Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the PetExchange website, mobile applications, APIs, or related services (the “Platform”), you (“User”, “you”) agree to be bound by these Terms of Service, our Privacy Policy, and our Seller Policies. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform.

These Terms form a binding legal contract between you and PetExchange FZ-LLC, a company registered in the United Arab Emirates (“PetExchange”, “we”, “us”).

2. Definitions

• ▸Platform — the PetExchange website, mobile apps, APIs, and all associated services.
• ▸Buyer — a user who purchases a product, pet, or service.
• ▸Seller — a verified user or business offering products, pets, or services for sale.
• ▸Verified Seller — a Seller who has completed identity verification and/or trade licence verification.
• ▸Listing — any product, pet, or service offered for sale on the Platform.
• ▸Escrow — the hold on buyer funds by the Platform until the transaction is successfully fulfilled.
• ▸Dispute — a formal complaint raised by a Buyer or Seller regarding a transaction.
• ▸Subscription — a paid plan granting Sellers additional listing quotas and premium features.

3. Eligibility

• ▸You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account.
• ▸You must reside in the UAE, a GCC member state, or a jurisdiction where the Platform is available.
• ▸You must have the legal capacity to enter binding contracts.
• ▸Business Sellers must hold a valid trade licence from their jurisdiction of operation.
• ▸Veterinary Sellers must additionally hold current board certifications recognised by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE).
• ▸You must not be barred from using the Platform under UAE sanctions laws or prior enforcement action by PetExchange.

4. Accounts & Security

4.1 Account Creation

You must provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating an account. You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.

4.2 Verification

We may require identity verification (KYC) via Emirates ID, passport, or business documents at any time. Failure to complete verification when requested may result in listing removal, payout suspension, or account closure.

4.3 One Account Per User

You may not create multiple accounts, use another user's account, or transfer your account without written consent from PetExchange. Sellers with suspended accounts may not re-register under a new identity.

4.4 Notifications

You consent to receive transactional notifications (order updates, dispute messages, escrow releases) via email and in-platform. Marketing communications are opt-in and may be unsubscribed at any time.

5. Role of PetExchange

PetExchange operates as a neutral marketplace intermediary connecting Buyers and Sellers. We are not a party to the contract of sale between Buyer and Seller. We do not:

• ▸Own, inspect, or take physical custody of pets, products, or services listed
• ▸Guarantee the accuracy of listing descriptions, health status, or product authenticity
• ▸Provide veterinary advice or medical diagnosis
• ▸Underwrite pet insurance (we facilitate connections to licensed insurers only)

We provide the technology, payment infrastructure, escrow service, verification tools, and dispute resolution framework to enable trusted transactions between users.

6. Listings

6.1 Seller Responsibilities

• ▸Listings must be accurate, truthful, and not misleading
• ▸Prices must be displayed in AED (or the local GCC currency where enabled)
• ▸Images must be original, recent, and depict the actual item for sale — stock photos are permitted only for sealed retail products
• ▸Listings must comply with all applicable UAE laws, CITES regulations, and MOCCAE requirements
• ▸Pet listings must include species, breed, age, gender, health certificate status, vaccination records, and microchip number where applicable
• ▸Veterinary services must disclose price, duration, and credentialed practitioner

6.2 Listing Limits

Free-tier Sellers may publish up to 3 concurrent active listings. Paid Seller Subscriptions unlock higher quotas. See Pricing for current tiers.

