the collection of their device location for the duration of the active session — including while the screen is locked or the app is in the background — and to sharing that location and its freshness status with the Owner of the dog in their care. Location tracking stops when the session ends. Refusing location permissions will prevent parts of the Service (such as session tracking and proximity handoff) from working.

10. Your Content and Conduct

You are responsible for the information you post (profiles, pet details, notes, photos). There is zero tolerance for objectionable content or abusive behavior on the Service, including harassment, threats, discriminatory conduct, or fraudulent listings. We may remove content, restrict features, or suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or put people, pets, or the platform at risk.

11. Animal Care, Health, and Risk

Owners warrant that their dog is licensed and vaccinated as required by local law, and that they have disclosed in the pet profile any bite history, aggression, health conditions, or special needs. Owners must provide accurate emergency and veterinary contact details.

Walkers agree to follow the Owner's care instructions and applicable animal-welfare and leash laws while a dog is in their care. In an emergency, the Walker is authorized to contact the veterinarian listed in the pet profile; the Owner remains responsible for veterinary costs unless the Owner and Walker agree otherwise.

You acknowledge that interacting with animals carries inherent risk (including bites, scratches, and property damage) and that NEIGHBARK is not responsible for the acts or omissions of any Owner, Walker, or dog.

12. Disclaimers

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, and non-infringement. GPS and proximity readings depend on device hardware, weather, buildings, and operating-system behavior and may be inaccurate, delayed, or interrupted; do not rely on them as a safety system.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, NEIGHBARK will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, data, goodwill, or for personal injury or property damage arising out of walks arranged through the Service. To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability for all claims relating to the Service is limited to the greater of (a) the platform fees you paid to NEIGHBARK in the three months before the claim and (b) one hundred U.S. dollars ($100). Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, so parts of this section may not apply to you.

14. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold NEIGHBARK harmless from claims, damages, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Service, your violation of these Terms, your content, or any interaction between you and another user or a dog, except to the extent caused by our own willful misconduct.

15. Suspension and Termination

You may stop using the Service at any time and may request account deletion as described in the Privacy Policy. We may suspend or terminate your access if you breach these Terms, create risk for other users or animals, or where required by law. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (including Sections 6, 7, and 11 through 14) survive.

16. Apple App Store Terms

If you downloaded the app from the Apple App Store, the following also applies: these Terms are between you and NEIGHBARK only, not Apple, and Apple is not responsible for the app or its content. Your license is limited, non-transferable, and for use on Apple-branded devices you own or control, as permitted by the App Store Terms of Service. Apple has no obligation to provide maintenance or support for the app. If the app fails to conform to an applicable warranty, you may notify Apple and Apple will refund the purchase price (if any); to the maximum extent permitted by law, Apple has no other warranty obligation. Apple is not responsible for addressing claims relating to the app, including product-liability claims, legal-compliance claims, and consumer-protection claims, or for third-party claims that the app infringes intellectual-property rights. You represent that you are not located in a country subject to a U.S. government embargo or designated a "terrorist supporting" country, and that you are not on any U.S. government list of prohibited or restricted parties. Apple and its subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms and may enforce them against you.

17. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms as the Service evolves. If a change is material, we will give notice in the app or by other reasonable means before it takes effect. Continuing to use the Service after a change takes effect means you accept the updated Terms.

18. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the operator of NEIGHBARK is established, without regard to conflict-of-law rules, and disputes will be resolved in the courts of that jurisdiction unless applicable law gives you the right to another venue. Before filing any claim, please contact support@neighbark.com — most issues can be resolved quickly and informally.

19. Contact

Questions about these Terms: support@neighbark.com.