7. Prohibited Items & Species

The following listings are strictly prohibited and will be removed, with potential account suspension and reporting to UAE authorities:

• ▸CITES Appendix I species (endangered wildlife) in all forms
• ▸CITES Appendix II species without a valid export/import permit
• ▸Native UAE wildlife (desert foxes, Arabian leopards, oryx, falcons without falconry permit)
• ▸Great apes, big cats (lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards), bears, wolves, hyenas
• ▸Venomous snakes, scorpions, and invertebrates requiring permits
• ▸Stolen, counterfeit, or unauthorised parallel-import products
• ▸Expired, non-original, or repackaged medicines and supplements
• ▸Prescription-only medicines without verified veterinary prescription
• ▸Cosmetically modified animals (cropped ears, docked tails in violation of welfare standards)
• ▸Animals under the minimum weaning age (puppies/kittens under 8 weeks)
• ▸Pregnant or lactating females offered for sale
• ▸Fighting breeds where prohibited by UAE federal or emirate law
• ▸Any listing violating UAE Federal Law No. 16 of 2007 (Animal Welfare) or Federal Law No. 22 of 2016 (Ownership of Dangerous Animals)

8. Transactions & Escrow

8.1 Payment Processing

All payments are processed via Stripe. By transacting on the Platform, you agree to Stripe's Terms of Service. Raw payment card data never touches PetExchange servers.

8.2 Escrow Hold

For qualifying transactions, Buyer funds are held in escrow by the Platform until:

• ▸Buyer confirms receipt and satisfaction, or
• ▸7 calendar days have passed since delivery confirmation with no dispute raised (auto-release), or
• ▸A dispute resolution concludes in favour of release

8.3 Platform Fees

PetExchange charges a commission on completed transactions. The current fee schedule is disclosed on the Pricing page and is subject to change with 30 days' notice.

8.4 Payouts

Seller payouts are made via Stripe Connect to the Seller's registered bank account after escrow release, less applicable platform fees and any outstanding chargebacks or refunds. Standard payout delay is 2–7 business days.

9. Auctions

• ▸Bids are legally binding offers. Winning bidders are contractually obligated to complete payment within 24 hours of auction close.
• ▸Sellers may set a reserve price; if not met, the auction ends without a sale.
• ▸Bid retractions are not permitted except in cases of clerical error, reported within 5 minutes of the bid, and subject to moderator approval.
• ▸Anti-snipe protection extends auctions by 3 minutes if a bid is placed in the final 3 minutes.
• ▸Shill bidding (Seller bidding on their own listing via alternate accounts) is strictly prohibited and will result in permanent ban and fund forfeiture.
• ▸Unpaid winning bids result in automatic strike. Three strikes trigger permanent bidding ban.

10. Subscriptions & Fees

• ▸Seller subscriptions (Basic, Standard, Premium, Enterprise) are billed monthly or annually via Stripe.
• ▸Subscription fees are non-refundable for the current billing period.
• ▸Auto-renewal is enabled by default; you may cancel at any time via the Billing Portal — cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period.
• ▸Downgrades take effect at the next renewal. Upgrades take effect immediately with prorated charges.
• ▸Featured Listing boosts are one-time charges and non-refundable once activated.
• ▸Prices are exclusive of applicable VAT which will be added at checkout.

11. Shipping & Delivery

11.1 Product Shipping

Sellers must ship within 24 hours of order confirmation, using courier services with tracking. Tracking numbers must be uploaded to the Platform.

11.2 Live Animal Transport

All live animal transport must use certified, air-conditioned pet taxi services compliant with UAE municipal animal welfare standards. Transport documentation (health certificate, transport permit) must accompany the animal.

11.3 Cross-Emirate / Cross-Border Transport

Cross-emirate transport of pets requires valid MOCCAE export certificates. Cross-border (GCC) transport requires CITES documentation where applicable. Sellers are solely responsible for obtaining all required permits.

12. Returns & Refunds

• ▸Products: returnable within 7 days if unused, unopened, and in original packaging. Shipping costs non-refundable unless item is defective.
• ▸Perishables (food, medicines): non-returnable once delivered except in cases of documented defect or incorrect item.
• ▸Pets: strictly non-returnable once transferred. Health guarantees (where offered by Seller) cover congenital defects disclosed within 14 days of transfer, verified by independent vet examination.
• ▸Services: non-refundable once service has commenced. Pre-paid services cancelled 24+ hours before appointment are fully refundable.
• ▸Refunds are processed to the original payment method within 5–10 business days of approval.

13. Disputes

Buyers and Sellers are encouraged to resolve disputes directly via in-platform messaging. If unresolved after 48 hours, either party may open a formal Dispute via the Order page. PetExchange moderators will review evidence from both parties and issue a binding decision within 7–14 business days.

Escalation to UAE courts is available only after exhaustion of the Platform dispute resolution process.

14. Reviews & User Content

• ▸Reviews must be based on genuine transaction experience. Fake, solicited, or retaliatory reviews are prohibited.
• ▸Reviews may be moderated or removed if they contain profanity, personal information, defamatory content, or violate platform policy.
• ▸By posting content (listings, reviews, messages, images), you grant PetExchange a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to use, display, and promote that content on the Platform.
• ▸You represent that you own or have the right to post all content you upload, and that it does not infringe any third-party rights.

15. Intellectual Property

All Platform content including logos, designs, software, algorithms, and trademarks are the exclusive property of PetExchange FZ-LLC or its licensors. You may not copy, reverse-engineer, scrape, or use automated tools to access the Platform without written permission. Violation will result in account termination and potential legal action.

16. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• ▸Circumvent platform fees by conducting off-platform transactions after contact originated on the Platform
• ▸Harass, threaten, defame, or discriminate against other users
• ▸Impersonate any person, business, or PetExchange staff
• ▸Use the Platform to distribute malware, viruses, or harmful code
• ▸Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any account, server, or data
• ▸Scrape or systematically harvest data from the Platform
• ▸Manipulate search rankings, review scores, or auction outcomes
• ▸Launder money, finance terrorism, or engage in any illegal activity
• ▸Create listings that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, or nationality
• ▸Use the Platform in violation of any UAE federal or emirate law

17. Moderation & Enforcement

We employ automated and human review of listings and user activity. We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to:

• ▸Remove or unpublish listings that violate these Terms
• ▸Suspend or terminate accounts for repeated or serious violations
• ▸Withhold payouts pending investigation of suspected fraud
• ▸Report illegal activity to UAE authorities
• ▸Cooperate with law enforcement pursuant to lawful legal process

You have the right to request human review of any automated enforcement decision by contacting support@petexchange.ae.

18. Termination

You may close your account at any time via Account Settings. We may suspend or terminate your account:

• ▸Immediately for material breach of these Terms
• ▸With 30 days' notice for convenience
• ▸Immediately upon receipt of a court order or regulatory directive

Upon termination: (a) your listings will be removed; (b) pending escrow holds will be released according to their normal cycle; (c) unresolved disputes will continue through completion; (d) data will be retained per our Privacy Policy.

19. Disclaimers

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, PETEXCHANGE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure from unauthorised access. We make no warranty regarding the accuracy of listings, the health of pets, the authenticity of products, or the conduct of other users.

20. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY UAE LAW, PETEXCHANGE'S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL PLATFORM FEES YOU PAID IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR AED 1,000, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

IN NO EVENT SHALL PETEXCHANGE BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA, OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

This limitation does not apply to liability for gross negligence, wilful misconduct, or liability that cannot be limited under UAE law.

21. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless PetExchange, its officers, directors, employees, and affiliates from any claim, demand, loss, liability, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising from: (a) your breach of these Terms; (b) your violation of any law or third-party right; (c) your listings, transactions, or content; (d) any dispute between you and another user.

22. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United Arab Emirates, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Dubai Courts, unless mandatory consumer protection law requires otherwise.

Where the UAE Consumer Protection Law (Federal Law No. 15 of 2020) provides statutory consumer rights that cannot be waived, those rights prevail.

23. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms periodically. Material changes will be notified by email (to verified accounts) and via a prominent banner on the Platform at least 14 days before the effective date. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. Archived versions are available on request.

24. Contact Us

Questions about these Terms? Get in touch: